3rd May, 2021

 

New Zealand flax, crucifix orchid and dyed egg

New Zealand flax and dyed eggs. Glass is
always difficult to photograph

Hello all,

It was Orthodox Easter yesterday and, unlike last year, we were able to celebrate with the whole extended family. We were truly grateful to see each other after more than 18 months of separation. Not surprising, the most notable  change was with the youngest members of the family, who seem to have grown several inches. Maybe that's an exaggeration but that's how it seemed to me.

My sister-in-law, Toula, prepared the traditional 'magiritsa', which we have after midnight mass on the Saturday. It is made with sheeps' or goats' offal and plenty of herbs. Toula has mastered this thick soup from years of making it for us. And it was delicious!

The next day was Betty's turn to shine. She and her husband, George, hosted Easter sunday celebrations with about 40 people in their large home and one acre property. Luckily, the weather was most accommodating, so a very pleasant time was had by all. As for the food, there was enough to feed an army, which is just as it should be, according to my mother. I have to confess that I disgraced myself by overeating, yet once again.

So, back to ikebana. Last month's Sogetsu meeting and workshop was led by Emerald Leung and Angeline Lo. The theme was 'Renka' and I direct you to our website https://sogetsuikebanavic.weebly.com/ for a full explanation of the theme and photographs and video of members' arrangements. My two arrangements are below.

Equisetum, cosmos and yellow dahlias in ceramic
suiban

Marigolds, amaranthus and equisetum in
ceramic container

Here's something interesting. In my first arrangement I used black food dye in the water to conceal a number of kenzans. The next day I got a delightful surprise when I noticed that the dye had been absorbed by the cosmos flowers, creating a lacey effect on the edge of the petals.

I had a pot with four nerine flowers, which I avoided using for a couple of weeks, saving them for something special. Today I noticed that they were aging, so I went out into the garden looking for material to use with them. The magnolia soulangiana is looking wonderful right now. It has shed its leaves and has produced buds on its very distinctive, skeletal branches. I cut a horizontal piece and proceeded to arrange it in this large suiban without a kenzan. After finishing it I was not happy. 

I felt that the nerines interfered with the gorgeous line of the magnolia stem, so I removed them and used two floating camelias insead, leaving the line of the branch uninterrupted.

A brief sojourn just outside Melbourne provided me with some hawthorn and cotoneaster berries. The hawthorn berries are much darker than they had been earlier in their season and provided an interesting contrast with the smaller, paler cotoneasters. The chrysanthemums were generously donated by Toula.

I leave you with this little arrangement using agave and Queen's Tears bromeliad (Billbergia nutans).

Bye for now,

Emily