Sketching Out Blog: Sketches of art, watercolor, photos, recipes, books, interviews, Jewish topics, and Highland Park, New Jersey

Spring Brings Striped Purple Crocus

spring striped purple crocus
Spring has finally arrived in the form of striped purple crocuses. One of the names of the upcoming holiday of Pesach (also known as Passover) is Ḥag HaAviv or Holiday of Spring. An advantage of Passover coming early this year is the by the time the magnolias and dogwoods are in bloom, our Passover cleaning/cooking will be done, and we will better be able to enjoy the spring buds. Next year there will be an extra month of Adar so Passover will be later in the spring. If we didn’t have that extra month of Adar, we might be celebrating Pesach in the winter.

In renaming this blog, I had some ideas of settling into a particular niche. I’ve read oh how a proper blog should have a niche and stick with it. Well, I fear that may not come to be, as I have all sorts of ideas for this blog, and rarely are they consistently of one sort or another. A friend today gave me a poem she had written several years ago. It is somewhat biographical, and it also alludes some of the difficulties of the Sacrifice of Isaac. So stay tuned for that one. I have in mind to write a review of Ester and Ruzya, a wonderful book. Some ideas for interviews of other bloggers have come into my head on a particular topic – we will see if I follow through with that one. And once I get back to my art group, I suspect that art exercises and sketches will again be topics for blog discussions.

What can one say about a striped purple crocus? It’s symbolism seems to be universal, as it often pushes out of the ground before other flowers do (my neighbor’s snow drops appeared a while back, however). The word crocus is Greek, and it may have its roots in the Hebrew כרכום karkōm. I am guessing that this is a Crocus vernus.

Happy Pesach to those who celebrate. Happy Easter to those who celebrate that holiday. And happy spring of crocuses, forsythia, tulips and daffodils and whatever grows in your part of the world to all.

Hannah says

'I’ve read on how a proper blog should have a niche and stick with it. Well, I fear that may not come to be, as I have all sorts of ideas for this blog, and rarely are they consistently of one sort or another.'
That's me! I could not stick to just one topic!
With regard to flowers, I have spotted primula and I think that's all. After all the snow, the garden is slowly getting back into life.
Shabbat Shalom and Chag kasher v'sameach!

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leoraw says

You had a snowier winter than we did. Spotting primula sounds fabulous. And, yes, so much for staying in a niche. At least on my other blog I always talk something related to small business.

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Lorri says

I love your correlation of the crocus and Pesach.

I don't listen to others regarding a particular niche. I write what I want or what I feel is important. From books to news to recipes to photography to poetry, to art exhibits, etc., it all comes into play.

Shabbat Shalom!

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leoraw says

True, I should clarify that a blog niche is suggested for monetization. As you are on WordPress.com, it seems you are not interested in blogging for income, since WordPress.com does not allow this. My thinking is, if I can make money doing what I enjoy, why not? I do generate a bit of income already from this blog. But if I only wrote about one topic, I would not find that enjoyable.

Glad you like how I connected the crocus with Pesach (I did?). My interesting find was the root of the word crocus is probably Hebrew.

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Lorri says

Ah, I understand! Why not make money...I agree!

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RamblingWoods says

I think we may have some crocus under the snow... Yours are beautiful. I thought I would stick to nature on my blog.. but my life is too tied up with nature to do that. And I have lost readers since I started talking about my health..probably as it is a woman's thing. I like whatever you decide to write about...Michelle

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leoraw says

I'm sorry to hear you have lost readers due to writing about your health. I think you are very brave in being so open, and I appreciate your words. I also think of you as my nature teachers when it comes to birds and my bird feeder.

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