In My Garden: Smell the Roses

Tournament of Roses

Mystery Rose

Tournament of Roses

In My Garden: Sparrieshoop

In My Garden: Double Delight in the Evening Light

Emptying out my car this evening, the roses surrounding the driveway coaxed me away from my errands. The last bright rays of the day were highlighting various bushes. It was a "beckoning of the lovely" as some would say, and I walked around sticking my nose into the tall blooms. I lingered over some Double Delight blooms and inhaled her sweet, almost tea-like perfume. I pulled out my camera and caught her bold, red blushes. I love the way her petals look in the second shot -- almost like a Folie Bergere dancer with a feather tail!

In My Garden: Snowfire's Thorns Are Worth Running the Guantlet

Snowfire, according to The Idiots Guide to Roses, is labeled as one of the "Ten Worst Roses to Grow". What slander! I like this rose. It may be thorny and gnarly, kind of stunted, but the rose itself is beautiful. The outside color of the petals is a silvery white, contrasting with cherry red edges in an almost unworldly way. It's amazing to watch the petals unfold. With this rose, you either have to watch it grow on the bush, or be willing to suffer the numerous piercings you will receive as you attempt to snip its blooms.

In My Garden: Peace Rose

This photo is like a Georgia O'Keefe painting. I almost wanted to eat this rose. With vanilla ice cream.

In My Garden: Sparrieshoop Rose in Shadow and Sun

Party Dress

I can't believe the weather here today -- mid-70's and sunshine gorgeous. I needed to take some photos today for my Art Every Day Challenge. This species rose we planted about 9 years ago, caught my eye (how could it not?). It's on the edge of the driveway at the beginning of the walkway to our house. I've never ID'd this rose. We purchased it in an unmarked gallon container at a Norther California nursery back in 2000. It has grown at least six feet tall and at least six feet wide. Prodigious bloomer pretty much all year. Old stock -- it seems to be a species rose. It has the most lovely delicate rose scent that lingers in your nose. I think I'll call it "My Party Dress". More photos here.

Finally...A Moment to Be Creative!

Got my camera back after dropping it last week right smack on the zoom lens, wickedly jamming it. Was very doubtful it could be fixed, but Canon Powershot SD1100 is a sturdy work animal and the magic man at Seawood Photo, Carl, patched her together. Dance performances all over (successfully) and Thanksgiving Day prep mostly done -- so I had time to take some photos in the California morning light. Beautiful. I am the luckiest girl in the world to be living here, right now, at this time. Here is a slide show of the rest of the photos I took this morning yard, garden, and Deer Island -- enjoy (slow it down or speed it up under "Options")!

Happy Thanksgiving or Happy Autumn to everyone!

In the Country

I took this photo when I was visiting my sister in Philadelphia. It had been raining and we had taken a drive out in the country. We came to this small town and at a stop sign I saw this terrific moss-stained fence and single red rose. I rolled down the car window and grabbed this shot. And here's a close up of that huge rose -- October on the East Coast, no less!

Beautiful the Light (Autumn Rose)

Summer's Not Over Yet!

Oh, roses, a garden full of roses. There is nothing quite like the smell of roses and the feel of rose petals -- they make me think of soft white sheets and languid summer afternoons spent...napping. Did you know that Cleopatra would have her bed covered in thousands of rose petals when she was expecting Anthony to visit her?

Bouquets and Wicker

These are three small bouquets I arranged, picked fresh from our garden, sitting on a vintage wicker table my grandparents owned. I am loathe to have it stripped and repainted, because he was the last person to paint it.

Roses, Roses, Roses

Aaaaaah -- finally the roses are appearing...and appearing...and appearing! You know there is a God because of the vast variety of roses: their abundant shapes, sizes, smells are an intoxicating kaleidoscope. They say that Cleopatra had rose petals spread on her bed -- nightly -- and this is something secretly I am drawn to try! We have a waterfall of roses on the back of our house; they frame the kitchen windows...
...and create a beautiful painting that I will be viewing all summer long. They are also creeping up and over the back deck railing, and falling onto the table and chairs. Only two rose plants have created this abundance of blooms -- fiery and incendiary in the mid-morning and early afternoon light: Don Juan and Blaze. How perfect -- they titillate the senses with an explosion of red! And make me sleepy with their promise of perfection!

Happy Spring and rose-filled dreams to you!