Wednesday, March 26, 2014

So Many Roses!



There are lots of roses in this photo.  Can you find them all?


Wednesday, March 12, 2014

To A Friend Who Sent Me Some Roses by Keats


As late I rambled in the happy fields,
What time the skylark shakes the tremulous dew
From his lush clover covert;--when anew
Adventurous knights take up their dinted shields:
I saw the sweetest flower wild nature yields,
A fresh-blown musk-rose; 'twas the first that threw
Its sweets upon the summer; graceful it grew
As is the wand that Queen Titania wields.
And, as I feasted on its fragrancy,
I thought the garden rose it far excelled:
But when, O Wells! thy roses came to me
My sense with their deliciousness was spelled:
Soft voices had they, that with tender plea
Whispered of peace, and truth and friendliness
unquelled.
John Keats

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

New Dawn Climbing Rose


The New Dawn climber is one of my favorites and well worth the work and the wait (as it blooms really only once a year). 

Friday, March 7, 2014

So Dreaming of Spring . . .


I can't wait until it is time to set up the outdoor bed and snooze among the roses.

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Roses and Caterpillars


A rose, as fair as ever saw the north,
Grew in a little garden all alone;
A sweeter flower did nature ne'er put forth,
Nor fairer garden yet was never known.
The maidens danced about it morn and noon,
And learned bards of it their ditties made;
The nimble fairies by the pale-faced moon
Watered the root and kissed her pretty shade.
But well-a-day!--the gardener careless grew;
The maids and fairies both were kept away,
And in a drought the caterpillars threw
Themselves upon the bud and every spray.
God shield the stock! If Heaven send no supplies,
The fairest blossom of the garden dies.
William Browne

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Fight the Winter Blues with Beautiful Pink Floral Fabrics


Once fall arrives, I put away all the pink and rose filled fabrics until it's time to put away the Christmas decorations.  Then I bring out all of these luscious fabrics again and it helps to chase away the winter blues.

Monday, March 3, 2014

Life is a Piece of Cake


At least it is, when it looks this scrumptious!  (This is super healthy, by virtue of being fake!)

Sunday, March 2, 2014

Roses With A Meaning


Read in these roses the sad story
Of my hard fate and your own glory.
In the white you may discover
The paleness of a fainting lover;
In the red the flames still feeding
On my heart, with fresh wounds bleeding,
The white will tell you how I languish,
And the red express my anguish;
The white my innocence displaying,
The red my martyrdom betraying,
The frowns that on your brow resided
Have those roses thus divided.
Oh! let your smiles but clear the weather,
And they they both shall grow together.
Thomas Carew