Just a Little Lagniappe

Storm clouds moved into Vicksburg late yesterday afternoon, and I took advantage of the "calm before the storm" to capture some pictures around our yard. 

The rose vine on the arbor leading from our front courtyard to

the backyard is covered with pastel pink roses ...

I think I'll cut these buds today and make a bouquet for Mother's Day ...

  

I bought some flowers at Home Depot this week and they

seem to be happy in their new home ... so far.

Red Impatiens

Pink "Knock Out" Roses ...

  My "hand-me-down" garden cart holds red "Sunpatiens" (Impatiens that will tolerate sun),

a yellow Primrose, and a pot of pink English Daisies ...

I hope the flowers will do well.  I think it's going to be a long, hot summer here in Mississippi.

The focal point of our courtyard is a small waterfall.  I love the sound of the water running over the rocks, and it is home to several little night creatures that serenade us all night.

Our "Midnight Black Elephant Ears" are coming back nicely.  They will stand two to three feet tall by the end of the summer.  

Midnight Elephant Ears love very moist soil, and are perfect plants for ponds and water features.  They prefer sun to partial shade.

I love armillary spheres and found this one several years ago at a Mexican Pottery market in West Monroe, Louisiana (home of the Duck Dynasty guys, if you're a fan).  

Harry the Heron, is looking a little faded around the edges these days, but I think it just gives him character ... and he seems to be quite happy and content in his home amongst the pond grasses.

Best wishes to you for a memorable and peaceful Mother's Day weekend filled

with love and lots of sweet memories-in-the-making with your loved ones.

We're going to have our family all "under one roof" (ours!) to celebrate our granddaughter Avery's 8th birthday Saturday, and Mother's Day on Sunday.

Happy Mother's Day, Mama ...

I love you and Daddy more than words can ever say.

November 2010

Why Roses Have Thorns

Have you ever wondered why roses have thorns?

If I was a rabbit or a deer, I would probably think that roses would make an especially tasty "snack" because of their fragrance, sweetness, and bright colors.

[Photo borrowed from Internet]

But can you imagine a rabbit's or deer's surprise if it chomped down on a beautiful rose bloom and got a mouth full of thorns? I don't think it would take but one time for it to decide that roses aren't as good as they look.

So, just as God gave all creatures great and small a way to protect themselves, He gave roses thorns, or "prickles," to protect them from animals that may eat or harm them. The thorns also discourage humans from smelling, touching, and picking them, too, allowing them to blossom and grow strong.

This brings me to the subject of this story which features some pictures I captured during a walk around our yard yesterday after a rain shower. We desperately needed the rain, and everything looked so clean and shimmery, I couldn't resist taking my camera with me.

One of the things that attracted my attention was the rose vine which grows on an arbor over a stone path on the side of our house. The leaves were heavy with raindrops that were clinging to them, literally defying the laws of gravity.

While I was pondering the "magical" raindrops, I couldn't help but notice how pretty the thorns were. I have felt their needle-like tips many times when admiring or photographing the roses on the vine, but I never noticed how beautiful they are until yesterday (you can click on the pictures to enlarge them, if you'd like).

I would like to close with this inspiring quote from Abraham Lincoln:

We can complain because rose bushes have thorns,
or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.

This is the rose that blooms amongst those thorns in the summertime.

The Rose and the Morning Glories

I keep thinking, with each new rosebud that opens on the climbing rose vine growing on our arbor, that it will be the last rose of the summer. I captured this pretty little rosebud last week and included it in a post called, Summer's End. Over the weekend, I noticed that it had opened, and I snapped these close ups of it. Isn't it exquisite! I also captured some pictures of our granddaughter Avery Grace's Morning Glories, that she and I planted back in the Spring. They are beginning to fade now, but still have some glorious blossoms left on the vines. Here are some close ups of Morning Glory buds I captured in August ... What an amazing and sweet little flower, and so deserving of their name. I'm so glad I captured the pictures of the Morning Glories for Avery Grace. She was so excited a couple of weekends ago when she was visiting, and took everyone to the back yard to show us her Morning Glories. There's nothing like sharing God's glory with a child — and seeing the joy in their eyes as they discover it for themselves.

Last Roses of Summer

As the last days of summer dwindle away, teasing us with a hint of Fall in the air, sadly, the flowers of summer are slowly fading in intensity and in number. Yesterday, I noticed a few sweet little rosebuds lingering on a rose vine growing on an arbor over the path leading from our courtyard to our back yard. This is the way it looked in April ...

And here is a cluster of buds I captured with my camera yesterday.

This winter, they will remind me of the hot and humid summer days I've been whining about the past few weeks ... and will be wishing for in January.

I can't remember what kind of rose this is, but it has bloomed off and on all summer and smells heavenly.

Our Little Gem Magnolia blooms are dwindling, too, and they're mostly at the tips of the top branches, as if they're reaching for the fading warmth of the summer sun.

It's kind of sad to see summer slipping away, but "for every thing there is a season," and I plan to enjoy the Fall season to the fullest.

May Roses

Today I'd like to share a few of my favorite roses I've captured with my camera. You can click on the photos to enlarge them, if you'd like.

Lady Banks Rose

4th of July Rose"Pass-Along" Rose from my Great Aunt Win

Lady Banks Rose