THE LAST ROSE OF SUMMER

If you have followed my blog for very long, you have seen this picture before...like last spring when it was taken! My camera card must be full and I wanted to do a post, so I had to delve back into the files to find a suitable photo.

Just this morning Rhiannon and I were noticing someone's lovely roses still blooming. She asked if we had a "last rose of summer" blooming anywhere on the property. I told her "no," that this year was kind of unusual. We most always have at least one hardy specimen that exerts itself in a last ditch effort this time of year, but I hadn't seen any yet.

Rhiannon wanted to put a rose on Clint's Grandma Sal's grave if we could--and she felt it should be our "last rose of summer," since this was a saying Grandma quoted alot. After a hard day's work in her garden or baking all day, her hair falling from the upswept style she always wore, she would often quote, "I'll bet I look like the last rose of summer." Grandma Sal was an important person in all our lives. We miss her greatly. She taught me so much about so many things. I got several of my best recipes for baked goods from her. She was an expert flower and vegetable gardener and I'll probably never come anywhere near being that good with plants. She was hands down the best cook I've ever known and that's not just my opinion. She was known far and wide for her spectacular baked goods and wonderful meals.

Well, lo and behold, after making a visit to the English garden to take in some of the ornaments for winter storage a little while ago, I saw that this same little rose has one bud on it. I hope within a few days we will have our "last rose of summer!"

I wanted to share some other pictures of what we did today, but as I said the camera wasn't cooperating. We worked really had today at various projects that have been left behind while we did all the traveling. We had to make a quick overnight trip to Iowa earlier in the week for a funeral. This, of course, was totally unexpected and came quite closely on the heels of returning from Colorado. I felt like I never got settled from that trip before it was time to take another. So I spent quite a bit of time today tying up loose ends as far as work around here goes.

Today we planted tulip bulbs that Rhi ordered back in May at the Holland Tulip Festival here in Michigan. They will be a spring treat in a few months! I finished digging all the potatoes, did 5 loads of laundry, mostly heavy bedding to catch what might be one of the last beautiful, windy days of fall, took a walk, did some cleaning, went to purchase a little gift to send to the granddaughters, and cleaned out some areas of my desk. Last but not least, and I wanted to show you a picture--I washed my 100% alpaca yarn that I spun. It's hanging out on the line to dry. I was pretty proud of it. Most of it is quite consistent and I'm happy with the finished product! I hope you enjoyed this fall day as much as I did. Blessings, LORI

EVERYTHING'S COMING UP ROSES!

Just thought I'd show you a picture of my newest rose--a climbing Pinata! Isn't it lovely? We just put this plant in two days ago. It had several buds and I guess it is loving its new home from the looks of things. I've had so much trouble with my garden the last while that I almost hate to plant a nice new plant. It sometimes feels like I'm sentencing it to death. I have high hopes for this rose. My mom gave it to me and it's so pretty and healthy. Another rose planted in the same area flourishes, so I think we'll be ok.

I had an adventure this morning. I got up early and before everyone else was ready to help me and I moved 21 teenage chickens (actually middle aged chickens) from their cardboard condo in my barn to their more permanent home--the coop! Actually no home is very permanent for them since their lives are already about half spent. They are meat birds. I decided to venture out and raise a flock of birds to be butchered and put in the freezer this year. My laying hens will be ready to be picked up just as the meat birds are leaving the premises. It only takes 6-8 weeks for these birds to reach full maturity for butchering. I made a deal with a neighbor who gets laying hens (chicks) late in the spring. They are going to be about two weeks old when I pick them up. I'll get about 6 and pay him for raising them for a few weeks. It eliminates having to use the light on them and so on. A very good deal. Then by fall we will be having a consistent bunch of eggs every day.

As I was moving the chicks, of course they flapped, fussed, and carried on considerably. They tried to avoid me and didn't want to leave the only home they've ever known. It reminded me of how we are as people. Sometimes we think we know what's best for us and miss the VERY best by dragging our feet and resisting change. If these chicks could have known that they were leaving a crowded cardboard box set-up for a larger more comfortable home complete with grass and sunshine, they would have hurried into the portable cage for the trip! But instead, it took me a good deal of time to round them up, capture them one by one and force them to move. I put them in a dog cage, 5-7 at a time, and loaded them on the truck for a trip to the coop. Once there, they were obviously happy in the new surroundings. Aren't we like that? Sometimes we resist change in our church, our job, our home, our lives, when in all actuality change would be the best thing. I couldn't help identifying with them--I too am probably middle-aged! I was anxious for them to enjoy as large a portion as possible of their lives out in the sunshine and fresh air. Our weather has been too cold to move them before now. As I have written before, change is strongly associated with life. If you are living, you are changing. Change can be a positive thing. Ponder these thoughts and see if the Lord has been trying to get you to change in some area. Don't be like my chickens, too stubborn to move! Blessings, LORI