by Kelly
I beg your pardon, I
never promised you a rose garden.
Along with the
sunshine, there's gotta be a little rain sometime. ~Joe South
These were the song lyrics I was singing in my head when I
cut off all the flowers on my David Austin roses.
The previous week’s storms had really done a number on my
roses. Between the high winds and
torrential rain, all of the roses that were in bloom were reduced to stubs...a
carpet of rose petal confetti was all that was left. And then, on the buds that were about to
open, it seemed as if the petals had been glued together so the blooms couldn’t
fully expand. And those that did manage
to open were really sad looking. ‘Bedraggled’
as my mom would say.
With another round of storms and heavy rains in the
forecast, I decided to cut any of the remaining buds and blooms and bring them
inside. Which in hindsight was a pretty good idea if I do say so myself. Felt like I was totally winning at life with
that decision.
As I was playing around and photographing my roses, I got to
thinking how silly it was to be annoyed with the rain. First of all, I have zero control of the weather, so really…what
good does it do.
Then secondly, as someone who lives in a state that has been
suffering from some degree of drought for the past several years, the rain is actually
a really good thing. Barring the damage
from flood waters of course, farmers are reporting that their ponds are full
for the first time in years. Rivers and
lakes that have been below normal levels are now overflowing.
Obviously, floods have devastating effects and I am not minimizing
or romanticizing the damage or the suffering that those affected are having to
endure. What I am suggesting, however,
is that what is minor annoyance or frustration for me might be beneficial to
someone else. That it’s not always about
me.
I am embarrassed at how often I have to be reminded of this.
As I sit here typing this post, the second round of storms
have passed through my areas. The strong
winds that often come in behind these storms is starting to dry things out a
bit. And my roses are strong and green
and covered in tiny little buds.
So smile for a while
and let's be jolly, love shouldn't be so melancholy,
Come along and share
the good times while we can.
Until next time,
Kelly
6 comments:
I haven't thought of that song in a long time. Wise words you write, Kelly, wise words. You see beauty in so many things. The tones of these shots are enormously comforting to me this morning.
I love this post so much that I read it twice. Well, three times to be honest. Not only are your images amazing and so inspiring the way you made the most of the roses you had left, there is such a good lesson here for all of us and, yes, I have to admit it, me especially. I must remember to: 1. Accept the things I have no control over and even, like you, make the most of them. 2. It's not all about me! Maybe I should print this post out and read it every day! Thank you, Kelly, for the bright spot you always are.
Your David Austin roses are so pretty! And I love the multiple ways you displayed them for us. Mother Nature will have her way! When will we learn to accept what we can't change?
That song! Reminds me of my dad playing the LP on the "record player" when I was a kid. I knew every word. A great lesson in making lemonade when life gives you lemons. Thank you for sharing Kelly.
I think we all have times that we need to be reminded that it's not about us. This post is a great reminder for us all! :)
Your photos are wonderful!
As always, Kelly you're images are beautiful! These pictures have such a nostalgic feel to them, which is a favorite with me! I'm sorry about your roses, but you took something bad and turned it into beauty! We all need to remember that. There's good to be seen in everything!
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