Wednesday Wings with Words

Okay, I missed last Wednesday, but here's something different this time:-) This the first video clip I've put together with music - nothing fancy, but it was fun figuring it out. It was taken yesterday. Right now, bees are swarming over the orange blossoms all around us (also the only time the air smells good here). There are so many bees, the air is filled with their buzzing. They spill over onto the plants here, and are just frenzied in their quest for pollen! This one rose blossom ('Comtesse Vandal') was a pollen battleground. They were pretty aggressive with each other in their desperation. Four or five bees on one blossom was a bit much! Anyway, check out the video below to see them in action, as well as a couple of still shots - hope you enjoy:-)

One Butterfly...

And about 200 photos! I got caught up in the moment when I spotted this West Coast Lady butterfly (Vanessa arabella) visiting recently. It was just so awesome that she (or he) stayed around - she would fly off, then come back over because she really liked that Homestead Verbena. I kept following her and clicking away:-) I had to move very slowly, because the slighest movement sent her flying. Anyways, following are just of few of my favorite shots - which one do you like best? I've put the 1st in our shop, and I'm not sure if I'll add another. I love butterflies - here's hoping for more photo opps soon!

"Pretty Lady"

"Curious"

"Strike a Pose!"

"Digging in!"

"Sideways Swirl"

My Poor Neglected Blog

I love my blog. I love writing on my blog, adding photos, making a footprint on the web… So, how is that I haven’t posted anything for the past two months?

I can hem haw around and say, “Where does the time go?”, “I’ve just been too busy!”, and so on and so forth. Those excuses do hold a bit of truth, but are, in the end, just excuses. So, how about some honesty? After all, that’s why I started this blog – to chronicle my journey.

The main reason I haven’t written for so long is that I’ve been in a bit of a down cycle. When I get down, I tend not to do the things that might actually bring me back up. I hide. I don’t e-mail friends very often; I don’t want to admit that I’m not in a good spot. It’s part of the same reason for not writing here - I want to be writing that things are going great. I want to say that I’ve mastered the Law of Attraction, and that wonderful things are manifesting in my life. I don’t want to tell anyone that things have gotten pretty rough, and I seem to be losing the ground that I thought I’d gained.

I know more now than I ever have. I know. I also know I have a lot more to learn. What I don’t know is why I’m getting stuck. Why is it so hard to allow myself to be who I really am? Why do I cut myself off from doing what I love? Why do I let fear get the better of me?

Those are the questions for which I’ve been seeking answers. Sometimes, not being able to answer them pushes me down pretty low. The frustration of not “getting it”, of not allowing myself to do everything I know I’m capable of…

Of course, there are up moments, too, thank goodness:-) And, I’m always appreciative for the many blessings in our lives. These are the things that keep me going – that, and I am determined to find the answers to my questions! So, if you hang in there with me, I promise to be a better blogger:-) I’d also love any words of wisdom you have to offer…

P.S. I just added the above photo to our Etsy shop tonight, and thought it was the appropriate choice for here – it’s called, “Let the Light Shine In”.

Scent of a Rose

We’ve all read about scents triggering memories, and have maybe even found ourselves transported a time or two by a magical fragrance. I, for one, love the scent of Play-Doh – I can open a can, breathe in, and feel like a kid again!

The other day, I was transported back by a rose – the scent of which lingers in my memory even now. Not just any rose, but the very first bloom on a recently purchased mail-order rose. A rose specifically acquired because of my recollections of its beauty and fragrance. The name of this rose? ‘Tamora’, a David Austin English rose – one I’d put at the top of any rose lover’s list.

So, the bloom had finally opened up, and I went over for a look see. Because she’s in a one gallon pot as she grows up some, I could hold her right up to my nose. I inhaled, and inhaled, and inhaled – the scent was sooooo yummy and so redolent of times gone by… It brought tears to my eyes.

You see, the five years ago I've mentioned? Well, I used to have a huge garden; it was a bit out-of-control, because of my passion for roses and ongoing search for perfect companion plants. I had over 100 roses – in the ground, in containers, and many awaiting homes. When I say add ‘Tamora’ to the top of the list, I know what I’m writing about:-)

My old ‘Tamora’ lived in half of a wine cask with a lavender clematis climbing behind her, and various trailing plants in front. In full bloom, it was a stunning combination. I have film photos somewhere (possibly in storage). If I find a copy here, I’ll scan and post. She came from Heirloom Roses. We used to be able to drive there, and I always hit their yearly sales – gorgeous, gorgeous place.

So, every now and then, I still look at their website. Recently, they had an online sale. ‘Tamora’ was on the list. How could I resist? My passion for roses lay dormant for a while, but has been eagerly re-emerging:-)

I’m so grateful I didn’t resist, though the feeling she evokes is both joyful and bittersweet. I lost that garden, I lost that home – I know I can’t ever get that back. However, I can recreate and enjoy beauty again.

It’s been a long, hard road to get to the place that allows me to feel I have that right again. Yet that road has been filled with learning, growth, and ultimately, the knowledge that I haven’t lost me...