The cancer rose.....

Three years ago I planted a Zephririne Drouhn climbing rose that I ordered from a mail order catalog.  It came in the mail right after I was diagnosed with breast cancer.  You might remember my initial "silly rose story" that I posted in 2012, you can read it here.  I am not sure why I called it the cancer rose, it just popped into my head at that moment when Galen and I were planting the bare root in the ground, and I felt that if the rose survived, I would too.  Yes, I know, that's silly. 

Well, I am happy to say the rose survived and is thriving!  It has climbed up the post and over the pergola, just as I planned. 

It turned out to be a beautiful rose and it has a spicy clove scent.  It smells heavenly! 

I guess I knew all along the rose would survive.  And, of course, I knew that I would too! 

Hope you all have a wonderful day!

The fall garden

I wanted to snap a few photos of the garden this week while we still had flowers blooming and bees buzzing.  Sunday the weather changes for us and there will be frost on the pumpkin when we wake up on Monday morning.  

We had a fire in the fireplace this morning to warm up a bit and to take the chill off.  I guess this is what we can expect for November.  Enjoy your day!

Petunias in my window boxes

If you remember, a week or so ago, we bought some new metal window boxes.  Well, they have been installed and are now filled with flowers.  

I chose pink petunias, yellow calibrachoa, white petunias, white verbena and another tiny white flower that was not labeled, and I haven't identified it, but I like it as a filler.  

The flowers were a bit stressed at first and I waited to take photos, but they seem to have acclimated and are now happy in their new home.  

Not only do I like how they look on the outside, but I also love seeing the blooms from the inside looking out!  

A walk around the neighborhood

I am loving this warm spring weather.  My favorite season.  Everything is fresh and green and there is color everywhere.  It's the perfect time for taking walks.   

Otis loves his walks.  

These bright pink azaleas are in our front yard.  I look forward to seeing them bloom every year.  

Hope you are enjoying this wonderful spring weather.  

Good morning spring!

 What a beautiful day!  The sun is shining so bright.  Just what I've been waiting for, sunshine and warm weather.   It's been a really long winter.   

We have some early blooming flowers spreading a bit of color around the garden.     

The pollen is here and the bees are buzzing.   

Strawberry blossoms!  

And the azaleas are getting ready to show their beautiful colors.  

Glorious spring!

Gardening and an update

As I upload these photos today I am wishing the weather was as nice as yesterday.  A beautiful day in the high 70's, Galen and Otis and I spent the day in the garden.  

As we turned the warm soil in the beds, Otis took a nap in the sunshine, in the strawberry patch, of course.  Silly dog.  

We planted onions, potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower.  And I always plant marigolds around the beds.  I put in some chives, too.  

The peach tree is in bloom.  I took this photo this morning, a gray morning, but I think the pink flowers are lovely and so cheery!     

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And an update:

For those of you who have been following my journey these past few years with breast cancer, I want you to know I am doing well.  My appointment on Thursday left me feeling very happy.  A good report ~ no cancer.  I am feeling strong, energetic and glad to have my life back.  Finally, normalcy!  I feel great.

Just wanted to let you know and to thank you for being with me and giving me encouragement when I needed it the most.  xoxo

A silly rose story

About a year and a half ago I ordered a rose bush from a catalog.... a Zephririne Drouhn rose, a climber, for our pergola over the patio.  Catalog places usually mail the plant when it's time to put them in the ground, so last year, the end of February, my rose came in the mail.  It was right after the time I was diagnosed with breast cancer.  

Galen dug the hole and we planted the rose.  I said to him, this is my cancer rose.  We will watch it grow and survive.....ah, unless it dies, which we don't want to think about, and we snickered and said, no it's going to live and grow to be beautiful.)    

One year later ~ 

the rose has grown almost four feet tall, and, yes, it has survived.  Yesterday it bloomed.  What a beautiful pink bloom and so fragrant.  I can't wait until it covers the pergola.  

I know this is a silly story, but it's just something that came about on it's own.  Some things are meant to happen that way, I think.  I believe in small miracles and this, to me, is kind of a small miracle.  

Yay!  It survived and I survived the first year.