SkyWatch - Early morning ride

Early in the morning when I fed the chickens

I spied my roses flowering in winter,

lighting up the fog

By the time we were finished at the Farmers' Market,

the sky was blue and clouds came rolling in

fun to watch and drive by shoot

since my daughter drove me

 in my new, second hand UTE.

The white clouds were rising and the grey ones coming down

and by the time we got home,

it had clouded over.

No complaints, we really need the rain.

Linking with SkyWatch

TODAY'S FLOWERS & I Heart Macro - Blooming Marvels!

Three weeks to winter and the garden in a Blooming Marvel

roses and geraniums have gone crazy on the gate in front

even in behind the apple tree on the back fence

they smile at the darkening clouds

 the orchids are scratching their heads 

and have gone into flowering mode.

The temperatures have taken a dive and I have to cover up my 

tomatoes and lettuces at night as I shiver in my boots.

Seems I'll have to invest in some kind of heater for my little 

shack, sitting in the evening in a very cold room 

can get a bit waring 

no matter how hardy you think yourself.

Linking with 

TODAY'S FLOWERS

and

I Heart Macro

TODAY'S FLOWERS & I Heart Macro - Roses in all their glory

The sheer beauty of the rose cannot be denied

nor it's jewel like claws

but if either were missing, 

it would not be a true reflection of life.

Picked at dawn to protect them from  the scorching heat

yet shrivelled my lunch time, even in the house

but no less beautiful

like kind people in old age

the care lines cancelled out by 

the wrinkles of all those years of smiling.

Linking with

TODAY'S FLOWERS

and 

I Heart Macro

TODAY'S FLOWERS & I Heart Macro - "Raindrops on Rose" . . .

No wonder Julie Andrews sang about them,

I rather like them too.

Linking with Denise's 

TODAY'S FLOWERS 

and Laura's

I Heart Macro

TODAY'S FLOWERS, & I Heart Macro - Masses of Roses

Today is reserved for the queen of all flowers, the Rose

here are just a hand full from my garden

be it sun kissed apricot

or soft as a maiden's blush 

a massed effect on my table

or a rootstock sucker left to ramble

virginal white

or a lover's delight

or even deep purple like the silent shade of night

they grace our existence, awake our emotions

our hearts expand to their heady scent.

I could give you reams of information but I will leave you with

just one tip: if a rose dies, do not plant another in it's place,

it too will die unless you completely exchange the soil

for more than the root space of the dear departed.

Liking with TODAY'S FLOWERS

 I Heart Macro

TODAY'S FLOWERS & Weekend Flowers - 'Gold Bunny'

What would the world be without roses?

Through rain, wind and storm 'Gold Bunny' blooms

and blooms, even in mid-winter

while pruning my roses, I glimpsed this golden array

high on the fence

with a trick of the light, this lower, rain drenched bloom 

had magically changed colour

a trusty rose lending a spot of colour in a bare garden.

Linking with TODAY'S FLOWERS

and

Weekend Flowers

OUR WORLD - Angaston in the Rain

Come rain or shine, I love to go to the Angaston farmer's marker

very early on a Saturday morning.

Afterwards my dog and I enjoy the little township itself.

We park under my favourite oak in this delightful off

road car park between the main street and a small creek

side park. No that is not my car, mine is quite grown up

and had it's 21st birthday some time ago.

After our little bit of shopping we sit a while either under 

the vine covered colonnade or on a bench on the lawn

say hallo to that splendid oak that shades our car in summer

look back towards the main street

let our senses wallow in the beauty of the lingering autumn leaves

and cross the bridge to be greeted by the last of the golden wonders

still as bright as in mid summer

 marvel at these tiny, less than an inch tall, 

sulphurous fungi dotting the lawns

with hardly time to tuck camera under coat before it braves the

rain again to shoot the last hollyhock escapee from a garden

abov that has naturalised on the steep, rocky bank of the creek

with camera once more safely tucked away, dog and I 

nimbly step between the raindrops to enjoy 

the rest of our walk

OUR WORLD has so many nooks and crannies to

explore, this is just one of them but if you look

with an open heart, you find then everywhere.

TODAY'S FLOWERS - Sheer Madness . . .

With the blessing of the recent rains, the grass around the 

house was threatening to eat me up.

 Gone are the days when I could use a lawn mower or even 

my beloved brush-cutter that did such sterling service in keeping 

a number of kilometres of road verge fire safe, 

now I was hoping to just cut the grass around my present 

abode, with a brush-cutter where I have to yank an electrical

cord around. Found one I can (maybe) manage to lug about

BUT

the same place also has a garden centre . . . a death trap for

the likes of me . . .

can you imagine paying good money to buy heaps of work??

Sure, that's me all over, and I really held myself back and only 

bought 

10 punnets of seedlings, 

a blueberry bush in a small pot

(need to pot it up pronto before I can prepare a place for it), 

a passionfruit (ditto)

 and two bare rooted roses 

(as though my 150 

weren't enough for me

a couple of punnets of stocks for winter cheer

violas, pansies, primulas and lobelias (ditto)

inevitably, another cyclamen, the large leaf to the right is

the passionfruit

darling little violas in shades of pink

and how could I possibly leave these pretty faced pansies behind?

I guess, you've guessed it . . . I couldn't!

My only excuse is that I needed some flowers to post during winter

tee hee hee . . .

TODAY'S FLOWERS - Savour the Day

Got up early this morning and went to the country market.

That was a joy in itself -

after getting all the greens for the piglets and some provisions 

for myself,

I also treated myself to a pot of chrysanthemums in this

lovely bright and joyful shade of red.

Although the sun had hidden, they still glowed

and brandished their golden centres like beacons.

My one and only flowering rose had bestirred itself and was

catching up on lost time over our too dry summer.

Two bright spots in my heart and garden.

Hope there are some in yours too!

TODAY'S FLOWERS - Nothing but Roses

I feel like I had been sent to outer Mongolia, 12 days without 

contact to the outside world!

The internet totally cut out, nothing would rectify the problem. 

My fabulous grandson checked and tried everything inside 

and out. We thought of having to replace the computer.

This evening I switched it on again and, hey presto! everything

worked in tip top order!

Whatever he had done, had fixed it after all.

Just the pictures loaded in the wrong order.

Just a few roses from another lifetime in my garden.

I guess you have noticed by now that roses, especially scented roses,

are very dear to my heart.

When you have roses in your heart, how can you help smiling?

Thanks for all the kind folks at TODAY's Flowers for 

this flower filled meme.

TODAY'S FLOWERS and Weekend Flowers - Roses of Yesteryear

Once upon a time, only two years ago, I had 150 roses in bloom

and the garden was awash with perfume,

the last two summers have decimated my garden, 

the combination of extreme heat, lack of water and 

the will and stamina to brave the heat and drag 

heavy hoses around, is a gardeners bane.

Even this though as nails bi-colour "Fourth of July' rose

has barely a green leaf on it, let alone a flower.

Like life, youth and beauty fade to give way to weariness

decrepitude and one last journey.

Yet the roses of yesteryear still bloom in our memory.

Click on the Logos at right and walk in meadows full of flowers.

TODAY'S FLOWERS - Summer Roses

We all strive towards the light. I think these roses at the height

of their bloom have reached the impossible in this lifetime.

In the pink of unconditional love,

the white of purity

and the golden light of hope.

Do join this beautiful Sunday meme hosted by Luiz Santilli Jr.

SkyWatch ~ Fog

Wake up in the morning, look out the window and see . . .

nothing???

Well, nothing but the closest roses to my window.

At least the fog camouflages most of the weeds . . .

You can hardly see to the end of the house . . .

whatever happened to my view?

The fence has faded . . .

so have the roses on the fence-line

the roses have disappeared on the arch and the paddock

beyond is just a blur.

Oh well, at least it's good for the plants to soak up all that moisture.

Happy SkyWatching everyone!