Roses in February

A slightly altered post from Giulia Geranium. Because that is the sort of year I'm having (so far). The David Austin Handbook of Roses 2012 arrived in the mail Monday. I really do place it on the night table for a flip-through. It also makes lovely gazing when in a bubble bath. Definitely order one here (it's free & beautifully photographed). Even if you don't have a garden, many of these roses do well in pots. And if you don't have a place for a pot, you might consider giving a rose as a gift. And if you're reading this in another country, you can probably order a catalogue, here.

Cheers.

(lovely photograph by Le Portillon)

Week's End - Italian Flowers

These flowers will prevent a cascade of photographs of blue dresses, Cary Grant, Mad Men characters, & other faiblesses. (Yes, I am working on Italian Stuff, anyway.) The Design*Sponge post prompted me to look up from the laptop. There on the desk is the same terracotta planter thingy & I have a glass bottle inside. So if I can totter up to the farmer's market (near Chompie the Shark, see below) tomorrow, I will do my poor-writer version.

Design*Sponge has inspired me to do several smart things this last year. (No small achievement, believe me.) A few recent ones: finally, fer cryin' out loud buy the missing manual for a sewing machine; rescue a (fake) wrought iron plant stand in a laundry room; refrain from tossing out an entire bed because surely something can be done with the headboard. I bought the terracotta all on my own because I love plant pots. Now, I'll get a ton of spam with those words in it; sorry suckers, I have tight spam control alerts on.

Have a great weekend, wherever you are (& where are you, anyway?)

[flowers via Design*Sponge, many more--including Italian travel pix]

Rose Clothes

[Nina Leen/LIFE archives]

Roses in May

I have to live vicariously through a friend redoing a garden (or rescuing it). She didn't know David Austin roses & so I gave her my catalogue which she has devoured.* Just spoke with her & she's chosen a lovely climber, Abraham Darby. It will work here in our annoying climate. These photographs are from the D.A. US 2010 catalogue. Here's the link to order one. Many years ago a British friend introduced me to them...when you had to order from the UK. No longer, yay.

*She's ordered a new catalogue & will give it to me; I need it, along with a decent fan/& or heater, to get to sleep. It's my bedtime book.

L'eau de Rose/Rosewater

I use a lot of rosewater (in food & otherwise). The last photograph of the Jordanian desert will illustrate why rosewater became essential to my well-being when living there. (OK, not in the desert but working on a dig, it's much the same thing.) It's an affordable tonic.

[photographs from lovely sfgirlbybay; your life, it seems extravagant/tumblr; dizrthymia/tumblr; all via we heart it; Jordanian desert from The Real Israel blog on Wordpress.]

Camus on White Roses

The white rose of morning has the fragrance of water and pepper.

That phrase jumped off the page on a recent night of reading; the elegant photograph did the same that next morning. (I really must purchase some goggles.) I have photographs of vases of white roses--somewhere. Soon, I shall have to hold things up to be captured by the laptop web camera. Sigh. On that note, I'm dragging, really. But must drag self out into the snow & across town to attend to the dead keratin sprouting from my head. [photograph by elseachelsea via we heart it]

Happy Thanksgiving!

On verge of birthing a cow as I'm running late & afraid I'll look like one in my dress. Ah well. Here's what I'm taking to hosts (whom I don't know well). Flowers, chocolate, & stinky cheese. That should do it. (Arriving with half-a-Frenchie famille, so this won't be out of order). Hope everyone has a happy & safe holiday.

[Images via we heart it, Whole Foods blog]

Birthday Roses

...to my mother. I sent her this bouquet for her birthday (this Friday). While I was spending an inordinate amount of time, money, & shattering my last nerve* having the new laptop fluffed & folded, she called to say it's beautiful. At the hairdresser's last week, I flipped through Martha Stewart Living to see how inadequate I am (lately). There was an advert (& a 15% discount code through December 31) for the collection. The code is LIVING15. Cheers.

*and that of a friendly, patient young college student who had the misfortune to be on duty when I arrived with my list of questions & worries.

[Martha Stewart Radiance Birthday Bouquet via 1800FLOWERS]

The Rose Thief

...c'est moi.

No, I don't think Sophia is stealing these beautiful roses; but I'm sure she can relate from growing up without much at all on the outskirts of of Napoli. I hope so. I could use some support (even imaginary). I have been clipping bits of an overgrown, messy Dortmund rose climber in front of my little brick building. I'm the only one who takes care of it, stringing it back, begging some zealous apartment dwellers to leave it be, not to complain to the office to rip it out. Over here in a corner, we don't have the perennials that Eleanor Roosevelt & friends planted (yes!) when the complex was built.

I will explain my indefensible behavior soon. Right now, I'm off to more scary dental doings. But I've been working on something regarding my flower problem (Last summer I had lovely dandelions in little green & blue bottles...hey, it was the best I could do for a few weeks...that & ok, a few yellow French marigolds...and...) It's going to be hot today & I think that's the end of the roses for this blooming. Too late to sneak out & take a last few (I left a ton on there). I hope the French marigolds are put in soon. Otherwise, it's parsley-in-a-creamer for now.

Beautiful Sophia by Alfred Eisenstaedt for LIFE via myvintagevogue (see Jessica's site in the right-sidebar).

Desktop déshabillé

Mme. Sarkozy's desk is that of une bricoleuse, non? (photograph by Bharat Sikka via CB's site)