My minister gave a sermon not long ago and quoted J.M. Barrie, the Scottish born novelist and playwright who wrote Peter Pan. Barrie, while addressing a group of college students, offered this insight. "God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December."
I love this thought, and many years it would ring true. For our friends in more northern climes, it probably does. But here in the Southeastern U.S., we've had a mild December (although today was cold and windy; lows in 30's, high's in the 40's), and many of the roses - especially the ubiquitous Knockouts - haven't really stopped blooming.
But there's nothing like the freshness of a rose in May. I took this photo on Mother's Day in Anna Davis' Atlanta garden. Anna is a well-known and respected rosarian and has a stunning garden which she has forged out of a rather small area around her cluster home.
If you were around in the 1960's, you might recognize the line of this entry's title. It comes from Try to Remember from the Fantasticks. I never saw the play, but we wore out the album in our sorority house, and I'm sorry to say, I think we twisted the words to make it into a rush song. Still, I got chill bumps recently when a good college friend started singing the original lyrics.
I've e-mailed Anna in hopes of finding out the name of this gorgeous rose in her garden. Meanwhile, on this cold, starry night, it is indeed nice to remember the warmth and beauty of that day in May. J. M. Barrie made a good point.
Martha I love this photo, and roses. Everywhere in the USA I have lived, I planted roses. My best one was in St Louis area, still at that house. Have you been to the rose garden in Sacramento near the big park, and Mercy Hospital? I have spent hours there while on business in Sacramento in the last decade. Now I don't get there, and miss it. I like that song too. It brings back good feelings. We need them in mid Missouri, deep in December....and January, and February!
ReplyDeleteLarry, I've never been to Sacramento, but would love to see that rose garden. Yesterday, I was at Lenox Square (our big shopping mall - where I try not to go, ever), and there are the entrance where I park were 'Knockout' red roses in full bloom. They had a big of raggedy edges, but it was amazing. I'm not a big fan, but for a shopping mall, not so bad. We're about to go down to 20 degrees, so that will all be over.
ReplyDeleteI now have enough sun for some roses. First, I have to put up a deer fence. Appreciate your comments.