Desideratum ~ Art ~ Jewelry ~ Life: When Is A Rose Not Beautiful?

Thursday, March 05, 2009

When Is A Rose Not Beautiful?

37 comments:

jo horswill said...: Never, and this one has poetry...; 00:47
pRiyA said...: i have to agree with Jo on this one. even the contrasting thorns have a magic to them.

i love the picture of hannan making a getaway. if that is the same green driveway of the earlier photos in your blog, i think 'good heavens'. the snow photos show some kind of winter wonderland. if the sunrise is so beautiful in the picture, how much more so in real life!
this is probably a silly question, but i must ask: do you have to replant most of the stuff in your garden in spring, or does all the green (veggies, flowers) just grow back by itself?; 02:29
Arija said...: Wilting roses develop the best perfume and an unexpected rosehip in the snow stops us in out tracks. I hope you dried some for rosehip tea.; 04:15
Ruth said...: For me, a rosehip is as beautiful as, if not more than, the flower.; 07:15
rauf said...: oh Gwen, rose is not beautiful when the girl throws the bouquet back at her admirer's face.
i have no personal experience but i have seen it in the movies.
in one commercial the Romeo is down on his knees with a bunch of red roses offering it to his Juliet a goat jumps in from nowhere and eats all the roses. i think its a graphic, i haven't seen goats eating roses.; 08:19
Anet said...: Beautiful always!
I have a funny story about rosehips. I bought a bag of them and put them in a pretty little crystal bowl and set them on the coffee table. My husband (before I could stop him) scooped some up and popped them in his mouth. He thought they were those candy coated peanuts:); 08:21
Shayla said...: wonderful photo, Gwen.; 09:22
Don said...: I think Rauf is on to something there, but the rose is not at fault, maybe the Romeo wasn't all that!

Nice capture in the snow. What kind of rose is this, (and color?); 10:45
Gwen Buchanan said...: Jo, I love that they hang on during the winter... so we don't have a chance to forget...

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Priya, yes the little prickles even shine.
This is my sweet little grand-daughter.. 2 at this picture taking... now 3... she was born 3 days before Christmas and her twin brothers were born 3 days after Christmas a year later... I have an extremely busy daughter...

Yes, same green driveway in disguise... I wish I could explain how these sunrises make me feel when they rise bursting and reflecting over the water but it is a thing that happens to your soul and there are no words for it... I just stand in awe...

Oh not a silly question at all.. In my gardens, I grow mostly all hardy perennials that are made to endure a long winter, the snow actually acts like a big insulating blanket... I really like low-maintenance gardens.. so once the hard work of preparing the soil and getting them established in the first place is done, I can enjoy them for years after, with not much work, except for dividing and adding compost.. That might also mean I am a lazy gardener.. I just wish our growing season was longer...

I do plant some annuals every year too though, such as the greens, carrots and such and sunflowers... can't live without Sunflowers!!!

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Arija, The contrast against the snow makes them even more brilliant. I used to gather and make Rosehip jam for my grandmother.. she loved it... and I liked that.

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I agree Ruth...

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Rauf..Funny.. I can just picture it.. you silly.. (at last, an advertisement that is worth watching) but the rose is still pretty, although the admirer's face may not be so picturesque..

and oh yes goats will eat Roses; there aren't many things they won't take a chomp out of... I mean, they eat shirts!!! I still like goats tho..

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Funny Anet, I would have loved to have seen the look on your husbands face, it would have been hilarious.. furry seedy things, they are...

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Thank you Shayla!

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Don.. Yes I do believe Romeo must have been part of the problem... all Romeos are NOT created equal...

This is a hardy shrub rose, Rosa Rugosa, extremely fragrant, the color is a very deep rose, loves sandy soil, sunshine and can withstand salty breezes... my kind of plant....; 12:11
The Weaver of Grass said...: Gwen - a rose is always beautiful. I have one which has frozen as a bud and has bung there all winter just outside my kitchen window. Your fat rose hip looks lovely against the snow. I envy you living in coastal Canada - my favourite place on earth.; 14:37
Debbi said...: When it smells by another name? Seriously, when isn't it? I love the brances in the photo especially. So able to protect the flowers and fruit. And that jolt of color, withered as it is, foretells of spring.; 20:31
sandy said...: This is one great photo! Love the pop of color with the white.; 22:23
Seth said...: Such a strong mood evoked by this image. The color contrast is quite powerful too.; 00:57
flyinamber said...: wonderful photo,Gwen.i like rosehips in the winter..
and you still have so much snow there?; 04:23
Gwen Buchanan said...: Weaver,
Your frozen Rosebud sounds so satisfying... perfect spot for it too.. This part of the world has a strong connection to the British Isles.. You would not believe how many have transplanted themselves here in the last few years.. At parties it is fun to hear all the UK accents...

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Hi Debbi, yes those little thorns deter boys and dogs alike from running through too.. No need for a railing around the verandah... I can't wait for Spring.. I always expect it before it's ready!

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Thanks Sandy... It is tiding me over till I can smell the real thing..

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Thanks Seth.. When the outside world is white, color always seems like a jolt doesn't it... a much needed one!

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Thanks Dada, it is so hard and crusty.. John and Max are sanding the driveway (again) right now... and believe it or not... another storm is starting... first snow then rain...
give me strength!! haha..
Max and his friends were having a crazy time sliding yesterday though and videoing themselves.. they will probably make another one for their blogs and YouTube.. Of course my crazy son thought he should go with no shirt on in the crusty icy bumps... after they saw his wounds his two friends decided against trying it themselves...but they got it all on tape... Boys!!; 10:22
Janice Thomson said...: Gwen I'm so glad to be back here again! Have always enjoyed your blog and was vexed when I lost everything.
You are right...a rose is never ugly - beautiful capture - love your selective colouring in this one.; 13:03
Chris Daly said...: dreaming of roses in bloom these days. I love your 4th picture :); 14:29
Anonymous said...: This is a mark of a true blogger! Just one important photo which speaks for itself!! I think I have a lot to learn. Delightful, Gwen; 07:30
Gwen Buchanan said...: Thanks Janice, I'm so glad to see you again too!!
Sorry to hear that you lost everything... I thought maybe you were taking a break... sometimes blogging needs one...

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Thanks Chris she is my little honey..

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Delphine, or maybe just pure laziness on my part... haha!!; 11:59
ArtSparker said...: This reminds me of Sleeping Beauty pricking her finger - if winter is a sleep...; 13:31
Gwen Buchanan said...: Oh I like that thought, ArtSparker!!; 16:06
twisted sister said...: Never
I have a branch of a rose from my fathers garden in a vase next to me now
just the branch with a couple of leaves and the thorns
I love the layers of meaning and memory behind things; 21:50
Gwen Buchanan said...: Twisted sister , the visual you describe linked to the meaning it has for you.. is quite stunning...; 00:44
Exmoorjane said...: ...when it inspires guilt! This was the first time I didn't harvest a crop of rosehips and turn them into syrup.... :(
Thank you so much for your gracious comment on my blog - loved your mention of the newspaper in the shoes - my sister once went to a party with her big toe-nail painted red as there was a hole in her red shoes! But then we very nearly lived in the proverbial cardboard box.
Your blog is AMAZING!!! I dare not stay any longer or scroll back further or I will achieve absolutely nothing in the way of paid work today (though would be rich in inspiration and soulful repose). Your artwork and craftwork is just stunning - so very very talented.
Shall return and revel in it as a treat later with my coffee and cookie. janex; 06:09
wildpic said...: “A single rose can be my garden...a single friend, my world.”

Leo F. Buscaglia; 07:26
twisted sister said...: Thank You x; 20:14
india flint said...: ...this fragment of beauty also has wonderful possibilities in the dyepot...; 20:46
Gwen Buchanan said...: Suresh, that is so beautiful... and true!!

I'm posting it on the wall beside my desk... right now.. ............there it's up!!

Thank-You so much!!; 00:17
Pamela Terry and Edward said...: Even the memory of a rose is beautiful.; 00:21
Gwen Buchanan said...: Exmoor Jane, Oh no! I thought only Motherhood inspired guilt!! Roses too.. I'll have this on my mind every time I pass them this coming summer... A rosehip guilt trip...

Now the red toenail reminds me of when I first met John .. poverty stricken of course.. worn out everything and his shoes were 15 different colors as he wore them in the studio when he was painting and they were all he had.. we were invited to go out somewhere... but John said we have to go back to the studio for a bit, first.. I wondered why.. when we got there he found a can of black paint and painted his shoes...all one color.. looked pretty good.. then we went to the party... they had carpet.. I'll say no more except size 13 footprints tell no lies!!!; 00:28
Gwen Buchanan said...: You're welcome TS.

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India, oh indeedy yes!! absolutely worth a try...
I have most of the onion skins saved up now.. soon I'll be dyeing with the salt water!!; 00:32
Teri and her Stylish Adventure Cats said...: Amazing photograph! I came upon your blog via The Rookery...I will return as each new thing I see is more exciting than the last...; 00:56
Dave King said...: Lovely photograph. Has anyone evr seen an ugly flower of any sort?; 11:16
Gwen Buchanan said...: Hi Teri.. lovely to meet you.. please, you and you long earred kitties drop by anytime!!

Hi Dave ... such a true statement!!!; 09:23
Gwen Buchanan said...: Oh Pamela.. Aabsolutely!!... sort of like Distance makes the heart grow fonder....... sometimes we even imagine it more beautifully; 09:29
wildpic said...: hi gwen, thanks for posting it on your wall ! its wonderfull to remind ourself what we already know ... !!!; 01:45
Gwen Buchanan said...: Thank you wildpic, sometimes we forget to notice, till we look a little closer..; 08:49