beauty

Hi Everyone,

You know that old expression,'Take time to stop and smell the roses'? Well, that doesn't happen often enough around here.

Our schedule, especially summer months when there is a huge overlap in show schedules, doesn't give us a lot of free time. To be perfectly honest, it doesn't give us any free time. When we are home, for that 96 to 120 hour time period, it is jammed packed with prep work to replace items, create items, find new items and attend to other family matters. It is a huge juggling act some days.

I have often spoken about my Mom and spending my days with her. Sometimes if she is up to it we create together or she will help with detail work until she tires out and heads for a nap. All this takes place at the place where I grew up, our family home. I am so glad she is still there as it really grounds me to see things I grew up with. Our home has several garden areas that keep us in flowering beauty for all the seasons.

At this time of the year, my Mom and I disagree BIG TIME about a little perennial that I have loved my whole life, her tiger lilies. The irony is that I absolutely can not stand being in the same enclosed space with Easter lilies, stargazer lilies or any relation to them. But her tiger lilies are my weak spot. Must be that color thing that I am so drawn to.

For the past couple of years, Mom has tried to dig up her bed of lilies until I find out about it and put a stop to it. I am on a one person save-the-tiger-lily campaign.

The original bed was about 2' X 8', jammed packed with hundreds of plants. This is what has survived the massacre.

The crop this year has already received death threats and I fear when I return next week they may be gone, so I snapped some pics today. I saw the guy next door that does Mom's dirty work watching me. He must already have his orders.

They are just now coming in

And whatever you do, do not touch the brown stamens as they permanently mark whatever they touch. I have lost plenty of clothing over the years due to these little buggers.

The color and beauty is not even close in these pics. They are breathtaking gorgeous.

But I did get to spend a few quality minutes earlier today admiring their strength and perseverance to my Mom's wishes of elimination. 

It's the little things like this that remind us everyday about the natural beauty around us, everywhere we look. So remember to take the time to stop and appreciate it.

Hopefully I will get to see them again when we return from Michigan next week.

Until then,

Suz 

the Muze