THREE LADIES

The Elder Rose

I don't suppose that there are many people who have a rose in their Elder tree, but we do!

  Pink Lady

I very much like roses, though I would not call myself a rose expert, nor am I a gardener

in the accepted sense. I like to allow these plants to flourish and grow to their natural height and since I have been doing so we have noticed that a quite a few people in the locality are doing the same. Roses are now showing themselves mingled with all sorts of trees and shrubs and adding colour in surprising places.

Old Rosie

Old Rosie was grown from a cutting. She has a single layer of petals with a wonderful 

scent. The only way I care for her is to remove the hips during her flowering season and 

to cut out the dead wood. Then she has the freedom to grow how ever she chooses.

Old Rosie's gift to us is her scent, which wafts through the open window on warm summer evenings such as these.

Snow and Ice

Old stone house, you stand as a sentinel small and warm, shielding ghosts of the future and, sheltering those from earlier times. Oft I do wonder what your walls, floors have recorded before and since electrification, the age of light and the age of dark. You hold your secrets close, as close as the faery tree that appears to be a post in one corner - that is to the uninitiated!

Ice Maiden your beauty gleamed as diadems on stems in crisp hedgerows, elsewhere on river bank from rock and frond, you are seen as dainty crystals, diamonds, contrasting with shadow to dance, glow and seduce a photographer to capture your shining beauty.

I am not sorry to see that a thaw has started. For cabin fever was almost upon us, restricted as we were by ice-snow compacted roads - that are now changing to deep dying dirty slush, that squelch, splash in spasms under tyres.

Enough, enough Snow Spirit you have had your fun and made your presence felt

and now thank goodness you will soon melt !