Sunday, July 6, 2008


I am not a tremendous fan of summer anymore. Once upon a time I looked forward to summer, it was an unstructured time of outdoor fun and freedom. As a kid there were beach trips, swimming pools and the lure of the woods where I would spend hours catching frogs and building forts. It was a joyful time.

Now I have spent too many years of loathfully hot summers stewing in my own juices while wrapped in rubber accoutrement's as the temperature on the factory floor soars into the 90s or above to look upon the season with much besides dread.

This has ruled me, made me tired, hateful and victim like. I decided a while back that I would no longer complain about it, (I consider complaining about the weather pointless anyhow) and it helped... it also helps that I don't have to spend quite as much time out in the factory anymore and since I know how much worse the folks out there have it I try to be properly grateful for my improved conditions.

But this year I want to go one better and relearn to love this season, I want the joy back!

To that end I've started to think about things that are a part of the season and a part of my life that I genuinely love.

These roses are one of the first things I thought of... we call them the Monty Python Roses

(cue Liberty Bell By John Phillip Sousa) because you can almost see them grow as you watch them just like in the opening credits. They are the one plant I can count on in my gardens to shine in a big and impressive way.

4 comments:

ACey said...

Love that you call them Monty Python roses. A worthy title for any flower!

alsokaizen said...

Hi acey! They make me smile every time I look at 'em and I can swear I hear the music each time too!

Anonymous said...

I LOVE the monty python roses! Haven't yet tried roses in our garden. We are seriously lacking in direct sun spaces that aren't already taken up by other perennials. Maybe I could dig up the driveway.
And I hear ya about not enjoying the summer as much. Nothing like poaching in your own sweat. My goal is to get out in the evenings with the kids for a walk around the hill, so I feel a little more rejuvinated and I'm not getting the full blast of it during the day. I'm lucky I can take refuge in my office though.

alsokaizen said...

In the battle of driveway vs roses, I think the roses just might squeak the win!