When was the last time you stopped to smell a rose? The famous quote that you are hearing in your mind right now, is attributed to golfer Walter Hagen, in the 1950’s. He wrote in his book, The Walter Hagen Story, that “you’re only here for a short visit.” If you are reading this, and you are over 30 years old, you know that time flies, and that without stopping to pause and look around at the beauty in front of our noses, we will miss it!
I purchased a Chicago Peace Rose bush this spring and it is delightful! Now, with new rose bushes pushing out blooms, I can bend over and smell the roses!
As soon as the weather began to warm here in Michigan, I started taking a daily walk around the perimeter of our property and snapping pictures of growth. First there were buds, then the tiniest leaves. Every walk was a discovery and delivered a burst of hope!
The pandemic has shown most of us the true value of pausing and stopping for a spell—even if we don’t know how long the spell will last. As things begin opening in our state, and in the nation, my prayer is that we never forget the little things that delighted us when we were still.
I’m thinking about new pets, new hobbies, online cooking classes, special delivery meals, family Zoom calls, reorganized pantries, new landscaping, reading, gasoline savings, good old fashioned greeting cards and letters in the mailbox, puzzles on the table, and creative meals with a few ingredients.
Ahh… let’s not forget to stop and smell the roses.
Note: I added 5 rose bushes to my flower farm this spring. I planned to wait until Fall and have roses in 2022, but I happened upon some strong and healthy bushes in the greenhouse at Kryst Farm Market and couldn’t resist. And I purchased 5 bare roots from David Austin Roses to put in this fall. Can’t wait to share the blooms!
Gwen's Greens 