Accepting My Reward

I have paid all the bills, this time not so many, and I have emptied the dishwasher, so I am going to reward myself with some photoshopping or photo-painting or digitizing...whatever you want to call it. 

This spring has been mild and dry and is just now getting hot.  My roses have loved the weather.  Soon they will be dropping petals followed by dropping leaves covered in black spot.  But for now, they will be basking in glory under the spring sunshine.

I wandered out and about and took way too many photos and selected just a few to share with you after taking a digitized brush to their shapes and colors.

This one, whose name I have to look up, is my favorite.  It blossoms with darker edges and opens like an old-fashioned tea rose.

This one is a climber and covering my arbor.  Remember the teak gazebo wood that our neighbor gave us?  My helper built it into a nice shaded arbor in the front yard with a small stone patio.

The bench and cushion were added later.  I now have another bench AND have to order another cushion.

Above a painterly view back to the front of the house through the roses.  I am rewarded.

Look Quick!

Spending time outside is essential if you do not want to miss a single blossom, bird song, or unusual insect.  I find that my camera is in front of my face all the time because on day one there is a large bud, on day two it bursts leaking lots of colors and on day three it is in all its glory.  Below is one of my favorite peonies on day two.  And...no, I cannot remember the variety.

My roses which will be full of black spot and dropping leaves from disease by early summer are in their glory now.  I cannot stay inside or I will miss it all.

And this very busy parent will also have left this nest and will be probably looking for another spot for their second family in just a few weeks!

My columbine that I planted years ago is now on a rampant march from flowerbed to flowerbed and having all kinds of sex producing such lovely varieties in color and shape.

Happening way too fast for my taste.  I find as I age, I really want things to last.