Monday, January 19, 2009

Paper Roses (a la Marie Osmond)

It Ain't John Steinbeck's Crepes Of Wrath

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON


One of the things I really enjoy is walking out into the back yard or the front yard with my secateurs and cutting long-stemmed roses to fill our many vases at Casa Authorblog. I guess another thing that makes it very special is the fact that everything in our garden was planted by us when we built this home.

I planned the garden before the house was built. I sketched each garden bed and each prospective plant on the architectural scale drawings. I sketched where the garden gate would be, I sketched the curve of the pathway, I sketched the irregular garden bed that would follow the contours and angles of the long driveway and the walls.

So, yes, this garden is very close to my heart.

And because we are in mid-summer here, the fearsome heat last week literally fried every rose that was blooming. It looked - as it always does on those fry-an-egg-on-the-pavement days of the Australian summer - as if someone had taken an oxy-acetylene flame to every bloom on every bush.

So the youngest Authorbloglet made amends with these paper roses.


Visit Luiz Santilli Jr for the home of Today's Flowers.

35 comments:

Hilary said...

You have a talented Authorbloglet there. The colours are beautiful. Two of my favourites. Shame about the real roses though

Maria said...

Sorry about the real roses, but the paper roses are great!

Sandra said...

So original and very nice indeed!

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

David: What a wonderful play on the roses from crepe. They are an appropriate jesture.
We hit -12F and you are frying roses.

Rune Eide said...

There is nothing like "Paper Doll"!

Margaret's Ramblings said...

that is so sweet, who says that the young don't care.

Gill - That British Woman said...

I love that song, and will now be humming it for the rest of the day!!

Great photos of those "paper roses."

GIll in Canada

Jenn Jilks said...

We try to keep flowers in the house all the time.

George said...

I've had the same thing happen to our roses the past two summers. Unfortunately I don't have an authorbolglet to make paper roses for me. What a nice gesture!

Anonymous said...

Nice entry...

My entry this week : in HERE. I hope you have time to visit. Thanks

Anonymous said...

What a fine substitute!

Bee said...

I've never had a scorched rose; ours tend to wilt from too much rain.

Paper roses may be "only imitation," but they are still very cheerful.

Maggie May said...

That is a beautiful flower. The children & I often make these in the After School Club! They can be very colourful!
Your weather sounds too hot, burning up the roses.

Unknown said...

Very talented and creative!

arleena said...

Paperflowers are very nice.

Small City Scenes said...

"Paper Roses' what a great song by the late Eddy Arnold.
But burning roses would be the 'Crepes of Wrath'--Steinbeck would have loved it. MB

Snap said...

I love roses, paper and real.

Thanks for dropping by. Glad you liked, Spot the ray.

aims said...

That is really sweet David.

Thought of you many times while travelling and trying out our new camera.

Thought - must try to 'see' as David does....

Anonymous said...

Very talented gardener you have there.

Merisi said...

Wished I could trade a few degrees of your surplus heat for our freezing temperatures! The paper roses are beautiful. I wish you good luck with the real ones!

Willow said...

Good job, little Authorbloglet, on making your dad so happy. Paper roses are beautiful!

Willow said...

Oh, and David, I'd love to read your novel. Let me know when you fly in to LAX. My son lives 5 minutes from it.

sweetmom said...

unique and beautiful, very creative..

Mojo said...

Nicely done -- by both of you!

Neva said...

These might not be real but they sure are beautiful and straight from the heart...How could you not love them?

Deb said...

Oh, I remember making these in a past life - I had forgotten all about them until I saw these pics. I like the positve attitude of your bloglet! We received another 10 inches of snow today...I'll trade my frozen roses for your fried roses! :)

Greg C said...

Hey, thanks for visiting my blog. I will take that heat any day over what we just went through this weekend. 19 deg F and we are in the south or so they say. Come back and visit anytime.

Anonymous said...

I love your paper roses!

How nice that you designed your garden.

Paz

® ♫ The Brit ♪ ® said...

Hi David,
I have always loved gardens too and spend many daylight hours in mine.
I got my Dad to "smuggle" some English roses in his suitcase when he visited us last time and so far they are doing great! Although I am forever having to spray them with pesticide because of all the "Super-Ants" here!!
Loved your Daughter's paper roses and your play on the words was genius!

Arija said...

How sweet and thoughtful David. You are a very lucky father. Luck probably has little to do with it. It is by example that children learn.
My roses are not only fried, they are dyeing in front of my eyes and there is nothing I can do about it.

Lori said...

Ah...lovely! I remember making these in school when I was a little girl.

Happy New Year, David!

Debbie said...

Anyone who remembers that Marie song has got to be someone fun. I hate a hot day when all the flowering plants get scorched. Hang onto those paper ones for awhile.

Anonymous said...

Imagine it being soooo hot that the roses wilt.

Love the Paper Woses though [not a typo]
Clever author blogloglet.

N2ATIVEONE said...

These are beautiful and they don't die! My favorite kind of flowers.

Caffienated Cowgirl said...

And those paper roses are worth gold.