Mr. C's Roses...

 
When I met my wonderful husband to be we each were well into the halfway point of our lives.  We became friends and fell in love with one another.  We made certain by dating for ten years.  Then we decided it was time to actually marry and make our future together...as "do-overs".  We have just celebrated our 17th wedding anniversary and couldn't be happier together. 

Mr. C never had time for plants or flowers until I came along.  I don't have my Grandma's green thumbs but I do appreciate beautiful plants.  Thankfully Mr. C has come to not only appreciate them but to also grow them.  He is partial to roses.  The deer ate all our roses when we first planted them so after lots of struggles with every deer repellent method known to mankind, Mr. C installed a black deer fence for the backyard.  Now he has his beloved roses.

This particular bush is a David Austen brand from Texas.  I cannot remember the "proper" name so we merely call it our Yellow Rose of Texas.  The blooms are spectacular.  Not much fragrance but so lovely to look at. 

On many days our home is filled with roses right from Mr. C's garden. We feel very blessed.  When we dated we always gave one another one red rose and one white rose.  Of course we had to buy them from the florist back then.  Why one red rose and one white rose?  Red for Passion and White for Truth.  That is how we continue to honor our "do-over" marriage.  Communication is the key to any relationship and we feel it is the most important element of happiness and longevity.  Happy Anniversary Mr. C.
Thankfully no crazy fireworks to light dry tinder here in our little piece of paradise.  I do appreciate all of your prayers for rain and I am not giving up on Mother Nature.  She will eventually bless us with water.  For now we conserve and try to keep us safe with clearing dry brown weeds.  I spent Saturday filling three large trash bags for collection.  It remains hot here but I prefer the heat to freezing cold temperatures.  Mr. C marched in a huge parade in Danville California.  The Devil Mountain Brigade has marched in this parade for something like 42 years and the crowds prove how much they appreciate this group. 
This year I am selecting a word each month.  Something that speaks to me as I progress along my journey.  June it was JOY.  And I truly did find JOY in each and every day.  Now for July it would be easy to once again select JOY however I am challenging myself to more positive experiences.  Therefore July it shall be "High on Life July".  I am going to accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative as the song so appropriately said long ago.  When I get frustrated or overwhelmed it is easy for me to become negative and that is not where I want to be.  Positive and Happy is my place of preference.  So with that said, July and I are "High on Life".  Creative Bliss for all...