Is it still Monday?
We got some rain Saturday - mostly a Cooperstown kind of rain, gentle and straight down, as compared to the hard, sideways rain we so often get here in Oklahoma. We'd been out somewhere and were back home, powering down for the night. I was getting reports ready and printing forms for the next day's meeting, when Steve called to me, "Hey, Vicki, you gotta come see this!"
We got some rain Saturday - mostly a Cooperstown kind of rain, gentle and straight down, as compared to the hard, sideways rain we so often get here in Oklahoma. We'd been out somewhere and were back home, powering down for the night. I was getting reports ready and printing forms for the next day's meeting, when Steve called to me, "Hey, Vicki, you gotta come see this!"
I followed his voice to find him out on the deck under the awning.
"There, under the long trailer," he said, pointing. "Under the tarp."
It took a few seconds, but then I began to see flickering and blinking lights. They looked like tiny blinking LED lamps. I rubbed my eyes and cleaned my glasses, and the lights were still there. Fireflies had taken shelter from the rain under cover of an old-fashioned oiled-canvas tarp we had laid over the wood that was stored on Dad's long flat trailer. Sheltered under their own makeshift awning with plenty of Firefly business to conduct, there they were, blinking away. What a happy thing to see! I'm sorry I wasn't able to get a suitable picture of this to post, but hopefully you've already conjured one in your mind.
Makes me happy every time I see fireflies, and a little bit sad that there don't seem to be as many these summers as I remember having seen in my youth. I plan to study in the next season or so, how to attract, encourage, and support fireflies. I would sure rather have fireflies than June bugs!
When we moved here the first time, about fourteen or fifteen years ago, I moved a Queen Elizabeth Rose bush out here with us and planted it under the yard light. The Queen Elizabeth bears large, lush blossoms in a beautiful shade of medium-deep pink and have a wonderful fragrance. We always liked to say of that Queen Elizabeth Rose that she had petals the size of bed sheets and thorns the size of rhinoceros horns. A substantial and imposing rosebush, the Queen Elizabeth. I wanted to take her with us to Cooperstown when we moved up there, but I had no room to pack one more thing. I blessed her with love and left her behind.
On more than one return visit to Oklahoma I wanted like anything to come out here and dig up the Queen Elizabeth to take to Cooperstown with me, but that never worked out for one reason or another. One of the things I looked forward to on our return was seeing and nurturing the Queen Elizabeth Rose bush again.
I guess I must have also planted another rose bush under the light too. So in love with the Queen Elizabeth, I'm embarrassed to say I don't remember this other bush's name, but it produces smallish red and white variegated blooms. The coloring reminds me of peppermint candy. Unfortunately, the Queen Elizabeth is gone, and no trace of her to be found. I do have my eyes peeled for another one.
This Peppermint Rose bush, though. She's about four feet tall now. She lives under the yard light, as I said, and this summer the ding-dang June bugs ate every leaf on that bush! Ate her right down to sticks! I thought sure she was dead, and wonder if that must have been what happened to my Queen Elizabeth, only after she was gone down to dead, thorny sticks, someone pulled her out of the ground.
I was sad to see what had happened to the Peppermint Rose, and vowed to plant roses again, somewhere away from the yard light. Then I noticed she was putting forth new growth! I love the way roses' new growth leaves are tinged in red. Soon she was completely reclothed in the red leaves of new growth, and as those leaves began to turn green, here came a couple dozen buds and she bloomed again!
Part of my future plans for this place create a dedicated rose garden. I was surprised to hear someone say roses are "hard to grow." I have never had any difficulty keeping roses. They take some time and attention - the successful rose gardener becomes acquainted with their needs and sees to those needs - it is not that difficult. Or maybe I have a gift for roses. Maybe they like me.
Whatever.
Anyway, yes, I guess it is still Monday. Been a long, busy day. I'm going to don my jammies and settle in for the night. Thanks for reading.
Live Well and Be Happy,
Vicki in Mustang
Zone 7
