The Buds and the Bees

I'm a world renowned expert in growing roses. I know you didn't know this about me but it's true.

Now - by "world renowned" - I mean that I know this, and maybe two other people know it. But isn't everyone always saying it's a small world?? So there.

Anyway - here's the deal. At our first house, we had a nice, expansive yard. And by nice, I mean expansive. It was a very tiny house with a very large yard. And by yard, I mean a big limestone rock with 1/16" of dirt covering it. It was not exactly a gardener's paradise. There was not one green thing there when we moved in. When we left, it was a sea of beautiful St. Augustine, 12 feet of irises, a stunning clematis along the fence, and my true pride and joy - incredible roses.

I'm only indirectly responsible for these gorgeous life forms. I am at best a lucky gardener - it is not one of my spiritual gifts, although I enjoy growing things. Stamping makes you forget that there are living things around you, yes?

However, I do listen to the radio. A lot. And one day in 1998 I was listening to a gardening show and heard a tip that has served my rose friends well, and that was to put a banana peel in the hole before you put your rosebush in. This person said it creates a slow feed to a traumatized rose and has all the right stuff.

My 4H brain rebelled. I thought - SUGAR?? Won't that rot, draw bugs, grow mold? But I did it, because I didn't know any better. And in an absolutely impossible growing environment, I grew the most beautiful, healthy roses I've ever seen.

So I just did it again. And lo and behold - in one week - what do I see?

A rose.

Sigh.

I can't wait.

In other garden news - my 600 pounds of poop was apparently full of dandelion seeds. The battle begins. And apparently, this little fella didn't get the memo that bugs aren't supposed to like rosemary.

Look how pretty he is though with his fur and his beautiful sky blue stripe! (click him for a closeup)

So after all that nature, I thought I ought to reflect that in a little art, so I busted out some bees for today's Splitcoast tutorial for a pentagon treat tube. I made this one live on UStream, with a little help from my friends - Bunny and Mary Dawn and Leslie. They are actually the ones that suggested what I consider to be the crowning glory of this project, which is the pom pom trim around the back of the tab. Those ladies are SMART. And a little smart-alecky, but that's a topic for another day.:)

It really was quick and easy and fun to do. I used Nature Walk and Botanical Gazette paper. Go check out the tutorial. Completely adorable pressie that's totally do-able if you're in a hurry and have some cute candy to give away.

Like Bit O Honey, for example.

MMM.

Happy Wednesday.