Tour of Roses

The lily has a smooth stalk,

Will never hurt your hand;

"But the rose upon her brier

Is lady of the land.

There's sweetness in an apple tree,

And profit in the corn;

But lady of all beauty Is a rose upon a thorn.

When with moss and honey

She tips her bending brier,

And half unfolds her glowing heart,

She sets the world on fire."     The Rose - by Christina Rossetti

Let's continue our walk around the garden and visit other roses that have bloomed.  First today is Crimson Glory, royal among roses.  It is huge - as large as a small grapefruit, with petals of deepest blood red velvet and a fragrance so rich it's baroque.  This is it's first year in the garden, so I am looking forward to it's more mature years as it begins to cover the archway.  On the opposite side of the arch are two young clematis (clematii?) that are burgundy and purple.  The colors on this archway in years to come will be spectacular!

In contrast to Crimson Glory, and only a few feet away, is Bloomfield Dainty.  It truly is a dainty rose, looking much like it was composed from the finest tissue paper.  It's fragrance is appropriately light - sweet with a touch of spice.                                           Here's a close-up of Bloomfield Dainty."You love the roses - so do I.  I wish

The sky would rain down roses, as they rain

From off the shaken bush.  Why will it not?

Then all the valley would be pink and white

And soft to tread on.  They would fall as light

As feathers, smelling sweet: and it would be

Like sleeping and yet waking, all at once."     Roses - George Elliot

The next little rose is the well-named Sweet Pea.  If it were not already named so, you would naturally called it by that name!  The blossoms are small, but profuse, with a fragrance that distills the air.  You only have to be in the vicinity, or down-wind, of Sweet Pea to enjoy it's fragrance.  Here you see it loaded down so heavily with it's first flush of bloom that it can no longer maintain it's compact form.

This is Sweet Pea close up.  Doesn't it have just the sunniest center?In this photo Sweet Pea is in the background, and we see Republic of Texas up close.  Every native Texan must have a yellow rose in the garden, and this one is an excellent choice.  It blooms profusely, is easy to care for, and is heavily scented.  Between Republic and Sweet Pea, the whole front yard smelled of roses.  "As a flower in the garden

Bending toward the sun,

Unfolds it's tiny petals

One, by one, by one...

So faith expands it's beauty

Until at last it grows

Into life's lasting flower...

The heart's fair perfect rose."   - Rebecca Helmann

This beauty, with all it's hundred petals, is Pioneer Spirit. When it's fully open, it reminds you of a fluffy, pink powder puff.  In fact, it has that light rosy powder scent.  When this rose burst all it's blooms, the trellis looked like a little girl's birthday party.  It was so cheerful!And finally, we have New Dawn.  This is a vigorous climber, reaching 15-20 feet, so we have planted it on the old basketball goal at the back corner of the little barn, behind the dog runs.  Why back there, you ask, where it's not easily seen?  But, I say, why not?  When I drive the truck and trailer down the back lane, or am caring for dogs in the run, there is something beautiful to enjoy.That completes our tour of the roses.  At least for this year!  Next year I should have a new one to show you, Lavender Lassie, which was just planted in front of the porch.  It, too, is a vigorous climber and in years to come should grace the column and top-edge of the front porch.  I can't wait!  Till then, here's one more poem, and thank you for letting me show you the roses.

"It is only a tiny

rosebud,

A flower of God's design,

But I cannot unfold the petals

With these clumsy hands of mine.

 - The secret of unfolding flowers

Is not known to such as I,

The flower God opens so sweetly,

In my hands would fade and die.

- I cannot unfold a rosebud,

This flower of God's design,

Then how can I have wisdom

To unfold this life of min?

- So I'll trust Him for His leading

Each moment of every day

And I"ll look to Him for His

Guidance

Each step of the pilgrim way.

- For the pathway that lies before 

me

My heavenly Father knows

I'll trust Him to unfold the 

moments

Just as He unfolds the rose."    - Anonymous

May Flowers - First Blush

Nothing is so beautiful as spring -

When weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely and lush;

Thrush's eggs look little low heavens, and thrush

Through the echoing timber does so rinse and wring

The ear, it strikes like lightnings to hear him sing;

The glassy peartree leaves and blooms, they brush

The descending blue; that blue is all in a rush

With richness; the racing lambs too have fair their fling.

What is all this juice and all this joy?

A strain of the earth's sweet being in the beginning

In Eden garden. -Have, get, before it cloy,

Before it cloud, Christ, lord, and sour with sinning,

Innocent mind and Mayday in girl and boy,

Most, O maid's child, thy choice and worth the winning.

~ Spring by Gerard Manley Hopkins

April showers indeed bring May flowers, and May is possibly the most glorious of all the months of the floral year.  Rose, Rhododendron, Clematis, Iris, Peony, Honeysuckly, Lily, and more; they all in turn burst forth in colored array, taking our breaths away as they revive our breath again with their sweet fragrances.                                                                     

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 This sweet little rose is Cleotilde Soupert, a small creamy white-to-soft pink cabbage rose.  It has 100 petals and a fine perfume.  The rose pictured above is also Cleotilde.  It has a hard time in humid weather (which we have), but it's worthwhile, for  Cleotilde is like having living porcelain in the garden.                                                                                                                                            

Yes, the Rhodie is really this brilliant!  It's bright fuchsia color is simply stunning.

Next to the Rhododendron is an equally brilliant Clematis combination.  I must confess that I don't remember the names of these two vines, but now that they are in their 3rd year, they are just remarkable.  When my Mother saw them, she commented that they looked like a silk floral arrangement.  These flowers are also pictured at the top of my Blog.This is a view overlooking Cleotilde, blooming Sage, and the Rhodie.  You can also see a Boxwood along with the PeeGee Hydrangea tree and Stella Del Oro Lilies which are both yet to bloom.Moving to the front yard, you can peek through foliage to see the white Azaleas in full bloom while the Sweet Pea rose is just beginning to pop.  In a later posting, I'll show you Sweet Pea in all her glory - so heavy with blooms that she is bent over.For now we'll end with the Thomas Affleck rose.  This rose, like all my roses are Texas Pioneer or Antique roses which can be found at the Antique Rose Emporium.  Check out their site and order their free catalog - you'll become an addict, too!  Here's a closer look at Thomas Affleck.  It's a semi-double bloom rose that was developed in Texas in the 18th century.  It's intense pink really pops in the garden, and it's fragrance is beautiful.  It's thornless, too!Thank you for strolling in the garden with me and enjoying the delights of Spring.  In the next couple of postings, we'll see more of the garden.  Springtime blessings to you!

Commencement Continues!

One week following Justin's graduation from Covenant College, his cousin, Joey Albin, graduated from Belmont University here in Nashville.  We had a whole week of graduation celebrations here!  It was really fun to have the boys graduate in such close proximity since they had been such good buds growing up.  

Joey and sisters, Erin and Courtney, help prepare for the party.

Mama Pops, Amira and her sister, Joanna, join in the festivities.

Sister-in-law Kathryn, hard at work preparing more food for the party.

                                                                Justin and Pops.

Justin and Joey with their proud grandparents.

Commencement

Commend - to entrust; to commit to one's charge; to mention as worthy of attention; to express approval of; praise.

Commence - to begin; start; originate.

Commencement - the act or time of commencing.

On May 9th, we had the privilege and blessing of watching our son, Justin, walk across the stage to receive his diploma from Covenant College.  He graduated with a degree in Biblical Studies and Theology, and we are so very proud of him and the calling on his life.  It was a glorious day!

 I don't think Justin could smile any bigger!  The happy man is shown here with his sweetheart, Amira. who travelled all the way from Egypt to be at Justin's graduation.

Justin, his proud parents, and his tired nephew.

"Don't worry, Dad was only joking.  The tuition check didn't bounce - you really did graduate."

Justin with his proud grandparents, Bob and Kathy Albin.

Alan, Kristin, and boys got up EARLY to drive to Chattanooga and see their brother walk.

The early start has caught up to Patrick, and Papa is happy to oblige him.

The next day, back at the house, we continued the celebration on the front porch with hamburgers and gift and card opening.  If you look closely, you will see that the Logo on Justin's shirt is for Cairo Covenant School where he will be teaching history next year.  We are truly amazed at our son and all he has done, all he is doing, and all he will do as he follows God's calling on his life!

After the Storm

"April showers bring May flowers."  

Showers?  In April?  In Tennessee?  Those of us who survive the spring storms to enjoy those May flowers (and we do) dearly wish we had those showers instead.  Springtime is stormtime here, and we sure get some rip-snorters.  

Here are a few photos following an Easter weekend storm that blew through and left a sparkling day in its wake.

Storm clouds bustle away to the south east.  I think the brilliant white of the Dogwood blossoms ties together earth and sky with the whiteness of the clouds.

Everything had a good cleansing shower, including these rain-slicked horses.

                                                                      Fresh and clean.

Water flowing from the hillside into the flatland of the valley.

Shadow and light with water under the bridge.  (We could develop a philosophy out of that, but I think we'll just enjoy the scenery!

Seed for Sowers

"Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!

He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing,

Shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him."

~ Psalm 126:5-6

There are many ways that God's people invest in the future, and we are indeed called to invest in the future.  God's covenant with His children not only runs through the ages, it runs through eternity.  One of those many ways of investing in the future is through the education of children, and that's where my particular emphasis has been; specifically in Christian Classical Education.  

Christian Classical education has enjoyed a revival in America in the last 20-plus years, and it's revival hasn't been without a great deal of blood, sweat, and tears.  So, as I read this passage in Psalms, I am encouraged to continue persevering, for we are promised fruit for our labor.  However, we should also note that the seed with which we sow had to come from somewhere.  Indeed, we ourselves are the fruit of the labors of those who've gone before.  Skipping rapidly through the centuries, we can look as far back as Augustine to Gerhard Groote, and then Abraham Kuyper to see the faithfulness of those who've gone before.  So, as we labor and toil and suffer setbacks, remember that the seed we carry came from previous fruit; and that seed will again bear fruit to produce seed for future laborers.  Thus, is the Kingdom of God built;  thus the reason we strive so diligently to raise up Christian, cultural leaders.  May God bless the work of those hands.

The Call of Deep Unto Deep

In a recent blog, I wrote about the beautiful passage found in Psalm 42 of "deep calls to deep".  Two comments were posted there that are well worth your time to go back and read; one a devotional by Charles Spurgeon, and the other a poem by John Wright Follette.  The poem is absolutely beautiful and speaks so well of the mysteries of the passage "deep calls unto deep."  I'd like to reprint it here for you, and I hope it stirs the depths of your soul, as deep calls to deep.

The Call of Deep Unto Deep

by John Wright Follette

Down in the depth of my nature

Where the issues of life are born,

From that unknown mystical realm,

Surviving through ages of storm,

A call is forever rising -

But its language I cannot speak.

It was born ere I had being,

'Tis the call of deep unto deep.

Our mother tongue here is awkward,

For no words can fully express

The needs in the depths of nature,

In bondage to sin and distress.

Our hearts in their depths surely ache;

They hunger; they call; and they seek -

Then silently wait an answer

To the call of deep unto deep.

Down deep in the heart of our God,

In mystical regions sublime,

In the Godhead's holy council

Long before our world or our time,

An answer was fully prepared

Every pain, every ache to meet,

In Christ, God's only begotten,

Is answer to deep unto deep.

The Answer indeed was the Word,

The Word when expressed was the Son.

Oh language of God how profound!

In answer what more could be done?

The heart of our God is hungry,

His portion, His people to seek.

"I thirst," was cried by the Answer -

'Tis the call of deep unto deep.