December 14, 2012 -- winter roses

The way this evolved was fascinating. I have been looking for dried culinary rose petals to give my daughther for Christmas. A recipe we like calls for them, but I've not been able to find them at either ethnic food stores or spice shops. This morning it occurred to me (duh!) that I should have collected and dried some of my own rose petals. In fact, maybe I still had some in the garden? Despite the fact that it was 24 degrees outside this morning and the ground was thick with frost, lo and behold, there were still lots of buds (tight frozen ones) on my New Dawn climbing rose. I doubt they'll open, but it was fun to pick them on December 14. Here they are with all their mottled (a.k.a. diseased) leaves still attached. Actually, at this time of year, even a leaf yellow with black spot is sort of welcome, color-wise!

The beautiful turquoise reflection from my coffee mugs on the window frame is not an artifact of the photo--it's real, and even prettier in real life than it is in the photo.