The Fourth of July is celebrated many ways, and this year for me that meant family. We made a trip to the Kansas City area to spend the weekend with family and friends; that meant good barbeque, cold beers, a summer sunset over a field of wildflowers, an orange full moon rising in the east, catching up with friends, a boat ride on a local lake, and even a baseball game at Kauffman Stadium between the KC Royals and the Minnesota Twins. The series is always a good one, and on this night we celebrated a Twins win followed by a huge fireworks show at the stadium. So many things to be proud of on July 4th, and so many things and people to be thankful for too.
Summer roses
We’re in the height of rose season – their colors and scents abound. We have a wonderful John Cabot climbing rose that blossoms out in profusion mid-June, becoming engulfed in a riot of color. I’ve had cuttings in almost every room of the house, and yet the bush itself remains full too. The blooms hold for many days and then they drop their petals all around – a reminder of their beauty even as they move past their prime.
Color on display
Living close to the Minnesota State Fairgrounds has its definite perks, one of which is being able to share in the excitement of the events and the people who attend them. This weekend was the Minnesota Street Rod Association’s Back to the 50’s celebration. The neighborhood has been filled will classic cars from before 1964. And it’s a great opportunity to photograph the colors and vehicles. I wandered from red to orange to yellow to blue to maroon – all in shiny finishes that picked up the reflections of the other cars around. At 9:00am as I was intent on photographing one lovely yellow Bel Air, the PA announcer came on to welcome the 11,500+ registrants for this year’s event. He then introduced the person to sing our National Anthem. All cars stopped, all engines were turned off, and everyone paused. When the singer was done, it is was back to the excitement and the colors that are hallmarks of this event.
Scents of the late spring garden
Our warm sunny weather turned to mist and clouds yesterday morning, reminding me of my days living in the Pacific Northwest. The dampness of the mist and rain held all the wonderful scents of late spring in the air. I wandered our yard, enjoying the smells of the peonies and roses. As I rounded a corner, I got a hint of orange. Our mock orange bush has been flush with blossoms and is nearing the end of its bloom. Although its colors aren’t as bright and showy as the peonies and roses, the white glimmered amidst the spring green under the gray skies. Its delicate petals will fall for a few more days, and the green leaves will remain until next spring when we can once again marvel at its short burst of white blossoms and delicate smell.
Peonies in a row
If you travel west out of the Twin Cities on Highway 12 you quickly leave the urban life behind for farm fields and open spaces. We did just that yesterday morning – our destination was Swenson Gardens near Howard Lake. Celebrating Peony Days at Swenson’s was a true delight – to sight and smell alike. With fields of peonies in bloom, and a view of the horizon all around, we enjoyed learning about all the different varieties of peonies in so many colors that I’d never seen or known about. It was a wonderful place to explore and immerse yourself in the sights and smells of late spring.
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