ROSES Galore at Edisto Memorial GARDENS

I drove down last week to Edisto Memorial gardens in Orangeburg, South Carolina to see the roses. I have been here before about 3 years ago, and was awed by the 120 different types of roses, planted in huge groupings. This was planted and planned in 1951 , and is now a member of the American Rose society, starting in 2008.
Big ta-do I hear.

Here I am, your tour guide, my husband went with me that day, and when we arrived it was already a sweltering 90 degrees ! I would say try to get here before 11 am if at all possible.

Beautiful entry fountain at the front of the drive in.
I want this is in my garden, maybe about 1/10 as big.

It is difficult to get the correct shots out her, No. 1 it was too sunny, and I have found out that is a bad quality for photographing gardens...so bear with me and the sun.

 No. 2 , I did not have a paper and pen to write down all the names of the roses, so forgive me, I do recall a few ( with the help of photographing the signs ). This was Peace and Love. I have this rose at my house.

I will let most of these photos speak for themselves, except maybe a few.

Acres of roses

Spanish moss draped on the surrounding trees

Geese were all by the small pond there. I had forgotten to bring some loaves of bread, and they were not happy with us. Lots of staring and squawking in protest.
I felt guilty.

Pretty goose

Large birdhouse the size of a small trashcan in the surrounding area

Surrounded by honeysuckle. I love birdhouses.

There was a caretaker, walking up and down amongst the rows, and every time I grabbed some roses ( ouch ) and asked my husband to get a picture, he ( the caretaker ) would stop and stare at me like, " No rose touching Missy ! "
I defiantly touched as many roses as I could...had to keep him on his toes out there in the hot sun.
Actually there is just a lot of signs that say ' No picking the roses. " I guess he was waiting for me to whip out some shears at any moment. He would have a long wait , because they were back at my house .

That reminds me of a story...when I was in college, I dated a nice-looking young man with no money, he was a student. He came to pick me up for dinner one evening , with a bouquet of roses...and he was pale.
I said, " Where did you get the roses ? ", with a smile.
He says, " I cut them off that rose garden in the middle of a very exclusive neighborhood . " ( Not naming neighborhoods here )
Then he goes,   " We better go eat, I need some food. " I say  " Ok, you are hungry ?  ". He goes, " I just gave BLOOD twice ( TWICE !!! ) to take you out to a nice restaurant , and I feel faint. "
I was laughing and concerned , and then rushed him to get to dinner. 
Funny , the things young men do to impress women...fades away with time and age though.
Darn.

My husband liked watching the geese better than the roses.

A duck perched and cleaning-preening himself.

There is a back trail to go see the river, the longest black water river in the world, The Edisto River, runs 200 miles. Look at the cute romantic etching, and there were many , on the rail looking into the river..

Sweet.

Water wheel back there as well, OK, back to our roses. By now it is about 94 degrees.
Hot tamales in the rose garden.

Ouch.

Additional ouch.

I really liked this picture, I stood out there...arms outstretched and felt a combination of the childish thought, " Look , I am a flower too, " ...and then the grown woman thought , " I want all this beauty inside me , surrounding me , engulfing me." So much glorious beauty in a large gathering of roses , you will love it .

The Edisto gardens are in the city limits of Orangeburg, South Carolina... lots of signs to lead you. It is off I-95 and I-26, between Charleston , SC and Columbia, SC.

Remember to bring some bread or crackers for these guys too.

Hope your day is really good,
More later,
Gina


" For lo, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth : the time of singing is come.." Song of Solomon 2:11-12

An Everyday TEST from GOD That I made a D- on...fer shure

I haven't written about a lesson God has taught me lately , as He does every single day. Most of the time, they are too embarrassing to relate...so I don't.
But I decided to stop my garden talk , and my art talks, for one today.

 I remembered last week, a lesson He taught me about being an example for Him, and about trusting Him. Each one, I blew it. 
Then I decided most people could relate to this...so let me tell you. 

It all started with me having a fairly semi-serious problem with my hip, pain when I walked , or even sitting, that had been going on for about...and do not think I am an idiot...for about a year. I am a rabid, obsessive walker..it is a form of therapy to me, I enjoy it . Time that I pray, listen to Christian radio , work out and relax.
I have no patience and I am a bad patient...deadly combo.

So I did not want to go see a doctor, and have him tell me I couldn't walk for such and such a time , for such and such a reason. 

That is until the pain was over-riding everything. So I called a specialist, had an appointment set , was wayyyy across town, in an area that I was unfamiliar with...and last Thursday I set off to find it.

With BAD directions from his receptionist...this highway, to that highway, this exit to that exit quick left, don't miss it...within 20 minutes I was lost.

And annoyed, irritated, anxious about the doctor's diagnosis,

just the PERFECT time for God to lay one on me,

or more likely allow me to show Him what I am like when the going get lost and late.

You know, when we all are either late, frazzled, tired, anxious , irritable...those are the times that the lessons on patience, obedience, trusting ...that all will be well, they just fly out the window.

Ok, back to Mrs. Late and Lost. I finally get in the correct direction ...after calling the doctors office ( and getting hung up on twice ) , at this point I am 25 minutes late for my appointment ( and I was supposed to be there 20 mins. early to fill out forms ). So I am  very late, and mad at myself.

then my little test showed up,

Or I should say my BIG test , like the one above, showed up...right to the right side of my car...while I was getting closer to actually finding my doctor's office. I was in a line of cars on the left side of the road, as the right side had road construction ...and additional jab at my tardiness , and I was scooting along at a snail's pace, now about 32 minutes late for my appointment. In my nice blue SUV, with my pretty Christian fish decal that says Jesus in the center , displayed on the back of my car.


Then this big guy pulls up beside me and puts on his blinker, very politely , hoping someone will let him in.
Would Mrs. Jesus -Fish on the back of her car let him in  ? 
No way, NO way ...I rationalized I was sooo late, and that truck would really be the final straw if anyone, much less me, let him in our line.
He just sat beside me...
while I pretended this mega-ton truck loaded with cars was not there.
While all this was going on, I felt like God was saying " Let him in, be an example for everyone around you for Me. "
And there I was, hands gripping the steering wheel, eyes watching the clock...and adamantly NOT letting this big rig in front of me.
I honestly thought God was going to stick His hand down from heaven, have a giant golden spatula ( I have watched too much Sponge Bob episodes with my son ), and flick that Jesus fish right off the back of my car and throw it in the street.

I mean, if He can part the Red Sea, raise people from the dead, feed thousands with a few loaves of bread and fish...then He would make sure I got to my appointment just fine.

But no, Mrs. Defiant kept right on the heels of the next car, and ignored Mr. Big Rig and she was on her way.
Recognizing I had been a bad example for God.


Long story short,  my diagnosis was I have a pretty bad pulled hamstring...won't bore you with the details...and another small accompanying problem, but if I heed my doctor's advice about slowing down, and more...then it may heal. 
So far, I have done about half of what he told me to do.
That is a higher percentage than what I did for God that day , per how He has told me to live.


Remember the times that are the hardest for you to be a good example, for your children, family, co-workers, total strangers. Whenever you feel especially like NOT doing the right thing....because you will be inconvenienced , 
that is the time we should do it for sure.
Those most inconvenient times, are ripe for lessons from God. 


It is a hot day in the Deep South here, mid 90's at present, hope your day is good and productive,
Gina


P.S.

Lesson noted, that is the only reason I believe God gave me a D- and not an  F on my be nice to the big Rig , because I am aware that God could have taught me to trust Him that day. Also, my kindness to the trucker, would have been worth missing my appointment anyway.

" And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature ? If you are not able to do the least , why are you anxious for the rest ? ...." Do not fear little flock ,for it is Your Father's great pleasure to give you the kingdom . " Luke 12:25,26, 32

She's a LADY...Whoa,whoa, whoa ..She's a LADY

I just had to write a separate entry about our dog, or garden/house dog Maxine.

I mean, what a lady, she lays down and crosses her paws. We have had many dogs, always BIG dogs...and not one has ever crossed her legs..or paws.

See.

She is also a spinning dog, she takes her leash...and is such a spaz before I walk her, she just starts whipping it like a cowgirl in circles...over and over.
None of our other dogs ever spinned either.
She creates quite a show for passing motorists and walkers.

 She takes her leash and is a wild-woman-dog, spinning for minutes at a time. I get dizzy watching her. Plus she has gotten in BIG trouble for hitting me with the metal tip of the leash before.
Stand far back when dogs spin !
She is just soooo excited for me to take her for her walks.
Ecstatic, out of control giddiness from a lab.
Wouldn't it be nice to be that happy ?

She in general likes to just hang out with me when I work in the garden. 

Eat, get love, play with her boyfriend-towel at night in a wrestling match, and got for walks, that is a complete and perfect day for her.
Oh, and of course ride in the truck. My husband occasionally, when she sneaks in his truck when he leaves the door open, just takes her for a drive back and forth in the drive way...
and she completely believes she went on a trip. She hops out, all happy after that.

She is super sweet, not too bright...but brains and beauty don't always come as a package right ? And boy, what a little lady with those crossed paws !
I do love this dog.


I hope you have a peaceful day or night, wherever you are,
Bless you,
Gina


" Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. " Isiah 55:6