The Subject is Roses

Yesterday, Tina told you a little about our potluck to welcome summer and bid farewell to our many summer travelers.  I had two potlucks to go to yesterday, and was up at 3:30 baking cakes.  Left is the apricot upside down cake for my book group, center are cupcakes from leftover cake batter, and right is the strawberry-filled butter cake for the Tuesday Weavers.  Nothing like a busman's holiday!  But I enjoy baking for friends, especially such receptive ones.
 

  At home, I'm still obsessed with roses.  I found a yellow climbing rose to go with the Joseph's Coat at Out of Eden Nursery in Maryville this weekend, as well as a Mr. Lincoln shrub rose to go with the red climbers I bought last week, and a dream-come-true rose, for me, a David Austin rose!
 I wish I could tell you the name of the David Austin rose, but I can't remember it.  I just know it's beautiful and smells wonderful.  Right now, it's still homeless in the yard.  I just can't figure out where to put it!

Joseph's Coat

  The new red climbers are in front of the garage, displacing about 100 irises, which are on the front porch, awaiting their relocation.  It's like a flower refugee camp out there!  I put in the new trellises for the climbers, ugly metal mesh meant for concrete stabilization, but perfect for roses that will cover them in no time.  Everyone has been fed and mulched and are ready for the summer sun to make them climb to the rafters.
 
 

 But it's not all roses!  Shasta Daisies are about to burst into bloom, too.  These were once tiny 4-inch pots of kind of wispy plants, and now they're 3-4 feet around and almost shoulder high.  There will be many daisy bouquets in the coming weeks.

But lest you think all I do is garden, I've been hiding in the cool house in the heat of the day, knitting and watching lots of HGTV--watching other people gardening!--and making fine progress on two cardigans.  The left one you've seen, but the right one in cotton-silk-nylon blend that is luscious to knit and an easy-peasy pattern that should go quickly.
  Stay cool and out of the mid-day sun!  Great time to weave!
Maggie