Green Grow the Roses?

Maybe some of you didn't know there was such a thing as green rose blossoms, just green leaves. But I knew. I knew when I was a young child when my grandmother told me about hers that she had growing in her backyard. I found the news hard to believe really. I couldn't imagine rose blossoms being green. It wasn't natural. But then she led me out back and showed me her green rose bush. 

In its way, these roses were quite impressive to my young eyes, but only because they were green. Beauty-wise, these blooms didn't hold a candle to the red and pink roses I was accustomed to, or even the white and yellow ones. In fact, they looked sort of looked like mistakes, even mutants.

I felt the same way about this photo (above) that I found on Pinterest. It's the first time I've seen green roses since that day long long ago when my grandmother led me to her flower garden to show me hers. Green roses still seem, well, wrong to me. I'll take beautiful blossoms that don't look like they're trying to camouflage in their foliage, maybe hiding from the plant beetles. In fact, "green roses" sounds sort of oxymoronish to me.

 

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On 02/27/2023, Barbara Anne said ...

I've never seen or heart of green roses and am astonished your grandmother had such a bush in her garden.
Since we began streaming shows instead of having cable, we found several zoo programs on Disney -> National Geographic and have learned there are many animals common in other parts of the world that we'd neither seen nor heard of. If you have access to The Zoo Downunder (Sydney, Australia) and Tampa Zoo are really interesting shows.

Hugs!
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What a Book!

I usually consign my book reviews to the sidebar at the left of the screen. But every once in a while a book is so good, I like to give it extra attention. That's true of the book I have just finished, "My Best Friend's Exorcism." In fact, I'm still dabbing my eyes with a tissue as a result of the the ending. Not sad; just emotional.

In my opinion, Grady Hendrix is one of the best writers currently writing fiction. This is the second of his books I have read, and I have the rest that I haven't read on hold at the library. It seems a lot of readers like his fiction.

But even though I will tell you that this is one of the best books I've read lately, I have to add a disclaimer. I know some of you don't like scary books and movies. And this book certainly has some scary stuff. Not quite a scary as "The Exorcist" maybe, but pretty hair raising.

I didn't know until just now when I was googling that "My Best Friend's Exorcism" has been made into a movie, available on Amazon Prime. I guess you can guess what I'll be doing this afternoon.

Even though I judge this an outstanding work, as I said in the short review in the "Books Read in 2023" list at left, I'll never forgive its author for what happened to GDM. For fear of venturing into spoiler territory, that's all I'll say about that.

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On 02/19/2023, Barbara Anne said ...

Interesting, but no, thank you! Decades ago when book clubs by mail were the thing, I didn't return the post card in time, so received "The Exorcist", to my dismay. I read it cover to cover in one day, finishing it at 3am with DH keeping me company (also not allowed to go to bed!) and every light in the house on. I kid you not.
Needless to say, I sat thought the movie without a qualm as it was noting compared with my imagination as I read the book.

Big hugs!
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Happy Heart Day

The Jonathan Bass House, Leeds, Alabama

My book club had its February meeting yesterday at The Bass House, an historical house in Leeds that dates back to 1863 when the site was a farm owned by Jonathan Bass. I, and several other members had never been inside the house, so it was a treat. Seeing all the antique furnishings hundred of photos of past and present Leeds citizens kept us busy way past the time that we should have discussed the book, The Road to Little Dribbling by Bill Bryson. If you should happen to read this book, don't look for the author to make any mention of Little Dribbling as he travels through England. Apparently that's an English idiom that no one in book club had ever heard before--somewhat like "the road to nowhere" or "all roads lead to Rome." I found the explanation on the internet while everyone else was scratching their heads and pondering the puzzle.

Ramey supplied us with a great lunch of chicken salad, croissants, and brownies. Debbie added some wonderful blueberry scones.  

After lunch we had a lively discussion about the book, which most people thought was delightful. I, unfortunately was not one of those people. I like books that tell a story; and wandering all over the English countryside is not quite a story to me. But if you like that sort of thing, you would probably like this book. Bryson, and American who transplanted himself to England, is a good writer. Parts are the book are very funny.

Daughter Andy dropped by in the late afternoon and brought beautiful and delicious Valentine's Day cupcakes. While enjoying our treat, we watched the wonderful movie "The Starling" starring Melissa McCarthy, whom I love.

After Andy went home, I watched "The Taking of Pelham 123, starring a whole bunch of hunky men and one or two unfamiliar women. I thought I had not seen this film, and I make it a point to see every movie in which either Denzel Washington or John Travolta appears (and some others). Since they both had major parts in "Pelham," I knew I had to see it. Turns out I already had, but I enjoyed watching it again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A bit belatedly,
I 'd like to wish all of you a very
happy Valentine's Day. 

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On 02/16/2023, Barbara Anne said ...

What an interesting post! I've never heard of The Starling so will have to watch it and may watch The Taking of Pelham, too.
I'd love to see in interior of the Bass home so will look for it on-line.
I tried to read the Bill Bryson book Home and found it utterly bereft of a story line so quit reading it. Oh, and it was boring, too.
lunch sounds like it was scrumptious!

Hugs!
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I've Been a Bad Blogger

How long has it been? Two weeks? More? I don't know. 

But I did get a few things done during the hiatus. I have arranged for a cleaning lady. She'll start on February 21. That's the soonest each of us had free day. She has a job and is only free on Tuesdays and weekends. I don't want her coming on weekends, and I have book club next Tuesday. So we had to plan for the next Tuesday. She's a long-time friend, and I think she'll be good. I hope. I can't even imagine firing a friend if she's not.

Anyway, we also have a grass-cutting fellow coming sometime to clean up the leaves and limbs that have fallen since September.

And (ta da!) I got Karen's log cabin quilt to the quilter, Angela, yesterday. Angela has worked with Lena (my quilter who retired) for years, and she took over the business when Lena retired. She has quilted many quilts for me, so I know her work and it's good.

When I pulled up in front of Angela's house, I got a great surprise. A friend that I used to work with at Oxmoor House (actually I hired her) was there. She and Angela were out on the porch talking. I hadn't seen this friend since my guild's quilt show in 2018. And it had also been a little while since I'd seen Angela. So it was a sweet reunion. We settled on a great quilting pattern and appropriate thread and had a great visit.

That's about all I have to report. I'll update the Books Read list at left--if I can remember what I've read in the past couple of weeks. Daughter Andy is coming for dinner after work, so I best get the spaghetti sauce simmering soon. 

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This post was migrated from the old blog. To see the comments on the original post, CLICK HERE. To add a new comment, click "Post a Comment", below.

On 02/10/2023, Barbara Anne said ...

It's good to hear from you and how nice to have had such a wonderful reunion with your quilter and your friend from Oxmoor House days!
Applause, applause for getting Angela's quilt finished, too!
Perhaps having a cleaner will free you up to have more energy to sew, cook, and read? Hope so.
Will send you an email of what I'm working on. Stay tuned.

Hugs!

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On 02/11/2023, Cynthia said ...

Book recommendation - if you have not read Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver, please put it on your list. Great read, but I’ve never read anything that wasn’t good by her. Cheers
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