Wild roses have always been a pleasure to me.They are growing out beside the barn and along the train tracks in Cadrieu. I've pruned them over the years and have enjoyed making rose hips tea with the hips in the fall when they've finished their season.
When I arrived home that summer of 2014, they were blooming and beautiful. So beautiful that I pruned some of the long vines to make a dramatic floral arrangement for the Chatette. With monster sized thorns, leather gloves are required, but when you look closely you see each petal is the shape of a heart.
I don't have any wild roses here on Columbus Street, but soon discovered Mike's and John's over at Mahogany Oaks. I teased them that I'd have to come over and gather the hips to make some tea. I don't think that will be in the cards. When I returned from my St.Louis trip, I found Mike out in front of Mahogany Oaks (in his overalls) hard at work on removing most of those vines.
He'd made amazing progress and had a few battle scars to prove it. I immediately changed into my overalls to go out and help, but by then the sun and humidity were settling in to make any more work more than miserable. I admired his handiwork and how well prepared he was for the job...tools, gloves, overalls, and a stick-to-itness that paid off.
Look at the size of that pile,and just how much got cleared!
I enjoyed seeing all of Mike's hard work,even if I was a little sad to see those wild roses go. It's going to make my Cadrieu wild roses all the more special during my return this summer.
The rose hips tea will have to wait until 2017, but I think I can manage till then! Thanks to Mike for making mine even more special to me this season.
Comments