Back to my Camera (lots of pics)

Since getting my iPhone I hardly ever post on my computer anymore. First, mostly because Papa Bear ALWAYS has the computer and second because it's so much easier to post pictures from my iPhone. However, those photos aren't always very clear. Sooooo.... yesterday morning before my eye appointment I wanted to check on my roses armed with my camera! Friday night we had a pretty bad storm, super stong winds, hail and spurts of heavy, heavy rain. We were under a tornado watch. My favorite rose was my multi-colored Peace rose, so naturally this was the first one I checked on. And sadly, the high winds ripped the leaves off of my sole bud. I looked in the flower bed and I saw the delicate leaves scattered throughout.

My white Kennedy rose also took a hit. Lots of it's petals were gone. I dead headed it (just learned that word yesterday) and am hoping that new blooms will come. I don't know how long it takes but I will be watching, patiently (or not so patiently) everyday.

More of my Peace rose petals, with a different setting. I was trying them all out to see which gave me a better picture. There are so many and I've truly only attempted about five or six different ones.

Papa Bear and CC were so excited to bring me this one home. This is a double-knocked out deep fushia rose. It didn't have any blooms on it when I got it, so I don't know what it looks like. I did notice a total of five buds on it yesterday morning though. By late yesterday afternoon the stems were super droopy and sagging and I was afraid the previous nights storm's damage was setting in. BUT.... this morning the stems are up and perky. The bloom at the top has even changed since I took this photo about an hour or so ago. The leaves have dropped and the bud is starting to open. That will have to be a photo with my iPhone though. I can't insert photos where I want them on the computer!

See...it's starting there already.

What was left of my Peace rose after the storm. I am awaiting a new bloom. Gosh... I hope I get a new bloom!

The leaves looked like this after the storm toward the bottom of the bush. I don't know, but it sure doesn't look normal.

My red Olimpiad rose held up fine. This is the sole bloom on it and I just dead-headed it as well. I don't see any new buds anywhere but I'm just going to keep waiting. As this is my first roses I have NO idea when or how long it takes for buds to appear after dead heading. This is definately a learning process for me. And...like with many other things in my life, I feel this is another way I am being taught patience.

I took a few photos with my iPhone of the whole garden, but of course they weren't this good and didn't show a whole lot. So, this was one of the first photos I took yesterday morning.

When looking over the roses yesterday morning CC noticed one of the Olmpiads leaves had holes in it. She said, "You must have a catapillar mama." Then she screamed..."LOOK, LOOK!! YOU HAVE A CATAPILLAR!"

Making it's way to the leaves.....

See again here how the double-knock out perked up and opened up.

Through the storm and the stress of replanting, my yellow rose seems the strongest. It smells so good and has five new buds on it. I dead-headed two today. I didn't think I would like this yellow as much as I do. I was blinded with love for my Peace rose. Wasn't there a night-time soap called "The Yellow Rose of Texas?" I seem to remember watching that with my mom.

I know the blooms look droopy, but it's just set lower in the ground and the bloom happen to be on bottom stems.

I have truly enjoyed sitting out here and looking at my babies. The morning has been so quiet and calm. Charlie and I came out early this morning. I certainly wanted to stay in bed and sleep a bit longer, tomorrow starts again at 4:30 a.m. but I couldn't resist checking my babies as soon as I woke up.