In our garden: Reflections on Earth Day 2013

Earth Day, a celebration of what the earth gives us, was celebrated across the world on Monday.

It is often said that love begins in the home. And, so does our love for our planet earth. Yesterday, amid clear skies and a wealth of lovely sunshine that greeted the San Francisco Bay Area, I seized an opportunity to get outside for a little while and spent some time in our garden.

As I looked around, I thought to myself: "If I love the earth, all will bloom naturally."

We are blessed to have nine different rose bushes as well as irises, calla lilies, fuchsias, rhododendrons and camellias surrounding our house. Indeed, we have an abundance of beautiful blooms throughout the entire year, especially during the month of April.

And, so, in celebration of Earth Day yesterday, I grabbed my camera and started taking photographs, recording these precious moments in our garden for others to cherish. Consider it  as my random act of kindness. 

May every day be like Earth Day to us.

Iris

Mr. Lincoln rose

Pristine rose

Calla lily

Rhododendron

All photographs by Michael Dickens, copyright 2013. All rights reserved.

Welcoming the summer solstice to our garden

A summer's sun is worth the having. ~ French Proverb.

As we bid adieu to spring, the morning sun glistens
 upon the petals of our newest Queen Elizabeth rose.

It's time to say goodbye to spring and, soon, it will be time to welcome summer ~ sunshine and all.

Tomorrow, the sun will arrive at its northernmost point in the sky. With it, we herald a season change on Earth as summer officially begins in the Northern Hemisphere. As for our neighbors in the Southern Hemisphere, it's time for winter. However, your time for summer will come again, soon.

As the beauty of the morning sun glistens over our backyard garden, it's a delight ~ more than ever ~ to photograph our summer roses.

Photograph by Michael Dickens, copyright 2012. All rights reserved.