December Rose

I noticed this rose yesterday when I was at the bank. I like roses any old time, but a rose blooming in December is special.

I also mowed my yard yesterday, most of it twice. When I had the flu the leaves fell off the trees and I couldn't deal with them so there they lay. Now that they've been mulched by the mower the yard looks sloppy but not abandoned. I've noticed that the neighbors' yards look pristine, nicely mowed and trimmed and ready for winter with not a leaf in sight. Sigh. I still have some sweeping and raking out of flower beds to do, but that can be done any time now.

Lots of the neighbors' yards are decorated with nice Christmas lights and displays. Absent, though, is the over-the-top decorating of a house a couple of blocks away. Their Halloween and Christmas displays contained many, many lights and lighted plastic figures. The house looks suddenly empty, too. I hope they've moved on to a larger house with all the more decorating space, not fallen victim to foreclosure.

It's dark now when I leave work at 6. Sometimes if I'm giving lessons late in the day I look outside at the gathering darkness. My mind is on the Winter Solstice on the 21st, when things reverse and the days slowly lengthen. I love the Winter Solstice. And Advent. And Christmas, too. I love it all.