"To be overcome by the fragrance of flowers is a delectable form of defeat." (~Beverly Nichols)

I came home from my latest trip to a familiar sight: whenever I’ve been gone and return home, Joe has a sweet ritual he always goes through. He vacuums, cleans, and he puts flowers out virtually everywhere for me to enjoy.

My eyes dashed from surface to surface, and each spot held a little vignette he’d arranged, and he knew I'd appreciate them all.

Our knockout roses are still going strong, and the impatiens are up to my knees out in the yard, so Joe picked some to scatter around our place for me. It's nice to see what caught his eye in our garden.

He tucked a few zinnias into arrangements, and the blue salvias in our kidney bean bed are still amazingly blue and sending out color like crazy. Little miniature coral and yellow roses are still blooming as well.

Bright pink and yellow lantana are crowding out other flowers, enjoying the cooler temps we’ve had lately, and the Mexican sage and Mexican petunias are vibrant and happy now that fall’s made its presence clear in Cary, NC.

Joe’s very brave with his use of color, as you can see!

It was a joy not to have to head to a hotel room again, but it was even more pleasant to actually smell roses!

And while I certainly don’t expect flowers all over upon my return…it sure is nice!

"Flowers... are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty outvalues all the utilities of the world." ( ~Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1844)

Have a most pleasant weekend, all—I’ll be on the west coast Monday and back in the saddle again.