Ingrid's Corner

A Field of Roses

by Ingrid

As the calendar is about to flip to another year, I find myself once again traveling on the road with spotty internet service.  Mind you, no complaints on my end, it’s just the kind of New Year’s post I had in mind will need to be postponed.  For now, I’m focused on where we intend to park for the night and the weather.

Since it’s cold, rainy, and in some places snowing, I thought I’d share images that look more like summer than winter.  I know, hard to think about rose bushes being harvested in December, but that’s the desert southwest for you………

Now that I had witnessed the harvesting of cotton, I had hoped to have similar luck with the harvesting of the rose bushes.  With each necessary or unnecessary visit to a nearby store, I glanced across the rose fields in hopes of seeing the equipment used for the plucking of these beautiful flowers.  rose petals

As I repeatedly drove past the fields, a barren field of tilled land caught my attention. I was intrigued by the color.  There was a reddish hue almost mirage like to the barren field that was once graced with rose bushes.  Unfortunately, I missed the actual harvesting of these plants.  I wondered, could that reddish hue be new growth?  Had the field already been replanted?  Since it looked merely tilled, I doubted anything new was growing.

With one eye kept on the road (I am driving after all), I struggled to make out what was causing that reddish tint.  My curiosity was getting the better of me and my destination was no longer of importance, thus I turned my little red truck around in search of a place to park.  I felt compelled to examine this field a little closer.roses

In an attempt to respect the “no trespassing” signs, I walked as close as I felt comfortable to discover what was behind the effects of the mirage……. Rose Petals!….oh my gosh…. the field was covered in rows of pink and red rose petals.  Oh, how I wanted to get closer, but that would have required jumping over a small concrete irrigation ditch AND trespassing.

Not easily deterred by signs or rules, it was the jumping over the irrigation ditch that caused me to pause.  I assessed the distance and my agile jumping abilities.  It was then that I heard the voices in my head…..  “Mr. H, this is the Maricopa County Sheriff’s department.  Your wife ……..”rose harvestingOk then…. I shook my head as if to clear the imaginary voices and images in my mind, then quickly returned to the truck and headed down the road to check on another rose field.  Hum, no equipment anywhere in sight, but it was obvious several rows of rose bushes had been removed.  It appeared, the rose bushes were being harvested by color.

Although my time in Phoenix, Arizona, has come to an end, the images of roses continue to make me smile.  The images of the cotton fields continue to intrigue me.  I wonder where this fascination stems from.   Was I a farmer in a past life?  Nah, I think not.  I am merely an appreciative recipient of the plants bounty 🙂

fields of rosesAll photos were taken  in mid-December!  Camera used;
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ47K 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 24xOptical Zoom – Black

54 thoughts on “A Field of Roses”

  1. A great find of a good eye…. for photography. We, who travel and take pictures, do have a heightened sense for everything around us. Really nice-looking field of roses. I have yet to actually stop on the road to smell the roses. 😀

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  3. Oh, I was so hoping you’d jump the ditch and take us into the petal fields. I’d use you as an example in the future when I want to bad girl things – wink wink.

    Sue

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  4. Now I’m curious to find out just how they are harvested, maybe I’ll get a chance to find out in California. Hope the weather improves for you, did you reach your final destination?

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  6. You do make all your posts so interesting… had a picture in my mind of you attempting the spring over the ditch and not making it… certainly not one of you being arrested… but good sense obviously prevailed and you didn’t spend the New Year in prison… but did you find out how they harvest the roses… in this country they do it by hand, but the Americans always find a way of mechanising every task

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    1. Thank you Bulldog. Nope spending New Years behind bars was not my idea of a fun way of ringing in the new year. I never did see them harvesting the roses but I was told it’s done by a machine…..go figure! A project to ensue on my next time through. Sending warm wishes for a great New Year 🙂

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  7. We also love the West in its varied beauty…we find the various textures, vastness and the stimuli of our senses intriguing and refreshing in its entirety. Happy New Year to you both!

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  9. Just lovely….a bouquet of yellows, coming your way for a special new year wish! I love the beauty of roses….but that cotton is even more gorgeous!

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    1. Thank you C …..each plant seems to offer its own beauty. There was just something about seeing fields of blooming roses in December that just kept me smiling. Hope the New Year brings you lots of fun adventures 🙂

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  13. Roses! I love roses! I love roses even than rocks! I don’t know what you had in mind for a New Year post but this one was intriguing! Safe travels. Hope you stay warm and dry and find a good signal! Happy New Year Ingrid and Mr H!

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    1. Oh yeah, roses are far prettier than rocks but rocks sure are fun. I hope I stay warm and dry as well, but thus far I’m not 😦 I haven’t snapped a photo in over a day. I know, shock. Hoping for a little blue sky tomorrow!

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  14. I hadn’t ever thought about how roses are harvested. Surely, they are not hand picked but how do the do them in masses without damaging the flowers…very curious indeed! Have an awesome New Year…wherever you land!

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    1. Yeah, I really wanted to see how they dig up those plants. Another unique piece of farm equipment for sure. Wishing you a great new year as well 🙂

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    1. Thank you, Mike. Yeah, the next month will be a little difficult for me in the blogosphere. At least I get some internet although slow. I don’t get any cell phone service so I have to go into town to text or call anyone…..errrr. Hey, I’m not in snow so I won’t complain. Have a great new year 🙂

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    1. Al was willing to take me back to pick up some rose petals to make a potpourri, but Martha Stewart was no where in sight so I took a pass. Happy New Year to you guys. I can’t wait to see where you’re off to this year.

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    1. Thank you Lu….You’re right about that – don’t mess with Sheriff Joe! I realize I truly enjoy photographing flowers. I’ll let you know how I feel about capturing the birds around Rockport. They won’t hold still like flowers lol.

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    1. Nope no roses for those of you experiencing ‘lake effect’ snow. You boys stay warm and I look forward to more Will and Eko adventures in the new year 🙂

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    1. Thanks….. at least you have your electric back. Stay warm. It’s wet and cold in south Texas. Hoping for a little desert sunshine 🙂

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  26. I so enjoyed looking at all the rose bushes as we drove to Surprise everyday, so strange to see them blooming this time of the year. Safe travels ad Happy New Year.

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