Christmas Flowers

It's mid-December, and Christmas is almost here, yet this holiday season seems strange to me for some reason that I can't exactly put my finger on.

Most likely the culprit is having returned to work five days a week. Unlike previous years, this season all of my Christmas preparations have been crammed into the nooks and crannies of time--those stolen moments--in between spending time with kids, grading papers, finishing report cards, endless mountains of laundry, and all of those other never-ending to-do-lists related to motherhood and teacherhood.

But there's something else, particular to Southern California, that has me shaking my head right about now. Melodies of sentimental songs like "White Christmas" and "Walking in a Winter Wonderland" float from my radio, through the air, toward the windows... and when I look outside I see none of those powdery hillsides or snowflakes which once inspired such sappy, romantic lyrics.

Instead I see the sun. Beating down. I feel its warmth radiating through the panes of glass. What season is this again? My children are outside playing in shorts and flip flops. And I have only about ten shopping days left.

While I am mourning the "lack of necessity" of snow boots and scarves, knitted hats and mittens, my garden is getting quite the pick-me-up. In fact, my rose bushes are downright confused. The other morning I spied neighbors stooping outside my picket fence, peering intently here and there. Still pajama-clad, I waited until they had passed to step outside and discover for myself what they had witnessed.

This is what I found.

Apparently all this sunshine and heat brought about another flush of flowers. I'm not usually cutting roses this time of year to set out alongside Poinsettias, but when you're an organic gardener you go with what Mother Nature provides... and I'll definitely take these!

I guess it's okay that I'm not shuffling through blustery snowdrifts down a white country lane... at least for today.