WELCOME TO Val's Alentejo -I write about my region of Alentejo. My art ,painting, my cottages, Family life, my animals -Travels And my love for Roses- and rural country life.

Wednesday 1 May 2013

May in my garden

Best and dearest flower that grows,perfect both to see and smell; Words can never, never tell half the beauty of a Rose. Buds that open to disclose-Fold on fold of purest white, lovely pink, or red that glows,.deep, sweet scented what delight to be a fairy Rose. 

A beautiful double scarlet rose.

                                  This bush is over 8 years old, and gives me the hardiest of roses
                                    I think i can 'brag' today and say these are simply stunning apricot pink
                                                      Deep red velvet
                                           A show of pink and little Isaa following me around
                         I ordered these roses from Germany.. They came so delicately packed.. I have three bushes. the scent is beautifully powerful and romantic.  A soft soft yellow.
      Its the 1st of May, in the village its a an age old tradition, that the villagers go to the fields to have a pick nick... After all its the day of the worker.
 Our weather has been a little dull this week.   I see the sun trying to peek through.. The people will be off with their trucks and baskets and friends over to the fields on the other side of the village. I hope the day is a good one for them

                                      The yellow daisies have left and wild purple flowers are all over my fields
 This is the sky this morning.    I hope  the weather will change for us all today.    1st of May is a special day.

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"Three things in human life are important: The first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; and the third is to be kind.-- Henry James

...............................................May brings the flowers of Spring. butterflies are all around
                                               Time for friends to get together..
Wishing all my dear blogging friends a wonderful 1st of May.   Sending lots of love and good wishes for a very happy day.

val.

42 comments:

  1. Dear Val, what a lovely tribute to the 1st of May. Aren't your roses amazing! You must be thrilled with them, and it is no time since it was all cold and wintry there. I like the idea of Mayday being the day for workers, and am sorry that the Australian Government has changed the workers holiday we always had on this day. It has been moved to October, but somehow that just doesn't have the same resonance to it. Have an excellent week.xxxx

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    1. Thank you Patricia,
      Its always been the 1st of May for the worker, from since I can remember.
      I am very thrilled with my roses. I fed them well during the rainy days.. they are so so big. What a shame your labour day has been changed to october.
      i agree its not the same.
      wishing you a good week too.
      x

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  2. What a wonderful post. I love the month of May and this is a beautiful way to celebrate it. All the roses are lovely, but I would love to have the fabulous red one, with the addition of the perfume of the German roses. I have just been walking my old dog Toby through the meadows and fields, I wish now that I had taken a picnic! x

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    1. Thank you Elaine.. The month of May is special
      I am pleased you like my post.
      The perfume of the german roses are divine.. some of my others have a nice smell too.
      I would love to have gone on a pick nick.. no one around to go with!
      happy days.

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  3. Dear Val, your roses are amazing! We also have a worker's day, but it is in September when it is still too hot to be outside for very long. I wish it were in May. Will your family take part in the picnic? There should be some lovely photos taken on May 1st...

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  4. Hi Meggie,
    I used to take part in the picknic's years ago. Not anymore.. The children are all gone from home ..
    I hope someone takes some nice photos.. will see ..
    A lot of the customs are dying out..and its a shame.
    thanks for coming over Meggie.. i do enjoy reading your comments.
    xx val

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  5. Dear Val, Your garden and your roses are stunning. It doesn't all happen by itself. I know that there was a lot of hard work behind the scenes. Thank you for sharing your most bautiful roses with us. ox, Gina

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    1. So pleased that you can comment now Gina.
      Thank you for coming over.
      Yes, you yourself know, that there is a lot of work behind the scenes.. but isnt it worth it.
      you have stunning roses too.

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  6. Dear Val - May is one of my favourite months and you have shown it to perfection with your beautiful roses, and the pretty Maypole with its ribbons ready to be taken up and danced around.
    You're never too old to picnic Val - H and I have them frequently when we have a day out - not on the scale of the photo you show - just some filled rolls, fruit and may be a yogurt, and of course a flask of coffee or tea.
    Have a lovely day and hope that the sun has peeped out.

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    1. May is such a wonderful month. This is the 1st day.. I do hope it changes..but we are going to get rain, so it says.
      agree.. but my family dont like pic nics.. I might try one with my grandaughters if they come during the summer.
      Your outings with your picnic with H sounds just perfect Rosemary.
      Happy day

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  7. such gorgeous roses in so many colors! and happy may day to you!

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    1. Thanks Tex. Yes, I have most colours of roses.. just a few more colours i would like to add.

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  8. Enjoy your May Day, Val. Another lovely post and the glorious colour of your roses does my heart good. Here we still only have the very first leaves opening on the trees.

    Of course, being Britain we're not having our May Day holiday on the day itself but next Monday, as with most British Bank Holidays.

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    1. Thank you Perpetua,
      I am so happy with my roses this year. I am pleased they made you feel good.
      I thought the 1st of May was a workers holiday in Uk too.
      happy days and thank you Perpetua

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    2. Yes, we do get a holiday, Val, but not on May 1st itself unless it happens to fall on a Monday. It's always taken on the first Monday in May. Unlike other countries in Europe Britain just doesn't have public holidays in the middle of the week, except for Christmas and New Year's Day.

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    3. Yes, I see that May day in Britain was changed in 1978.. I remember celebrating with the maypole and flowers on May the 1st as a child.
      Lovely stories behind the history of the month of May.
      thank you Perpetua.

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  9. When I see roses now, I always think of you. I have tried to grow them and I cannot, though I am good at some other flowers. But I love that you are so good at it and now to me, they belong to you.

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    1. How nice that you think of me Lisa.. I was never good at any sort of gardening really. My mother was the gardener in the house.
      I have been working at it slowly over the last 12 years.. and I am getting somewhere. I find the rose so beautiful.

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  10. Thank you, Val! You compiled a post that comes from your heart - like always! Your roses made me stun... how far nature is in your place! Here the daisies have just come out! It is wonderful to celebrate May 1st with a picknick. I was in the office today... never mind I'll be off on Friday so it is still ahead of me! Wishing you a hopefully warm evening with lots of sweet rose scents in the air... Christa

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    1. Such a sweet comment Christa. I always enjoy reading them from you.
      wishing you a good week..and enjoy your Friday.
      xx

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  11. H, Val, thanks for leaving a lovely message on my blog. I just tried to follow yours but learnt that you had .. blocked me. Is that a mistake or should I worry ?!! Love, S.B.XX

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    1. Hi again, Val ! Your followers list has now disappeared ; not to worry, I'll try again some time. Love, S.B.xx

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    2. Hi SB.... you are on my list again.
      All should be ok.
      i have a couple of other friends i need to add.
      i am always worried when i mess with blogger.
      happy evening...
      val xx

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  12. Dear Val, I hadn't seen a post from you for a long time and then I remembered that you have the same problem as me - your posts are not updating on my reading list. Your roses are fabulous.
    June

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    1. Dear June.
      I have had the same with you..
      I had blogger trouble some time back.
      what i found works is.. sign out of my blog..then sign in again..
      its worked with other blogger friends.
      Thank you for your comment.
      I still have to work on the reading list.. but am so nervous when i mess with blogger.
      best wishes
      happy May
      val

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  13. Hi Val.....such pretty roses......you have reason to be proud. I did NOT KNOW that May day was in celebration of the workers....thanks for that info.

    xo

    Jo

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  14. Hi Jo. Nice to see you.
    pleased you liked my post.
    Yes.. its an old pagan tradition.
    over the years its date has changed in various countries.

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  15. Val your blog roll is certainly growing. That's so good. Words are not enough to describe the beauty of your roses. But your photos do a darn good job. Hope not too many picnics were spoiled by the weather. I just love that you have that tradition..Happy Wednesday..Judy

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    1. Thank you Judy.
      I really only intended a smaller blog roll. many dont comment and i dont like that.
      Communication with each other as bloggers is what its all about.
      I have made such lovely friends as say most of us..and you are one of them.
      I am pleased you like my roses. I work hard with them.
      The tradition of the 1st of may ..is very interesting. good reading on wikipedia..
      its changed over the years in different contries.
      happy wednesday..val x

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  16. Lovely flowers and sharing the day. Thank you for the beauty.

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    1. Thank you Wild magnolia
      Hope your may the 1st was a good day..

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  17. Dear Val... you know I LOVE roses and I don't know whether I'll be able to grow them in the very hot climate of my part of Italy. I do hope so, but I have bouganvilleas, palms, lemon trees and cacti waltzing in my head!

    My garden, here, is waking up and I can see all my lovely roses beginning to produce little buds, which I will not see in flower, as I won't be here! But I feel happy: new house, new plants, warm weather... sounds good!

    Val, here in UK, MAY DAY is ususlly celebrated on the first Monday in the month, so... it's Bank Holiday next week. The meaning of the holiday is kept low key, as they don't want the holiday to be connected with any left wing ideas! Funny!

    Anyway... lovely photos... lovely roses!

    BIG HUGS, VAL!
    xxx

    ANNA

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    1. You will of course be able to grow roses in Italy. Your climate is pretty much the same as ours. In fact i think here in the Alentejo we have one of the hottest places in europe.. we have many times over 45 degrees.. it is really really hot and dry.
      We are on the Andalucian planes.. we go all the way through.. or they come all the way through..
      You will have lots of fun with your garden.
      Bouganvilleas here take a beating with the heat. They take years to grow. I have lost two with the extreme heat.. they like a hidden place with a wall.
      Cacti i cant have.. i have dogs, I now have a lemon tree and had lemons off it.. and i have 3 palm trees.
      I am excited for you Anna.
      So pleased you are seeing me once again.
      happy tuesday
      val xxxx Baci

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  18. PS: I thought you might be happy to know that your lovely blog is back on my READING LIST! I didn't have to do anything... it just came back!

    XXXXXX

    ANNA
    x

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  19. I am so happy Anna. I thought i might loose you.
    E muito muito bom.. eu esto muito feliz.
    The same happened to a couple of other blogger friends.. the only thing is.. is doesnt show on mine and it should.

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  20. Absolutely beautiful, Val. Your flowers are so dreamy. Great opportunities for photographs. I love them.
    Thanks for stopping by. I replied a little note on my page so others would know too. I'm trying out facebook temporarily during my art table break (you know I don't really like facebook), but I had started this challenge before so I want to see it through.
    Join me! I have something very simple in mind to make.
    Much love!

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  21. Val, it's a public facebook page for Glitter and a Movie.
    Just click where it says GLITTER AND A MOVIE'S FACEBOOK PAGE on the post or go to https://www.facebook.com/pages/Glitter-and-a-Movie/552133301475957?ref=hl.
    ;)

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  22. Hello Val, I'm not sure what happened but my comment left yesterday doesn't appear to be here, so I'll leave it again. Lovely post and some gorgeous roses too. It was my granddaughter's seventh birthday yesterday and like the day she was born we had beautiful blue sunny skies, much like today. I'm not posting at the moment or commenting much but will be back soon!
    Patricia x

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  23. Val,
    First of all, I LOVE the 'Kind' quote. I must write that one down, and may I use it sometime? Secondly, I never tire of seeing your roses. They make my heart so glad. You have so many pretty and unique colors. I bought myself some yellow roses today just to brighten the house a bit. Your roses must like you very much, as they are blooming perfectly. You really have the touch.

    Have a nice weekend, Val, and thank you for appreciating the flowers, as you do.

    Love,
    ~Sheri

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  24. Your roses are so very beautiful. It will be a while before I have roses blooming, but there are enough other flowers to keep me happy.
    The tradition of a picnic on May 1st is a sweet one. I haven't been on a picnic in a long time.

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