Barbie and the Pink Rose

She made her first 2013 appearance in early June; I watched her unfurl her soft pink petals until a perfect pink rose emerged in a few days.



She made her grand entrance in the first rose bouquet of the season a few days later, small, demure, and very pink, but nearly perfect.





A Weeks Rose "First Prize", she was one of the first roses planted in the courtyard nearly 5 years ago when we first moved here. According to her tag, she requires six hours of full sun per day, grows to a medium-tall height, and is a classified as a hybrid tea. Once she gets stronger soaking in all of that glorious Colorado sun and feasts on Bayer systemic rose food, her bloom size grows and grows and grows, as the label promises, pink petals with "swirled hues of rose-pink." She gets watered a couple of times a week and I attribute her best year yet to the automatic drip system that daughter Heather helped us install last summer.



I wish I had measured this last rose of the season to give a good idea as to just how big this prize grew. She was nearly the size of my hand and I have to say the biggest rose I have ever grown. With each bloom cycle over the summer the blooms matured as her pink shading developed the subtle hues that the tag promised. In the beginning she was a deep, hardy pink. As the summer went on, her blooms grew larger and more dramatic in color. She opened gracefully once picked and lasted in the vase for days.

So I  photograph her. First laying on the Autumn brown table cloth with the fall leaf motif.

Have I told you that pink is my favorite color? And roses my favorite garden plant?

Next, I set up my photo studio downstairs. I purchased a three fold poster board and covered it with black velvet, set up my photo lamps and began shooting. I am certainly not very good with the artificial light. I need more lessons on lighting.

Played a little in Picasa

Years ago I became obsessed with Barbie. I have a tub full of Barbies rescued from the GoodWill that the granddaughters play with, a curio full of Disney princesses, Wizard of Oz, Nutcracker Barbies, and more, and these two lovely ladies, also rescued, who sit on the shelves in my craft area. This lovely red head models the satin evening gown I made for her.

More fun with Picasa.

Barbie in her Cowboy Glam for The Denver National Western Stock Show.

 (Okay, I admit it: I am a bit silly, even crazy-- if you wish--, but I take very good care of my inner child).

As the sun sets in Northern Colorado, you can hear the resounding cheers of victory as the Denver Broncos are the new AFC champions, headed for Super Bowl. As for me, I spent most of the game working on this post, listening to the game in the background. Denver will be nuts the next two weeks. Everything in sight will be painted or draped in Orange and Blue.  I may even just have to buy a Tee-shirt.

I had fun reading your comments last week. Most were rooting for the Broncos, which I appreciated very much and I loved those who couldn't care less. Thanks for indulging me. The Bronco banner will remain here until after Super Bowl.

Hope everyone has a great week. Thanks a bunch for stopping by and leaving your kind comments.