Thursday, May 26, 2011

This Yellow Rose (Associated with Texas) Is In "A New York State of Mind"


Hello, allow me to introduce myself, although the bush that I am thriving on at the moment, has been in Youngquist's New York City terrace garden for a number of years. I am one of the newer flowers on this bush, and, therefore, I am one the latest arrivals on Youngquist's terrace.
Youngquist, as you may know, is the blogger for The Last Leaf Gardener, which, if you have been following, dear reader, you have undoubtedly noticed it is a blog, where occasionally Youngquist puts down her Mac Book Pro, and lets us herbs, vines, plants, flowers, shrubs, and trees, put in our two cents about urban garden life. Case in point: the posts authored by Youngquist's Tulipia (Tulips) that voiced its thoughts in blog entries that you can read by clicking here and here  as well as the blog entry authored by her Physocarpus opulisosos (Coppertina Tree) which can be found by clicking here.

This "business" of allowing the flowers to post goes back to the first spring season of the onset of Youngquist's blog, when in April, 2010, her Paeonia suffruiticosa (Tree Peony), posted a shy introduction to herself, which you can check out by clicking here. It paid off for the Paeonia suffruiticosa to do this because, not only was the  Paeonia suffruiticosa subsequently featured in seventeen blog posts (which you can read by going to the labels menu that can be found on the left side of this page and click on  Paeonia suffruiticosa), it was also ultimately featured as the "cover girl"in a solo shot in a photograph that appears on the Welcome Page of Youngquist's on-line brochure and the Paeonia suffruiticosa was also chosen to be featured on the prominent back page of her downloadable brochure! That is prime real estate for the Paeonia suffruiticosa because those venues are where Youngquist showcases her line of invitations that preserve a moment in time, event program covers that enhance any occasion, and her greeting cards that are about more than communication. Most of these items are based on images inspired from this terrace garden, and she sells them in the store-front of her web-site. I am hoping that she will include me in some of these images soon, but for now I am consoled by the fact that she is currently making her second  movie about her urban terrace garden, and I will be featured  in it! Please continue to check her blog for details about the forthcoming movie, or leave her a comment in the field provided below this blog entry, with your contact information, and I will make sure Youngquist lets you know when the movie is released.

BTW, have you seen Youngquist's movie, The Kiwi Vine Speaks Fifteen Minutes of Fame almost — a movie in which her Actinida kolomikta (Kiwi Vine) starsI've seen it, as have the other herbs, vines, plants, flowers, shrubs, and trees in this terrace garden, and, to quote a fan who has seen the movie, we agree that The Kiwi Vine Speaks Fifteen Minutes of Fame  almost has "humor, pathos, drama", and you, dear reader, can see it at a computer near you (on Vimeo by clicking here). But also be sure to check out the trailer for The Kiwi Vine Speaks Fifteen Minutes of Fame almost (included in the press release found in the blog posting which can be accessed by clicking here).

Being a yellow rose, and thus often associated with Texas, I am truly thrilled at the prospect of being in Youngquist's next film, which is shooting right now, so I gotta go soon and get ready for my close-up, but before I sign off, dear reader, I am wondering if you know that, in addition to being featured in the song, The Rose (discussed in an April 2011 blog entry which can be found by clicking here) that Amanda McBroom wrote, in which her haunting words "far beneath the bitter snow, lies the seed that with the sun's love, in the spring becomes the rose", provide inspiration, that the rose is also New York State's flower? However, as you know I am yellow, and I actually think the NY State Flower is the red rose, which is a fact that I don't mind because, as Gertrude Stein once said, "a rose is a rose is a rose". (Even though the meaning of Ms. Stein's quote is very different than how I am using it here.) 

The fact that yours truly is a member of the Rose family — a family recognized for being New York State's Flower — is one of the reasons I decided to post today in an effort to beat the Memorial Day Weekend rush (which begins tomorrow). I'd rather be in New York City than anywhere else, and I intend to stay here for the Memorial Day Weekend, but I know that folks are getting into their SUVS to leave town. Good for them! Makes it quieter for me! I am happy to hang out with the herbs, vines, flowers, plants, shrubs and trees in this terrace garden, and plan to sing along with Billy Joel,"Some folks like to get away . . . I don't want to waste more time, I'm in a New York state of mind ." 

And, dear reader, I am in a"New York state of mind" on the eve of this solemn holiday weekend because not only is the rose New York State's flower, but, New York State was the first state to accept, recognize and celebrate memorial day! Therefore, I invite you to join in the singing, music and lyrics of Mr. Joel's song, and, to keep you on point, Billy Joel singing New York State of Mind, at a performance, can be found in the You Tube video posted at the end of today's blog entry.

Meanwhile, whether you care to sing New York State of Mind, or not,whatever you do this holiday weekend, don't forget to stop, and (you guessed it) smell the roses (such as the ones like these seen in the images below which also grows in Youngquist's terrace garden. Have a good Memorial Day, and please allow a moment of silence for those who lost their lives to war as well as for those who sustained war related injuries, recalling that in war there are no unwounded soldiers, a sentiment I expressed this past Veterans' Day.













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