Roses

Photographed on Rose Hill in Manito City Park, Spokane, one of the most beautiful rose gardens I've seen.

Photographed on Rose Hill in Manito City Park, Spokane, Washington.

Photographed on Rose Hill in Manito City Park, Spokane.

We could use some of the sunshine that's brightening this rose, and a few roses in bloom would also be welcome along with the warmer weather that causes them to grow and bloom. It has been cold and wet here.

This rosebud was photographed in the Belfast Botanical Gardens. It was one of the few flowers still in bloom when I wandered through the gardens.

We spent two pleasant weeks quarantining on the coast but the last week of our stay, when we were back in Belfast, our daughter had to work. She dropped me off one morning in the area of Queen's University and spent some time wandering around there and in the nearby botanic gardens. There was not much in bloom and the palm house, tropical ravine and nearby Friar's Bush cemetery were all closed. I did photograph a few roses that were covered with heavvy dew from the night before and then wandered off to the city center.

I am posting only one photo today. We'll be leaving shortly to go hiking with six other family members, a daughter, two sons and their wives and a baby granddaughter. We had planned on going backpacking yesterday and staying overnight, but the weather yesterday was cold and rainy and none of us wanted to hike or camp in the rain. Today is supposed to be clear and sunny, though cold, and we intend to hike the Heliotrope Ridge trail near Mount Baker. The rose was photographed in the Belfast Botanic Gardens near Queens University. There was not much blooming when I wandered through the gardens and the buildings were all closed, but it did get some photos of the few roses that were left.