Playing Among the Roses

"A rose is a rose is a rose is a rose. It continues with blooming and it fastens clearly upon excellent examples." (As Fine as Melanctha, Gertrude Stein)

McKinley Rose Garden, one of the most photogenic parks in the greater Sacramento area, features more than 1,000 lovely rose bushes, rose trees and various blooming annuals. It also happens to be where the twins and I spent our morning playing...and well...being photogenic of course. While I am a far cry from being a skilled photographer, fortunately, Paige and Taylor are always easy subjects and can occassionally make even the worst of photographers like myself look like a near pro. While we spent the morning exploring the various pathways lined with roses, I "fastened clearly upon excellent examples" of my own blooming, beautiful roses - Paige and Taylor - and snapped away picture after picture after picture.

While we strolled about the gardens, we would stop periodically to smell the roses. Taylor found a beautiful red rose which she declared "smells like chocolate" and Paige found an equally beautiful orange rose which she declared "smells like orange juice". We also talked about what a large garden it was, and what soft, green grass was there for us to enjoy. We looked at the butterflies and the bumblebees flittering from flower to flower. It was a simple yet wonderful day spent with Paige and Taylor.

Now, in the interest of full disclosure, however, there was one unfortunate mishap of the day...As Taylor was leaning over to smell a rose, in the blink of an eye, she toppled right over into the rose bush. Can you say, OUCH. Yeah, OUCH. I snatched her up as fast as I could, and spent the next few moments consoling her as well as picking out a few thistles which remained stuck on her little arms and legs. After a minute or two, she was right back to exploring the gardens and smelling the flowers.

Be sure to check out the slideshow above, I think you'll agree Paige and Taylor were beautiful and right at home among the roses.