Sniff 'N Stroll Sunday

It was about 75 degrees in San Jose today which made it a perfect day to visit one of my favorite places in the South Bay. Actually it may be my only favorite place but I'll refrain from saying that. I'd hate to hurt anyone's feelings.

The Rose Garden

I love roses. Love, love, love them. But, as fate would have it, I'm allergic to them. Particularly when it comes to body lotion and other skin care items. You'd be surprised at how many lotions have rose essence? extract? whatever, in them. Instant hives. Most unattractive. But for some strange reason I can sniff 'em and nothing happens. So this is where I go when I need a "rose fix."

Not only do I love to sniff roses I like to take pictures of them. However, in the interest of maintaining some sort of interest in this particular blog, I promise not to post all of the 10 million pictures I took today. Maybe just one or two, k? You can handle one or two pictures of pretty roses, right? And besides, there's a cat picture at the end of all this so it'll be worth it. You're too kind.

National Trust

Stephen's Big Purple

I'm serious. That was the name of this particular rose. Can you imagine devoting your life to cultivating a magnificent flower like this and it ends up being called "Stephen's Big Purple." As women we all know that different colors in roses symbolize different things. If someone gives you a bouquet of red roses, it's time to start thinking china pattern. If someone gives you white roses. it symbolizes purity (oddly enough I've never received white roses). Well then what does it mean if someone gives you a bouquet of Stephen's Big Purple? "When I look into your eyes I think of Barney."? Alert the horticulturists, we need a name change.

Of course it isn't all about roses at the Rose Garden. It's also a great place to people watch and goodness, it was busy today. There was one elderly gentleman who would stop, inspect the next rose bush, maybe have a little sniff and then applaud. I assumed he was applauding the roses but he could also have been applauding the elderly lady in skin tight jeans with the even tighter white t-shirt on. If my bosom is that perky when I'm that age, it'll only be because I've got elastic bands strung over my ears and under my boobies. Lordy.

Catnip Shark

There was some craftiness today as well. This is my attempt to make the Super Easy Knitted Garter Stitch Mouse from Wendy Johnson's "Wendy Knits" book. The instructions said to use worsted weight yarn but to use needles a few sizes smaller than what was normally called for. I think I may have gotten carried away with my reduction in needle size. The glowing white eyes don't seem to help either. But that's OK because it's got the "Andy Stamp Of Approval."