Again They Bloom

   Deep burgundy red petals gracefully adorn the lively green leaves of the rambling rose bush near our big blue barn. Planted on the awning side nearest the long driveway it greets those who venture up the gravel path. Their beauty welcomes each of us as we make our way to the stalls throughout the each day; and bids us farewell when we leave when chores are done.
   The red rambling rose stands as a marker where the original pasture fence stood when I lived here with my parents; one of the original posts still stands there. Our hens were housed under that awning- the gate was positioned there at the rose bushes. Shared by our neighbor (she still lives up the way from me) as cuttings from her garden, my parents planted them to liven up the drive way.
   Many cuttings have been taken and shared over the years; even as I live here they are regularly pruned and propagated to pass along. They have survived hungry goats, raging floods, tornadoes, and regular droughts. At this rate, they will endure- year after year- to remind us as again they bloom.