A Sentiment

God knew what He was doing when He sent a gentle breeze and brought a lovely butterfly to set my heart at ease. The happiness of your friendship and the gentleness of your words have touched my life in special ways and now I feel assured. Thank you for your loyalty and for reading everyday. I only hope you find things to make a happy day.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Rose Hips and Me

We watched a movie last night "Amazing Grace." Very good movie. There was a scene in the movie where the lead character was lying on the ground with rose bushes surrounding him. The roses were past their prime and the bushes were full of rose hips. It brought to my mind and memory of the first time I collected rose hips. I was doing lots of crafting in those days and was doing everything under the sun to bring in some income. I spied rose hips in a field, as we were driving. The hips were all along the road too. I decided to go back with our truck and cut some of these for wreaths and arrangements if I could get permission from the farmer. I put on a flannel shirt, jeans, and gloves...knowing what a job it would be. What a prickly.. sticky job that was. I cut so many of them. They stuck me, clung to me, grabbed me, scratched me and just seemed to have a mind of their own. The flannel shirt wasn't the thing to wear. The hips loved clinging to that shirt. The truck was pretty much filled with hips and grapevines a few hours later. I couldn't wait to get home and start working with them. I hadn't seen any crafts using these treasures. They made up into some of the most beautiful wreaths. The remainder were just fashioned into "bouquets" with red and natural raffia bows. I put a huge basket of them in each store and they sold like hotcakes. I am one who can't work with gloves on and my poor hands were a mess with all the scratches. Well, wouldn't you know it...we were invited to a fancy dinner the next night. I really wanted to wear my new red dress. The dress, however, would be in competition with my hands. I didn't wear it....needless to say. What was I going to do about my hands? They hurt like the dickens too. No amount of lotion could hide the scratches or make them feel better. The more I rubbed the lotion in, the more red they got. I finally just gave up and I went to the dinner...wincing as we shook hands. My hands were as red as the hips themselves. I never did work with rose hips again. I still love them...especially when they are peeking out of the fresh white snow. Every time I see them I think about the year that I gathered a truck full.
Balisha

7 comments:

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Balisha, I also have trouble working with gloves on which is not good. It is very hard on our hands, nails, etc.,

I think rose hips are wonderful and I even found bunches of them this fall at Whole Foods. I used them in my containers in the fall.

Eileen

Lona said...

I imagine they do make beautiful wreaths. I never thought about using them when we were selling crafts.I hate using gloves too Balsiha and it sure shows in the summer because my hands and fingernails are always so beat up. Hope you are warm. It is so cold here today.

Barbee' said...

I did not laugh at your post. It brought back memories of the time a neighbor and I decided to stop alongside the road and collect teasel. I had never been up close to teasel and didn't know it has sharp things all over. You were game, or desperately determined, to stick with those rose vines. At least they sold well. Your poor hands! I can't work in gloves either. The fingers are always too long for my short fingers causing the tips to fold backwards when I try to do anything in them.

Anonymous said...

I don't ever remember seeing those things before. Maybe, we have them and I have not noticed or something. They are pretty but I can just imagine your hands! The devil's food cake is the one I made. It is haunting me from the kitchen. It is going to win, too!
It was minus 3 here this morning. They are going to have to roll me out of the house when spring comes like a big inflated ball. All I want to do is eat. Hope you are having a good weekend.

Jean said...

Beautiful rose hips! Not sure if they were worth your pain tho! The pantry soup sounds like a great idea. Love seeing your blooms this time of year. Jean

Sue said...

I have never seen these before, Balisha. I am bad about working without gloves- I have no grip with them. So, like you- the hands suffer. I am very susceptible to scratches and bruises. Heck, when I decorate the Christmas tree, I always have scratches! LOL Are you staying warm? It was -5 this morning. I think it warmed up to 12º today!
~ Sue

Elenka said...

Oh my gosh, Balisha, what a story!
The rose and the thorn(s).
I hope it was worth it!