A Tribute to Roses

Roses are arguably the most popular of flowers exalted for their scent and beauty. The red rose is the symbol of love and what woman doesn't go weak at the knees when presented with a red rose from her companion.

Roses have been movingly portrayed in paintings and literature for centuries.

From Shakespeare writing in Romeo and Juliet

'What's in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet' there are hundreds of quotations from which to choose.

Here are a few of my favourites

Won't you come into the garden?

I would like my rose to meet you.

Richard Brinsley Sheridan

On Richmond Hill there lived a lass

More bright than May-day morn,

Whose smiles all other maids surpass,

A rose without a thorn.

Leonard McNally

The lily has an air,

And the snowdrop a grace,

And the sweet pea a way,

And the heart's ease a face, -

Yet there's nothing like the rose

When she blows.

Christina G. Rossetti

Rose trees either side the door were

Growing lithe and growing tall,

Each one set a summer warder

For the keeping of the hall, -

With a red rose and a white rose

Leaning, nodding at the wall.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

A Circle of Trust

The Circus band struck up the open notes of the parade and the ringmaster signalled for the elephant to enter. The crowd fell silent as the lights swept over them and then burst into applause as they saw the majestic animal wave his trunk at them. Tatiana his trainer sat high up on his back bowing and smiling broadly. every so often she leant down and whispered in his ear and gave him a pat.

Oksana waited until the ringmaster Alfonso nodded at her and the other trapeze artists to follow.  She threw herself into a double somersault followed by a succession of cartwheels and spins. The applause grew louder and she straightened up and looked at the faces before her.

 A little girl in the front row was gazing at her with admiration, a woman that might have been her grandmother was holding on to her and stroking her long blonde hair. For a moment Oksana felt bile rise in her throat. Her grandmother had stroked her hair too, repeating how Oksana was her lucky princess and would bring her fortune. She repeated it to all the people in the village.Even as she handed Oksana over to the men and counting out the money she was still repeating it.

The little boy next to them was bouncing up and down and pointing at the horses and the zebras.  A man came and sat beside them holding large sticks of candy floss. As he handed them over Oksana saw the glint of his wedding ring in the spotlights  that swept over the audience. She felt sick and quickly moved on, diving into one of her graceful somersaults.
A hand grabbed hers and she turned. It was Cosmin. He held her hands aloft and presented her with a sweep of his arm. Together they finished the circuit and  danced their way out of the ring.

' Brava Oksana! You did it! you are a star. they loved you! Did you see how the little girls were looking at you.'

Oksana threw her arms round his neck.

'Thank you Cosmin but the worst is still to come.'

'I'll be there Oksana just keep your eyes on my hands, trust me.'

They moved to the side and watched the ringmaster to give them their cue.
Priscilla and Elvis the clowns were busy squirting water onto the children, producing bunches of flowers from the little boys' ears and pretending to fall over with their big flat feet. The sound of laughter grew louder and louder and the artistes waiting in the wings began to relax and smile at each other in encouragement.
After the clowns it was the turn of the horses. They were a magnificent sight with their plumed head gear and  plaited tails, their riders performing daring feats in time to the circus band.
After the horses the ringmaster signalled to Cosmin and Oksana.
 There was a hush in the ring. The lights dimmed and the spotlight shone on Oksana standing on her trapeze at the top of the tent.
She looked down at the faces turned towards her. She could make out the little girl with her grandmother.  They were looking at her with trust and expectancy and sheer admiration.
 Oksana had forgotten what it was like to trust someone and now Cosmin was teaching her.
 Here in the circus there must be complete trust he continued to tell her. You must trust the ones who tighten the ropes, erect the tent and all the other equipment, the electricians who prepare the lights, the lion tamers and all the ones looking after the animals. Without trust the circus would cease to exist.

Oksana became aware that Alfonso the Ringmaster was introducing their act.
His voice boomed out across the ring and the audience went very quiet.

'For the first time we have Oksana and Cosmin. Trapeze artistes per eccellenza Oksana will perform the triple somersault. I ask you to be completely silent.'

There was a roll of drums. the spotlight shone . She looked across at Cosmin. He was rubbing powder on to his hands. She focussed on them. She took a deep breath and then launched herself into the air. As she flew across to Cosmin it seemed the past was falling behind her, leaving her, she felt renewed, she felt strong and graceful. She knew she would find Cosmin's hands even with her eyes closed. She span round, once, twice, three times and stretched out her arms. Cosmin's hands grasped hers, strong, warm and firm. She was safe. Together they swung through the air holding hands and did a double somersault down onto the safety net. The applause was deafening. people were standing up, clapping and cheering. Alfonso beamed and went to join them.

Tears came to Oksana's eyes, she felt the ice melting from around her heart. She gripped Cosmin's hand and then turned to kiss him.
 She heard the little girl's voice
'Look Nanna, they're in love, I knew they were, she kissed him.'

She turned towards them and blew them a kiss, she hesitated and  then ran across and gave the little girl one of the ribbons from her  costume.

Cosmin took her hand and they left the ring to the sound of the band.

Later that night when the circus was quiet and there was only the sound of the animals scuffling in their cages, Cosmin lay awake beside Oksana. He looked at her lovely sleeping face and caressed her cheek. She would never know how much he had paid  the nightclub owner but now she was his wife at last, and he would make sure that she always trusted him.

Tales from Greta's Health food Store, Jemma

The Health Food store was usually quiet on Mondays and Greta had left Jemma in charge for an hour while she went for coffee with her friend Gabrielle in the new Italian caffe. She'd grabbed her bag and new emerald green fake fur coat, taken Jemma in a bear hug and flown out of the door, blowing kisses over her shoulder and calling out to Jemma, ' Hold the fort Jems, Gabrielle's got a crisis, man trouble again, won't be long.'
The door slammed and all the little Indian charms hanging on the door clanged merrily, sunlight  shining on the crystal baubles threw rainbows dancing across the large bay window.
Jemma waved and smiled at her aunt's flambuoyant exit then went to sit on the stool behind the counter. She held her hands out in front of her and spread her fingers wide, then she clenched her fists and opened them again. She felt the power flow into them. Her nails were pink and shiny but a bit ragged where she'd chewed them.

It was Greta that had first told Jemma she had healing hands. They had been walking along the busy High Street of their little west country town, Jemma had been about three.

'Hold my hand tight Jemma please,'

Greta had bent down to take Jemma's little hand firmly in her grasp just as she was about to run across the road.

'Your hands have magic in them and when I hold your hand I feel happy.'

Jemma had  laughed with delight and held on to Greta's hand tightly.

When they'd gone home she had run to her mother to tell her about her magic hands and her mother had swung her into the air and kissed her saying that Auntie Greta was absolutely right about that.

The Indian charms on the door jingled softly and Jemma looked up to see a middle aged  woman walk in and look around her with an expectant air, clutching a piece of  paper. An elderly man came in right behind her and Jemma felt her heart lurch as she saw the way the man's face lit up at the sight of the woman.
She took out her nail file and  brushed her hair forward over her face so she could observe them discreetly.
For a long time Jemma had wanted to be a writer when she grew up, she'd always loved reading and weaving stories around all her dolls and teddies and then later the other girls at school and the neighbours. Then when the time came to choose her A levels the teachers had told her parents that she should study science, that her Biology and Chemistry results were in a class of their own.
Just as she was half way through her course her father decided to go and start another family with the secretary from the gym where he had developed more than just a passion for body building. Her mother had gone to pieces and Jemma would get home from school to find her still in bed, dirty dishes in the sink and the air heavy with cigarette smoke and alcohol fumes.  Jemma  started hanging around in the town after school and forgetting to do her homework.

Then Auntie Greta had come back into their lives. She'd been living up in Scotland on an island with a Scotsman who was helping her write a book and they hadn't seen her for years. One day Jemma came home from school to find the house clean and fresh, her mother sitting in the garden with her hair washed and dressed in clean clothes. Auntie Greta was sitting beside her and they both laughed and called out to her when she appeared.

'Oh Jemma, you'll never guess1 Auntie Greta is going to open a health Food Shop in the new shopping centre in the town. It's all arranged. She's going to stay with us while she looks for a place of her own. Isn't it wonderful.'

Jemma had gone back into the house to hide the tears that were streaming down her face. When she'd composed herself she'd made them all a cup of tea and then gone back out to hug them both and tell Auntie Greta she was very happy to see her again.

After that her mother Susan went back to teaching at the local Secondary school. Auntie Greta got back in touch with lots of her old friends  and soon her shop was up and running.  It turned out that she had  done lots of courses on alternative medicine, mindfulness and aromatherapy. She set up a studio above the shop and soon had a long list of clients.
One evening the three of them were sitting in the garden and Jemma told them she had to decide what to do at university. Greta had been gabbling away telling them all about her new venture, she went very quiet and spoke softly,

'I always regret not having studied more Jemma. When you're young you often don't realize how short a time you have to decide your future. What about aiming high and studying to be a doctor.'

Susan looked at her daughter and took her hand,

'Auntie Greta's right Jemma, now's the time to study. You'd make a terrific doctor, and don't you remember, you've got magic hands, you could be a surgeon.'

Greta laughed' Oh definitely you've got magic hands Jems. tell you what you could come and do work experience in my Health food Shop. It might not be proper medicine but it's all about prevention and helping people find a healthy balance in their lives.'

She took Jemma's hands in hers

'You've still got the magic Jems.'

Susan looked at her sister and there were tears in her eyes.

'I think Jemma takes after her Auntie Greta.'

Jemma took her mother's hand and the three of them sat there in the fading sunlight. Each felt a strength and a comfort flow between them, each made a silent vow to protect and care for the other. Jemma couldn't wait to tell her teachers what she had decided to do.