Singing for my supper

Firstly, given the sight that greeted me this afternoon (picture) I think it's fair to say that my roses really liked spending February buried in 6ft of snow, and I suppose the current wet and warm (but not too warm) conditions must be agreeing with them too! They've put on a spectacular show in the last couple of days, and it's pretty exciting to see what I had envisioned when I planted them three years ago! They stretch up the entire length of fence on the west side of the house, and there's another swathe of them at the back as well. I'm amazed! I'd never thought of myself as a "real" gardener before I started The Great Rose Project in 2007 so it's even more satisfying. In the meantime, starting the countdown towards the next gig - and I can't deny I'm looking forward to the role, and the many surrounding events which will be going on around me concurrently: in addition to operatic performances, this festival will offer a lot of int...

but I managed to grab this. (Yes, that IS a rosebud. In November.) I call it "Survivor"

I've been kept busy by an audition out of town today, and preparing for my daughter's camping trip this weekend (yes, this diva WILL be sleeping on the ground, however trepidatiously!), so not much writing from me here the last few days; there will be more soon, however, as both activities have prompted much thinking. In the meantime, the first flush of flowers from our gorgeous, beautiful Maiden's Blush rose bush (yes, this is the one that I thought was dead in March). The photo can't capture the fragrance, but it smells like it looks with the "tea rose" scent so typical of antique variety rosebushes. It's glorious.

New Dawn (planted in the autumn and thus a baby, but seemingly happy in its first spring)

Yesterday's concert was the kind of experience we all dream of having onstage: it was one of those occasions where everything just took off. The chemistry was there not only among the singers, but between stage and pit (in this case, stage and stage since it was an operatic concert performance with the orchestra behind the singers!), and between audience and stage too. It was an honour beyond measure to share the stage with colleagues - ARTISTS - such as these, and to know that I was part of the small moment of musical history being made. The minute-long ovation in the middle of the performance was indescribable - I feel like a rank n00bie all over again admitting being intoxicated by an audience reaction, but I think this was pretty special, and certainly like nothing I've ever experienced before! Cheering, screaming, stamping, thunderous applause.... Even our leading lady said she was taken slightly by surprise by the spontaneous passion the audience returned to us at tha...

I read the most wonderful quote yesterday: "One of the supposed virtues of gardening is that it teaches humility. The plants are going to do what they are going to do." I've recently discovered a passion for growing things. The elderly previous owner of this house had obviously neglected it in latter years, and when we moved in it was essentially a jungle of overgrown weeds; we had made some modest efforts to keep the nameless - and aggressive - vine which grows in these parts in check, but doing the full job was on the "eventually" list. Last year, since I was going to be at home for the entire summer, I decided "eventually" had arrived and it was time to come to grips with the project. Well, what started out as "getting the weeds cleared" turned into "wouldn't it be nice to plant that area for real?" and before I knew it I had borrowed a friend's rototiller, was poring over catalogs, learning all I could about the pla...