Every year about this time, I start thinking about the rose show that’s always held during Rose Festival time. When I was a wife and mother, we moved into a home on a cul-de-sac just like Wisteria Lane on “Desperate Housewives.” We had parties at the drop of a hat and celebrated every holiday many times, but I was never aware of any sleeping around as they do on Wisteria Lane. But I was always busy with the many rose bushes I had planted in front of our house, so what would I know? The roses required much time and care to grow beautiful ones for exhibition which I did. I had to prune them all the time and spray them with horrible insecticides that I’m sure are no longer in use . . . at least they shouldn’t be. I sprayed once a week early in the morning before anyone was out of bed, and I’d make sure all the windows were closed. I had my special “spraying” clothes which were just old jeans and a t-shirt, and when I was through with the spraying, I’d put the clothes in the wash and take a shower. It was quite a process, but I did it for a few years.

I decided to start entering the rose show contest which was held in the Lloyd Center. People would come from all over with their roses and arrange them in the vases so they might win prizes. I’d keep roses in the refrigerator days ahead of time so the buds would come out at just the right time. It was a very nerve-wracking few weeks. I’m sure it was hard on my family, especially when they went to the fridge to grab something to eat and found buckets of roses! But the day would finally come for the show, and I’d be up at the crack of dawn, whatever that means . . . I guess it means just really damn early! I’d put all the buckets in the car and head to the exhibit area. It was a thrill setting my roses up and then leaving and wondering if I’d win anything. I’d go back later to check on everything. That was the really exciting part, walking around all the tables, searching for my roses and seeing if I had a ribbon on any of them.

I won quite a few ribbons during the years I entered, and one year even a trophy which was very exciting for me. I think the above pictures were taken the year I won the trophy. In one picture, Teri is standing by me at a table with the roses in the background. I assume I had won a trophy that year or I wouldn’t have consented to have a picture taken of me. I hide from cameras. In the other picture is Cindy holding what I thought must have been a sign for my trophy. I was thinking how sweet it was of her to pose with it. I had to get a magnifying glass to read it, and what it said was “Hershey’s Kisses.” I have no idea where it came from, but she looks extremely happy! Who cared about the trophy?