Rhodies

After Pete finished building our log home back in the mid-eighties, one of the first things he wanted to do was to plant some shrubs in front of the porch, knowing that, in terms of growth, the sooner the better.  He and Jay, a buddy, stole off into a summer evening to procure some hemlock bushes, but we went to a nursery for the rhododendron.  That was almost 30 years ago, and I have been left to cut back the growth every year, lest the hemlock and rhodies succeed in completely hiding the house from view.  It is not a chore that I love.

One of the three hemlocks perished, replaced by a holly, which provides winter decor for my window boxes, for which I am grateful.  But the four rhododendron bushes have thrived.  They are in bloom now, that brief time when pink blossoms dominate the facade of my home.  Additionally, a couple of years ago, I purchased three sickly rhododendron bushes from a local nursery for $2.00 a bush.  Yep, a total of $6.00 for three rhodies.  When I questioned whether that price was accurate, the woman told me, "Yes.  These rhodies need some TLC."  I brought them home and planted them in the back of the house.  Although one perished, the other two are thriving.  I guess I did well enough in the TLC department.

What I am in love with in regard to the rhodies is their transience.  They are in bloom here for a couple of weeks.  That's all.  Late May and early June tends to be a busy time, especially if one has kids in school, but it is imperative to pay attention to the rhodies.  One cannot ignore them, thinking, "Oh, I'll catch up with them in a week or two when things settle down."  Doesn't work that way.  Blink your eyes, and the blooms are gone.

So today, I paid attention.  In another two weeks, I will be pruning the rhododendron bushes, snapping off the spent blossoms to ensure more blossoming next year.  For now, I am in love with their pink glory, their determination that this is their time to bloom, and the reminder they offer that everything is transient.