Introducing: Souvenir de la Malmaison Rose

Who can’t appreciate the beauty and aroma of a rose?  Souvenir de la Malmaison, originally known as “the Queen of Beauty and Fragrance,  received its new name when someone from the Russian Imperial Court obtained a cutting from the Empress Josephine’s garden at Malmaison. This “antique” rose was bred in 1843, and is a very petite, low-growing push that rarely gets taller than 3-feet.  Mine is probably shorter!  But it’s hard to complain when it produces it’s blush pink blooms that smell so intensely it’s hard to believe it’s real!  I’ve had my bush for over 12-years now, and it’s tucked in between an agave plant and a rosemary bush.  I’ve had no problem incorporating roses into my very low-water-use garden, feeding them and a couple of fruit trees a little supplmental water once a week via a drip system.  I have 4-specimens that I planted and 1-volunteer, each one a different color of the rainbow: yellow, orange, pink, red and purple (or silver as rose enthusiasts refer to purple roses.)  All of my bushes have thrived except for one: my Ingrid Bergman bush perished…I’m not sure why.

What’s your favorite rose?  I’d love to hear!  Be a spark in the world!



An Original Song by Yours Truly

I was inspired to write this song because of an amazing company that I work with.  My friends Chaz and Tim helped me record it and demanded that I put it online, so here it is.  I hope you enjoy it.

http://youtu.be/_0zDUp8cZbo

I Think I Can

I remember I used to have a lot of dreams,
They were big and bold and boy did I believe,
That I was special and I could do anything I wanted,
Didn’t know how to doubt, didn’t know I could be daunted.

Then I got older and I met a guy named Fear,
Don’t know why I let him in, but it was clear,
That he held me back, but he was really me,
And for many years I simply couldn’t see,

CHORUS
That I think I can, I thought I could
I think I will, I know I should
These are the words that seemed so very far away
I think I can, I think I might, someday

Then I got older still and the mirror was no longer me,
I was strong and powerful and I could see,
That the only one who needed to believe,
Was me and forget them they can’t keep me from my dreams,

Because I think I can, I know I could,
I know I will, I knew I would,
These are the words I say each day,
I think I might, I think I can, here I am today

Because I think I can, I know I could,
I know i will, I knew I would,
These are the words I say each day,
I thought I would, I knew I could, here I am today (x2

(“I Think I Can” music and lyrics by Alegre Ramos, copyright 2015 all rights reserved)

Psych Yourself Up!

Harvard did a study that showed self talk is more powerful when you talk about yourself in 2nd or 3rd person.

I’m going to implement this into my daily affirmations which I say out loud (almost) every morning and evening.

Do you use affirmations? I’d love to hear about your practice. Be a spark in the world!

https://hbr.org/2015/02/pronouns-matter-when-psyching-yourself-up