Everthing's Coming Up Roses!

We feel like we are living a dream as we look out our windows to literally thousands of roses. We have watched the pruned bushes grow from stubble when we arrived in January to some gorgeous, flowering bushes that seem to blossom more each day. Roses bring back many happy memories of both our mothers.

The rose has been a favorite flower of poets, songwriters and artists since the beginning of time. Maybe it's because a rose can say so much without saying much at all. The soft, silky feel of a fresh rose petal evokes tenderness; the fragrant scent of a fresh spring rose brings refreshment; the vibrant colors of red, pink, peach, orange, yellow, and white roses remind us of the dazzling beauty of creation; and Valentine's Day certainly wouldn't be the same without roses. Roses seem to symbolize love and are a reflection of life and a reminder of memories from our past.

My mother, Harriet, loved roses and her favorite was the "peace rose." As a child I remember the rose bushes in our front yard and how much pleasure it was to cut a fresh rose and put it in a vase to display.

Mom Holyoak took great pride in the many roses in her back yard garden. She pruned them carefully and made sure they were fertilized and free from were bugs. She cared for her roses like she did for her family. These photos were taken years ago of her yard and of one of her favorite rose bushes.

When Mom Holyoak turned 90, we gave her a basket of 90 roses. She lived three more years and every year was a gift to our family and those who knew her.

If Mom Holyoak could be here, I am quite sure we would hear her exclaim, "Oh, how precious!" We took these photos this morning just outside our apartment from our patio.

Photo: Isn't this beautiful?

Photo: We are now on the 7th level looking out through the arched window.

Photo: Outside on the 7th Floor. When a tour group comes to the center, they are first taken into a seminar room and shown a 13 minute video. Then they are brought to the auditorium where I show them our magnificent organ and give a mini recital. Today we had four tour groups come through and every day is different. We have been told that when it gets really busy there can be up to 8 tours during the day.

This group was a family of 27 that came from Argentina for a wedding in Israel and everyone had matching T-shirts.

After the organ recital, visitors are taken from the 8th floor and down these steps and out onto a large patio area where there are models of the city of Jerusalem during various periods in history. Garth is one of the tour guides. We also have an art museum where artwork is on display for 3 months and are currently getting ready for a new display starting in June.

Tour groups are taken all around the grounds and there are some beautiful areas I have not shown because TODAY I am sharing just roses.

Model of the Jerusalem in the first temple period . . .1000 to 600 BC.

We are very proud of our beautiful Jerusalem Center. Looking into the auditorium from the side window.

Today has been beautiful and living in Jerusalem is wonderful and as Momma Rose in Gypsy's 1959 Broadway musical would say, "We're just beginning and there's no stopping us this time!"

The Broadway song says it all: Clear the decks! Clear the tracks! You've got nothing to do but relax. Blow a kiss. Take a bow. Honey, everything's coming up roses!

Now's your inning. Stand the world on it's ear! Set it spinning! That'll be just the beginning! Curtain up! Light the lights! You got nothing to hit but the heights! You'll be swell. You'll be great. I can tell. Just you wait. That lucky star I talk about is due! Honey, everything's coming up roses for me and for you!

You can do it, all you need is a hand. We can do it, Mama is gonna see to it! Curtain up! Light the lights! We got nothing to hit but the heights! I can tell, wait and see. There's the bell! Follow me! And nothing's gonna stop us 'til we're through! Everything's coming up roses for me and for you!