(Very) Local News

A single pink rose appeared suddenly near the driveway gate over the weekend, or so it seemed. We noticed it suddenly would be more like it. But now that it's here, the bloom is hard to miss -- a delicate little flower, pink as a princess dress in one of Ann's books, and flanked by two buds that promise more blooms this week.

It's in a fertile green spot that has given us mint, but it's never been a rose-producing area. I asked Yuriko if we'd put in any roses there. She couldn't remember. I don't either. We've tried planting roses in other spots around the yard, but mostly we've gotten dry, thorny sticks stuck in the ground for our trouble. So do we have volunteer roses? Is that even possible?

I probably should contemplate this little event a little a more deeply. Maybe something Eastern along the lines of, "Does a rose have Buddha nature or not?" Or maybe something Western, acknowledging the unexpected gifts of the Lord. On the other hand, maybe a volunteer rose is a rose is a rose is a rose.