Blooms

My Neighbor Ruth across the street has this bush that blooms some beautiful flowers. They are humongous! They are interesting to watch. They come to bloom and then that is it. The next day they are gone. I met her in the street after getting our mail, and asked her what kind of flower bush that was. She told me it was a Hardy Perennial Hibiscus. They are a exotic, hardy, shrub like plant. They have 6-10" blooms in crimson red or rose pink dazzle from midsummer to frost. The bush grows 3-5' tall with similar spread.

Ruth is an 82 year old active woman who exercises everyday, bowls twice a week, and rides her bike on occasion. She's very involved in church. I can look out my window and I will see her pulling weeds in her big hat and long sleeve shirt to protect her from the sun.

My husband loves her and I have to say between the two of us, he has more of a friendship with her than I do. I don't know how many times I have went to see what is taking my husband so long to come in to find him sitting outside with her in a deep conversation. I will just watch to see them start busting up laughing. She goes out to dinner with us and we have plans to have dinner here at our home. We share our meals with each other when we have both made to much or want the other to try something new. Recently in one of our conversations about this and that she mentioned to me that Charlie needs to rest from work. Ruth sees for herself how Charlie will busy himself even on his days off. She will hear me get on to him, and knows what I am up against. She will often chime in to my defense. Charlie will then say, "Ruth! Are you ganging up on me?" She will giggle. She cares about him as much as he cares about her. Flowers aren't the only thing that's blooming!