A rose is

mystery rose
Originally uploaded by odoublegood.

There are more flowers on this mystery rosebush than there have been in years. The flowers are scented, semi-double, and dark red with brassy centers. Today also brought us three calendula flowers, one with a brown center and two entirely yellow. We have rudbeckia flowers (black-eyed Susan) and towering mauve poppies with silvery-green leaves. Firewheels are more numerous than they've been in years. There are more varieties of sweet peas, and we can see the first nasturtium bud but are unable to tell what color the flower will be. We keep thinking that we hear warblers but have not seen any.