come rain or come shine

I love gadgets and gizmos. I lie awake some nights thinking about photo editing, software, lenses, gear... But sometimes you need to know when to leave it alone.

Late this afternoon, I had the opportunity to steal away from the office and head to Washington Park. It was my intention to see the fall colors at the Portland Japanese Garden, but by the time I caught a bus down the hill, the garden had closed for the evening. (No admittance after 4pm weekdays!)

Instead I strolled through the rose garden, something I rarely do because, sadly, like some sort of tomboy badge of honor, I have convinced myself that I am not a "rose kind of girl."

Oh, how wrong I was.

Both of these shots are straight out of the camera. (Okay, I sharpened just a wee bit, but thats ALL, promise.) The colors were incredible, the roses are no longer perfect, they are windblown, with rain damage and frostburn, but they're vibrant and fragrant and beautiful.

I think maybe I'm a "rose girl" after all.