I was driving home through my favorite neighborhood, and was seeing so many pretty new flowers blooming, so I stopped by a house to take some pics. There was an older man out front pruning his camellia bushes. I said hello, complimented his beautiful camellias, and asked if he minded if I took some photos? He said "Oh no, go right ahead!" He offered to hold some up for me, and I said I like to take them naturally....then he says..."If you have a minute, I could show you some in the back.."
(pause, thinking...hmmm, am I safe? and figured I could take him, or outrun him. (did I mention he was older?)) "OK". I say, and as he led me around to the backyard, in front of me opened up what turned out to be over 100 species (or varieties) of camellia!! WHOA!
He explained they were *his wife's* favorite flower. (his too obviously! lol) He has seriously gone to huge lengths to have the most beautiful flowers. On each bush/tree he had a metal plate with the name etched in, but he only had to look at a few to remember the names. I learned how he roots them on the bush, to give them away as gifts! Very impressive, and so beautiful! His wife came out, and I am now aquaintences of "Bill and Joyce". :)
I've decided I'm going to print some and give them to the couple.
Here are just a few. I'm trying to get them all up on my Flickr page at some point.
Jacks
Black Tie
Dorothy Murphy
Elenore Hagood
Elizabeth Weaver
Alba Plena
The best part of the story is that I was telling this story to a client, and she said "let me guess, Bill Suplee?" I said YES! Turns out he used to be a fellow professor with her and the head of the music department at CIU, Columbia International University, a Christian College here in Columbia. He had told me during our introduction that he went to UCLA, but not that he was or had been a professor. I ended up going back later for some more pics of the tags to id the flowers, and told him we had a mutual friend!
They are very nice, and I have to get crackin on the printing!!
