It's been a good year for the roses

I cycled past this unassuming house today and - despite the dreary 'summer' light being no good at all - felt compelled to stop and photograph the lovely roses. Rubbish summer so far, I thought, but at least it's been a good year for the roses.

And then of course I couldn't get the damn tune out of my head for the rest of the day: "What a good year for the roses / Many blooms still linger there / The lawn could stand another mowin' /Funny I don't even care. / As you turn to walk away /As the door behind you closes / The only thing I have to say / It's been a good year for the roses.

Now I hadn't listened to the Elvis Costello version for a good twenty years, but through the beauty of the interweb I played it as soon as I got home. It's clearly a sad song, about the end of a marriage. But why a good year for the roses?

I'd always assumed it meant that the only positive thing that year was that the roses had grown well - that is to say, nothing much good at all. But Katja reckons it was a good year for the roses as when you fall out of love you won't be cutting them to give as bouquets to your loved one. Maybe she's got a point?