I left my rose for about three days without watering it, and was horrified at what I'd done when I lifted the blinds and found my rose's drooping, dessicated blossoms looking me with accusing dead pink eyes. I watered it, and hoped for the best, and nipped off the dead blooms.

I noticed that the rose had perked back up again after being watered, so I went today and started trying to get the rest of the dead blossoms and buds that didn't look like they'd make it off the plant. In doing so, I noticed some leaves were falling off, so I started gently pulling away unhealthy sets of leaves. I realized, then, that this wasn't so very different than preening a pet chicken. With a chicken, you gently go through the feathers and loosen the dead, dandruffy feather shafts from the fully developed feathers, without disturbing the bloody pinfeathers. Tame chickens, and even some not-so-tame ones, appreciate the attention. It's a bonding activity much like brushing someone's hair for them.