Kyle Warren Jones

Here's our little boy, just born this morning at 8:15 am.  He is 21 3/4 inches long and 9 pounds.  He looks a lot like his sister did when she was born. 

Blue!

She's 2!

Happy Birthday to our Betsy today!  Two of the best years EVER!  
Love love from your grannie k and pawpaw mark

Monday Flowers

"Leftovers" from the wedding show yesterday, reworked into a couple of designs.  One on the dining room table, one at work.  Flower therapy!

Good Medicine

Okay, my mama says she couldn't tell what these were, so here's the scoop.  These are early early daffodils, dug up from a Kentucky field,  and brought to this Illinois Garden.  V says the field used to be the site of a slave home that later was part of her father's farm.  These are the earliest of blooms in my garden, and I always  wonder about the woman who planted them--what her name was, what her life was like.   I can't help but think that we had this in common--so happy to see this early glimpse of green.

Here's the Rest of the Story

Over the last couple of days, I showed you some things in the garden that  I thought were so beautiful.  But there are plenty of scenes like this one too--it's a mess out there!  It will be a while before we can get out to clean it up.  Freezing drizzle this morning. . .

January Garden Scenes

Golden Sunday

This morning I was telling Lilla that I'd be so glad when we could garden again.   There's a bit of a thaw going on, so we all went outside to take a look around. . .

Cascade

From this weekend's wedding flowers class.   One more two-day session to go to complete the ICPF certification :-)

Lilla loves the snow!

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Fabulous Find

I found this really cool piece at F2F a couple of weeks ago.  It had some glass votive holders in the holes and was labeled a candleholder, but obviously it was  meant to be a flower container. . . a really cool flower container!

Happy Birthday

Yesterday was Rachel's birthday.  Love the pictures she posted on her facebook wall so that we could share in the fun they had together, plus the news that Kyle's birth is scheduled for 2-2-10!  Yay!    Here's a little look back at some previous birthday wishes for Rachel posted in  2008 and  2007.   We love you Rachel!

1500 Posts!

Today, I'm celebrating here at Canada Garden.   It's been almost five years since I started this little blog.  I never dreamed that it would become like my baby, that I would be thinking about it so often, that I would be thinking about my readers (I have readers?!?), that it would help me slow down and notice the little things that bless my life,  and that it would motivate me to not only dream my dreams but also to go for them!

Before blogging, I was e-mailing pictures to my mom all the time, but those were also the days of dial-up and it took forever to upload pictures.  About that same time I found Grace--writer, actress, comedienne-- blogging/chatting away about her life in a way that made me feel like we were visiting over a good cup of coffee.  And I thought, maybe I could start a blog too. . . maybe?

So Canada Garden was started as an open letter to my mom, who lives in Michigan while I'm here in Illinois.  And now my mom blogs (I'm so proud of her!) and my daughter-in-law blogs, and I beg all my friends and family  who don't have a blog to please please start a blog so that I can hear all about what's happening in your life.  (Yes, I know and love Facebook, I really do.  I'm there everyday too.   But Facebook is the newsletter.  A blog is your own personal online art project.)

Five years ago, I posted mostly about the garden.  About our dogs.  About our family.  Tried really hard NEVER to complain about my day job, because I am thankful thankful for it. 

My floral design efforts are the subject of most of my posts.  They're all scrapbooked here--classes with Amy, who has taught me so much; and  my fellow students who turned out to be really sweet people and who are my friends today.  I didn't really include all the times I begged  my favorite florists for a part-time job (Saturdays only?  well, no we don't really need you), but it's okay now as I wander through all these pictures from the flower shows (James Lutke & Hitomi!) and the state conferences (Els!) and the ICPF classes (thanks Dee Dee and Judy!).  Cause something else was brewing. . .

This past year, I was blessed by Gail at The Farm with the best internship ever.  The. Best. Internship. Ever.  I've loved The Farm for years.  It was always one of my very favorite places to shop.  I've taken all my out-of-town guests there, took a few of my friends out there too.  (I remember going with Sharon, my friend who later passed away after her fight with breast cancer.  We shopped at The Farm and then stopped in at Morningstar for lunch.  I can see her sitting on that front porch now. I'm so glad we took the time.) 

Of course, gardening and floral designing isn't complete without photographing and blogging, so I started bugging Gail about a blog too.  And lo and behold, a new blog was born--yay! a blog for The Farm!

And then another blog for Flea Market to Fabulous.  And another blog for Petals & Co.  And maybe one for my hairdresser?  Who knows? 

The second most frequent type of post on the blog these days is about Betsy, of course.  She's only been here on this earth for a couple of years, but she'll probably overtake the floral design posts one of these days.  Canada Garden might need to be named Canada Garden & Betsy. . . or very soon, Canada Garden featuring Betsy & Kyle. . . Such blessings in my life, I am so so thankful.

Okay, I've gone way overboard in my musings about the blog, but for 1500 posts, I'll add just one more credit.  My husband Mark is the best husband in the world.  He fixes the computer when it breaks.  He listens to me rant when the computer's logic doesn't match mine--you can imagine how often that happens!  He backs up all my photos.  He buys me cameras and rechargeable batteries.  He takes care of the house and the dogs while I go off to class, to flower shows, and he never complains when I buy (more) flower supplies--or when I need more room to store them all.  He puts up with sticks and stems in the kitchen sink and on the  floor.  He sharpens my knife and my scissors.  He digs the holes, rakes the leaves, tills the garden, and endlessly endlessly tends the lawn in between the flower beds.  I am blessed indeed. 

If you've made it to this point, then you must be one of my faithful readers!  Thanks for taking the time to visit with me.  See you tomorrow!

Classic Betsy

I love Facebook!

Flower Withdrawal

Right now, there's not a flower in this house--unless you count the poinsetta that is hanging on for dear life!  This design was on the nightstand a few weeks ago.   The roses are way past their prime in this picture, but sometimes it's hard to let them go.  

Actually, I don't believe in keeping flowers too long.  Once they start to brown, droop, shatter, whatever--throw them out and get new ones!   So I'm going out this afternoon and hope to find some flowers to bring back home with me.   Wish me luck, cause it is brrrrr cold out there.  

Next time you're out, find some flowers for your house too!  And don't keep them too long! :-)

Happy New Year

Here's our Betsy again, modeling her new jean jacket for us.   

Christmas Betsy

It was a very very nice Christmas at Judson and Rachel's.   Our Betsy is growing up so fast.  She's smart and pretty and so much fun!

Vintage Greeting

My friend Raye Ann sent this card to me in 1979, back when we were in college and living across the street from each other on Royalty Court.    The inscription says:   "may love and caring be part of your new year. . . merry christmas".   She could always make me laugh.  And  she's done it again with a card from 30 years ago!

More Flowers for Work

These went to Karen, who wanted them for her mom and her sister. 

Annual Tradition

This  little red basket goes to medical records every year.

Last Sat Before Christmas!

I'm wrapping presents today.  Still have a bit of shopping to do, but it's been nice to be at home.  The little garland is one that PJ and I bought on one of our flower shop tours. 

Thank You Gift

This one went to Jo-An's parents, who have been so nice to let us use their dock.   Mark  has had a great time catching fish after fish!

And here's a close up of the vase treatment.  Lots of hot glue and beaded wire holding leaves, twigs, and bits of pine. 

Christmas Cookies

I found this recipe for cookies in last week's paper and they were really really good.  Cut them as small as you'd like--they're little crispy buttery almond bites. (PJ gave me the crocheted dish cloth when we were at the craft show.  Love it!)

Mack

My sister PJ and her family lost their beloved golden last week.  He was a great dog and he loved them all so much.  They rescued him years ago when his original owners couldn't take care of him.  He was a lucky lucky dog to have landed at Powers Pond and I know PJ and the boys and Jeff felt they were lucky to have him too.   

Here he is celebrating at Jordan's high school graduation. 

And here's an older picture of him with Jacob, I think.  Mack was happpiest when he was sitting right on top of you, getting petted.  He just adored his family.

Thinking so much of Mack and PJ this week has made us think of our goldens that we have lost and how thankful we are for the goldens we have now.  We will miss Mack, but he lives on because he is a golden we loved and who loved us. 

Love a Golden is where we rescued G Dog and Lilla.  We're writing them a Christmas check in memory of Macky Mack.  Love  love to my sis and all.

Saturday Bouquet

Dressed Up Cyclamen

My friend Chele gave me this blooming plant.  It's so pretty and I had a great time adding some fun things to dress it up. 

While I could have given you a picture with a  much less cluttered background, this one shows you why I need flowers  at work! 

Maxwell

I'm still finding pictures from my Michigan trip.  This is Maxwell, PJ's cat. Isn't he handsome?    He was really good to pose for me.  I kept a little clipping from a newspaper interview years ago.  It was about a pet photographer who  said that he quit photographing people and turned to pets for one very good reason:  "Because cats never complain they look fat in a picture."  Same with flowers.  You never hear one complaint from a daisy. . .

Mama's Pillows

This is a picture from my mom's booth at The Town Peddler.   She makes the sweetest little  pillows! 

A Little Vintage Tree . . .

This is a little tree that Larry Green's mom crocheted for us years ago.  Larry worked with us at the hospital and he was a wonderful chaplain to all of us.  He was also Mark's fishing buddy and they made several trips to Minnesota to fish up there.    He's retired now and lives in Indiana.  But his mom's tree makes an appearance every year and makes us think of him :-)

Another New Blog!

Just started a new blog for Petals & Co, this great little Rochester IL flower shop  I have to confess that I love these blogs and each one of them is special to me.  I hope you'll enjoy this newest one and go out to see Michelle and her staff.  They are friendly and fun and the shop is full of gorgeous flowers!

Christine's

After our flower shop visits, we went to Christine's Cake and Pastries.  Beautiful, delicious works of art!

 It was fun to see people picking up their birthday cakes and anniversary cakes.    That place makes people happy!

Unfortunately, the commute would be terrible and I'm under (WAY under)  qualified.  I can't wait to  visit my Michigan peeps again!

Michigan Saturday

On the recommendation of my brother-in-law Jeff, we went to Blossoms in Birmingham.  Great idea--super nice flower shop.  Love this wreath!

I'm including this picture of me because I know my sis will not be happy that I posted a picture of her.  She's beautiful, but she doesn't like to have her picture taken.  Anyway, you can tell I'm happy here.  It was a day with family and flower shops! 

The staff at Blossoms were getting ready for their open house the next day.  We peeked in the back to see what they were making.  Great centerpiece in the foreground.  Maybe I'll try one of those!Aren't these tapers cool?  Stay tuned--I'll post some more pictures from that fun day.

for the office

This one went to hang on my office door at work.  I should remember to keep something there, because it definitely makes a difference!