J Schwanke at the Friday night Rockin' Weddings show.  He's always entertaining and inspiring.  I love his how-to-arrange-flowers videos, also known as jtv, on ubloom.

Katie Selmi helped J make designs for his show and this is one of my favorites.  Love the photo cube that was available for pictures.  Today is the last day of the conference.  Thank you so much to ISFA for such a great show!

Let It Rock ISFA 2011

It's that time of year again!  Illinois State Florists' Association Spring Conference, just a couple of miles from Canada Garden.  I had a great time helping  yesterday.  Loved hanging out with Michelle, her mom Gail, Frankie, Adam.   Yes, it was lots of work--stuffing gift bags, breaking down boxes, sweeping, lifting, bending.  (Gail and I decided it was great training for all the gardening we'll soon be doing.)  The flowers are luscious--every box that we opened was filled with gorgeous stems--hellebores, clematis, hanging helaconia,  RoSeS, orchids, gerbs, lysemachia, amaranthus. . . And over the next few days, all those stems will be used to make fabulous art.  Watch for more pictures from this flower-filled weekend.  Can you tell I'm a happy girl??   :)

Spring Bulbs

Yesterday I was at work, going from building to building in a cold, damp, March wind and I noticed the crocus blooming in front of Monroe Hall.  I've been watching them bloom every spring for twenty years now.  Just a couple of little clumps in the middle of the lawn, and I always wonder who planted them?  Some staff person at some point before me, leaving her mark.  I thank her.   I assume it was a woman--a social worker or a nurse, maybe.  Or it could have been a squirrel :)  Anyway, what's blooming in your kitchen window sill?

Things My Mama Sent Me

Mama sent me birthday box last week.  A new-found book--Lulu Meets God and Doubts Him--that's gotta be a good read. . .   A felted bag for carrying a bottle of water--love that green!   And one of her special-made pillows that I LoVe. . .   I put it on the shelf with my sweet pea seeds, cause I'm praying for a bumper crop of those little blooms this spring.



I had a great birthday and while I can wait a while til my next one, I decided that I don't mind  being 55 if it feels this good :)

Blue & Yellow

I LoVe Saturdays!   Went out to visit with Gail at The Farm, got the truck stuck in the field--thank you Dave for the tractor tow!--stopped at Jeffrey Alan's to drool over the new spring silks, dinner at Ross Isaac with my wonderful husband, a phone call from Judson, a new Betsy picture on my phone . . . Life is very very good.

Live Laugh Love Dig Holes

live laugh sign from Lori, my sister gardener

 I love that G Dog and Lilla to no end.  They are the best.  Right now they are lying at my feet like gorgeous golden  angels with fur.  But when we're at work and they're at their posts in the garden, they think their duty is to chase down any little critter, or even the smell of a critter, and GET IT!  even if it means digging a hole to China. 

This is the time in the garden that seems to go at warp speed.  We've had a long, slow, quiet winter.  But in the spring, it feels like God presses the fast-forward button.  Time to live and laugh and garden.  And dig holes.

Five Years

Today I am thinking about Judson and Isaac and Laura and Kathy and 

Lori and Emma  and all the family across the miles. 

 Such a beautiful snow yesterday!  Much of it has melted already.  We're almost through February--comin' up on the homestretch towards spring!

Mostly Cloudy, High 45

Have you ventured out into the garden lately?  It's so wet out there!  And such a mess!  A big, wet, muddy, glorious mess :)

Book Review

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin was such a good story.  A little bit mystery, southern small town in the late 70s, terrific characters, an ending that was sad and surprising and a relief all at the same time.  Quick easy read that was interesting from the very first sentence.  Definitely recommend this one.

I just read Jeff Kass' book on Columbine.  I also read Dave Cullen's a while back.  Why both, I'm not sure, but I just felt like I should read them.  I often think about our volunteer experience after the NIU shooting.  It was three years ago this Valentine's Day.  I wonder how those kids, the faculty and  staff are doing, and of course, why. . .

Next on my list?  Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand.  It's #1 on the amazon list right now.   Let's see why everybody's reading that one!

New Collar Days

Lilla and G Dog have new collars!  They've been wearing the same old worn-out collars ever since they came to live with us.  Not that we haven't shopped for new collars before, we have.  All the big chain stores have the same old same old.  Some of our funky little gift shops have fun collars too, but they're almost always for little dogs.  So we found Gracie Lou Kangaroo on Etsy!  Pink camo for Lilla, blue for G Dog :)  Great service, very nice quality.  Thank You GLK!!

Birthday Boots

Betsy & her friend Rachel have the cutest boots!

Need a Consult Here

I made this one at Christmas, for my friend Tami whose favorite flower is bird-of-paradise.   I've had it hanging around ever since and I still can't decide.  Eric Buterbaugh would say it is a big hot mess.  I've photographed it over and over, tweaked it here and there,  tried it outside on the house to see how it looked from a distance,  and still I go back and forth.  Will she like it, or should I take it apart and start over?

Is it Spring Yet?

We have snow piled up everywhere!  

But there's a thaw on the way :-)

Second Cousins Betsy & Lucy

Aren't they beautiful?!?

Betsy LoVeD hanging out with Lucy!

Betsy!

My Little Kyle Boy :)

We're Home from the Monkey Party!

It was a wonderful visit with our little monkeys :)

Blizzard!

Mark & Lilla

shrub off the front porch

Snow Man  and his dogs :)

welcome sight

Happy Birthday Kyle!

 

Our little Kyle man is a whole year old today!  Happy happy birthday :)  

Our Kyle was a groundhog's day baby.  I hear that Phil, the official groundhog, did NoT see his shadow this morning, so maybe we'll have an early spring.  Sounds good right now as we are snowed in with the blizzard of 2011.  Mark has been snow-blowing for more than an hour already and I'm still not sure when we'll be able to get to work.  All county roads closed.  Huge drifts everywhere.  And the wind/cold is fierce.  Hope you're warm and dry and safe where you are.