DBG Continued

Just a few more pictures from the Desert Botanical Gardens. Aren't we thankful for our kitchens with running water and electricity?

Not sure what was planted in this vegetable garden, but those are some serious cages to prevent the critters from getting to the seedlings.   These sticks have thorns--also serious--to help keep the critters out too.  My mom makes garden fences with sticks from her butterfly bushes.

And like my mama's butterfly bush fences, this one has started growing. . . Instead of hills, their seedlings are planted in a  depression, then the whole garden is watered by flooding it.  I would have no idea how to grow a garden in Arizona.

Here in Illinois, the irises are blooming.  Hard to believe our gardens are on the same planet.

Butterflies

 Butterflies at the Desert Botanical Gardens.  I want to put out some slices of oranges for the butterflies this summer.  Maybe our midwest butterflies would like them too.  The red bowls in the middle had clear marbles with a little water for the butterflies to drink.

This big man had a big beard and a bigger camera.  The butterfly perched on the back of his hat made me laugh.  Mark and I are already ready to go back to Arizona.

Rannis

 Love ranunculus.  And this bunch was  fabulous.  Every single bloom was different and perfect.  Did you hear that Dick Clark died?  I loved him.  I hope we get to see his flowers.

Denver Botanical Garden

We loved the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix.  So different from our midwest and southern gardens.

I've been thinking about how to put more massing in our Canada Garden. . .  And not just three of one thing. . . Maybe one plant times 25.   Why not? Well, actually, I can tell you why not.  I have a really hard time choosing just one.

No idea what this yellow blooming tree is, but I love it, especially with all the yellow cactus blooms surrounding it.

And while we might not be able to grow these kinds of plants, I could go for one of these fountains in the back yard. 

Huge aloe plant.  Huge.

The volunteers told us it's rare for this cactus to bloom. 

And rarer to see this little dude.  You'll have to look for him.  We almost missed him.

Next I'll show you pictures of the butterfly house.  Maybe I can talk Mark into putting one of those in the back yard :)

Recipe Book

Yes, I know Pinterest has thousands of great recipes, but for Easter I wanted something from my church days.  This 1980s recipe book from Christ Methodist Church in Lexington  is falling apart and it makes me smile every time I use it. I remember my good friends Cindy and Linda and Nancy and Alan and Peggy and wonder where they are and what they are doing these days. 

 I believe there's a little piece of cake left that would make a good breakfast today.  Cake for breakfast should make for a happy Tuesday, don't you think?

Easter Menu

Cucumbers & Onions with Hendrickson's Marinade
Grilled Butterfly Pork Chops with Famous Dave's Rib Rub
Diced Sweet Potatoes with Sea Salt
Green Beans
Hawaiian Style Dinner Rolls

No deviled eggs today.  No ham.  But still, a pretty good feast.  And for desert, Texas Sheet Cake with Strawberries and Reddi Whip.  Which I have already sampled because I needed to make this picture for the blog :)

I'll share the cake recipe with you next.  Hope your Easter is hoppy and happy. 

Happy Easter!

Easter!   We have much to be thankful here on this Easter weekend.  It was a glorious Saturday--morning at the flower shop, afternoon shopping with Mark, a nap, and then tonight I baked a cake for tomorrow's dinner.

Love this little bunny vase that PJ gave to me.  The daffodils are fading in the garden with all this warm warm weather.  But the May flowers are already well in bud so there's lots to enjoy out there along with an extremely healthy looking crop of weeds.  The Easter bunny brought baskets for our Kyle and Betsy who will be coming to Springfield for a visit soon.   May your Easter be happy too :)

Another Kind of Pin

Mama can probably tell us whose pin this is.  I'm thinking it belonged to Mama King. 

Table Flowers

 

As my mom says, it's good to feel happy again.  Jeff was discharged from the hospital today and they stopped off at Potbelly's on the way home.  He has some work ahead to build up his strength and to give his lungs time to heal.  We are so thankful thankful.  For those of you who have been praying for us, we appreciate it so much. 

Here are pictures from the tablescape competition at the conference last weekend.  The designs were awesome.  Loved the roping of hyacinth florets in the shot above. 

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So many pretty ones.  There was a three way tie for first place.  Has that ever happened before?

Beautiful design by Amy, who was my first flower school teacher and  now my friend and mentor.  Mark went to the banquet with me and it was a lovely dinner sitting at such a beautiful table with the good company of Amy and her husband Jeff.  

These two tied for first place, along with this design over on the Petals & Co blog. 

So after a flower-filled weekend at the ISFA conference and a week in Michigan with Jeff & PJ & my mom, tomorrow is back to a regular routine at work.  Of course, I'm going to take some flowers :)

Ready for Spring

Thank you to everybody who prayed with us.  We are so thankful that Jeff is getting better.  He should be home by Monday.  Whew. . . that was  rough  there for a while. 

When I left for Michigan, just one little clump of daffodils was in bloom in the back yard.  When I got home yesterday, there was a daffodil explosion happening!     PJ and Jeff will be enjoying their back yard next week too. 

Sunday Report

Hitomi closed the show this afternoon, and her designs were fabulous.  Afterwards, they were sold as a fundraiser for the association.  I almost got into a fight with a woman over another design.  Me, ready to fight. . .   I did not want to give that little guy up!  But in the end, I let her have it.  Only because she said she had already paid for it and because I figured if I did have to hit her, I probably wouldn't get to enjoy the design anyway.

And then I found this one.  I love it.  And I didn't have to fight anyone for it :)

Jeff is better!  Off the vent today.  We are so thankful.    Tomorrow I'm on the train to spend a few days with him and my mom and my sister.  It's been a good day.

Hitomi Class

Hitomi showed me how to do this!  It was a really good class with such an inspiring woman.  My friend and mentor Amy said the only down side to the class was it didn't last long enough.

 

Our Jeff Powers has made some progress over the last couple of days.  It is very slow going and he is still very sick, but we are so so so thankful.      Please keep praying with us for his recovery. 

ICPF Collection

Our Jeff Powers is still in the hospital tonight.  We're waiting for the results of a lung biospy, which we hope will give some answers as to what is making him so sick and what he needs to get better.  Please pray with us.  He will be 50 exactly one month from today and he needs to get well in time to have lots of CaKe for his birthday.  We're all looking forward to celebrating with him.

While we're waiting, I've been working on this collection for the flower show this weekend.    I am nervous about showing these pieces to so many professional florists, but  having someone you love get sick is one way to remember what's really important in life.  I feel like saying--okay,  yes, I remember that life lesson--now can we just have Jeff back to his healthy he-man self??

When I was asked to design a collection for the show, I immediately knew that I wanted to include   this  beautiful pottery made by local artist Rich Zimmerman.    Yes, the artificial stems are made in China, but the pottery is made  right here in Springfield. 

Centerpiece  paved with orange and yellow ranunculus and surrounded by a swirling vine.

Orange poppies, green anthurium and hydrangea, with yellow orchids.  The branches are bound with decorative wire, inspired by the Branching Out class with James Lutcke and Bob Friese in Michigan last spring.

The wall hanging was definitely the biggest challenge.  Maybe because I didn't have any of Rich's pottery to go in it :)  Oversized orange gerbera, green anthurium, and hanging datura  accented with lighter green & violet gerbs, fruit, and orange callas.  Curls of copper mega wire for line and fun.

It's been good to have this project going over the last week.  It gave me something to do other than just worry and wait.  Be watching for lots of flower pictures from the show.  Springfield will be full of flowers from all over the world and florists from all over the state.

Next week, I'm heading to Michigan on the train.  Love love to my mom and my sis and to Jeff.

A Primitive Plot at The Farm

 

Mama's beautiful prims at The Farm. They look right at home :)

56 Years & Counting

sweet card from my mama

It was a beautiful day in many ways.  Mark and I went to breakfast--it's a weekly routine that I love on Saturdays, having breakfast at Bob Evans or the Crack or Charlie Parker's with the best husband in the whole wide world and my best friend.  V and I went to The Farm and that's always good for the soul. 

As I've gotten older, I've gotten happier, so 56 is okay with me.   I am thankful for so many blessings. I loved these cards that came in the mail.  And so many birthday wishes on facebook--some from really close friends who just made my heart sing. . . and some from online friends whom I've never met but I visit with everyday. 

another sweet card from my dear friend Gail

But I really want for my birthday this year is for our Jeff Powers to get well and strong again.  He's in the hospital where the doctors haven't yet figured out what's going on with his breathing.  Please pray with us. Love love to him and my sis and my mom.

February 29th Garden Tour

 Yesterday's leap year extra day was beautiful, but really windy.  Southern Illinois and Kentucky had bad storms and tornadoes that killed several people and demolished many towns.  I am thankful our loved ones are safe.

The garden is waking up.  It's beautiful, but a really messy beautiful.

 As I've shared with you before, I love that feeling that comes when a flower returns and it's like seeing a really good friend you haven't seen in a long time.    Hello, friend :)

Hens & chicks from mama's garden.  This mild Illinois winter was probably pretty boring for them.   So now we're on to March.  The Farm opens today and I wish I could run away from home (i.e.work) and tour the garden there.  That will have to wait a few days, but soon, I promise.