In The House: March Flower Power

Like any good hostess, I spent a good chunk of Sunday preparing for  Monday's Flowers In The House.  Unfortunately I spent it in the garden.  So while one flower bed is clean and ready for spring, our house is in  complete disarray.

Luckily I had to take my pictures after dark .  Thus no one should be distracted from the poppies by the dust in the dining room.

 

Hopefully you won't be so dazzled by the light reflecting in the glass jar of snowdrops from our garden, you won't remember whose idea this originally was. 

And the Oscar goes to "cropping".   This magic tool allows you to drink in the beauty of the bedside vase of sweet peas, without seeing the unmade bed  and what might even be a pile of laundry lurking about.

Now I am off to visit again with the mysterious Mr. Linky.  I have invited him to join us today so we can leap about from house to house, oohing and ahhing  over one another's blooms and rooms with no fear of bad weather or flat tires.

Looking forward to seeing old friends and new.  Flowers from the garden and flowers from your local florist.  Flowers in the house.

Your Place Or Mine?

Since this little spot of loveliness won't be appearing in my garden till April, I'm more than ready to see some indoor goodness.


Are you up for another Monday Flowers In The House?   This Monday the 28th.  The day after the Oscars.  I shall attempt a Mr. Linky.  If he doesn't appear, just leave a comment and I'll rush right over and link you up myself.

Everybody ready?  Flowers, bulbs, blooming plants, branches, whatever your little heart desires to show, our eager hearts are ready to see.

Are you with me?   

With The Greatest Of Ease

I held the ladder.  Does that count as helping?

Sweet Dreams?

Could there be anything sadder than coming in from the last dog walk of the evening, cheeks flushed with cold, swathed in layers of down and wool and heading off to the kitchen for one little bite of chocolate to find: no chocolate.

Daffodils, yes. Dirty dinner dishes, check, a hungry cat, double check.  But no chocolate.

Not one bite.  Not a biscuit, not a square of Ritter's Sports Bar, nada.  Even the plain biscuits were covered in Nutella and eaten by guests on Sunday.  And this was after they finished the digestives and the chocolate bar.  You know who you are.  I'm sorry I had to make this public.

I still love you.

What Goes Around Comes Around

In honor of Miss Pickering who has linked to me vis a vis her BIG pictures, I feel a new post is in order.

After all how many more of you want to read my full moon lament?  No show of hands, thought not.

And in all fairness I must link to Marie, who took time between her travels, and cooking and gardening to show me how to SUPERSIZE my previously puny shots.

I just returned from the garden hoping to find something to show you other than snowdrops, but alas, no.  I can report the daffodil greens continue to grow, there are whorls of green around the base of the sedum and that even though we have snow in the forecast for tomorrow, my freshly pedicured feet didn't freeze in flipflops.

And I can only hope there wasn't another ambitious blogger out there searching for a shot who found me, the dictionary picture of bed head, with a sweater clearly buttoned by a 5 year old wandering around with a camera and a Lab.

Indoors is a different story. I have just baked a batch of granola, the house smells of cinnamon and honey, a big pink peony has just burst open in the kitchen and I'll be off to marinate a roast and fold some warm laundry.

Not bad, not bad at all.  So I leave you with the question burning up the keyboards in Britain.  Should she or should she not get a tattoo?

Full Moon Madness

Have I missed out on all the full moon chatter?  Was it not incredible?  Did you also find it to be an extremely aggressive moon?

On Friday afternoon at work my boss and I raised our voices at one another, something that rarely if ever happens.  For 2 only children we did pretty well at being pissed.  She stormed out to go to the bank and I marched around like a storm cloud for about 5 minutes until I had the grace to remember we were both still totally exhausted from the St. Valentines Day massacre and were taking it out on one another.  I quickly called her to apologize, she quickly accepted my apology, and the rest of the day was a happy one. 
 
Later that day, GG and I were happily ensconced in pedicure thrones, reading and talking away.  The salon was packed,the mood was light and then kaboom, a big, fat SUV tried to wedge itself in between a Hyundai and GG's truck.  It didn't fit.  The driver stomped into the nail salon, snarled at the Hyundai owner, snapped at GG that she didn't touch the truck and stormed back out.  Luckily no noticeable damage was done to the truck and we could concentrate on the economic crisis in Ireland ( me), Cellini's My Life ( GG) and what color to paint our nails. All weighty matters...


We have stepped lightly through the rest of the weekend, enjoying the sun, the full moon and our peaceful home.

I think everyone should take a little time out of their busy lives and get some pampering.  A mani and a pedi would go a long way to promoting world peace.

Unload Spring from Camera

Update on spring: As advertised Thursday was warm and sunny.  People were smiling, clothes were lightly layered and many fresh pedicures were unveiled.

I left work early and rushed home to let out the animals and  to sit outside reading the newspaper. Yes, I said, I sat outside.

And suddenly we were surrounded.  3 neighbors, 1 bearing 2 children and a rottweiler larger than said children were in the yard.  And we were hanging out talking like it was .....spring.  The Lab was so excited by the handsome presence of Cato, the huge rottie, she raced inside and brought him her squirrel.  She tried to make it squeak but no squeak left.  He just wasn't that into her anyway.

From the alley behind the house we heard children playing, pit bulls barking and hip hop blasting.  Someday soon one of us is going to light up a barbecue.

We're back world, and shall be making periodic appearances as the weather permits.

I'm A Believer

That spring is on it's way.  I heard a rumor that we will have a 65degree day today and one reaching 69 tomorrow.

The snowdrops are up and the tete a tetes are showing green.

I have found the loveliest blog, Floret Flower Farm, that I have taken to reading like a favorite book before I go to sleep at night.  And open in the morning for a moment of sheer loveliness.

And I discovered a new thrift store full of affordable treasures.

Yesterday was our first hint of spring day and when I came home the Lab, of course rushed out to greet me with a mouth full of stuffed squirrel, and the cat stood in the doorway and took several deep breaths and then ventured outside, for the first time in months.  She made out with the boxwood for several moments and went back in the house with a happy gait.

I think she's a believer too.

Look Into My Eyes......

Good Morning, Today I bring you the 7 dwarfs all rolled up into one person.  Sleepy, grumpy, happy, bitchy,sneezy, grateful and slow moving.

Since my last day off I've worked over 60 hours, on my feet, up and down stairs, flying out the door after drivers, dodging customers, carrying buckets, yielding knives.


I have several alarming bruises and abrasions on my body, just enough to decide to postpone a massage for another time.  I look like a over the hill boxer or a junkie in training.

But it's done and over and I was graced with today off which takes me out of the line of fire for The Complaints.

Just to give you an indication of our level of exhaustion yesterday by 4:00pm the word potty sent us into gales of hysterical laughter.  Please don't tell anyone I told you this.  Seriously, potty, so we said it whenever possible.

Our housekeeper will be here in about an hour so I'm straightening up so she can clean up.  Then what?  Maybe down the hill for a new book and magazine, maybe a treat.  Then home for a nap.  Right now the Lab and I can't seem to leave the bedroom.  It's sunny and calm, no phones ringing, clean sheets on the bed.  You are getting very sleepy......

My Funny Valentine

Have I told you about my friend Gwen?  She's a special events coordinator at the National Museum Of Natural History and a brilliant flower designer.  Not only has she worked Saturday and Sunday with us at the store, she's taken Monday off from her real job to spend all day Valentines stressing and  arranging around the table,  listening to the same CD's play and me run and and on.

Plus she took a picture of her Valentine flowers from her husband B. and sent it to me so I would have something to post to celebrate this crazy holiday.

Cause for all my griping about the amount of work we and every other florist around the world has to do, I'm a big believer in love in all it's guises.

So Happy Valentine's Day to each and every one of you.  And I'll see you on the flip side.

xo Jane

P.S. Though I didn't say word one to her she knew I was doing this one for her.  Hmmm.

Valentines From The Edge

The edge of hell.  Rather a flower shop preparing for the onslaught.....of Valentines Day.

Picture a shop with 4 phone lines and three retail clerks to answer them.  Thousands of flowers with nowhere to go, both upstairs coolers broken down.  And a cooler repair man channeling  Cee Lo for 5 hours, and not the "Forget You" version either.  Oh and our lead driver's license expired, as we found out today when he tried to deliver funeral flowers on a military base.  His sweet talking kept him out of the brig and the van from being impounded.  "Forget her too".

Oh and Charles, whoever you are, your flowers WERE delivered today.  At 11:00am.  It's a big law firm, I don't know why the receptionist didn't call her.   Still don't know.  Yes I assure you they were delivered. No Charles, We didn't take them to the wrong address.  Oh, Charles, it's you again, she got her flowers? Fabulous.

And it's only Friday.   3 days to go.  "Ain't that some s**t"?

Wish you were here.

xo Jane   

     

The Rice Blessing

Forget about Valentine's Day, I couldn't stay away from my email at work hoping against hope that someone, anyone would send us pictures from the wedding.

And finally, around 4:00 pm, my diligence was rewarded.  While 2 women worked their way through 30 boxes of flowers and phones rang and customers lined up to order roses, I was busy downloading several pictures that made me smile, made me laugh and of course made me cry.

Though I would love to show you all of them I finally selected my favorites.  The first is the rice blessing.  The second is Tini and Nirmal exchanging their wedding vows.

Don't they make you smile?  And that color, Oh my God, I am totally in the mood to create the most psychedelic flower arrangements ever to hit DC.

So take a blue eyed blonde, German-American with a passion for barely there champagne colored walls and severely edited furnishings and send her off to India to get hitched.

I bet she'll be redoing their apartment with a week of coming home.  I see peacock blue in their future.  And much happiness.

Namaste

At 10:30 EST tonight, which is 9:00am in India, GG's sister, Tini to us ( Kristen to adults) and Nirmal will be wed in Hyderabad, India. 

We are heartbroken not to be with them and have been relying on intermittent emails and photos to stay in the groove.

Today we received a few pictures of Tini  getting her hands beautifully hennaed for the ceremony. I have known her for 6 years now and I have never seen her look this calm and happy.  Of course I cried when I saw the photos and read the involved explanation of the wedding ceremony sent by Oliver, GG and Tini's brother.

They return to us on February 13th and once the madness of Valentine's Day is over we can watch the wedding video and continue the celebration with our new bava (brother in law in Telugu).

But for tonight our thoughts and hearts are in India.

Just Another Manic Monday

I am so out of the house.  Cleaning, dog walking/ feeding done.  Next up Georgetown and my hair done.  I think we all agree I look quite a bit better with no roots showing.  And I don't know about you but I think it needs to be a few inches shorter.

I would have rested happily on my laurels, or rather my Whole Foods/ Superbowl post but  friends of mine, (One an actual have to dinner friend) and another ( we'd spend all of our spare time together if she didn't live in California) friend have posted their Monday flowers in the house.  

Sure, they're a week late, but it's blogging not boot camp, so I say let's take a look. In support I'll post a 

few flowers I have sitting around my shack today.  And my, new, to me, bedroom closet door curtain found in a great new thrift shop last week.

Now I'm out of the house.  And you're on your way to Katie and Janet's.

 

Tell them I said hey.

Pausing for a brief update, Sinead also ( and always ) did a sweet flower post today.  And Sarah in her yellow house.  And Karin with one in the house and some in the garden.

Can you see me now?

Abbondunza!

 It's Superbowl Sunday and we're off to run some errands.  Wanna come?

It's Game Day here in the States. And we cook and we eat and we drink and we cheer for our favorite team ( Go Packers).  Not that I have a bias ( beat those Steelers).

So we're all going to Whole Foods to stock up for the week and to grab a few things to bring to a party tonight.  Whole Foods, our first certified organic grocery, is always bursting at the seams with beautiful foods to eat, and bottles of good things to drink and everything is staged so perfectly you want it all.

We want the fruit.

We want the vegetables.

The olives and  the cheeses.

And GG wants 2 bottles of the wine she'd been looking for everywhere. But tastefully gets one.

 I'm almost overwhelmed looking at the pictures.  Imagine what a sensory experience it is to shop there.

Thanks for coming along.  Errands are more fun with friends. Think how much you saved with us doing the grocery shopping for you.

Luckily  for you, we skipped a trip to the pet food store, it's another embarrassment of riches, and the Lab gets to go in too!

( subliminal suggestion: Go Packers)

You Tell Me

I cannot believe it's Thursday already.  Where has this week gone?  Working, dog walking, cooking dinner, obsessively reading and finally finishing two books.  I start to get a little antsy when I'm away from blogland too long.

So I loved our Monday Flowers  in the house.  It was so much fun to see what you all posted.  A little window into your inner worlds.  And inside your homes.

So I understand many of you would like to do it again.  Tell me when, this coming Monday or do you want to wait a few weeks?  Are you exhausted from tending the plants and watering the flowers and finally getting the picture you want?  Or are you eager to show more?

Tell me when and I'll get a Mr. Linky going ( I can't tell you how strange we find this name in our house).  We call everything Mr. Linky now,even the Lab.

And please let's give Australia enough time to get into the game this round.  Hear me oh far off continent?  Wanna play?

Sounds like many of us ( especially the florists who have Valentine's looming) could use a time out.  How about February 28th?  Sprout should be well again, Miss P., will surely have time to bring something to life, and Marie will be back from her trip into the wilds. Ooops, I'm doing this at work, better run.  xo