Monday, September 9, 2013

Flowers In The House Of Heat And Humility: September 2013


I'm finding it very humbling to try and get an arrangement or two out of my garden.

Note to self: plant more for September blooms.

Usually I can cheat and bring home a few special flowers from the shop. But I haven't been to the shop for two weeks.So no cheating dammit.

At work I love when I get an order that requests a wildflower bouquet. I swan around the shop picking sunflowers from one bucket, corepsis from another, a handful of grasses here, some berries there. Maybe some lysimachia, asclepias, asters, it all comes together easily.

Don't try this at home. My garden epitomizes shabby chic at the moment. Sedum, Autumn Joy and Black Jack, South African foxgloves, rudbeckia seed pods, phlox, grasses, fennel, allium, persecaria, artemesia, some faded roses and a tangle of autumn blooming clematis are all slightly the worse for wear.





I had enough left to fill a little blue vase from Belgium with with unopened anemones, liriope flowers, a sprig of chokecherry tree, phlox, more of the tattered rose, herbs and seedpods, posed I see next to my equally tattered copy of " Mastering The Art Of French Cooking".



  Speaking of mastery, I now give you the moment you'll all been waiting for:
 an arrangement from S-Man.

He said if I picked some flowers he'd put them in a vase.

I gave him these.


He grabbed the clippers and went out to forage around.

Then in 5 minutes he gave me this.


In answer to your question,"is there anything he can't do", I have the answer.

No, clearly, there is nothing he cannot do.

I am now clad in sackcloth and ashes.

Gus was  the only one in the house not impressed by any of this, he slept through the whole thing.


But he'll be awake in the morning when we'll all be coming by to see what you managed to salvage from your gardens.

Please have Fancy Feast in gravy, it's their favorite.

43 comments:

  1. I spy Marie's book! Nice flowers, too. ;-)

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    1. I'm sneaky that way....where are your flowers? I know you're home. xo

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    2. Sorry...a blistering, salt-laden wind did for the last 4 roses and I just didn't get to the store in time to cheat.(The grevilleas remain for the birds.)

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  2. Am I really first to the party?! Get me! What gorgeous flowers from your garden. Superman's powers know no limits indeed! x

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  3. Can we tell ourselves that you gave him a great selection of flowers and therefore he could not help but come up with such a stunning arrangement? No, I thought not. Clearly, there is nothing he cannot do.
    Then again, your wild trailing arrangement takes some beating - I love it!!

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  4. Jane,
    You and S-Man are both amazing. I love your arrangements. So simple and free. I particuarly love the texture and colors of the one in the blue vase.
    Christa

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  5. This is slim pickings? Hmpf you whiner! Gorgeous as always. I still think you made him up.

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    1. Agree with Amelia, every word! Thank you for some great laughs to cheer up a sleepy Monday morning, Jane. Looking forward to seeing more FITH entries to come today. Your title is fabulously witty and my question to you is,
      Is there anything YOU cant't do?!?
      Diane in Denver

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    2. Diane, Yes there is. Apparently I can't bake something called a Swiss Roll. Hell I can't bake anything!

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    3. Oh, who needs Swiss Rolls, dear? I dont even know what they are! I still want you to try a book -- a memoir in flowers and your wonderful, dry humor. You would be the Anne Lamott of the East Coast.
      FITH is just such a joyous gathering, Jane. Im going to write about it in my Journal later today. Big Hugs ftom the Rockies, Diane

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  6. I always end up with flowers from the grocery store, but next month I'm going to challenge myself to only use flowers from my own stock. Talk about slim pickin's - you'll see... Anyway, your arrangement is fantastic (as usual) and your roommate? For real? That dude is amazing.

    Thanks for hosting the flower link up. Have yourself a lovely week!!!

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  7. Lovely flowers! Yes, S-man is the best :)

    Rough life, Gus!

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  8. Best cat picture yet? Imagine your two with Marie's Don Estorbo, hanging out together someday...now there would be a grand felinious event!
    Diane

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  9. Love your wildflower abandon --that's what I'm all about this year--(wildflower obsession) and that green vase is gorgeous, as is the new one. Your copy of MAFC looks like mine--I need to make a soufflé. xo

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  10. Ok, he has passed that challenge and may advance to level 37. Now, can he bake a swiss roll?

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  11. How do you keep your kitties from 'sampling' your flower arrangements?

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    1. I just hope to keep them together for the pictures. After that they're fair game!

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  12. I'm so happy to still have flowers to go cut and bring into the house! It's not winter-yet.

    Yours are amazing, of course. I think Superman is awesome. As is Gus. Way to power to nap, dude.

    Thanks for the link-up-it's always fun. Good to see you enjoyed your vaca, too.

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  13. I am so going to smack Superman up the side of the head!

    Actually, maybe you, too. You have 13 different flowers in bloom and can produce that lovely vase full after two weeks away. Aargh! Beautiful. In my next life, i think i'll come back as a flower so you can arrange me.

    Thanks for linking me up this morning. Sadly i re-linked before i looked. oh well. happy FITH!

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    1. Hahah, I knew it!What is Webb going to say I muttered to myself as I took the pic of his arrangement:-)

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  14. An amazing arrangement for 'a slightly worse for wear' garden! x

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  15. Dear Jane,

    Just popping over quickly ( I have to run) to say that bouquet looks AMAZING!!!!

    Happy week,

    Madelief xox

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  16. Jane... I'm with Gus! Too much talent under that roof for sure. Flowers are lovely as always, divine containers, and now S-man arranges. He will be a difficult act to follow! Thanks for the party and letting us tag along. Also, note to self... research to see if ANYTHING will grow and bloom here in late, hot summer. Planning for parties to come... happy week!

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  17. Wow! those fleurs reach out!! Those are lush bouquets with slim pickens. and that big green vase has me green. and nice job S-Man.

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    1. You could have used your Tiffany blue pair.....just saying.

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  18. Isn't Superman a great sport to play along!

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    1. Totally. He loved it. Liked using the creative side of his brain. The only one I have.

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  19. Is there any way to post a flower pic without a URL? I would love to join in!
    -Kate

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  20. All the flower arrangements are lovely. What a talented guy staying with you. Is he available for lessons for other guys? Nice!

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  21. Love all of the flowers in your house Xo

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  22. Your little teeny one is my favorite.

    But super roommate is pretty damn good for an amateur:).

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  23. Seems like you got not one , or even two arrangements, but three--one for Superman! Love to see Gus sleeping with abandon, and I'm glad my kitties aren't the only ones who find flower arrangements delectable. Thanks for the party; I needed it today!

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  24. Dear Jane,
    I discovered your blog via Susan (Southern Fascinations), and as your flower arrangements are really marvellous, I'll follow you - being interested in gardens, flowers, nature myself.

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  25. Jane.. I must plant for September blooms too..seriously lacking! What a lovely start to September with FITH. Missing Summer already. My flip flops are packed away sob! Sinead x

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  26. It has been some time since I visited website with such high quality information. Thank you so much for providing such helpful information. This is really informative and I will for sure refer my friends the same. Thanks.

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  27. Oh, that cat! Oh, that S man - please send him to Blighty!

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  28. Very natural. The way the flowers are arranged reminds me of my great great grandmother who is my inspiration for my shop!

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