A Baby Step

I have [at least] two gardening goals for 2012.  First, to grow a significant cutting garden.  There will be much more about that as the season progresses.  And, secondly, to learn to arrange flowers.  That will be be a big undertaking, but I am committed to doing more than just plopping blossoms into containers this year.

This weekend I bought mini-roses, rather than my usual alstoemeria.  A baby step.  I added dwarf English laurel (Prinus lauarocerasus 'Otto Luyken'), rosemary and dried sedum flower heads from the yard.

The container is a cache pot that came from Mother.  I've always liked it and the pale coral was good with the slightly coral flowers.  I'm please with the result, but not yet ready to tackle a mixed bouquet. 

One small step ....

One Hour

It's amazing what one hour outside on a warm winter's afternoon will do for you.  66 degrees and a big yellow thing up there.  [Wikipedia calls it a "sun".]

An hour's worth of pulling weeds, 

and a walk around the yard produced some nice surprises.

I knew the hellebores were blooming, but they are everywhere.  Perhaps a "picking trip" is called for before the rain comes back later ....

And, the camellia is finally doing its thing.

A nice hour, indeed. 

Flower in House

It's in the 30's and sleeting and you want flowers?  Not so simple.  A trip to the grocery store - I know, I know.  But it's close by and has a huge selection of flowers - just nothing I really wanted.  

 

Then on to the florist.  They also had a huge selection and several things that I loved, but have you seen the price of fresh flowers in January?  I wanted the callas and was bound and determined to have protea, until my wallet said "ouch!" ...  I got tulips - a lovely shade of dark purple.

Remember that tulips are one of my very favorite flowers - truly.  It's just that I had really wanted to try my hand at "arranging" this month.  With tulips, it's more my normal "plunk in a vase" situation.

The other flowers that I have today are leftover alstroemeria from last week.  I love them and get a big bunch nearly every other weekend.

I have particularly enjoyed this little one.  It had broken off the a main stalk, but this nifty little vase has a "frog" built in and lets me stand up individual blossoms.  It's nice to have on the table next to my chair.

Hope you have been over to Small But Charming to see who else Jane is hosting this month.  Our friends in the southern hemisphere should have lots of great stuff to chase away the winter blahs!

40 Degrees and Rain

Not an auspicious way to start the weekend.  Dreary and drab.  Actually, that's the way I have been feeling the past couple of weeks.  When I look back at my January posts from last year, tho, I see the same pattern.

I think I am hibernating!  

Recharging the batteries after the whirlwind of the holidays and the end of the year - both at home and at work.

I can hear the neighborhood geese honking as they fly over.  No doubt their morning pond is not such an exciting place today, either.  We are in the same boat.  They thought they had good feeding grounds for the winter, so they got too lazy to make the flight south for real warmth.  Now they have to endure days like today - the price of choosing the easy corn.

At least I can have a fire in the fireplace and a hot cup of Earl Gray - no wet bugs for me today!

Think I'll go sit under my "sunlight spectrum light" and read your inspiring words.  Or, maybe look at a seed catalog.  Or, think about my new kitchen shelves.  I have to wake up enough to tell you about them ... in about three weeks.  Or, find an interesting soup recipe - lots of possibilities.

Then I'll go buy flowers.  Monday is Flowers in the House Day.  Hope you will join us.