(Unauthorized) Flowers in the House

Near the top of my list of things I love at Christmas is the table: making an arrangement, deciding just how I want to set it and all that good stuff. 

This year there will be five of us: our friend from South Africa who has joined us for many years and a happy new addition.  One of the Lebanese teens we sponsored for immigration to the U.S. is all grown up and married.  He and his new bride will join us for their first "American" Christmas.  His parents are visiting family in Lebanon this year and his brothers are with family in other cities, so they will enlarge our circle this year.

I hope Jane will forgive me for sharing flowers on "her day", but I know she is working today and doesn't have time or energy to host a flower party this month.

She would be proud of me, tho, that I filled both containers with water and oasis last night and let them sit and soak.  Although I purchased the flowers in a ready-chosen bunch, I did gather the greens from the yard:  'Otto Lueken' myrtle, rosemary and some 'Blue Rug' juniper that grows as a ground cover by the door. (I cleverly used it to cover the oasis in the sides of glass bowl.)

 

When I got the greens in, I wanted to stop.  

 

I loved how they looked and didn't want to tackle the challenge of adding the flowers.  But I am glad that I did.  Here are the finished products.  The tall one (at the top) for the buffet in a milk glass compote that I bought recently just for this purpose.

And Mother's gorgeous glass dish.  A wedding gift to my parents during WWII that has survived children, moves and many Christmases.  One of my favorite things!  And, just think ... we only have to be good for one more night!

Noel!

Wednesday Workday!

Back in the garden at last!  I was beginning to doubt that I would see this day.  While still under the one-pound rule (I can't lift more than one pound in my right hand!), I was able to cut some greenery and make an arrangement for the foot of the steps.

At the Sackler Gallery on Sunday we saw lovely urns filled with pine, bittersweet and dried stems.  They lined the sides of the parterre and were quite uniform and formal. I really loved them and wanted to do something similar for the house - since we are having guests for Christmas dinner this year.

A foraging trip into the woods behind our neighbor's house produced cedar, which I augmented with euonymous from the hedge, stems of Harry Lauter's walking stick, dried sedum heads, rosemary and nandina berries.  My arrangement is more natural than the inspiration, but fits better with our more laid back home and style.

With Mitchell to move the finished product into place, we are officially decorated outside. 

 

Guest Garden in D.C.

So, who dashes off to Washington (the D.C. one) without charging her camera?  Apparently ... I do!

We took advantage of a Groupon to hop a train to D.C. on Saturday to see the decorations and just get away for a few minutes.  Having lived there many years ago, it is still one of our favorite cities - and we know how to get around!  We like to go a couple of times a year - if we can - to see what's new in the museums.

This time we targeted the U.S. Botanic Garden, which we had never visited.  I thought it would be a nice, quiet oasis in the winter.  And, I was partly right.

I loved this pale pink one that was growing "wild" - not part of the display of potted varieties.

The poinsettias were abundant and wonderful, as were the orchids, but that was all that was naturally blooming.  My favorite part was actually a display of giant aluminum flowers and plants.  Clearly designed for the children, there was no good explanation of what the "meaning" of the exhibit was, but they had gathered herbs and spices at kid-level to demonstrate natural flavorings and smells, and we enjoyed it a lot.

 

There was also a train exhibit that had attracted hundreds of parents and children - so much for the quiet part of our plan.  We did not stand in line for the trains, but did enjoy the miniature replicas of many government buildings.

The best thing of all, tho, was a huge bed of yellow iris in full bloom - on December 15th.  Did I mention that I forgot to charge my camera?  You'll have to use your imagination!

Joys of the Season

A Night at the Botanical Garden!

 

We took advantage of the warm weather to tour "GardenLights" at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.  They do a lovely light display every year from Thanksgiving thru New Years Day. 

 

This year's theme is oriental.  In the conservatory they have a wonderful tree decorated in soft pastel colors,  a model train with oriental villages and a darling little cottage. 

 

 

 

If the tree is not the star, then the chandelier of origami swans must be.

On a whim we slipped into the restaurant and had dinner surrounded by dark trees and tiny lights.  It was a magical evening!

Sadly, the photos don't do it justice.  You will have to take my word for the magic!