flowers — Page 127

Tulips and Jadeite

March 27, 2019 at 10:41 am by Claudia

Tulips are so darned beautiful. I’m enjoying watching the flowers scattered around our house slowly open and reveal themselves. I’m one who thinks flowers are beautiful in all their stages, even when they’re withering and drying out. This little show they’re putting on for us is standing ovation worthy.

Still battling insomnia. I can’t keep my eyes open when I’m sitting downstairs on the sofa with Don. Then I get in bed and am wide awake for hours. It’s very frustrating. But I did sleep and I feel fairly good this morning. I am pulling away from all news (I can’t help thinking that is a major contributor to my erratic sleep) and I’m going to concentrate on all that’s beautiful and good and positive. I have to.

I stopped at another Michaels on my way home from TJs and found something miniature. I’d seen a few pictures on IG, but hadn’t been able find them at my local Michaels.

Miniature jadeite.

They’re hanging in the fairy garden section, and as are all things fairy garden, they’re not quite to scale. The plate and bowls are pretty close to scale but the glasses are huge – big, big, big gulp size. They’re made of lightweight plastic, so picture my frustration as I tried to get them to stand up in this cabinet without being knocked down again as I tried to maneuver another plate into position. Many swear words were heard in the office. I finally resorted to the tacky wax I use for other items in my dollhouses and that did the trick.

I love jadeite, though for some reason I don’t own any. The manufacturer did a great job with the color.

Anyway, if you’re interested, go to Michaels and make sure you visit the section where they have the fairy garden stuff.

Have I told you how much I love this hutch? One of my best miniature investments.

And have I told you how much I appreciate you? I do. Thank you for your support and the wonderful community we have created here.

Happy Wednesday.

I Must Have Flowers

March 26, 2019 at 10:23 am by Claudia

“I must have flowers, always, and always.”

Claude Monet

Expect lots of flowers this week.

I made that trip to Trader Joe’s and came back with four bunches of flowers, which, on reflection, I worried might be too many. We have only so much surface space around here and I have a beloved husband who is a big guy and sometimes knocks things over. So that meant that the kitchen counters – where he concocts our dinners – were out of the running.

I did manage to find homes for each bouquet; on the bistro table in the living room, on the coffee table in the den, in a McCoy vase (see above), and on the wee kitchen island.

I can’t tell you what a difference it makes around here! And how my mood lightens when I see them. I love photography and my favorite subject is flowers. Truth be told, it doesn’t take much skill to capture the beauty of a flower. The flower does all the work.

So right now, as I write this, I’m looking at a beautiful bouquet of just-about-to-open alstroemeria on the coffee table and a big, bright splash of yellow daffodils in amongst the turquoise McCoy.

This bunch of alstroemeria has yet to open. That’s why I chose them. Alstroemeria always lasts a long time; getting them this early is a bonus.

I just remarked to Don that I should make this trip once a month. TJs has such great flowers and they’re so affordable. It’s worth the drive, especially when it’s too soon for any blooms in the garden.

And you know what? Four bouquets are not too many. In fact, I’m going to do five next time, so I can have some on my desk, as well.

It’s a beautifully sunny day and my one request of Don is that he move the snowblower from the porch back to the shed. I want access to the porch, because it’s time to start sorting and cleaning. I can put a couple of the chairs back on the funky patio. I’m not sure yet whether I can put the chairs and table in the secret garden. It may be too soggy back there. But I can do something, right? At the very least, I can remove the blue tarp that is covering the sideboard, aka former kitchen island.

We starting watching The Power of Myth last night after seeing it listed on Netflix. We saw it when it first aired on PBS, but we’re getting so much more from it this time around. Joseph Campbell was brilliant.

I’m reading a spy thriller that I will be reviewing in April. In fact, I was so into it last night that I read a bit too long and had trouble getting to sleep. But all is well.

Happy Tuesday.

Clearing

February 22, 2019 at 8:58 am by Claudia

On their last legs. Nevertheless, so beautiful.

Yesterday was spent chopping ice, hacking away at the un-shoveled parking area at the top of our driveway – I could only manage half of it. We were completely wiped out afterwards. We have a two day window in which to tackle this; the temps are in the forties, snow is melting a bit, so if we’re going to get things back to normal now is the time.

We’re both still under the weather, but what can you do?

Since I feel like I’ve been held captive in the cottage for a month, I have to get out of here today or I will lose my mind. Truly. So it will be back out there this morning to get rid of the remaining snow and put some salt down so I can make my escape.

I’ve heard nothing but raves about Andrew McCabe’s new book, so I’m going to buy it. Especially since the dictator-wannabe in the Oval Office fired him 48 hours before his pension was going to kick in out of sheer cruelty. The more sales the better for Mr. McCabe, and a nice thumb-your-nose at the Orange Man.

What else? It was warm enough yesterday to open a window and I did. I wanted to air the cottage out after all the coughs and sneezes and the smell of Vicks.

That’s it for today, simply because there isn’t anything else to chat with you about and I have to get moving on the shoveling.

Happy Friday.

Tulips and Jadeite

I Must Have Flowers

Clearing

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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