Nope, I'm NOT nervous

Re: The weddings

In my experience, I do better at something if I've worried about it for awhile first. I usually try to think of all the possiblities, good and bad: The receiving line, the dance, will I be unfailingly gracious to guests, will the flowers be as wonderful as I expect them to be, is there something more I could/should do as MotG or MotB, will I spill food on my dress or cry too much or laugh inappropriately, will the silver 'slippers' hurt...WHO will I piss off? lol

Weddings can be mine-fields, huh? Or, occassions of joy and family connection, legally hooking up with another whole clan. I've never met son's future parents-in-law, but they'll become important in my life now.
On both sides, there are step-parents involved, too. Argh.

(One good thing about working where I do....my ex-family shops there once in awhile, and yesterday I talked with my XMIL. It was good to see her and remind myself, again, that she IS simply an aging human, that's all. She never fails to tell me what a wonderful job I did raising those two kids. Hugging her was suprisingly comforting and....satisfying for us both, I think).

The fascinating thing about weddings--what I especially look forward to--is the super chance to "make-do". LOL...sounds funny, but I relish the idea of coming up with a solution to something on the fly. A ripped hem? Missing safety pins? Tipping flowers? New stucco for your house?
"Wait, I probably have something in the truck!" lol

Maybe it's a good thing that they didn't get married when they were younger. I wouldn't have been ready!

Here ya go, Newb!

Really, this doesn't FIT with my Spring Flowers theme, but I'm posting it for you anyway, 'cuz you asked so graciously....

A visible vehicle

I read an article recently about how people who drive SUV's believe they're invincible on the road, taking chances by advantage of their size and the amount of metal around them, and that small-car drivers are much more likely to abide by the rules of the road, like speed limits, and to take NO chances in their little tin cans.

It made sense.
I'm much more cautious around a semi than around mini coopers.

(Hey, if there's not much on the radio during my drive to work, I just ponder stuff like this, ok? Then, with any luck, YOU get to read about it...lol)

Yesterday, I had to be at work at 7 AM. Lovely early morning drive time across the prairie.....on a road where I had a bad accident 5 years ago in broad daylight....totaling my big red Explorer.

You'd think that visability would be an asset at dawn, right? An advantage anytime, really-- in the rain, at twilight, in the fog, on the highway, during snowstorms--but that woman didn't SEE me in that huge red truck on a clear sunny day!

So why, if I live in Minnesota, would I choose white for the color of my vehicle? I mean, if I plowed into a snowbank, they might not find me til spring, right?

Ahh, but white stands out against green or brown fields, blue or gray skies, red or green or golden foliage....and EVERYBODY drives more carefully in the winter anyway, so I'm safe all year 'round, hehehe...and of all the vehicles on the road yesterday morning, the only distinguishable car color was white.
I figure, if I can see them, they can see me.

GOOD morning!

The is above a clear horizon this morning! It's still supposed to be cool today though, too, so I'll be happy.
Have a teriffic day!


I love this guy's little feet....lol

Silver "Slippers"? ohmigawd...

It's funny...Fleet does have lotsa good stuff!
That's where I bought the wiper blade, the screw, the batteries....and the perfume.
They have sneakers, boots, athletic shoes, slippers, and flip-flops, but SILVER shoes?


Naw, I bought these on line, from a site Daud recommended. (One woman said she wore them all day at her son's wedding without any discomfort...what better endorsement, huh?)
LOL...but there IS a resemblance, don't you think?
Wink, Wink!

A good deal....

....has been written about good deals. ( I've thought about this a good deal, you know?)
I'm not necessarily talking about bargains, since I rarely expect to get something cheaper. It's just a perk when something I would have bought anyway is on sale.

No, I'm talking about those occasions when I have a little extra time, a little extra energy--and a bit'o'extra jing--like today.

I needed a new windshield wiper blade, some batteries, new perfume, a certain size screw, and bananas.

I've been 'on the chase' for silver shoes, too, and jewelry to wear with the blue dress for son's wedding.

I'm so proud of myself! I actually went to three different stores. (Those who know me can guess at least one of them. C'mon, it's my favorite store!)

LOL...I managed to pick up all those dumb little things that I've been meaning to get for awhile.
T'sa good deal!

Zoe has me trained

I don't know why, but She Who Must Be Obeyed gets a wild hair during the winter. Water in a bowl on the floor becomes unacceptable. She demands a waterfall to slake her thirst...in the form of a tall plastic cup in the sink, balanced on the stopper to tilt the brim toward her.

CATerwalling from the bathroom counter commands me to "Come here!"
But just turning the faucet on isn't good enough...


I'm supposed to stand there and maintain contact.


"Lap, lap, lap....ok, that's enough...why don't you go get comfortable at the computer? I'll call you again when I need you..."

From the garden

Ahhh......


Red tulips and blue grape hyacinth make me smile.

Typical Minnesota Spring

Oh, man. There's a dusting of snow on the flowerbed outside my office window this morning. Sheesh!

Something for each of you

For Anonymous.....http://davesgarden.com/pf/

For Newest Reader....http://www.acapellafella.com/

For Patsy...http://tales-from-the-ridge.blogspot.com/2005/04/springs-eternal.html

Patsy's Daughter..... http://www.spamula.net/blog/

For Lem....we were talking about the night sky, weren't we?
http://www.neave.com/lab/space/planetarium.html

ok, ok....something strange, with a long download
(if you like it, then it's for YOU, too)...
http://no.brain.free.fr/flims_real/emiliesimon.htm

For Josh.....http://www.grand-illusions.com/index.htm

For Bid.... http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/pda/

For Lalo.... http://www.xmotional.com/ Cool, huh?

For Julie....probably old news to you... http://www.gardenweb.com/

For Bert and Phred...http://www.ebaumsworld.com/index2.shtml

For the milling hoards...
http://uploads.ungrounded.net/221000/221483_Play.swf

The Personals

Have you ever tried connecting with someone through the 'personals' sites that are ubiquitous online?
You'd think it would be a great way to meet people, right? Especially those services that have you answer myriad questions about yourself and about who you'd want in your life.
Weed out the incompatibles before you even say "Hi".
How perfect.
How efficient.
How impossible, evidently.

Sheesh, now my requirements have turned into what I DON'T want in a man.
If he's humorless, or can't/doesn't bother to spell correctly, if he can't play with the language.....if he has nothing but sex on his mind (ahem), if he's never heard of a blog, if he thinks of questions as challenges....and women as ladies...if he thinks a good time is watching fishing shows on the tube and doesn't like big band music...if he's shorter than me or thrives on HOT weather, if poetic ideas scare him and new ideas weird him out, and the last book he read was a comic....well, then, what do I want him in my life for?

I know from experience that this isn't asking too much....but maybe you only get to meet ONE like that in a life time?

Optimistic Me says 'I hope not'. Realistic Me says 'Forget about it".

Funeral flowers

Were you wondering if I was so wrapped up in mowing that I'd forget to show you the casket spray? Nawww.
(The 'photo studio' is a little cluttered, but at least I cropped the cardboard box out of the picture).

These pieces are for the funeral of a woman who had a large and prosperous family. The scripts said "Mother", "Grandmother", "Great Grandmother" AND "Great Great Grandmother"...whew.






(I don't know if you can see it, but this third piece has a 'mossy path' through the middle...the idea is that this might be where the deceased has gone).

When I'm doing funeral flowers, I often think about something I read years ago: the concept that as long as there are people alive who knew you, you're not really dead.

(Hm. A good reason to become Foster Grandparents, huh?)

No, it WASN'T pleasant.

(I'll save the heavy-duty whining for when it's really ugly out there...)

Lucky YOU!

Today's the day...gah!

Yes, it's sunny, breezy and 57 degrees.
When I got home from work, I "whacked" around the edges in a 'start at least' mode.
The mower is in front of the garage now, glaring at me 'cuz it's full of gas, the oil's been checked and WHY am I not out there?

Oh, good grief...aw'right! See ya later.

I'm NOT going to like this.

A 'weddings' question

OK, I've found the nail polish to wear to son's wedding. Now, do I use the same color on my toenails? Or is that TOO coordinated?

(Right, forget I asked...I've never been accused of being too coordinated!)

I'm due at work soon--funeral arrangements--it's the fun part of 'funerals'...
Have a lovely Sunday!

Early morning bridge

I've been waiting for the greening to begin
beneath the bridge
a sunny morning
with sharp shadows
little traffic
and no train.



Today was that day.

Something tacky

This is funny and weird, with a floral reference, you might say.......
You know Chia Pets?

Click
here and make sure you see all five!

I need an explanation

Found in someone elses blog comments:

"Caught off-guard, 20 nuns"
Wasn't there a joke that started with that line?

LOL...so, share it, ok? Hmmm?

Something amazing...lol

Remember those Freedom roses I brought home? That was April 5th.

YOU thought that story ended already, right?

Au contraire, sweet chops!




That's FIFTEEN days!

Gardening

Ahhhh, yes. It's 59 degrees and sunny, with a nice breeze--a lovely day-- so I've been cleaning up flower beds and trimming the miniature willow. I hesitate to trim trees and bushes because I usually go too far: trim, trim, walk around....snip more...walk around...make the north side even with the south side...trim, trim...GAH!
Now my huge hairy ball of a miniature willow looks positively---Oriental. Oops.

However, you'll be pleased to see this:

See? They ARE red...lol

Hooray

A day off in the middle of the week....is that really a fair trade for the stress of working Saturday?

Probably, if it's sunny tomorrow.

Sweet dreams
hearts x 2

A fresh-washed world

Remember all those pictures this winter from 'out my backdoor'? Same picture, different month...lol

It rained today, especially when I was on my way home, and now everything is shades of green, white and black. I can hear a bird singing a twilight song as I write this....and I can hear the damn GRASS GROWING.
(This is NOT a picture of me mowing lawn.... If there's one thing I persistently whine about, it's mowing the lawn. You might as well know that right now.....and if it bugs you, check back here in November after the first hard freeze.
Otherwise, deal).

What a difference a day makes...!

LOL...even the grass is greener today!

Plant some flowers!

LOL...A friend sent me flower seeds this morning to make Ephemeral Florist bloom, but YOU have to do the work, ok? It'll only take a little clicking....
...(in fact, that's how I wanted the blog to look from the start )


Have a blooming day, and Thank You!

Another Woebegon Trail Ride...with pictures!

My bike ridin' buddy ran a half-marathon yesterday, so I did the trail alone today. We usually talk the whole way, but the gnats would have kept that to a minimum this time anyway.

Yeah, spitting them out IS kinda fun.

Remember the picture with the snow still piled along the trail? Here's the same place now:


And since I'm obviously into "series" pictures for your vicarious viewing pleasure, here's the latest 83.5 Mile Marker Photo:

It's a little greener out there now....and NO SNOW is a good thing, too.
(The track behind the marker is the parallel snowmobile trail...)

Here's where a little trestle crosses Millstream Creek, first looking south...


...and then looking north.


Millstream must have been a powerful river once, but now it meanders all over the floodplain, coiling back on itself every few feet through a swampy frog-breeding, redwing blackbird hosting lowland. It S'WONDERFUL!

Tulip up-date. Hey, it's April!

I can't help it, ok?

(This is where you, fearless reader, get to show how tolerant you really are, hmmm? We're talking MORE pictures of my spring yard...lol).

My Nanking Cherry bushes out back are starting to bloom. In a few days, they'll be covered in white flowers.

Right now, they're...well, let me show you:

Click the picture...

FULL of potential, huh? I love that...

( BTW, yes, upper left corner, that's a Flower Shop right across the road from my house. I've been in it twice--it's way too small for me).

Okay, here are the first few cherry blossoms!

Phew! I feel better now. (I could have shown you five more....lol...)

Just so you know, this is what they look like in mid-summer:

~#~*~#~*~#~*~#~*~#~*~#~*~

Remember to stop back in a few days, when I'll show you the whole ROW in bloom!

Something curious

I've been noticing that a lot of 'hits' lately are for the same page from the December archives. Funny, they're from all over the world, too....for the SAME page?? Wha...?

I finally figured it out, though. It's prom season, and not just in the U.S.

Kids all over are Googling for 'wrist corsage' pictures, and I'd posted one that I found on.....Google.

(If you're here for wrist corsage pictures...check the December archives for Monday the 13th...and have a wonderful time at the prom!)

Axel and His Dog

This morning I've been washing windows since the world outside is greening up nicely and it's raining. My kitchen window looked especially sweet, so of course I took a picture:



Made me think about "Birdie with the yellow bill" and Axel, Towser, Talullah and Nurse Carmen...hmm....think maybe it's because of
this show that two of my sisters are nurses, one owns FOUR dogs, two of us have cats and I'm called BIRDIE?

The Floral Crew tonight

We went out celebrating tonight! The only one who didn't have anything stronger than water to drink--me--has the reddest face......


I don't care. Today was a good day and we had LOTS to talk over and laugh about, believe me!

Ode to the Florist's Best Friend

In all the time I've been a florist, this machine has been my constant side-kick. It's good for only one thing, but it does that very well. So here it is, the story of

The Pick Machine



(Start Ken Burns type music here)
When trying to insert a silk flower stem into a container filled with floral foam, one often wishes there were something sharp on the end of the stem.

Enter the florist's buddy, the florist's helper and confidant...the humble pick machine. Weighing in at a good 20 pounds, this hunk of engineered cast iron clamps a sharp little dagger on the end of a stem with a flick of the florist's hand. Push the handle forward to load the pick, and back to clamp it around the stem.
Simple. Efficient. Effective. Humble. Un do-without-able. lol.

All florists feel this way, but only a few of us would sing it's praises, and even fewer would write a blog post about it.