Flowers in the Home

Today Jane over at Small But Charming is hosting another Flowers in the Home Monday. Thanks, Jane! For the occasion, I'd like to welcome you to my little bedside table/file storage, topped with a nice swirl of daffodils from the garden. What a happy way to wake up! Is it wrong to have a favorite flower?

Better Late Than Never

Well, well. Look who finally showed up- pins and ribbons to go along with this bouquet, featured here way back when, before St. Valentine's Day. Sorry for the little delay.

 

Sharing the Love

Some kind soul from Texas recently sent three Flowers to Care to Cope Family Center here in Napa. As always, they were especially fun to design and deliver. Thank you so much for sharing the love and joy of flowers!

Wintry Mix

I thought my days of the dreaded "wintry mix"- specialty of the Midwest and East - were over. But in the last three days we've had a taste of all the signature elements- snow, sleet, hail, rain, and now, ice (above). Okay, maybe it's not the same. Looking back on some photos of my time in Iowa (below) has put things in perspective.

The Mechanic's Wife's Flowers

Andrew is a both a very good mechanic and a very good husband.

Wuv, Twue Wuv.

 What more can I say? Ah yes, happy St. Valentine's Day!

Scorpions and all

Yesterday, Ben gallantly "took care of" a scorpion that was apparently residing under his dresser. All night I had dreams of the things in creepy places, like on my bedside table, the floor by the bed, etc. Has the East softened me?? Annnnyways, here's a little Spring bouquet made with all local stuff: ranunculus, narcissus, buckeyes, sharon ferns, and arum lily leaves. Which is why I love California, scorpions and all. (Accompanying flowers to wear hopefully coming along soon . . . ).

Fine you can stay

 We'd been toying with the idea of pulling the wild plum out all winter; it never seems to do much except cast shade over our one somewhat sunny location out front. But as if it knew what we were up to, that plum's gone and put on a more flowery show than ever before in its life. It looked especially pretty the other evening reflected on our makeshift cold frames (radishes are up!). Guess you stay for now, tree.

Green machine

It's getting a little greener outside, and so is my website! After shopping around for a while, I finally transferred my files on over to the renewable-energy-powered-servers at Acorn Host up in Portland, Oregon. An added bonus? It's a woman-owned company. (What a welcome change from my last hosting provider, an industry leader which marketed itself with scantily clad "girls". . . Do you know the one?). Anyways, I've been thrilled with the attentive and personal service at Acorn Host. If you're in the market for a greener hosting option, I recommend checking them out!

Giving back

The Monkey Flower Group recently launched Flowers to Care, a service which send fresh flower arrangements to Cope Family Center here in Napa to be enjoyed by members of the community. This morning Design*Sponge shared FTC as a gift idea for St. Valentine's Day (or just because). Thanks so much to all those taking a look and sending flowers!

Why do I want to eat you so?

Sometimes flowers look so good I am overcome with a desire to take a nibble. Usually I can feebly justify this from an evolved human behavior  perspective, but when those flowers are poisonous (as I believe these narcissus are), it really makes me begin to question whether the processes of natural selection are still alive and well in modern human populations. If science  does not have an answer, I will blame Willy Wonka's daffodil teacups (featured at 3:30 minutes).

It's been such a long time

 January is not much of a month for farmers markets or weddings, and thus I haven't had too many excuses to make my favorite things, flowers to wear. But finally, a fun party! So here are two headbands sewn of cymbidium orchid petals, acacia, narcissus, rabbit foot fern, and daphne blossoms. Both smelled lovely!