Thursday, December 26, 2013

24-25 December blooms and a win

Good morning everyone ~ I hope you all had a peace and love filled Christmas.

Both Christmas Eve day and Christmas day found me outside enjoying beautiful weather working the east side areas of my cottage.  This is my main entry and it needed straightening up with potted plants, remove a wheelbarrow of potting soil, pots, move and rearrange potted plants, etc.  I have to work outside when the weather is nice, regardless of what day it is.  Summer’s heat and humidity will be here before long and there are projects I want to get done before then.  We are having heat and humidity ‘now’, but not like during the summer.

Last Saturday, a friend of mine gave me a wonderful book “Container Gardening”. 

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I was at work and as I looked through it I was getting inspired. Then a business came around selling plants, and normally I won’t even look when they come around, but he said it’s free to take a peek.  Mostly indoor plants, but… there was a red Knock-out rose, which nabbed my heart.  I bought it.  Merry Christmas to me. Then I felt guilty for buying it, sheesh! Soon after, I had a sale, and then another, and the commission from both, more than paid for the rose. I know ‘Who’ worked that out.

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Oh, yeh, in the trash container in front of the shop where I work, were these three baskets.  My friend asked me if I had seen the two baskets out there, and I said no.  I jumped out of my chair, not too proud to look in the can, and there were not just two but a third one also. I think one of the shop owners whose wife used to make floral arrangements with beautiful silk flowers, threw these out.  One had a bit of paint and another had stain as you can see.  Don’t know yet what I will do with them, but they are good to have in my stash.  Free is good!

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This time of year is when our gardens do very well down here in s.e. FL. I took pictures both days and hope they will bring some color and cheer to you.

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12-24-begonias

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One of my projects for 2014, is pressure cleaning and painting my little cottage.  It is something we were going to do but did not get to accomplish. You can see the knock out rose sitting in a ‘faux bois’ chair, that friends Nanci and John gave us years ago.

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I love this flower arrangement. Smile

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Now for my win in a drawing done by Jeri Landers of Hopalong Hollow Gazette.  If you have not visited her wonderful, happy blog yet, please do.  You won’t be disappointed, just click on the link above to take you there. She is a wonderful artist in several mediums.  Her attention to ‘detail’ is amazing.  I’ve been following her for a couple of years now and always enjoy visiting her blog.  She’s a wonderful story teller and has delightful you tube videos also. 

Anyway, she had a drawing for book number three in her series and three people were going to be lucky winners, and I just happened to be one of them.  I had already told her I wanted to buy one as this book about Mamsy has to do with needleworking. She told me to wait before sending a check just in case I was a winner, plus the books hadn’t come in yet and she didn’t want money sent until they arrived. Well, lo and behold, I was one of the three winners. Hip, hip hurray.  I won her first book in another drawing a couple of years ago, then last year when Mark left this planet for his heavenly home, she sent me her second book. They are all delightful.

This book arrived on Monday, and I saved it to open on  Christmas morning.  What an absolute delight!  It is my favorite of all three books. I had a smile on my face, joy in my heart, tears in my eyes, and inspiration was all over the place.  Thank you Jeri.

This is a book for all ages!

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What she wrote to me really blessed my heart and inspired me to keep working with needles, threads, buttons, laces, ribbons and beads.

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Here’s the trailer she made for this sweet book.

******

As 2013 comes to a close and 2014 is about to begin,

reflect on your many blessings,

learn from mistakes made,

don’t forget to dream.

Be kind,

loving and forgiving others,

encourage others.

*********

My word for 2014 is ‘conqueror’,

to be victorious.

Not by my might,

but by God’s strength.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

I don’t want to be afraid, or think I can’t do things just because I lost Mark. I know he’s cheering me on, and sometimes I hear his ‘atta girl’, when I accomplish something.

***************

Enjoy this last week of 2013 and may 2014 be a good year.

Love and hugs ~ FlowerLady

 

23 comments:

M.K. said...

Oh, I love a knock-out rose bush. They grow really well here and many yards have them. Thanks for your collection of blooms. It makes the heart warm to see them this time of year. (That luscious blue one especially) I wonder if you could dye that one stained basket, so the dye rather matched the stain, and it wouldn't show? Nice find!

Gary said...

Good afternoon Lorraine,
Firstly, I love the rose picture header to your blog. What really makes the picture for me is the flower in it's final days, dropping it's petals. Just seems to complete the whole picture for me. This post is beautiful, that's all I will say. Gardening in your space on Christmas Day, just about right on every level, and something I WILL do next year. Your friends book is truly lovely, and I am now 'winging' my way to her blog to try and get a copy for Ella. So much....thank you.
ps.....something is heading your way from the UK.

Deb J. in Utah said...

So glad you "presented" yourself with the rose bush. I know that God wanted you to have it and worked it out so your made those sales to pay for it! I love your word for 2014. How upbeat and positive! I have been thinking about my word for the coming year - haven't quite decided on one yet...need to pray about it. Those baskets are a great find! Like you, I am never to proud to re-use and re-purpose what others have thrown out! Have a wonderful day.

Sallysmom said...

Once again you have written a heartwarming and uplifting blog post. I can feel down but come here to see if you have a new post, read it, and feel better. Although I have tears in my eyes right now, know that you are loved by many and many have their day brightened by being here with you.

jerilanders said...

Rainey, So happy you are inspired! I knew that book was going into the right hands when James picked your name. It was kismet. How lovely to see roses at this time of year when all around us are 70 shades of grey!

organicgardendreams said...

Hi Lorraine, I was also out yesterday and did a little bit of light gardening and enjoyed it so much! I am glad you got the 'Knock Out' rose. Everyone deserves a little treat for Christmas that brings joy to the heart. It looks very beautiful in your garden. I really like container gardening, but feel it is much more work to take care of the plants then when they are planted into the grounds, so I try to keep the amount of containers that I have limited. The area by the door, where you have placed your containers looks very lovely! If we don't read from each other this year anymore, I would like to wish you a happy and healthy New Year 2014! You set wonderful and brave intentions for the next year and I have to admit that I admire you for that very much! Warm wishes,
Christina

Nancy J said...

Beautiful words for 2014, and the book, such a talented lady, and YES, for all ages, you deserve it so very much. Lovely Red Rose, and another book, I love containers for any plant. Fond Greetings for the season, whatever it is, all through the year, Jean.

Jean Campbell said...

Hooray for KO roses and free baskets in the trash. Grow some bromeliads or succulents in them.

I was just looking at old posts on my own blog. This time last year we had new buds on orchids. I have one with buds and what I suspect is a bloom stalk just starting on another. How about you? It's SO exotic to have orchids mid-winter and they do it without our interference.

Ruth Hiebert said...

In my eyes,you are already a conquerer.Keep on moving forward.I love that sweet rosebud on the tree stump,or whatever it is.

L. D. said...

Another wonderful posting from you there in the land of flowers. I really like all of them that are in bloom. I am pleased the God continues to remind you of his love and that healing will be an everyday process that He shares with you. Have a good year of creativity and discovery.

Gardener on Sherlock Street said...

So many lovely flowers at your place. Good nap on those baskets!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Rebecca said...

I really like your "word" for 2014. It's a strong one!

Free IS good and your flowers are beautiful.

Thanking God with you for the surprises and beauty that you share from your life, Lorraine.

Val said...

I love how the rose came to you. ♥

tina said...

Happy Holidays to you Flowerlady! Gosh so glad you bought that knockout rose! Yes, it is the little things that make us so happy. That artwork and note from Hopalong Hollow Gazette is artwork. The words are wonderful and the way they are arranged is ever so special. So glad you won the book. Many hugs for the New Year and your word is most appropriate. Thanks for your kind words to me this morning too!

Antique ART Garden said...

Yard looks great, glad to check in and see you are coping well day by day. Wonderful you own Jeri's book, also one of my fav blogs. Take good care of yourself, love, Gina

Joy Junktion said...

Although I can not see that much of it, I think I Love your little cottage :)

Mrs. E said...

I love visiting here. The flowers, the cottage, and that lovely book, all of those things inspire. (Also,love that you make wonderful "finds" in the trash, too!!)

Sandy said...

I love your word for the new year and I am glad you have the rose bush. Just lovely! By sales I assume you mean in your Etsy shop. So glad you are doing well there. I have had 8 sales myself and am very happy about that. Everything in your yard speaks of prosperity, joy and abundant life! All of which I hope for you in the coming year and always, Lorraine!
Hugs!

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

Checking in
everything surrounding you looks so beautiful - love the baskets :)
Just damp, cold, mud surrounding me. But I have a vivid imagination and can see next Spring and Summer.
Take care...

Annie said...

Beautiful flowers at your place...I don't want to be afraid to do things either...doubt is a terrible curse.

Susan said...

I love the Christmas present you bought for yourself . . . how wonderful to treat yourself to such a gem of a rose. Knock-outs are one of my favorite care-free roses. The baskets were a neat find . . . what a shame to throw away perfectly good items. The new year is almost upon us, and I do wish you a wonderful new year with lots of joy tucked into each and every day. Take care, Flowerlady!

CJ STITCHING AND BLOOMS said...

Hello Lorraine,Your south Florida flowers were a JOY to admire.. I wish I could see flowers at the moment.. VBG Your cottage is sooooooo cute. I love it. I really enjoyed watching the video of the book. It is definitely a very sweet book. Thanks for sharing. Hugs Judy

Thistle Cove Farm said...

those baskets can always be painted and, you're right, free is great! have a good, safe, sane New Year's, Lorraine. God bless you.