Full Circle

Before the holiday chaos, I completed one of the my last end-of-season chores—winterizing the greenhouse. I had procrastinated for weeks and weeks knowing just what it entails, and when I saw that low of 1 degree, my window of opportunity was getting ready to slam shut.

So one December Sunday I started working East to West, pulling every last thing out. Overwintering pots of mums, geranium and dahlia cuttings, containers of every tool you can think of, stakes, clamps, tags, ties, clips, pots, trays and all the ingredients to grow all the things. Bottom line: a lot of stuff moved out of the greenhouse and onto the patio and muddy, soggy grass.

I raked a season’s worth of debris from the gravel floor…stems, unacceptable mushy dahlia tubers and dead flower heads that didn’t quite make the toss to the compost bucket. (It’s a mad scientist’s workshop, what can I can say.) The cobwebs and abandoned spider nests were dusted out from top to bottom and the dirt and grime wiped from the windows. The winter sun needs to spill in freely for the next few months. There won’t be much of it and I’ll need all I can get.

So as I physically prepared the greenhouse for winer and slowly began to create a refreshed and tidy workspace, I prepared myself mentally for the long months ahead. Week by week and day by day, I will count down until I can sow the next flower seeds. Not too early, not too late. The timing is a delicate balancing act with an impatient and very excited ringmaster.

Thank you to you, my bouquet subscribers, customers and flower people, who continue to give me inspiration and motivation to keep growing and to keep getting better each year.

The grow space is refreshed, and I cannot wait to tackle another flower season!

#3 Making Something Out of Nothing

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays & Bountiful Blessings to you and yours!

I gotta admit, each year it takes me a bit of coaxing to get to this place. The place where I can honestly offer that greeting from an authentic and heart felt place. When it comes to welcoming the holidays, believe it or not, my true nature is pretty “bah-humbug.” Stress, anxiety and general contrary-ness get the best of me every year.

BUT, I happen to be married to the uber-positive, ever-optimist, holiday-loving, rose-colored glasses kind of guy that is Mr. Hart. He LOVES the holidays with unwavering contagious enthusiasm.

He’s got collections of antique ornaments, nutcrackers, Christmas villages, and family heirlooms. He’s got seasonal light bulbs he rotates into all the light fixtures. The kitchen fixtures are now emitting a faint, frosty blue light, and I’ll need my phone’s flashlight to read today’s baking recipes. He offered to change them back, but I had to admit they look and feel good.

And that’s how he does it.

He goes about his holiday business by himself. Planning, shopping, decorating, making…until I come around. And when I finally come around, I do what I do best. I make something out of nothing. It’s that challenge that shifts my spirit.

There are no flowers, except my three new amaryllis that are on the verge of blooming. And despite being watered and resting on a heat mat under grow lights, the rest of them plan to sleep right through Christmas. My orchids are loaded with bloom stalks and buds, but again, no flowers. So last week, I bought three 1/2 price cedar garlands (thanks Cottage Gardens) and gave myself a challenge. How could I use it and how far could it go?

What I came up with really wasn’t anything never before seen, but I used what I had on hand to create something new and in the holiday spirit. I was able to decorate the dining room and kitchen and it feels much better, much warmer, and so do I.

So on that note, I’ll get to my baking and wish you the Merriest Christmas and Happiest of Holidays!

Time to slow down…

In early September on a random Thursday morning, I received a text from my bestie since (yikes!), 1st grade, “guess who’s having her appendix out today?”

What would have normally been a routine appendectomy and an overnight hospital stay escalated, resulting in complications, an additional surgery and a whopping 8-days in the hospital. She was weak, exhausted and dare I say even a bit traumatized.

I told her I could take time off work and leave my flowers. I made her promise to ask if she needed me to fly out and take care of her for a few days once she was released.

“My friend, I can think of nothing more helpful.” And within ten minutes I had a flight to Boston. Now she just needed to rest and be still until my arrival in three days.

Neither of us are good at sitting, being still or resting.

She was fragile and weak and once she got home her texts were a bit frantic. “When I get there I am going to sit with you but until then you just have to sit. Nothing else matters. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. Just rest.”

On Tuesday I left my flowers in good hands with Mr. Hart and spent five days sitting with her. I cooked and shopped and tidied up for her but mostly we just sat and laughed and took naps and talked. She hit the milestones of walking a little further each day, dipping her toes in the water and eating a real meal.

It was healing to simply be. For her and for me.

During those five days we were both forced to slow down. To take a breath. To have a conscious moment in which to discern if the daily choices we make are life giving or life sucking. To actually feel that less is more.

And less felt really good.

When it was time to leave not only was I grateful I had the opportunity to help her get back on her feet, but that I could join her in slowing down.

And so I’m continuing to embrace slowing down (she’ll keep me accountable!) and I’m continuing to choose life giving instead of life sucking.

I invite you to please join me as I slow down and move all my flower “talk” to the more peaceful place that is my website. I will be eliminating my social media presence and all communication via direct message. My blog, email updates and website will take over from here.

As always, thank you for your interest in my flowers. I love sharing them with you.

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