tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78683407136439681072024-03-05T00:03:43.786-08:00Petals In ProsePetals in Prosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18052410478398631386noreply@blogger.comBlogger68125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7868340713643968107.post-22795694741200134502012-06-27T20:00:00.003-07:002012-06-27T20:00:36.289-07:00In the Absence of Stuff<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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This isn't a stuff blog. I don't have products or things to promote. I can get pretty excited about a great pair of shoes, and find me a pretty new dress and this girl will be spinning and singing down the block. But ask me to write a post on it? Nope. Not my thing. </div>
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Give me space and the absence of stuff and you've given me room to breathe. </div>
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In the case of our camping trip last week, the subject was rocks. I love rocks. I dream of creating rock walls around our property. I love finding great big rocks (and than finding great big people to lift and position them just so) and I love the tiny rocks that fit perfectly into the fairy garden or other small planted areas. I love sitting on rocks, stargazing or sunbathing. I love holding a rock in my hand as I walk, rubbing my thumb into it, meditating on the shape and feel. </div>
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As it turns out, my children love rocks too. We arrived to a rather manicured campsite and began setting up. Within less than an hour my two had collected all the rocks they could find and formed a pathway to our tent. </div>
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Later, when our friends joined us, the rocks became the major players in a construction drama that unfolded late into the afternoon. <br />
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On our hike the stone steps provided a destination so great that our meandering team of flower collectors swung into full speed for a chance to walk on the great stone steps.<br />
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And later at the water, the stones were arranged in circles to make homes for the crawdads and salamanders we found tucked away into the rivers crevasses. <br />
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There is nothing marketable here. No advertisement running down the side of the page explaining the benefits of spending time in the absence of stuff, but I promise, not all things worth your time are worthy of being advertised. Just head outdoors, leave things behind you and all around, you will see magic unfold.</div>
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<i>Thanks for stopping by,</i></div>
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<i>Cammie</i></div>
<br /></div>Petals in Prosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18052410478398631386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7868340713643968107.post-12888607876080115712012-06-16T20:06:00.000-07:002012-06-16T20:06:44.562-07:00A Different Side of the Story<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Life is full of passions. <br />
My passions are my family, flowers, gardens, lovely gestures, kindness, stories, storytelling......and as odd as it may sound, flamenco. Dance is not typically on the agenda for this blog but as I have just returned from a performance at a local vineyard I am filled with the desire to share a bit from a different side of my little life. <br />
Dancing. Flamenco. <br />
Delving into our passions even when the prime of youth has passed. I always wanted to be a dancer and though it is only a tiny part of my already full life, dance is my storytelling in motion, the great unfolding of a flower blooming.<br />
There is a feeling I get when I dance of utter freedom. Once I have mastered the steps and put the many pieces together I have a sense of unity with my physical self, with the story I am telling and with the art it creates. Believe me when I say, I am no master. I am far from a great dancer, but I have a love for what I am doing that transcends the need to be great. I don't have to be great (not for me anyway), I just have to do it. I have to let all those pieces of myself come together.<br />
I have only been at this a few years and finding the time to practice is a definite challenge but I set the goal when I started to stick with it for at least three years.....I am at the beginning of year three and going strong. Let's hope for another ten.<br />
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Do you have a passion outside the realm of what you would normally do? What is it and how do you find time to fit it in? What does it mean to you? </div>
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Thank you for stopping by!</div>
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<i>Cammie</i></div>
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<br /></div>Petals in Prosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18052410478398631386noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7868340713643968107.post-82456957859850865532012-06-05T17:29:00.000-07:002012-06-05T17:29:35.469-07:00Lost in Berries....No Sugar Necessary<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's been a whirlwind month. The raised beds seem intent on producing with a force previously unheard of to my garden-loving eyes and we have been rolling in their wonder for weeks now. The beds have been prolific but raised as they may be, they couldn't have done this alone. Our countertops are lined with jam jars, our bellies filled with beets, pole beans, and 101 ways to eat a strawberry. Fatigued from great eating, we point our fingers at the m<a href="http://www.mushroomcompost.org/">ushroom compost</a>. <br />
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It is a thing of wonder and richness so steeped in nutrients that when it arrives on the truck in large heavy loads it steams for days. I watch it while I wash dishes at the kitchen sink in my own cloud of steam and wonder at the heat that lies beneath. In fact, when we mixed it into our beds we had to be careful not to use too much or risk burning our plants before they ever saw the sun.<br />
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To celebrate the strawberry bounty I made twenty jars of sugar free jam....and that doesn't mean Splenda either. I don't consider that sugar free. I used white grape juice concentrate and ignored the instructions about not skimping on sugar. I didn't use a drop and it is delicious and perfectly set.<br />
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At the end of a day, Saffie loves to flip through garden magazines and wax poetic about his latest successes and failures on the growing front. Lately it has been all about the compost. "That stuff is really incredible," he says as he flips through the pages of <a href="http://www.motherearthnews.com/">Mother Earth News</a>. I agree of course but what, I wonder, will I do with all those beets. They are growing like gangbusters. I say this out loud and Saffie shouts, "Ah ha! Look at this!" He flips to the page on canning for the backyard gardener. A beautifully laid out article with answers to all my questions. You get what you ask for around here.<br />
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The only remaining problem seems to be losing Lola in the strawberry beds.</div>
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Thanks for stopping by,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Cammie</i></div>
</div>Petals in Prosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18052410478398631386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7868340713643968107.post-75749736290859864942012-05-15T18:29:00.002-07:002012-05-15T18:29:59.215-07:00An Afternoon in Bloom<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
From the doorway we walk into a field at play. Bushes of blown out roses; rows of silly snapdragons; sweetpeas tumbling along a mesh enclosure; stock blooming but better yet, smelling Delicious! And lest we forget, a basket full of "throw-away's" not fit for market but fit for the hands of a young collector gathering, gathering, gathering. <br />
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And than there were the peonies, lined up to be dressed for market. So perfect and promising. Those left in the fields sunk in the downpour but somehow still looked lovely in their petal pools. </div>
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And one, left to soak up the sun. </div>
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Thanks for stopping by,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Cammie</i></div>
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<br /></div>Petals in Prosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18052410478398631386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7868340713643968107.post-17934981601218974982012-05-10T18:18:00.002-07:002012-05-10T18:18:56.661-07:00Stepping Out into the Bright Sunshine<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Last week, before the rain came, the farm manager tilled the zinnia beds that run the length of my front yard and his. This activity always makes me happy because I know in a few short months I will have a rainbow of colors and an assortment of butterflies bright enough to lift up the drabbest of days. But until than.....there is work to be done and where there is a tractor there is my DD looking to join in. On this particular day we arrived home AFTER the tilling had been completed. DD was heartbroken. He could see the freshly tilled beds and yet Scoop (the big orange tractor) was nowhere in sight. It was almost the worst day of his life until Jim, the great farm manager saved it.<br />
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DD was given the job of running the drip tape. Back and forth, up and down the rows he walked pulling the lines of tape that would ultimately be tied into the hose and water the plants. It is a brilliantly efficient method of watering, reducing water to crop contact and therefore reducing the chance of disease. It works exceptionally well for zinnias, dahlias and other flowers on the farm.</div>
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Jim is a hard worker and spends his days in the sun for tireless long hours. On days like this one he can often be heard saying, "Nobody can have my job today! Maybe yesterday when it was cold and rainy, but not today!" He patiently sent DD back and forth until all the lines were laid. DD, forty-five minutes into the job finally began to tire but he kept on. The boy loves to get a job done.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyB3KiAd9h8eXormHR8yZ6prqy9o71xRtAhPtAKoBjbQgjUGS4R38UVaSY7rz5RTJU0PaL_mYRmmXF7miEGJWGUwoXGoYICksN4PMUagkdn5-oqUAwP_8_fV4FcZmnABvobbtl9Msd6K8/s1600/IMG_2649.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyB3KiAd9h8eXormHR8yZ6prqy9o71xRtAhPtAKoBjbQgjUGS4R38UVaSY7rz5RTJU0PaL_mYRmmXF7miEGJWGUwoXGoYICksN4PMUagkdn5-oqUAwP_8_fV4FcZmnABvobbtl9Msd6K8/s640/IMG_2649.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
There's a swagger in his step. Can you see it? I do. Everytime he has a chance to work, to get out and do something with the big kids, this little three-year-old walks like he's stepping out in the bright sunshine to the top of the world. And to top that off, he DID get the job done. Those flowers will be drinking pretty.<br />
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Thanks for stopping by!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Cammie</i></div>
</div>Petals in Prosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18052410478398631386noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7868340713643968107.post-56240454101345046842012-04-29T18:21:00.001-07:002012-04-29T18:21:54.378-07:00Hellebore: A Walk in the Woods and a Winter Wedding<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The greatness of the hellebore is that it grows in those shady parts of your yard where other flowers will not. It loves the overhang of a big tree and left to its own devices will send off seeds to propagate and increase its coverage year after year. The photo below was taken in West Virginia at <a href="http://www.sunfarm.com/plantlist/hellebores_main.phtml">Barry Glick's Sunshine Farm and Gardens </a>(sunshine in the shade I suppose). Farmer Bob paid a visit along with two of this year's interns and had a marvelous walk through these beautiful woods.</div>
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For the past few years the beds of hellebores have been slowly increasing here at <a href="http://www.wollamgardens.com/">Wollam Gardens</a>. The mauve, pink, white and green blossoms are loved by florists and market customers as an early spring/late winter marvel. My favorite part of the hellebore (aside from its sophisticated colors and late winter beauty) has always been when the bulbous seeds protrude through the petals towards the end of their show. In the photo below two hellebores are prominent, one purplie/pink and green with no distinctive center and one with mauve edges and a circular ring of pointed seed pods in the center. The seed pods are a textural bit of glory for my visual eye but left to their own devices they will sew your beds without your hand year after year.</div>
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On a cut-flower farm the trick is cutting as many flowers as possible to sell while still leaving something to increase the fold from year to year. The visit to Barry Glick's farm produced a bucket full of seedlings which left to their own devices would have been prolific here....but alas were not. Cutting the flowers to sell means the seeds do not have a chance to self-sew.</div>
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Farmer Bob loves to tell you about the stratification process. The hellebore thrives on the layering of cold, than warm, than cold, than warm weather.....get it? It's stratified (like a good italian egg and sausage strata....layer egg, layer bread, layer sausage, repeat....). The plants throw their seeds (12-15 in each of those tiny points!) The little seedlings emerge during the last breaths of winter. Gotta love it. <br />
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The foliage is so pretty too. An interesting choice for a ground cover with a path coaxing you through to explore. Check out the number of varieties available at <a href="http://www.sunfarm.com/plantlist/hellebores_main.phtml">Glick's farm</a>. It is astounding. </div>
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By the way, if you're planning a wedding in February or March you would do well to include this bloom. Just imagine a winter wonderland with these graceful blooms and their generous foliage interlaced with pussy willow and linens shimmering with a hint of spring green. <br />
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Thanks for stopping by!</div>
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<i>Cammie</i></div>
</div>Petals in Prosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18052410478398631386noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7868340713643968107.post-64450469359166220282012-04-24T09:40:00.001-07:002012-04-24T09:40:39.698-07:00All Hail The Pee-uh-nee<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Whichever camp you fall in (camp Pee-UH-nee or camp Pee-OH-nee) one thing is for certain, the glory of the peony flower should never be lost in translation. Whether yours stand upright or flop over as soon as those immensely gorgeous heads fluff out with petals, you are likely to treasure them. Everywhere I go these days I am seeing them in vases, or rather, whatever type of water-holding vessel people have on hand. At the grocery store the most glorious stem stood in a Dasani water bottle....at the gym, it was in a plastic Coke cup....is Coke attempting a Peony Takeover? <br />
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Whatever you may choose, the peony does the work for you. With heads full of more petals than you can count (not ideal for a game of "he loves me") their color is both gentle and bold. If you don't have any growing in your yard, stop by a farmer's market this weekend and buy as many as you can afford, just one will do the trick. Place it in a vase next to your bed, in the morning move it to the kitchen table. Without question you should be able to see it when you take a bath.<br />
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In Virginia, the season is beginning now. The beautiful buds are reaching high and as soon as the head feels like a marshmallow, it is time to cut. The brilliant red charms (pictured above) are the first to open so don't wait too long....beauty is fleeting.</div>
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Thanks for stopping by!</div>
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<i>Cammie</i></div>
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</div>Petals in Prosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18052410478398631386noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7868340713643968107.post-85518289634717698472012-04-17T19:01:00.000-07:002012-04-24T09:07:37.848-07:00All In The Family<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioq42cfLehJ5uZpIUpDbziQFEQvT3kCCc2vxLgfW-fMv35DuFNX02uGmi6pj-g-VkUQ2cfXT2cX_ktlW-3zKZ-1EM-rI_dMmh1z0YiKjVqDNkYY-M6ELcNtAUUHPIH3J11DkVt8D7wWRc/s1600/IMG_2338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioq42cfLehJ5uZpIUpDbziQFEQvT3kCCc2vxLgfW-fMv35DuFNX02uGmi6pj-g-VkUQ2cfXT2cX_ktlW-3zKZ-1EM-rI_dMmh1z0YiKjVqDNkYY-M6ELcNtAUUHPIH3J11DkVt8D7wWRc/s400/IMG_2338.JPG" width="266" /></a>A blooming tuberose typically means one thing to me, my annual late-summer trip to Hawaii. For the few seconds that I close my eyes and inhale the scent of this tiny, white, waxy flower I am transported. Hawaii, Bali, which ever Pacific Island you choose....the tuberose will take you there. Just one stem, placed in a simple vase by my kitchen sink is all I need.<br />
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Planted in tidy rows alongside lines of black drip tape, the tuberose doesn't look too impressive at the moment but the day it was placed in the soil was a fine family affair. Lola, DD and I ventured out to find a cheerful group of interns, the farm manager, her husband and baby boy all chatting as they worked. <br />
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It's a fine distinction, irrelevant to some, but at the core of why I believe flowers planted by hand and picked by hand are the sweetest flowers around. It takes long hours and loads of labor to make these flowers grow but just imagine the places they will go......bouquets, farmer's markets, restaurants, your home. Not all flowers are grown this way anymore....with cheerful stories filtering through the air, with babies giggling nearby. These flowers will grow up happy.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Farm Managing Mama lays a tuber in the soil. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">DD practicing flying an airplane....a smooth trip from the viburnum to the tuberose beds....</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWNOwvz50hJq9dKh4FiLe0-8ZYHyzRlk8az3NpQjmn_V9QFEWgBAeQ0riNOg3sm4f6y8M6wNR2J2A77aEk9g0a4yLNIQ6oChyphenhyphenjh7qoqL7eylRU9I5HVTmRYlnMJSm0-KZLTSx2-ADsLRo/s1600/IMG_2336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWNOwvz50hJq9dKh4FiLe0-8ZYHyzRlk8az3NpQjmn_V9QFEWgBAeQ0riNOg3sm4f6y8M6wNR2J2A77aEk9g0a4yLNIQ6oChyphenhyphenjh7qoqL7eylRU9I5HVTmRYlnMJSm0-KZLTSx2-ADsLRo/s320/IMG_2336.JPG" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsuolsoX_jAAspklcpNUQxa1fD6p2j1U7SbSMIaw1sbyJeTsSfzbafOMVH_SnCzP5czA5YZKyx_6Hwi5jufviBo8nQC7p7jxlfs9NrXHREhg9gc-BKpZalsn3lmdcicY7N-XYxd_6U8JU/s1600/IMG_2330.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsuolsoX_jAAspklcpNUQxa1fD6p2j1U7SbSMIaw1sbyJeTsSfzbafOMVH_SnCzP5czA5YZKyx_6Hwi5jufviBo8nQC7p7jxlfs9NrXHREhg9gc-BKpZalsn3lmdcicY7N-XYxd_6U8JU/s320/IMG_2330.JPG" width="213" /></a>This year the tuberose are being planted a bit earlier than usual and on this fine spring day the interns, the farm manager, the freshly planted beds, and the sage-green stroller all glistened in the sun. I am hoping to meet back here, the whole gang when the bloom begins.....blossoms opening like tiny airplanes landing and taking off......mmmmmm, mmmmmm, mmmmmmm. A trip to Hawaii is always nice but going with good friends and family....sounds like heaven to me. <br />
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Thanks for stopping by!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Cammie</i></div>
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</div>Petals in Prosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18052410478398631386noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7868340713643968107.post-61079226513522470582012-04-11T11:42:00.001-07:002012-04-11T11:42:17.099-07:00Side by Side "drops"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
My cousin in Vermont used to collect the "drops" from the apple orchard and sell them. The "drops" refers to the apples that have dropped from the tree. They are often perfectly good, unblemished apples but as they have fallen to the ground most people out for a day of picking apples just leave them. My cousin would pick them up, pop them in a bag and take his luck elsewhere. Not a bad deal really. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flowers of <a href="http://www.wollamgardens.com/">Wollam Gardens.</a>...but not the quality you are used to...</td></tr>
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Here, the deal we have with the kids is if a flower is broken off or lying in the rows you can take it. If not, no touching. You can imagine keeping a five year old like Lola away from the vibrant blooms could present a problem from time to time so this rule keeps us all at a win-win. <br />
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Over Easter weekend Lola and I went looking for "drops" together to make a bouquet for Nana's table. We found a few goodies and did side-by-side flower design. Lola's skills will surpass mine any day now, if they haven't already.<br />
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For the big reveal we took the designs to Nana and let her choose where to place them. No surprise Lola's won the coveted "center of the table" spot, but who knew how she would continue the design? Nana had purchased a bunch of tulips and Lola promptly placed them in a collection of silver baby cups, displayed it all amongst green easter grass and popped in a few decorated eggs. It was a scene fit for little bunnies. Beautiful work Lola!</div>
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My flowers were relegated to the drink table. My drop ranunculas died off anyway....we had to replace it with a tulip. It wasn't meant for the greatness of the centerpiece.....really. It's fine.</div>
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.....but the buttercup. Now THAT should have been front and center. The distant cousin of the ranunculas is one of my perennial favorites and proof that I come from a family of butter-loving folk. It was a lovely Easter and continues to be a lovely spring.<br />
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Thanks for stopping by!</div>
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<i>Cammie</i></div>
<br /></div>Petals in Prosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18052410478398631386noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7868340713643968107.post-47472059697108544442012-04-05T18:54:00.002-07:002012-04-05T18:54:45.495-07:00Alert: Beauty Overload Ahead<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It is outrageous what is happening out <a href="http://www.wollamgardens.com/">my back door</a>. Beauty overload. The <a href="http://www.finegardening.com/plantguide/viburnum-macrocephalum-chinese-snowball-viburnum.aspx">Viburnum macrocephalum (Chinese snowball viburnum)</a>, planted only four years ago have filled in the hill above the pond and it is nothing short of magnificent. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHWDs-DC7Hd27zk62q_UpCoVW4vYf7PjPZL6xeGfPWPcOh0s3yI6RX7OsUvrwmvJsNXJeL7kjWWTxN-LRm0Bgu0vo4jwNFltEvePg8Mwr7ZKzp22r_CnqSLL0ZaNo0VT7khHRWS6iF3Y/s1600/IMG_2029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHWDs-DC7Hd27zk62q_UpCoVW4vYf7PjPZL6xeGfPWPcOh0s3yI6RX7OsUvrwmvJsNXJeL7kjWWTxN-LRm0Bgu0vo4jwNFltEvePg8Mwr7ZKzp22r_CnqSLL0ZaNo0VT7khHRWS6iF3Y/s640/IMG_2029.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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One plant can grow 10-12 feet tall and 15 feet wide. The color debuts in a chartreuse green folding into white during bloom. </div>
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One might mistake them for hydrangea....no?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUpbJWR9Z7xuaXqSs1_-jQSNElQ7s0B-FRsJmF-FAIh2sJr_aFAODfXPNsv4Za4lA3G-lwY0tUFrJmrteSW6NFcPpmd6yX2HBNa-i8dtEDNSkfFDIJJFs47T7gCmarSgmSi_rZPNxSh6s/s1600/IMG_2052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUpbJWR9Z7xuaXqSs1_-jQSNElQ7s0B-FRsJmF-FAIh2sJr_aFAODfXPNsv4Za4lA3G-lwY0tUFrJmrteSW6NFcPpmd6yX2HBNa-i8dtEDNSkfFDIJJFs47T7gCmarSgmSi_rZPNxSh6s/s1600/IMG_2052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUpbJWR9Z7xuaXqSs1_-jQSNElQ7s0B-FRsJmF-FAIh2sJr_aFAODfXPNsv4Za4lA3G-lwY0tUFrJmrteSW6NFcPpmd6yX2HBNa-i8dtEDNSkfFDIJJFs47T7gCmarSgmSi_rZPNxSh6s/s640/IMG_2052.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The "leggie" looking plants don't pack much of a punch during the winter. Semi-evergreen in the south they have a strange, gangly shape and with or without foliage are not very forthcoming about the show they plan every spring. Once you see it, the gangly legs will seem better-looking than T<a href="http://www.radiocity.com/">he Rockettes</a> and life prior to this siting may seem uneventful at best. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLsNEOizC4G1XezTX-i0eys-LYfUF38rNPPYy3ozxdR9kIu5hVA6CY0lbKLcv94mh5yLMxkbJsnr4qQgpznvyFler8iJPTR22exvo7jcXGbyJZcV58RbwjwY75xCQKPSfXpOTrbFPKCWU/s1600/IMG_2060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLsNEOizC4G1XezTX-i0eys-LYfUF38rNPPYy3ozxdR9kIu5hVA6CY0lbKLcv94mh5yLMxkbJsnr4qQgpznvyFler8iJPTR22exvo7jcXGbyJZcV58RbwjwY75xCQKPSfXpOTrbFPKCWU/s640/IMG_2060.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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Farmer Bob is understandably proud.</div>
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A lovely new intern out cutting with Farmer Bob. The branches she cut were as tall as she is.</div>
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Go cart go! </div>
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Off to market....off to wholesale....off to tables, and homes, and lobbies.....</div>
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Go Cart Go!</div>
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But please, if you will, leave some here for us...it is the spring of plenty and we are filled to the brim.</div>
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Thanks for stopping by!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Cammie</i></div>
<br /></div>Petals in Prosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18052410478398631386noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7868340713643968107.post-42810673435496224242012-04-01T19:52:00.002-07:002012-04-01T19:52:21.900-07:00A "Tractorie" Easter Basket<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Crafty-time isn't exclusively girl-time in our house but as DD would typically prefer to spend his time "building Granny's house" in the dirt patches outside, Lola's love of fairies and all things pink tends to take over. She designed her easter basket before we finished raiding the sale racks at <a href="http://www.joann.com/">Joann's</a> and had detailed where every last bit of 50% off trim and felt bunny ears would be before the glue gun was fully heated. DD on the other hand looked at the row of baskets, found a blue one and asked if they had any with tractors on them. Of course they didn't. I've never seen an easter basket with a tractor on it but for my boy, I wanted one. And so our craft began. </div>
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<b>To make a "<a href="http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=easter+baskets&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8">Tractorie Easter Basket</a>" step one:</b></div>
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A basket with a wide weave is helpful in this craft. </div>
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I used a pre-painted basket because they were on sale (a pre-easter-easter sale...go figure) but typically I would choose to paint my own. </div>
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The felt was cut in a one and a half inch length and "fringed" on half of that (As pictured.)</div>
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I used hot glue to fasten it along the bottom rim.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLyu960_HmD2JZdH3hZkXpg4XjmRgY2coSe3KbIxhhl36YZoORLGD_wdy6h89SIgY3oUL_TfiyIpCbYq-bZm_VgHch8mt2lLsaoT35Egbn_zkhtTzljGs5Lwsa44G3TldMiacdKw5gD14/s1600/IMG_1778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLyu960_HmD2JZdH3hZkXpg4XjmRgY2coSe3KbIxhhl36YZoORLGD_wdy6h89SIgY3oUL_TfiyIpCbYq-bZm_VgHch8mt2lLsaoT35Egbn_zkhtTzljGs5Lwsa44G3TldMiacdKw5gD14/s400/IMG_1778.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The grass was hot glued all along the base of the basket. </div>
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I cut out the pieces for the tractor: </div>
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the body (in orange) </div>
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two wheels (the back wheel is larger than the front....DD is VERY specific about this)</div>
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a little red steering wheel</div>
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a thin strip for the "roll-over bar" (again specifics)</div>
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I hot glued the tractor pieces in place. </div>
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You may notice the roll-over bar and steering wheel are now blue....."change-orders" from the tractor-maestro. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrbGE6wRiEh4j7Rn63GfaEc6cXMlYOqdrCCfiSYNjU0hpMT7fbmdqwzQ_9D3hrLvhPsD1meO3lJGjNZF45oaCiktatooyd1DprpTGV2ObBom6h1UFUsLYTvpiHsyL7F9eOgpY2cEDKJEw/s1600/IMG_1789.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrbGE6wRiEh4j7Rn63GfaEc6cXMlYOqdrCCfiSYNjU0hpMT7fbmdqwzQ_9D3hrLvhPsD1meO3lJGjNZF45oaCiktatooyd1DprpTGV2ObBom6h1UFUsLYTvpiHsyL7F9eOgpY2cEDKJEw/s400/IMG_1789.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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We added a "Scoop." I believe this is technically called a "shovel."</div>
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We added a wagon with an Easter Bunny in it.</div>
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He actually loved it so much he yelped when he saw it. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7h9TYzvLxKUZzbWQ47_Z3EcALiu5iGRqmBbo8ZnDdv7MKtvTGfqFLwA9QGYQQq9uOzTqQHacU4ntFbIasgF3f1onQgf1E5eUbQbIRqTrbbqwXKgKcBdg6sMAoLXQBZTroH1LIF9ySMiQ/s1600/IMG_1826.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7h9TYzvLxKUZzbWQ47_Z3EcALiu5iGRqmBbo8ZnDdv7MKtvTGfqFLwA9QGYQQq9uOzTqQHacU4ntFbIasgF3f1onQgf1E5eUbQbIRqTrbbqwXKgKcBdg6sMAoLXQBZTroH1LIF9ySMiQ/s640/IMG_1826.JPG" width="604" /></a></div>
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At the egg hunt, this basket served all purposes...it collected eggs and it made DD happy. He would have been happy anyway but this was kinda....super cool. </div>
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Hope you try this with your tractor-loving boys at home! </div>
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Thanks for stopping by,</div>
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<i>Cammie</i></div>
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<br /></div>Petals in Prosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18052410478398631386noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7868340713643968107.post-72704124864008413582012-03-29T18:03:00.000-07:002012-04-03T05:45:23.094-07:00If you know soil....A tribute to our friend.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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If you know soil, you know hands that have worked it. It is not knowledge you gain from a book or lecture. It is knowledge gained from reaching your hands in and feeling the softness, the richness, the buoyancy conducive to life.</div>
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If you know soil, you know the patience inside it. The steady hands planting tiny seeds, sometimes so small they appear an illusion. </div>
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If you know soil, you know though the earth may be beautiful, the garden is a mastery of time, of trial, of sweat. </div>
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If you know soil, I hope you know, the brilliance of a row of pole beans, a field of poppies, a hill of dahlias. If you sew only one, you know that brilliance well.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgemUqDoAVGuaoIZXWD8bGZePFiyz6bPTvmHEzURbJ6snvED1_sZyI8dmwq_pgRoTn-lMVHjfoBaHxuE7sjwDmCVi1iHou7eMJV4RkEFxECbyTIj3NUXl8SGMnbbCCtQXJeZlCmZbN6FxM/s1600/IMG_1854.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgemUqDoAVGuaoIZXWD8bGZePFiyz6bPTvmHEzURbJ6snvED1_sZyI8dmwq_pgRoTn-lMVHjfoBaHxuE7sjwDmCVi1iHou7eMJV4RkEFxECbyTIj3NUXl8SGMnbbCCtQXJeZlCmZbN6FxM/s640/IMG_1854.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Today, as the day was only beginning, I heard news of the passing of a friend. This friend, Ruth, knew soil well. On <a href="http://www.wollamgardens.com/">this farm</a>, as far as you can see, are plants started by her loving hands. She worked in the greenhouse sewing the tiniest seeds while listening to the radio and beaming brilliance into the earth....and into the world around her. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmHIocMK2r4b9VD6MBtNwfQOYRdWQpmhyphenhyphenLC5VF0fAEYx8yIl8cVwgn4TDpHvte92bGM58aW5XbeIhxmkNW6JxNGgVGbC_l95Higl63cx4zmbwjKGSjVJ9iPXEWj7DcaV-SqfaKDMq2l54/s1600/IMG_1846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmHIocMK2r4b9VD6MBtNwfQOYRdWQpmhyphenhyphenLC5VF0fAEYx8yIl8cVwgn4TDpHvte92bGM58aW5XbeIhxmkNW6JxNGgVGbC_l95Higl63cx4zmbwjKGSjVJ9iPXEWj7DcaV-SqfaKDMq2l54/s640/IMG_1846.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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As we spent our afternoon outdoors, the sun did not hesitate to warm us. The flowers, did not hesitate to shine. The day did not hesitate to vibrate the high tone of celebration. Brilliance. Brilliant. Her loving hands that sewed in this earth were everywhere.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr5sdVNkoG1JE09vpzDdfnTwkbdUZm5R332zNzVtDctlKaMj-kPabc6hm-AZeWxO7Po60s8iLSgBXqHdiFECxEGsOPG-GPTQKb-Pxv5fd3aa1QKCcQWq1TIvWkMJSutpr096OtAI-N5F4/s1600/IMG_1864.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr5sdVNkoG1JE09vpzDdfnTwkbdUZm5R332zNzVtDctlKaMj-kPabc6hm-AZeWxO7Po60s8iLSgBXqHdiFECxEGsOPG-GPTQKb-Pxv5fd3aa1QKCcQWq1TIvWkMJSutpr096OtAI-N5F4/s640/IMG_1864.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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When Lola was born, Ruth gave us a book about <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Little-Soul-Sun-Conversations/dp/1571740872">a little soul</a> who goes to God and declares, "I know who I am!"</div>
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God says, "That's wonderful! Who are you?"</div>
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And the Little Soul shouted, "I'm the Light!"</div>
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I believe Ruth knew exactly who she was. </div>
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Dearest Ruth, you were, and indeed still are, "the light." </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtiXsFnQn3ll_RrtVTWoKbbLQcqui8_TYvVqbHo801JPl0xBVtg7upooY45T74eH9I_ZCbVwIxlQRKXJnhxLlDxXWSkI0lntQJCai4_faMpKhtzY6rTNA0SU05-anZoqneB2j2Tzd0J0Q/s1600/IMG_1878.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtiXsFnQn3ll_RrtVTWoKbbLQcqui8_TYvVqbHo801JPl0xBVtg7upooY45T74eH9I_ZCbVwIxlQRKXJnhxLlDxXWSkI0lntQJCai4_faMpKhtzY6rTNA0SU05-anZoqneB2j2Tzd0J0Q/s640/IMG_1878.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
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Goodbye Beautiful Ruth....we will continue to see you in flowers for all the years to come.</div>
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<i>Cammie</i></div>
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</div>Petals in Prosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18052410478398631386noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7868340713643968107.post-48996653418607193302012-03-27T19:07:00.001-07:002012-03-27T19:07:37.726-07:00Willow Love & Mishaps<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidNjpe_v7VQC8kIWebwJM0FLO0EhzPty6tA20FHZuT-bwl_l2BJeqHmqglOZ2N3tkWFb9SACZyYVmenM5UrEn-X5Ep5qBVgDqdyyfi74-rsFCS9A_rVB6f3Aqg_rplt9eoj2sTYW4tE1A/s1600/IMG_1520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidNjpe_v7VQC8kIWebwJM0FLO0EhzPty6tA20FHZuT-bwl_l2BJeqHmqglOZ2N3tkWFb9SACZyYVmenM5UrEn-X5Ep5qBVgDqdyyfi74-rsFCS9A_rVB6f3Aqg_rplt9eoj2sTYW4tE1A/s400/IMG_1520.JPG" width="266" /></a>For any of you that may have tuned in to this blog over the winter months (or maybe I should rephrase that as the winter MONTH....), you may have seen signs that there is a bit of willow growing on this flower farm....catkins abound! Now that spring is springing rapidly into place we continue to find ways to use the willow and this past weekend had a lovely time of it. A willow trellis for our soon to be growing pole beans; a trio of tomato cages; and one "fary party" concoction of willow, monstera leaves (pruned from our indoor plant) and other odds and sods. <br />
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If you have access to any willow, from a store or from a bush you might be pleased to know that should you want more, willow is extremely easy to root. In fact, it is so easy that despite my best efforts to dry our willow out before using it, I will have to remove my fine work from the garden beds tomorrow and let it set awhile longer. The shoots are already producing roots and lovely little bits of foliage. While I love my new trellis, it is meant for the beans. <br />
For my own future reference, willow can easily be cut in the fall, dried over winter, and soaked in spring to regain pliability. The ability to twist and bend the willow is the primary reason I wanted to work with it. Last year I used bamboo, which while pretty, was so stiff it was hard to really manipulate the shapes I needed. <br />
I will check in soon and let you know how this late-stage drying process goes. In the meantime, here's a rundown of what we put together.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHElHN0WLg3PbsabuFME7xqi5uYScSfbisztPVEgkghBkOiGThhMkDmf3O2uDJ1x4FYHWl61tc-s6mtelkbswqizTjUwejgyAadCeJbrHp6rfCIY4lMy70pxez5OHtrOuCarAgtz9d0zw/s1600/IMG_1550.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHElHN0WLg3PbsabuFME7xqi5uYScSfbisztPVEgkghBkOiGThhMkDmf3O2uDJ1x4FYHWl61tc-s6mtelkbswqizTjUwejgyAadCeJbrHp6rfCIY4lMy70pxez5OHtrOuCarAgtz9d0zw/s640/IMG_1550.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vertical pussy willow (salix discolor) poles placed 5 inches apart, tied at the top in an inverted V-shape. Horizontal poles for trellis-like support. Additional horizontal poles can be added as needed. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CPTVcCX2FNj7I_KQQb_oOdb4Fi8LS1VR1sV_RonMiLB1ON0TCzMXu9aEKNZ5XwudvoIGvROUmS9zbBAaRoPkpu4jWhV0mI_haekEAgGyxyLuBMzROua4j4VgLJYPrrslQ_NhB0WCcRQ/s1600/IMG_1551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CPTVcCX2FNj7I_KQQb_oOdb4Fi8LS1VR1sV_RonMiLB1ON0TCzMXu9aEKNZ5XwudvoIGvROUmS9zbBAaRoPkpu4jWhV0mI_haekEAgGyxyLuBMzROua4j4VgLJYPrrslQ_NhB0WCcRQ/s640/IMG_1551.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An example of how each pole is tied in place. I used wax covered twine for a snug hold.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt4boZiZE2ZIQVjvJ6HklE4PAs_28oN_6Dv9FAnyhMAXci4mG2RO-WLglNWSUzS8YmRmVbhB_YSDJQhDCM9233M4iCIwHZ_g5VgUpBIKTDnvZge4XLQztY0sCsgdXOrt3rw9dvm5tD2fg/s1600/IMG_1525.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt4boZiZE2ZIQVjvJ6HklE4PAs_28oN_6Dv9FAnyhMAXci4mG2RO-WLglNWSUzS8YmRmVbhB_YSDJQhDCM9233M4iCIwHZ_g5VgUpBIKTDnvZge4XLQztY0sCsgdXOrt3rw9dvm5tD2fg/s640/IMG_1525.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meanwhile a Fairy Party was taking place. A spot fit for afternoon tea.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiorYLXXFe39hysd48wNqimKbsWHdE6VPDpIkItr4JdQT5qamjmvtTeuhbX06QAiFVTmyXiQunQTZyHJWsyqaHaWGZhdjnTvHHBw93AGHarFPnbzjeZUjys7JhRDsDSCc52-crFX7IMOiI/s1600/IMG_1532.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiorYLXXFe39hysd48wNqimKbsWHdE6VPDpIkItr4JdQT5qamjmvtTeuhbX06QAiFVTmyXiQunQTZyHJWsyqaHaWGZhdjnTvHHBw93AGHarFPnbzjeZUjys7JhRDsDSCc52-crFX7IMOiI/s640/IMG_1532.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One thing I know for sure, to sing while you work is proof of joy.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibaLdBEfkwrTfzn3qP-1nVc6HkQ4RQ73gwlW5aRcRP2NYLIbK1QBWv0jHwZ1qJdPIfWQtzdH7Krl7wPoUWJ5u8PLWRkOUBFG8qPax1hxoc7W8oDJOZH_0DOA0SPw6FyIjvlpajl8559ZQ/s1600/IMG_1536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibaLdBEfkwrTfzn3qP-1nVc6HkQ4RQ73gwlW5aRcRP2NYLIbK1QBWv0jHwZ1qJdPIfWQtzdH7Krl7wPoUWJ5u8PLWRkOUBFG8qPax1hxoc7W8oDJOZH_0DOA0SPw6FyIjvlpajl8559ZQ/s640/IMG_1536.JPG" title="" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tomato Cage: Pussy willow (salix discolor) poles wrapped with thin tendrils of curly willow (salix matsudana)</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfoYuFy_n1Nzub2PI1e-SlF1Sxbiye6YC4rjNTEBbUbA4mXw2D4NdtDi92hzUPZ_EhBtZVTXGmIzM2YUZ_fW1qSw1EVn-HHPrVVl5UejWuNPkCMvRBqKyqEEJwWt7bFGc90444SZLeoC4/s1600/IMG_1545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfoYuFy_n1Nzub2PI1e-SlF1Sxbiye6YC4rjNTEBbUbA4mXw2D4NdtDi92hzUPZ_EhBtZVTXGmIzM2YUZ_fW1qSw1EVn-HHPrVVl5UejWuNPkCMvRBqKyqEEJwWt7bFGc90444SZLeoC4/s1600/IMG_1545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfoYuFy_n1Nzub2PI1e-SlF1Sxbiye6YC4rjNTEBbUbA4mXw2D4NdtDi92hzUPZ_EhBtZVTXGmIzM2YUZ_fW1qSw1EVn-HHPrVVl5UejWuNPkCMvRBqKyqEEJwWt7bFGc90444SZLeoC4/s1600/IMG_1545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfoYuFy_n1Nzub2PI1e-SlF1Sxbiye6YC4rjNTEBbUbA4mXw2D4NdtDi92hzUPZ_EhBtZVTXGmIzM2YUZ_fW1qSw1EVn-HHPrVVl5UejWuNPkCMvRBqKyqEEJwWt7bFGc90444SZLeoC4/s1600/IMG_1545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfoYuFy_n1Nzub2PI1e-SlF1Sxbiye6YC4rjNTEBbUbA4mXw2D4NdtDi92hzUPZ_EhBtZVTXGmIzM2YUZ_fW1qSw1EVn-HHPrVVl5UejWuNPkCMvRBqKyqEEJwWt7bFGc90444SZLeoC4/s1600/IMG_1545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfoYuFy_n1Nzub2PI1e-SlF1Sxbiye6YC4rjNTEBbUbA4mXw2D4NdtDi92hzUPZ_EhBtZVTXGmIzM2YUZ_fW1qSw1EVn-HHPrVVl5UejWuNPkCMvRBqKyqEEJwWt7bFGc90444SZLeoC4/s1600/IMG_1545.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><br />
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Fortunately all of these constructions are easily removed from the garden beds and placed in our studio to dry out. The beans will need a trellis relatively soon but we should be ok. I'm thinking I may form this particular trellis into a tunnel for the kids and go to plan B for the beans...otherwise I might be wrapping duct tape around the roots and doesn't that just sound so awful? Stay tuned and.....</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Thanks for stopping by,</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Cammie</i></div>
<br /></div>Petals in Prosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18052410478398631386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7868340713643968107.post-49453128157661887572012-03-26T17:58:00.001-07:002012-03-26T17:58:07.235-07:00Ask The Flower Fanatics: Dahlias for dinner......<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: 17px; line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><b>Question: </b></span></span> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 14px;">I saw dahlia bulbs at the grocery store today; dinner plate and another kind. Are they annuals or perennials? I was thinking of getting some for my yard. Thanks, Colin</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">
</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'IM Fell Double Pica'; font-size: medium; line-height: 25px;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-size: medium; line-height: 25px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Answer</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'IM Fell Double Pica';">: (from Farmer Bob, grower of 10,000 dahlias!)</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'IM Fell Double Pica'; font-size: 17px; line-height: 23px;"></span><br />
<div style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'IM Fell Double Pica'; font-size: 17px; line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'IM Fell Double Pica'; font-size: 17px; line-height: 23px;">Dear Colin,</span></span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: medium; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'IM Fell Double Pica'; font-size: 17px; line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'IM Fell Double Pica'; font-size: 17px; line-height: 23px;">A dahlia is perennial bulb or tuber. Where you live (anywhere in Zone 6 or below) will certainly loose their dahlias to a freeze in the winter so they must be dug and divided. </span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'IM Fell Double Pica'; font-size: 17px; line-height: 23px;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'IM Fell Double Pica'; font-size: 17px; line-height: 23px;">When you do plant them (and by all means I hope you do!) follow these tips for best success:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'IM Fell Double Pica'; font-size: 17px; line-height: 23px;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; line-height: 23px;">
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'IM Fell Double Pica'; font-size: 17px; line-height: 23px;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; line-height: 23px;"></span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'IM Fell Double Pica'; font-size: 17px; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Garamond; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Plant in full sun when there is no threat of frost. </b></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; line-height: 23px;"></span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: 'IM Fell Double Pica'; font-size: 17px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Plants 3-4 inches deep with eye of tuber facing upward – it should be
looking at you!</b></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; line-height: 23px;"><b>
</b><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="font-family: 'IM Fell Double Pica'; font-size: 17px;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 12pt;"><b>When planting tubers beware of rotting beneath the soil. Water tubers
once on the day they are planted.
Do not water again until shoots emerge (2-3 weeks).</b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'IM Fell Double Pica'; font-size: 17px;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 12pt;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: 'IM Fell Double Pica'; font-size: 17px;">
<span style="font-family: Garamond; font-size: 12pt;"><b>For more information please visit our website: <a href="http://www.wollamgardens.com/">www.wollamgardens.com</a></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzorD-Xy5-q44zH55gHjwmXsGRyZIvJ81H8JBYR680mlecd-A5I2c7RSjeuQriBDD0cTWBcJz0Klqi8c6-otORGGmDYOqNROeqcE85qEUXzMGeQWVNRuEnrcywNPaVEcpiw3vz5PD1gOA/s1600/IMG_1105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzorD-Xy5-q44zH55gHjwmXsGRyZIvJ81H8JBYR680mlecd-A5I2c7RSjeuQriBDD0cTWBcJz0Klqi8c6-otORGGmDYOqNROeqcE85qEUXzMGeQWVNRuEnrcywNPaVEcpiw3vz5PD1gOA/s640/IMG_1105.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9r7DcGyPXI4tUmFDtL3x8K69pZ0Lp3ux54rcZa37YqE7WdGAfmICG0cBbANSFhv2DBLUvD6yX05LFg2LT9Z2CC18Dma3n4kkQ8Ug1hfv3GS-yr467XASD6_s_jhIwYHCI0ZR9BcaeQlw/s1600/Trulie+thalia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9r7DcGyPXI4tUmFDtL3x8K69pZ0Lp3ux54rcZa37YqE7WdGAfmICG0cBbANSFhv2DBLUvD6yX05LFg2LT9Z2CC18Dma3n4kkQ8Ug1hfv3GS-yr467XASD6_s_jhIwYHCI0ZR9BcaeQlw/s640/Trulie+thalia.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.kdcimages.net/">KDCiMages</a> took this photo of bouquets Cammie made a few years back....the Thalia Dahlia...always a favorite.</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'IM Fell Double Pica'; font-size: 17px; line-height: 23px;">If more questions come up please let us know and be sure to choose some great colors!</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'IM Fell Double Pica'; font-size: 17px; line-height: 23px;"><br /></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'IM Fell Double Pica'; font-size: 17px; line-height: 23px;"><i>Happy planting,</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'IM Fell Double Pica'; font-size: 17px; line-height: 23px;"><i>Farmer Bob</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: 'IM Fell Double Pica'; font-size: 17px; line-height: 23px;"><br /></span></div>
</div>Petals in Prosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18052410478398631386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7868340713643968107.post-19102274816256952292012-03-23T17:57:00.001-07:002012-03-23T17:57:23.989-07:00The Guinea Fowl Ate My Homework (and other Flowersome Tales)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
As it turns out, living in the country means you can be late to school on a friday morning because you nearly ran over a flock of guinea fowl in the road. As it turns out, after you drive past the newly renovated barn; the old schoolhouse that makes you drool with desire; the circa 1800 farmhouse where the owners have had honeybees stuck in the attic walls for the last four years.....you come across five guinea fowl just at the moment when you are thinking, "we actually made it out of the house on time this morning and wouldn't you look at DD, his hair is even combed....", but instead of being on time you are very, very late for kindergarten because no matter what you do you can't get the guinea fowl out of the road. As it turns out, they are really cute and really friendly and when you whistle to them they waddle the most ridiculous little side-to-side bobble that makes you and your kids giggle harder than you've giggled all morning. As it turns out, guinea fowl also like to pose and pluck up to get their pictures taken. It also turns out they like to admire themselves in rays of sunlight. <div>
As it turns out I left a message for Saffie immediately after this episode saying, "we need guinea fowl in our life...please please please can we get one...or how about five?" I haven't heard back yet but I'm thinking he's going to walk in with one any minute........<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I think I'll name this one Poppy.</div>
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<i>Thanks for stopping by!</i></div>
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<i>Cammie</i></div>
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</div>Petals in Prosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18052410478398631386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7868340713643968107.post-17952775157186550292012-03-21T09:30:00.000-07:002012-03-21T09:30:01.881-07:00The Dandelion to the Bee<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">As a girl who grew up in suburbia there was never any doubt in my mind I would eventually live in either a city (right smack in the center!) or the country. My husband and I lived together in the city for a while and than when the moment presented itself (and I was six months pregnant) we moved out past the suburban sprawl and into our cozy house next to the <a href="http://www.wollamgardens.com/">flower farm.</a> The question comes up often enough as to whether or not we can really make this life work....(a down economy doesn't help).....but than we have this sense that our path lead us here, that it is our home and that if we can give one thing to our kids, it is a childhood where they can run free and love the open world around them. To love that world we hope, will help them want to take care of it as they grow older....either that or "pie in the sky" should be my middle name.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitakCF-L26di8xZTKaTCJNTFgMAUtq6P5tETZNik6H_VkocCXJ_L5YvVuCd1WiUn1w3_W5DjLWOCsqAPFSIVtmUIWIMZncPhIq45qJTdcz9Dw6dRAyQUrhz9EdlN-YhdQ6BI_n_RQuFa0/s1600/IMG_1687.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitakCF-L26di8xZTKaTCJNTFgMAUtq6P5tETZNik6H_VkocCXJ_L5YvVuCd1WiUn1w3_W5DjLWOCsqAPFSIVtmUIWIMZncPhIq45qJTdcz9Dw6dRAyQUrhz9EdlN-YhdQ6BI_n_RQuFa0/s320/IMG_1687.JPG" width="320" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Of course the factor of wanting to make our life out here work is made easier with days like we had this past weekend. There is no question spring is early and as concerning as that may be....it is beautiful. The sun was shiny, the birds chirpy, and the kids hopped like little tiggers from one exciting adventure to the next. I was right there with them but it was clear, I wasn't necessary. The fun was there.....everywhere around them. The adventure was inlaid.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">From what I understand there are dictionaries being printed today that do not include the words <a href="http://www.childrenandnature.org/blog/2012/03/20/invisible-ink-is-the-natural-world-disappearing-from-childrens-books-and-education/">"dandelion," "acorn," or "willow"</a>.......perhaps that is why I see little need at this stage in my children's lives to expose them to much more than school, some great theatre (we travel to the city for this!), a few museum trips.....and anything and everything outside the back door. Even in suburbia, the things I remember the most (more than the ballet lessons or soccer clubs) was trailing through the forest, building forts and finding frogs. I remember the camping trips, the summers on my Grandmother's Vermont farm....I remember the grass, the trees, the sticks I trailed in the creek. When I grew up I found ways to travel the world and explore beyond my small horizon....but as a kid....dandelions, acorns and willow.....they were the foundation. (Makes me wonder what kind of "backwoods" dictionary I would put together.)</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzDs8U9E6v5-65QdSyr1ybwDlIKfCha0R9uVUgFsH976G6sD5qjxRLKEguWyuhhc8lH92LFEmcAL9kI1lreiK42NbjLzFcXn_LBDLweoxRtuLd-ujz9GLhZq0TbWtv6PeOmj1lQ0HCGT0/s1600/IMG_1643.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzDs8U9E6v5-65QdSyr1ybwDlIKfCha0R9uVUgFsH976G6sD5qjxRLKEguWyuhhc8lH92LFEmcAL9kI1lreiK42NbjLzFcXn_LBDLweoxRtuLd-ujz9GLhZq0TbWtv6PeOmj1lQ0HCGT0/s640/IMG_1643.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A new table and benches for the fairies......"you know Mom, now that spring is here."</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">The truth is, I could find this anywhere.....in the city, in the suburbs. If you look for nature, you will find it pouring through the cracks and pushing its way in everywhere we have tried to squelch it. I know, I have found it in the big, bold, industrialized streets of our cities. But....if you don't learn to look for it.....if you aren't given the eyes to find it....will you know what you are seeing? Will you know how precious it is? Will you know when it looks weak and in need of attention? You may know somewhere in that deep reservoir of ancient brainwaves but will that be enough? Will you have any idea how important the dandelion is to the honeybee if the dictionary doesn't even bother to include it? I don't know.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The American Toad mating in the pond. Their survival technique is to mate in a frenzy and lay all their eggs at once so the predators do not pick them all off.......This weekend was most absolutely "The American Toad Day of Mating"....it was quite awesome.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQmz5g9ySulQHmAvxq5dBKMumDiMT958hAdJWKl25p0Ok0SO_sKn40bjoS28yfs0njkC7BS9dqpEIf5K7tsgTMLJcI9r_JU7DJuWhdpWwE6vNfIzyUuL6jH6I7LIb92Cswg2gpDI2h1y4/s1600/IMG_1653.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQmz5g9ySulQHmAvxq5dBKMumDiMT958hAdJWKl25p0Ok0SO_sKn40bjoS28yfs0njkC7BS9dqpEIf5K7tsgTMLJcI9r_JU7DJuWhdpWwE6vNfIzyUuL6jH6I7LIb92Cswg2gpDI2h1y4/s640/IMG_1653.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"American Toad Day of Mating," gelatinous egg production......creepy but oh so cool.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK9a2UJRJ7xys21AmJeSknzL3nT_JDMTzMZTia7rKqThrEzhOT4v2WkRnSHqLorB4CdCOH1b7r4LGXeyTexYD7_kQ5Tqhsgo-hr8huUZK6JDQ3K03cb-ljovlp546pcAlZpi-0QMJNYz0/s1600/IMG_1673.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK9a2UJRJ7xys21AmJeSknzL3nT_JDMTzMZTia7rKqThrEzhOT4v2WkRnSHqLorB4CdCOH1b7r4LGXeyTexYD7_kQ5Tqhsgo-hr8huUZK6JDQ3K03cb-ljovlp546pcAlZpi-0QMJNYz0/s640/IMG_1673.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quince.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh91mkIV15yGatJMwXUWO4CQtTzQNdoH47_F8WbNeNcVFFyBCsHFgahr269qS2Glt6xUEsiG6ZewpYYwzyqhJ8em3inVqoj3lY5PL02r-QgrEdKaRxmQY34bwMcMxVF3PSnYAbGml25jfg/s1600/IMG_1677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh91mkIV15yGatJMwXUWO4CQtTzQNdoH47_F8WbNeNcVFFyBCsHFgahr269qS2Glt6xUEsiG6ZewpYYwzyqhJ8em3inVqoj3lY5PL02r-QgrEdKaRxmQY34bwMcMxVF3PSnYAbGml25jfg/s640/IMG_1677.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More quince.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvGa4jm0oGQ2-hfxeSgt-dxUiPLEZ7tietDpFCpIaaZpXVrgcrBD18qMU3uIRL1D17fNe5nxo8Q7LerTafEzzHbkZW0c6Zzw-_fjpY7oWjhQ4RqBiCZ0zJBZ-TPbZ5-E-JHwj57uPQCGQ/s1600/IMG_1698.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvGa4jm0oGQ2-hfxeSgt-dxUiPLEZ7tietDpFCpIaaZpXVrgcrBD18qMU3uIRL1D17fNe5nxo8Q7LerTafEzzHbkZW0c6Zzw-_fjpY7oWjhQ4RqBiCZ0zJBZ-TPbZ5-E-JHwj57uPQCGQ/s640/IMG_1698.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mud bath....stage two.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI4xKsJAdpCC7U0BrB-05ick5JEGscgxbO2gdOaLo0U2MQs8lRlgk82RLZWIKPZucbMxwG1WxpsJ0sMTncfrkQaQst0nlUXCwboKMhcVzb7CgZUh86br84HD6mzMNJ1vIjEAzEN9OSWLg/s1600/IMG_1714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI4xKsJAdpCC7U0BrB-05ick5JEGscgxbO2gdOaLo0U2MQs8lRlgk82RLZWIKPZucbMxwG1WxpsJ0sMTncfrkQaQst0nlUXCwboKMhcVzb7CgZUh86br84HD6mzMNJ1vIjEAzEN9OSWLg/s640/IMG_1714.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Found: One teeeny tiny nest.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjChQQqiwcaU8nMq9kmPxErKklyTodlwx1_kPX1pQyA7ZB-yyj9-Oc4Zg19AOu5l5tlQl7OXAytd90cQyi01fwg0XKHj7IByVtLpDsc1lN4zNtXZ79qJbNDpJVZCZcWRmq_1uNR01Ph5RI/s1600/IMG_1732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjChQQqiwcaU8nMq9kmPxErKklyTodlwx1_kPX1pQyA7ZB-yyj9-Oc4Zg19AOu5l5tlQl7OXAytd90cQyi01fwg0XKHj7IByVtLpDsc1lN4zNtXZ79qJbNDpJVZCZcWRmq_1uNR01Ph5RI/s640/IMG_1732.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Found: One four-leaf clover.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4lKFGUhgi1KuFOqXc55VylC0qUDPvt5W9V818Y18-MtuJojEZ_qQDhTiZnLsHwfBDFPg-sVrLzhKkhFJSoT5I1Ay765X0hmmuJ8GaJ_KXB2FunEOjJ4Z70V58NQVcQPwJx8PgJ6-xcpI/s1600/IMG_1671.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4lKFGUhgi1KuFOqXc55VylC0qUDPvt5W9V818Y18-MtuJojEZ_qQDhTiZnLsHwfBDFPg-sVrLzhKkhFJSoT5I1Ay765X0hmmuJ8GaJ_KXB2FunEOjJ4Z70V58NQVcQPwJx8PgJ6-xcpI/s640/IMG_1671.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Virburnum macrocephalum.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfwo0jBxsiATP0WHW-yvXhWyK3BvYmAnsgMqP_t8MT8A63qCr2j2JNmAudyfTCAhSUwLwB9Rr_FA3YpugZ8nAMd3io54ZixqkXu19LgxR8ImNRDBxhrodi9GqA35o9hfSo_8prw53l9wA/s1600/IMG_1699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfwo0jBxsiATP0WHW-yvXhWyK3BvYmAnsgMqP_t8MT8A63qCr2j2JNmAudyfTCAhSUwLwB9Rr_FA3YpugZ8nAMd3io54ZixqkXu19LgxR8ImNRDBxhrodi9GqA35o9hfSo_8prw53l9wA/s640/IMG_1699.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Time to attach the hose.</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">So.....this post is a little bit about why I chose to write a blog in the first place. If you find something worth loving, you may also find something worth taking care of.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"> We found something we love and we're gonna fight to stay here because of it. If we ever do have to move back to the city we'll still build fairy houses....they just might be the kind of fairies that live under fire escapes. </span><br />
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<i>Thanks for stopping by,</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Cammie</i></div>
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<br /></div>Petals in Prosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18052410478398631386noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7868340713643968107.post-62333736724230235032012-03-16T18:13:00.001-07:002012-03-16T18:13:32.318-07:00To Cut the Willow.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I knelt to cut the willow<br />
with pole beans in my mind.<br />
To form a house to twine on<br />
to twist a rope of twine.<br />
But the willow was wild and laden<br />
catkins heavy with life<br />
the bees sang with exhilaration<br />
their pockets full and bright.<br />
I knelt to cut the willow<br />
but found instead a song<br />
of life and light and unbroken desire<br />
to which my memories all belong.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMC8OQuMUa7OLNWHT_9vjUaO2vVJ0X9hv2mzBbLwwHbv1Xz6gy_Rn8edXBgmYYwaAZ1uUyurGm5miTjybDzyyUBnGCiIOKONbEO75A0KVKG3V78BoKuZZ3__dGiI1JZxGLEuOAg-pvcpo/s1600/IMG_1473_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMC8OQuMUa7OLNWHT_9vjUaO2vVJ0X9hv2mzBbLwwHbv1Xz6gy_Rn8edXBgmYYwaAZ1uUyurGm5miTjybDzyyUBnGCiIOKONbEO75A0KVKG3V78BoKuZZ3__dGiI1JZxGLEuOAg-pvcpo/s640/IMG_1473_2.JPG" width="640" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJDCWjKhUYOyq9qzG8HdiMOxXktzMf7Xbi5tijp67vQqi3aLJXhKQCOxCL9fP7wMg87v7lq3lbcW72Vstcz5lzZzTpO2o0CO7hO5Ct4smLJA73_LxXvabydXCgSZCa1Ql8-Gb6ZaO5ek/s1600/IMG_1471.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEJDCWjKhUYOyq9qzG8HdiMOxXktzMf7Xbi5tijp67vQqi3aLJXhKQCOxCL9fP7wMg87v7lq3lbcW72Vstcz5lzZzTpO2o0CO7hO5Ct4smLJA73_LxXvabydXCgSZCa1Ql8-Gb6ZaO5ek/s640/IMG_1471.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<i>Thanks for stopping by,</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Cammie</i></div>
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</div>Petals in Prosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18052410478398631386noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7868340713643968107.post-74709856673587674042012-03-15T17:18:00.001-07:002012-03-15T17:18:12.143-07:0010 Things I Cannot Live Without<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
My dear friend Jane, from <a href="http://flwrjane-smallbutcharming.blogspot.com/">Small But Charming</a> asked me to do a guest post on her weekly "10 Things I Cannot Live Without" series. It was a welcome challenge. Jane is one of the smartest, wittiest, coolest women I have ever met....and she was my teacher. She taught me floral design and so many life lessons you'd think she was my mother. I love Jane and I love her blog. It is perfectly her world....full of delectable food, friends, flowers and love. You could learn a lot from hanging around with her....I do. Stop by for a read and while you're at it check out "<a href="http://flwrjane-smallbutcharming.blogspot.com/">The 10 Things I Can't Live Without.</a>"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpIb73T5TCPXu7hdwDjINQyCcaPM2G918saNg_nHFX4nLEAt5vfHWchIjME1O91_7EBLWN2J_Awh3ala6MjkWrzm6c7ksUhI88wUlg7jxZrH3BjZjF2qRbhyRInoO-ZP4NuiP6EmIgxrs/s1600/IMG_0276.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpIb73T5TCPXu7hdwDjINQyCcaPM2G918saNg_nHFX4nLEAt5vfHWchIjME1O91_7EBLWN2J_Awh3ala6MjkWrzm6c7ksUhI88wUlg7jxZrH3BjZjF2qRbhyRInoO-ZP4NuiP6EmIgxrs/s320/IMG_0276.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
And by the way....it was 90 degrees in Virginia today.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Thanks for stopping by!</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Cammie</i></div>
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>Petals in Prosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18052410478398631386noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7868340713643968107.post-448887392928642852012-03-15T10:00:00.001-07:002012-03-15T10:09:44.954-07:00Part Two: The Inherited Shed/Barn: Laid to Rest...in a lovely bed.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The saga of the <a href="http://petalsinprose.blogspot.com/2012/02/part-one-inherited-shedbarnat-first-it.html">Inherited Shed/Barn</a> continued one cold, late-winter day when our dear old friend Sam happened by on his bulldozer....that kind of "happening by" just seems so normal after living out this way for awhile. At that stage, we had done some good work making shelves for the kitchen and kids rooms, and a tv stand for our living room but the plans were now to make a bed and for that we needed the rest of the wood pried free. Sam, the <a href="http://books.google.com/books/about/Working_hard_with_the_mighty_tractor_tra.html?id=AMNIHQAACAAJ">mighty bulldozer</a> driver, jumped aboard and laid the shed to rest.<br />
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For DD, who was only one at the time, this was considered a day of bliss and we watched every move both from the back steps and through the screened window </div>
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Down it came. The old tin roof was repurposed for an awning on my flower studio and the wood moved into Saffie's hands where it was capably worked into my dream bed modeled after one I had coveted in the <a href="http://www.sundancecatalog.com/product/furniture+and+decor/rustic+and+vintage+furniture/unique+beds/pacifica+barnwood+platform+bed.do?sortby=ourPicks">Sundance catalog</a>.....here goes nothin'!</div>
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Saffie built the frame right in our room since it was much too big to move through a doorway. The base, where the kids are sitting, was than covered with plywood and the mattress dropped inside. There is no box spring. </div>
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The boards from the shed/barn were sanded with Saffie's handy-dandy <a href="http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&gs_nf=1&qe=aGl0YWNoaSBiZWx0IHNhbmRlcg&qesig=XALLTRszHJ5VtHA_KxhuRw&pkc=AFgZ2tlRrjPL41uIaWU-dyw1LNMG9k-6ZyhvAoKflPzgxPKKA3slK-uljpKs1_0SR65Dp3yUL0OqNa0_dzWSHHmKM1MV3kuw7A&cp=19&gs_id=21&xhr=t&q=hitachi+belt+sander&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1355&bih=818&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=6776966380698765788&sa=X&ei=mx1iT4CfFKfb0QGwi_SiCA&sqi=2&ved=0CJMBEPMCMAA#ps-sellers">Hitachi Belt Sander</a> (his favorite Christmas gift ever!), than scrubbed with a wire brush, and sealed with <a href="http://www.minwax.com/wood-products/maintenance-repair/">Minwax wood sealer</a>. </div>
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Each board took a couple days to finish but it was fun and we shared the load. When they were finished they each had their own unique grain and quality. So lovely! </div>
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And finally, we attached them to the bed frame. <br />
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I topped it off with the a Kantha quilt I had also coveted from <a href="http://www.sundancecatalog.com/category/furniture+and+decor/bed+and+bath.do?nType=2">Sundance catalog</a> which without the cost of the bed, seemed like a steal....</div>
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Now, my little refuge is coming to fruition but what to do for a bedside table? </div>
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<i>Thanks for stopping by!</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Cammie</i></div>
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</div>Petals in Prosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18052410478398631386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7868340713643968107.post-12366455454851646402012-03-14T10:16:00.001-07:002012-03-14T10:16:06.247-07:00Onion Grass Beauty<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
As we all know it wasn't much of a winter. A winter that felt like spring but with not a whole lot to show for it. In my house this translated into a daily "gift" of onion grass bouquets from Lola and DD. Not so long ago I pointed them out. We knelt down to smell the oniony scent and admire the twists and curls of the green blades. They really are quite pretty.<br />
After our exploration, Lola and DD took it upon themselves to deliver me bouquets of onion grass.....every day. I have received more onion grass bouquets in the last month than I have received junk mail in my mailbox....and I receive a LOT of junk mail.<br />
The kids are always quite thrilled with themselves when they give me my gifts and while I love them all, this little bit of joy in a glass bottle took the cake....<br />
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The bottle was found in the wall of our house when we tore through during renovation. The green glass turned rust colored from our water which turned every white shirt I ever owned the same color orange. Lola put the ranunculas in the bottle with the snips of onion grass and left it for me in the sun. Thank you Lola, I love you too.<br />
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<i>Thanks for stopping by!</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Cammie</i></div>
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</div>Petals in Prosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18052410478398631386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7868340713643968107.post-22347693952935444652012-03-13T10:47:00.001-07:002012-03-13T10:47:42.675-07:00Phillie Flower Show Part 2: The Gardens = The Good Stuff<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
In a convention center overflowing with orchids I was overcome by the lettuce. I love orchids, all kinds. They are an amazing flower and as delicate as they appear they are an incredibly tolerant species. I oooohh and aaaaah over them every time we share a space and I never tire of their remarkable details. So why at <a href="http://theflowershow.com/">The Flower Show</a>, which brimmed with orchids, did I steer elsewhere? Sometimes it seems, a good idea can be buried in even better intention. It was ALL gorgeous but when you see more and more and more and more of a similar thing, one (at least THIS one) can't help but seek the change. Kind of like a beautiful song played again and again. Even if it moves you, even if it is your favorite song, you can't help but prefer the live version where they spice it up a bit with a different beat and a riff that takes you to heaven. <br />
So,.....I gravitated to the lettuce (displayed by <a href="http://PHSonline.org/">Meadowbrook F</a>arm).<br />
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And the arbor of tomatoes.....<br />
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and the canning jars lining the windows.....<br />
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And lest I should forget.....the simple path running through it with the sprite of parsley growing like the vine that peaks through the concrete cracks.<br />
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This was enough for me to walk away happy but when I turned the corner I found these.....<br />
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The <a href="http://seedsavers.org/">Seed Savers Exchange</a> had every seed I have ever dreamed of planting.....let the good times begin.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Thanks for stopping by!</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Cammie</i></div>
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<br /></div>Petals in Prosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18052410478398631386noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7868340713643968107.post-89851262804440185452012-03-12T19:04:00.001-07:002012-03-12T19:04:08.020-07:00Phillie Flower Show Part 1: Orchid-ly Overwhelmed<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="http://theflowershow.com/">The Philadelphia Flower Show</a> is always beautiful and this year was no different but in all honesty I think I have had enough orchids to last me through to my next Hawaiian Island getaway....when is that happening again? I walked into the show ready as I always am, for anything. The inspiration I find at this show is always immeasurable but this year, though there was beauty everywhere, the bit that really impressed me had no flowers at all.....I will write on that tomorrow but for now a peak at the floral highlights. <br />
Through the doors of the entrance we were greeted with this:<br />
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The Hawaiian wave rolled above us with sharks, dolphins, stingrays and orchids streaming past us. Between the waves were rows of white antherium and......wait for it......orchids. At the base where the waves rolled in, more orchids. It was lovely and very effective in a Disney World kind of way. <br />
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From there we wandered into the world of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pele_(deity)">Goddess Pele</a> with an enormous plastic-looking lava mountain (not picture worthy) surrounded by lava rock and a pretty cool pool of lava made with bright red, orange and pink carnations......<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9QTX2cviax9CpQJKIrLMfDvEGpMyH6p3D1a3IfRDS4SQLUJjtl3RBet2-WtQcddpRd8IitEqLGmjxZdoj22kV5TCeCnzAYg0ZnGyR1MFbVP_g9W4PAJnOjfIKVpFvBUyi519PVwF-7XI/s1600/IMG_1292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9QTX2cviax9CpQJKIrLMfDvEGpMyH6p3D1a3IfRDS4SQLUJjtl3RBet2-WtQcddpRd8IitEqLGmjxZdoj22kV5TCeCnzAYg0ZnGyR1MFbVP_g9W4PAJnOjfIKVpFvBUyi519PVwF-7XI/s200/IMG_1292.JPG" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0WQB_gKT4BaSb1f47u28QDWZFyUCVKFGyk__oTuAjgng98KfEE172d3jpu6bSI79Z2iSSCUXczsUKzs_L56g9YrYMKUvSpNf_5FpzwWT9ipyI_LKud9RiHnTMytgvF3cvdA74_WcDfBg/s1600/IMG_1290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0WQB_gKT4BaSb1f47u28QDWZFyUCVKFGyk__oTuAjgng98KfEE172d3jpu6bSI79Z2iSSCUXczsUKzs_L56g9YrYMKUvSpNf_5FpzwWT9ipyI_LKud9RiHnTMytgvF3cvdA74_WcDfBg/s200/IMG_1290.JPG" width="133" /></a>The Gods and Goddesses surrounded the lava field and provided my first love of the show. The flower leis on these two were stunning....I loved the green succulents while Saffie thought he would be quite the charmer in the white.....what were those anyway? The crowds were like swarms of bees and moved you forward without option to pause. My apologies to the details.....<a href="http://www.aifd.org/">The American Institute of Floral Designers</a> did lovely work with their theme, "The Beautiful Dance...Song, Chant and Hula", particularly where the dancers came into play. <br />
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Around the bend we encountered another love of show...only my photography skills failed me. The display is not done justice here but was magnificent in live view. Just imagine a field of glass, clear and un-adultered except for water and blue light. A sea with waves of white orchids tumbling into blue. Beautiful. Two large displays told a similar story ending in a long bed of sand with the most delightful succulent (and orchid!) starfish. I wanted to take one home. There were also grand displays in between the oceans, lovely.<br />
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There were so many photo opportunities. So many orchids. So many beautiful flowers, exotic headresses, lava mountains, orchids, arbors dripping with flowers, pineapples made of carnations and giant monstera leaves, and more orchids. It was a whirlwind of color and opulence immersed in crowds of people thick with cameras. Is it any wonder than that if you ask me which floral display I walked away loving the most I will answer with the image below....a study in simplicity by Alice Chung. Peonies and pine so perfectly poised as though on a cliff wall, beckoning the honeybee. <br />
To my eye, which constantly searches for the places of calm, this little gem was an oasis.<br />
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More tomorrow.....but this time no orchids.</div>
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<i>Thanks for stopping by!</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Cammie</i></div>
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<br /></div>Petals in Prosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18052410478398631386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7868340713643968107.post-8754664029564586832012-03-10T18:48:00.000-08:002012-03-10T18:48:43.382-08:00Take one for the road.....<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I like people. I like quirkiness, quietness, gentleness, loudness, forwardness, inwardness..... When I have been asked if it is hard to work with "bride's" my response is always, "I'm a people person who happens to love flowers". If I ever worked with a Bridezilla I quickly wiped it from my memory.....<br />
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When Sarah (from Flowers Please!) worked with me she had a favorite couple she used to sell flowers to at the <a href="http://freshfarmmarkets.org/farmers_markets/markets/dupont_circle.php">Dupont Circle Market</a>. They were faithful <a href="http://www.wollamgardens.com/">Wollam Gardens</a> buyers and when they decided to marry they also decided on a wedding with all our flowers. Sarah guided them through the seasons, the availability chart (the ever-changing chart!) and when they came to the farm I sat in while they explored ideas and soon they became one of my favorite couples too. <br />
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They chose lots of purples, late summer hydrangea, and for favors....a bucket filled to the brim with multi-colored zinnias. They were fun, cheerful, and great to work with. <br />
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Cheers Andrea and Howard to long-lasting love and happiness! <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf1cItjdHC-HQI9muIh38tKAbATT2aGPT8tdiPIFeNXBwnV9weSA0j6-M2lkvkrlQex-tw_NTQ8lH3eUuyKsVtswAbX6CPwbQnEythwCBNCQP_l8-vNc-PDybgJGOAvpvljROx59ap7vM/s1600/Lowther_Wedding_Heather+Z+Photography_0471.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf1cItjdHC-HQI9muIh38tKAbATT2aGPT8tdiPIFeNXBwnV9weSA0j6-M2lkvkrlQex-tw_NTQ8lH3eUuyKsVtswAbX6CPwbQnEythwCBNCQP_l8-vNc-PDybgJGOAvpvljROx59ap7vM/s640/Lowther_Wedding_Heather+Z+Photography_0471.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Take one for the road.....<a href="http://heatherzphotography.com/">Heather Z Photography</a>.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvJHnQZN_sTkRbOvBBdC-OdQFGJRupwZxIlSkc5dxo3mzMBdHDWcw5nTcZDirpEMRrJ0XC5EMmP3_xyIs5deAd76YoJ76u1nTUC9OT81VUrqjqzuHTuuW1zdw5luYWQsVtYSiaacMBdzQ/s1600/Lowther_Wedding_Heather+Z+Photography_0095.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvJHnQZN_sTkRbOvBBdC-OdQFGJRupwZxIlSkc5dxo3mzMBdHDWcw5nTcZDirpEMRrJ0XC5EMmP3_xyIs5deAd76YoJ76u1nTUC9OT81VUrqjqzuHTuuW1zdw5luYWQsVtYSiaacMBdzQ/s640/Lowther_Wedding_Heather+Z+Photography_0095.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gomphrena, seeded eucalyptus, late fall pg hydrangea....<a href="http://heatherzphotography.com/">Heather Z Photography</a>.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO6FPkGlL_H-4Y0hCQLMJYNImmzQFIVGYHAaSJqGh1EyrTQJK4SvbKKpMIo6rIgiY9QHxwVVS_hJeDj_EtiG2Qon3WqLLTHozd8NtgHWUIGXAyJg-UxHHB6T0gQ-P2GFCG9fkkQoMWIF8/s1600/Lowther_Wedding_Heather+Z+Photography_0081.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO6FPkGlL_H-4Y0hCQLMJYNImmzQFIVGYHAaSJqGh1EyrTQJK4SvbKKpMIo6rIgiY9QHxwVVS_hJeDj_EtiG2Qon3WqLLTHozd8NtgHWUIGXAyJg-UxHHB6T0gQ-P2GFCG9fkkQoMWIF8/s1600/Lowther_Wedding_Heather+Z+Photography_0081.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO6FPkGlL_H-4Y0hCQLMJYNImmzQFIVGYHAaSJqGh1EyrTQJK4SvbKKpMIo6rIgiY9QHxwVVS_hJeDj_EtiG2Qon3WqLLTHozd8NtgHWUIGXAyJg-UxHHB6T0gQ-P2GFCG9fkkQoMWIF8/s640/Lowther_Wedding_Heather+Z+Photography_0081.jpg" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">dahlia, pg hydrangea, gomphrena, seeded eucalyptus...<a href="http://heatherzphotography.com/">Heather Z Photography</a>. </td></tr>
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Love, love, love.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Thanks for stopping by!</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Cammie</i></div>
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<br /></div>Petals in Prosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18052410478398631386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7868340713643968107.post-27866084710036297052012-03-08T10:26:00.004-08:002012-03-08T10:26:49.190-08:00Fishing for Solar Flare's<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
There is something in the air....a massive, spring-like flurry of daffodils and solar flares. Typical stuff for early March. According to <a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/02/110216-largest-biggest-solar-flare-sun-sunspot-1158-science-space-nasa/">National Georgraphic</a> a solar flare burst from the sun this week and could produce some brighter than usual <a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?q=auroras&hl=en&client=safari&sa=X&rls=en&biw=1657&bih=842&tbm=isch&prmd=imvnsu&tbnid=-gZXz4FdZ7dKIM:&imgrefurl=http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photos/patterns-aurorae/&docid=L8cz_dgCXF2ZZM&imgurl=http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live/photos/000/015/cache/swirling-aurora-nicklen_1528_600x450.jpg&w=600&h=450&ei=ktZYT4nCJ4H00gGLhsDLDw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=1359&vpy=189&dur=2413&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=117&ty=123&sig=116717786423622183467&page=1&tbnh=141&tbnw=193&start=0&ndsp=29&ved=1t:429,r:6,s:0">aurora's </a>tonight. I'll be on the lookout as we head north this evening en route to the <a href="http://www.theflowershow.com/">Philadelphia Flower Show</a>. Hopefully we find our way as the GPS could also be affected by the solar flare and I think my ability to read a map was dismissed in the early 2000's as no longer necessary. Great scenario,..... me, looking for auroras, Saffie asking, "can you find a map? The GPS is kaput." Not exactly cataclysmic but if I don't get to the Flower Show I will be mightily disappointed. Priorities people.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiQsxLmPy5g794q-rggFUYKafoFtk2VaJHySRbwaPGpdxgAT37N-fjCC0kQgYjxaOw3Be-KeTdKVTmtrJkYMmGrdt_bzg4SGt159uTx5RLYrZ81yOur8nkyUmMtBhl45i6RVycxbq-wPQ/s1600/solar+flare.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiQsxLmPy5g794q-rggFUYKafoFtk2VaJHySRbwaPGpdxgAT37N-fjCC0kQgYjxaOw3Be-KeTdKVTmtrJkYMmGrdt_bzg4SGt159uTx5RLYrZ81yOur8nkyUmMtBhl45i6RVycxbq-wPQ/s640/solar+flare.jpg" width="638" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://carliniinstitute.com/">Solar Flare.....so beautiful.</a> </td></tr>
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I mean that more seriously perhaps than it initially comes across. Priorities. There are many websites and blogs out there rambling on and on about the negative effects of these solar flares on the mind and body. I don't dismiss them. I do however notice there seems to be an entire world of people who are quite simply, fixated on symptoms. Aside from potentially missing out on the Phillie Flower Show I am riding the storm pretty well....thus far. Check out this list of solar flare symptoms I found on the <a href="http://carliniinstitute.com/solar_flare_symptoms">Carlini Institute</a> website.......<br />
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head pressure</div>
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headaches</div>
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migraines</div>
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inability to think straight (wellllllll?)</div>
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losing words in mid-thought (what was I writing about again?)</div>
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ringing in the ears</div>
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exhaustion</div>
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new intuitive abilities (yes!)</div>
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anxiety</div>
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nausea</div>
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stomach aches</div>
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indigestion</div>
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loss of appetite</div>
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wanting to eat incessantly (chocolate cake for lunch anyone?)</div>
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heart palpitations</div>
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irregular heartbeats</div>
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heat sensations</div>
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cold sensations</div>
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dreams that are out of the ordinary (would wanting to plant the entire back hill with tea be out of the ordinary??)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxq7N-v0imC9WsSjbq1NiwzwtnIOPhBts9WObByXpu-kWo8APCha8BI9lIOYSNTP7qCkShTfz7FgI_nn5SvbaQ_3Ba1tckfc33a5gh3ZDHALqbOjx541n-xoju1hQE86dgS3Ywxtg4W0/s1600/aurora.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxq7N-v0imC9WsSjbq1NiwzwtnIOPhBts9WObByXpu-kWo8APCha8BI9lIOYSNTP7qCkShTfz7FgI_nn5SvbaQ_3Ba1tckfc33a5gh3ZDHALqbOjx541n-xoju1hQE86dgS3Ywxtg4W0/s640/aurora.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/">Aurora</a>.....think I'll see this on the way to Philie??</td></tr>
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How are you doing with all this solar flare up? My list of symptoms reads a bit differently and goes something like this:<br />
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insatiable energy</div>
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inspiration overload</div>
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feelings of deep gratitude</div>
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consistent waking at 2 am (during which time I unintentionally meditate on the positive flow of energy and pray it manifests in lives everywhere)</div>
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chronic eating of chocolate cake (not really, but if I WANT a symptom can I put it on my list?)</div>
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I know, life comes in balance and I surely hope the high I am riding on is not paired with others sorrow but I know it is out there and all around me. I know it because I see it and feel it. (I love the <a href="http://www.tribal-times.com/">Tribal Times</a> post today about a new volunteer group she is working with.) The coupling of joy and sorrow is undeniably why joy has such beautiful, tangible leaps. There are always two sides.<br />
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I don't want to sound like I see apple pie in the sky on a daily basis but while the sun was flaring and sending energy to produce heart palpitations and anxiety we have spent a couple days happily removing tree ivy, mud-fishing and other general early-spring nonsense.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdRqb_XgPKzi3byt8MlJwZf0DE0d_4e6Wn3uUGrRvRj3BmR-k6d3xphsrXLBH6IRbNYUlhkKo_BzJLbNlEyrZYxn7uWQeGf3M6Qpey8a8o1mYzMXRtLSm79KajwwreVD-lR7VhyZlZCgA/s1600/IMG_1233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdRqb_XgPKzi3byt8MlJwZf0DE0d_4e6Wn3uUGrRvRj3BmR-k6d3xphsrXLBH6IRbNYUlhkKo_BzJLbNlEyrZYxn7uWQeGf3M6Qpey8a8o1mYzMXRtLSm79KajwwreVD-lR7VhyZlZCgA/s640/IMG_1233.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">mud-fishing during the solar flare.</td></tr>
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The first intern of the season has arrived at <a href="http://wollamgardens.com/">Wollam Gardens</a> and the fields are getting that early tender loving care that creates excitement all around.......AND I saw a hyacinth today (hyacinth is WAY UP THERE on my list of top 100 favorite flowers). <br />
As long as I can find <a href="http://theflowershow.com/">the flower show</a> I will sit tight that I skirted the negativity of this last storm. As we await the <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-solar-storm-20120308,0,1357976.story">great sun ascenscion of 2012</a>, I will brace myself for more. So far, though the waves are unpredictable, they seem intent on delivering me to a horizon replete with joy. I accept and will place my focus....there.<br />
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<i>Thanks for stopping by!</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Cammie</i></div>
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<br /></div>Petals in Prosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18052410478398631386noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7868340713643968107.post-56815025681046346512012-03-06T18:30:00.001-08:002012-03-06T18:30:35.934-08:00Local Makes the World Go Round<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
There is a lot being said in the US these days about buying local. In our area there are guides of where to <a href="http://www.buylocalvirginia.org/index.cfm/1,3,0,0,html/Why-Buy-Local">Buy Local</a> produce put out every year by the <a href="http://pecva.org/">Piedmont Environmental Council</a> and the list of participating farmers is impressive. So too, is the variety of what you can buy. With such a long list I will admit I have not tried everything but each year we make a point to visit the farmers markets, sample the products and visit a few more farms. At this stage in the game we have come up with a few family favorites. <br />
The first on my list is <a href="http://oakshadefarm.net/">Oak Shade Farms</a>, in Rixeyville, Virgina. They sell an impressive variety of vegetables, eggs, honey, and jams but moreover have the most incredible family of artisans. Every Christmas they open their doors to the public and sell cut-your-own trees as well as provide a greenhouse filled to the brim with pottery, weaving, beeswax candles, knitted caps, blankets and scarves, greeting cards, jewelry....the list goes on and on, but get this.....it is all made by someone in their family! They are truly an incredible group. <a href="http://oakshadefarm.net/about/"> Jim Mello</a> is a friend of mine and his intelligent, kind soul leaves no doubt why his farm is such an inspiration. I want to be like him when I grow up.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi204ShIvveSc_UahYTI_NuOrPTZsnh8gXDy_wfmbB_Xt-lHBc7oYi8AZ5iaAy18hczpWur17iv1KCo-r67jYunS3cQ85Z_6RNhhiN4HITW7nfil0Uc02ABxgYiRSWWZ3q4iUgEuOXzBHE/s1600/jim+mello.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi204ShIvveSc_UahYTI_NuOrPTZsnh8gXDy_wfmbB_Xt-lHBc7oYi8AZ5iaAy18hczpWur17iv1KCo-r67jYunS3cQ85Z_6RNhhiN4HITW7nfil0Uc02ABxgYiRSWWZ3q4iUgEuOXzBHE/s640/jim+mello.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jim Mello of <a href="http://oakshadefarm.net/">Oak Shade Farms</a></td></tr>
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Another favorite is <a href="mailto:pleasanthillfarm@vabb.com">Pleasant Hill Farm</a> (again in Rixeyville!) where the hogs lie on "the pleasant hill" like Kings on their royal....um, thrones. I ache a little every time I consider the animal that gave its life for the food I eat but I would choose an animal that lived a humane lifestyle over one that did not anyday. These pigs live in a pigsty worthy of being bedazzled. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb8JBcF_bNEeHkavDwyl5A7ORWWR9cebmyOpUWYVdj7NaMcbUhKmmZ5bNXoKeV-rFRk5dT8qY4GtGrNCok387kiq3t1JrRm1VDA_Vb6S1ZqI_80b_DEzY63-1SGTpnj3SZ88s0Ofyf5_k/s1600/pigs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb8JBcF_bNEeHkavDwyl5A7ORWWR9cebmyOpUWYVdj7NaMcbUhKmmZ5bNXoKeV-rFRk5dT8qY4GtGrNCok387kiq3t1JrRm1VDA_Vb6S1ZqI_80b_DEzY63-1SGTpnj3SZ88s0Ofyf5_k/s640/pigs.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A photo from Rhonda's blog, <a href="http://pigtalesfrompleasanthillfarm.blogspot.com/">Pigs at Pleasant Hill</a></td></tr>
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When I met Rhonda at our local Farmer's Market, I was with Lola and DD and she invited us to come over and feed the baby pigs with a baby bottle. The kids loved the idea and we made a trip out of it (although by the time we organized ourselves the babies had been weaned). What we did see was a whole lot of happy pigs and a house that makes you think ole'Scarlett is just around the corner fidgeting with her skirt. Happy pigs....and pork chops that were so juicy they put my Dad in hog-heaven (not literally!). <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisnzhBND-j_y9bKeYBJ38hNSil0Q8KNshhNRbG2RMJKU45A_BvJQXPc4jFWbEDviIVerbevoHpFbfPSi_Sz6clfdP5Nq7bZwqq8o2ieuZspQqTckNfB3oSwWJSZDw0e4CzbC8bYUZrV1I/s1600/suckling+pigs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisnzhBND-j_y9bKeYBJ38hNSil0Q8KNshhNRbG2RMJKU45A_BvJQXPc4jFWbEDviIVerbevoHpFbfPSi_Sz6clfdP5Nq7bZwqq8o2ieuZspQqTckNfB3oSwWJSZDw0e4CzbC8bYUZrV1I/s640/suckling+pigs.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from <a href="http://localharvest.org/">Local Harvest</a></td></tr>
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Now, if you love local meat, produce, eggs, milk and so forth....you may also love cooking. I know I do. I love to cook but as a mother with a busy lifestyle I also love some healthy, delicious, kid-friendly meals that I can whip up in a flash. I have found no better source for this than the incredible spices of <a href="http://www.shenandoahspicecompany.com/">Shenandoah Spice Company</a>. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi7RfG3Bx5V5Y31vza12SGKVKRrNHwEjE6SM5Q71Fcc5DBQ50AQb1cVLUlVtxLyxfum3rzCi6m0uarv7Xjxgeh0DzY7Vu35i2EvBjvflE6ayJKfADLDZiKmvmylalQiMuYCCdY84f4ox0/s1600/spice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi7RfG3Bx5V5Y31vza12SGKVKRrNHwEjE6SM5Q71Fcc5DBQ50AQb1cVLUlVtxLyxfum3rzCi6m0uarv7Xjxgeh0DzY7Vu35i2EvBjvflE6ayJKfADLDZiKmvmylalQiMuYCCdY84f4ox0/s400/spice.jpg" width="355" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://shenandoahspicecompany.com/">Shenandoah Spice</a>...yet another great blend</td></tr>
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These spices are exceptionally well blended and with just a dash you can transform a meal into a culinary-melt-in-your-mouth sensation. A case in point was the beautiful organic, free range chicken I roasted for our visiting family a week ago. There were ten sitting for dinner and I needed to be able to organize and focus in many places at once so fussing over pots on the stove would not suffice. Instead, I popped my lovely bird in the oven with potatoes, onions, carrots, rutabaga and a sprinkling of <a href="http://www.shenandoahspicecompany.com/">Shenandoah Spice Company's</a> Jerk Seasoning. Not a lot....just a hint sprinkled neck to toe. Deeeeee-licious and so enjoyed that I did not have even a morsel left over. When my sister-in-law ask what I had used to make it so tasty I showed her the can and she couldn't believe it. Best roasted chicken I've ever made.<br />
I could go on and on about these spices but my top three are Jerk Chicken, Yellow Curry (this is the best curry I have tried since living in Nepal), and the Espresso BBQ Rub......oh, and the Carnitas......there are so many and they have saved my dinners more times than I should probably admit (thank you Josh and Megan Burrows!). Oh and just in case, you can order these by mail and they make incredible gifts.<br />
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So that is my top three with more to come once the markets open.....what is happening in your "Buy Local" neck of the woods? <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Thanks for stopping by!</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Cammie</i></div>
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<br /></div>Petals in Prosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18052410478398631386noreply@blogger.com0