My mother has a verdant green thumb, and mine is brown, bordering on black! The only plant I have kept alive is Hercules, a Pathos Ivy that my husband was given over 35 years ago, before we were married – and Hercules still lives!
I’ve killed the three plants my mom gave me when I started work at my new office (over-watered, I think), but I bought Marion at Thom Thumb a few months ago, and she seems to like library, as I do! She is surviving on healthy neglect, I think!
After planting the succulent in March, I was inspired to plant some more. Here are the Winston Trio that decorate my desk at work.
And, then at Sprouts last week, I saw another succulent for sale (these are hard to kill, you know), and was enchanted by the container he came it. Here is Bartlett:
Finally, I brought home Shelia from my late Aunt’s funeral arrangement. She’s a Schefflera, and she lives, quite happily so far, on the ledge around the garden tub. I’m really praying that this plant lives, as it’s a reminder of my Aunt Shelley.
Speaking of plants and flowers, I read the most wonderful book last year. So here’s the book review:
Branard, Lynne. 2014. The Art of Arranging Flowers. New York,NY: Berkley, a division of Penguin Random House. ISBN 978-0425272718. $15.00 USD.
I came across this title in our audiobook collection last year. I loved it so much, I asked the Fiction Selector at work to purchase a copy for each branch. It falls under the genre of Women’s Fiction, but the new-ish genre of Up-Lit works in describing it, too. Heartwarming, quirky characters, small town setting, with enough emotional resonance to lift it above others like it, it stole my heart!
Ruby Jewell has known tragedy in her life. When she was in her twenties, her beloved sister committed suicide; this sent Ruby into a downward spiral of depression, causing her to drop out of law school. One day, lying in bed, unable to get up and get back to life, she happened to notice some beautiful flowers growing outside her window. That vision was enough to help her get up, and gradually over time, to put together a life of sorts.
Ruby became a florist in a small town, and for twenty years she has helped to commemorate all the celebrations and passages of time for those in her community, with only her faithful dog, Clementine as company. With just one look at a customer, Ruby seems to know exactly what type of arrangement is needed to help heal a broken heart, or a sudden passing of a loved one; to convince that girl to go out with you, or remind a friend you are worth forgiving. She is beloved in the community, but not loved with someone's heart.
All that changes, when a young orphaned boy asks for a job at the Flower Shoppe, a man who has flown to the moon takes a sudden interest in her, and a local veterinarian starts causing some long-forgotten feelings in the region of her heart. It sounds like a romance, but it’s really not. It’s about life, tragedy, community, faith, and yes, love, too. It has stayed with me for a long while, as the best books do, and I have bought copies for family and friends, as well as recommended it through Reader’s Advisory. Sometimes you just need this type of story, and if you do, this one’s for you.
Happy Reading, and Planting!
After planting the succulent in March, I was inspired to plant some more. Here are the Winston Trio that decorate my desk at work.
And, then at Sprouts last week, I saw another succulent for sale (these are hard to kill, you know), and was enchanted by the container he came it. Here is Bartlett:
Finally, I brought home Shelia from my late Aunt’s funeral arrangement. She’s a Schefflera, and she lives, quite happily so far, on the ledge around the garden tub. I’m really praying that this plant lives, as it’s a reminder of my Aunt Shelley.
Speaking of plants and flowers, I read the most wonderful book last year. So here’s the book review:
I came across this title in our audiobook collection last year. I loved it so much, I asked the Fiction Selector at work to purchase a copy for each branch. It falls under the genre of Women’s Fiction, but the new-ish genre of Up-Lit works in describing it, too. Heartwarming, quirky characters, small town setting, with enough emotional resonance to lift it above others like it, it stole my heart!
Ruby Jewell has known tragedy in her life. When she was in her twenties, her beloved sister committed suicide; this sent Ruby into a downward spiral of depression, causing her to drop out of law school. One day, lying in bed, unable to get up and get back to life, she happened to notice some beautiful flowers growing outside her window. That vision was enough to help her get up, and gradually over time, to put together a life of sorts.
Ruby became a florist in a small town, and for twenty years she has helped to commemorate all the celebrations and passages of time for those in her community, with only her faithful dog, Clementine as company. With just one look at a customer, Ruby seems to know exactly what type of arrangement is needed to help heal a broken heart, or a sudden passing of a loved one; to convince that girl to go out with you, or remind a friend you are worth forgiving. She is beloved in the community, but not loved with someone's heart.
All that changes, when a young orphaned boy asks for a job at the Flower Shoppe, a man who has flown to the moon takes a sudden interest in her, and a local veterinarian starts causing some long-forgotten feelings in the region of her heart. It sounds like a romance, but it’s really not. It’s about life, tragedy, community, faith, and yes, love, too. It has stayed with me for a long while, as the best books do, and I have bought copies for family and friends, as well as recommended it through Reader’s Advisory. Sometimes you just need this type of story, and if you do, this one’s for you.
Happy Reading, and Planting!
loved it
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