Changes in life and garden

For those of you who look in on Roberts blog you will know after changing my job at the new year I have now left that employment. Without going in to to much detail thing were not what I had hoped and the dread I had to go to work was so overwhelming It was best I left before I became seriously ill. With Roberts support and after being away at spring harvest with church friends for a few days i realized there was only one thing to do. Even the worry about getting another job and being a wage down was a better option.After months of just work most weeks six days no time for anything (hence no time for writing on my blog) life is now going at a great change. We are selling our house in Derbyshire as our niece who has lived there for some time is leaving, looking for a cottage in Yorkshire, found my skin cancer is back(not unduly worried its the least harmful of skin cancer and I have Faith) been put on stronger blood presser tablets (that's due to work) got a job, but now have been asked to go back to my old florist job I had for five years. Oh and busy looking for a boarder collie pup.
I must say I have enjoyed my time off doing some serous house cleaning and intense gardening and having some time with family and friends, and done some knitting, but I know I need to work and what a disappointment to find out I have to work longer than my 60th birthday to get my pension, not on.
The garden is a riot of pinks and purple's and having lost a few things due to the cold spell we had last year have a few gaps giving an excuse to plant some different things. My gorgeous passion which grew as high as the back wall of the house is lost as to my olive tree, eucalyptus tree, lavenders, parts of some shrubs, chocolate cosmos and quite a few more.

As some herbs can be quite invasive we grow them in clay pots. They had been in there for some time and were pot bound and looking tatty. So with fresh compost replaced them with new or cuttings, they are coming on a treat.

The first poppy.

My lovely tree pony and this year have four blooms ( Roberts in the big house has 27 show off) and smells great.

The honeysuckle is a fantastic show and the smell in the evening is Divine, what with the sent of the lily of the valley also its lovely to sit out.

Future concepts work shop with Alysn Midgelow-Marsden

A few weeks ago we were privileged to invite Alysn Midgeelow-Marsdon from the The Beetroot Tree to tutor us at our future concepts work shop From the list of materials to bring I knew we were in for a fascinating class. We were asked to bring foils, beads, threads and small container. Armed with take away foiled containers I soon discovered this would not do after she demonstrated the wonderful things she made with copper sheets and promptly brought a square. I had taken a large glass tumbler and got to work cutting it to the right shape weaving threads and copper strips, beads and other metals. The copper was thin enough to leave an in print of some of the many tools she let us use forming Patton's. I could have stayed there all day playing but it was all over to soon. Alysn advised us to gently colour the copper with a naked flame when we got home which i did before even taking my coat off. The effect was wonderful giving the copper different shades. In the photo's I had not done this yet.
At her shop The Beetroot Tree www.thebeetroottree.com there is a list of day courses that are available to attend and it is said the shop is amazing, I have not been able to get there yet.

I was delighted with my finished result to nice to put flowers in.

A design by one of the other students.




My friend Kathie's design.

some of Alysn samples

This delightful framed design.

This framed design has been machined stitched over the whole picture, lovely.

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This may not be from our country but............

BY A 15 yr. OLD SCHOOL KID

New Pledge of Allegiance (TOTALLY AWESOME)!

Since the Pledge of Allegiance And The Lord's Prayer Are not allowed in most Public

Schools anymore Because the word 'God' is mentioned.....

A kid in Arizona wrote the attached NEW School prayer:


Now I sit me down in school

Where praying is against the rule

For this great nation under God

Finds mention of Him very odd.



If scripture now the class recites,

It violates the Bill of Rights.

And anytime my head I bow

Becomes a Federal matter now.



Our hair can be purple, orange or green,

That's no offense; it's a freedom scene..

The law is specific, the law is precise.

Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.



For praying in a public hall

Might offend someone with no faith at all..

In silence alone we must meditate,

God's name is prohibited by the state.



We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,

And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks...

They've outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.

To quote the Good Book makes me liable.

We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,

And the 'unwed daddy,' our Senior King.

It's 'inappropriate' to teach right from wrong,

We're taught that such 'judgments' do not belong..



We can get our condoms and birth controls,
Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles..

But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,
No word of God must reach this crowd.



It's scary here I must confess,

When chaos reigns the school's a mess.

So, Lord, this silent plea I make:

Should I be shot; My soul please take!

Amen

some of my flowers

Sorry its been so long but Iv been so busy since Valentines day but we now have employed a new member of staff so I can now have a day off. Actually its my friend who has come to join us so knowing somebody you can trust is a real help.

We had a good Valentine day and not one complaint. Not being there before we did not know what to expect or how many people we would get through the door. The markets had fresh flowers every day so we were able to get enough to for fill all our orders.

The week after was very quite but things are getting busier week by week with some lovely comments on how nice the shop looks and the wonderful arrangements.

Just one example of a hand tie bouquet.

This is a cut orchard in wet foam and will last up to 4 weeks

This arrangement in a tea cup is very popular it will be good for Mothering Sunday on

3rd of April

A spring bouquet sold with the vase.

The first photo shows the flowers lay ed out on the bench the second is the sort of arrangement i can turn it into. The other two are variations I call them my tropical arrangements.

Getting ready for St Valentin's day

This week I took possession of a lovely dresser which goes lovely in the shop. It will store plenty in the cupboards below and display the things we have for sale. I managed to get the window dressed for St Valentines day which is next Monday the 14th. Hopefully we will be nice and busy and get people through the door and they can see what we have to offer and as people are saying they can tell its under new management. this next will be late nights and a long week.

My new shop

Well I'm into my forth week of my new job and its had its teething problems but the response from the public is all good. We have taken out the old shop fittings and the shop is now much bigger and a lick of fresh paint works wonders.People cant believe the difference we have made by just having some fresh arrangements and a good variety of designs. The shop has been a florist for 20years but two years of poor service can ruin the reputation, so we have a challenge on our hand but although a long way to go we are prepared to give it our best shot. I don't mine working on my own I have been used to it and with people popping in it gives one time to talk and to make people feel at ease . We have a busy time coming with Valentines day and I'm trying to get as much prepared, like folding paper, making bows. washing vase's and buckets. Not having been in the shop for a year every big event will be guess work, how many flowers to order, what do the people who live in this area like, and can we make some money. I will try to take more photo's and post things of intrest.

new year new job-(scary)

Its a real wrench to be leaving the lovely shop iv worked at for the past five years.

















The new year is also a new beginning for me it terms of employment. I have worked for five years at my recent job and over the years as we all may do think its time to try something different. I have always loved my job marred only by the attitude and sometimes dam right nastiness of other people. I don't want to dwell to much into it but at my age to come home in tears over somebody else's behavior gets a bit much. I know Robert and I can be some what easily upset by an nasty comment or virble attack (we tend not to associate with people like that in our private lives)but adding all that up and an offer of a new job persuaded me to risk the move. I know to well that when times are hard flowers will be the last thing on the most important things list for most people, and the shop has been run down and its on a high street where every other shop is a food take away or beauty /nail shop, but its a challenge and I'm a worker and will put my all into it. As much as i loved all the things we sold in my last shop there is a whole host of goods out there to sell and hopefully I will have a say but the new owners will undoughtly have the last say. My decision was all very last minuet but the last couple of weeks made my decision easier. Watch this space.
Iv not done much blogging lately and therefore as Christmas has now gone I would like to wish all the people who kindly read my rambling a HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR for you personally the Church and the wider world.