Angels, Cards, Flowers , and Love

 

After the flurry of the holidays, it's nice to slow down and contemplate some of the details of the past few weeks.

Despite being unable to have lots of people in for breakfasts, lunches, and teas,  dear friends and loved ones came to the door, bearing gifts.

Two gorgeous floral bouquets were among the love offerings this Christmas.

 

 Also received were beautiful gifts, cards, emails, notes, and phone calls.

 Sitting here at the kitchen table, I am overwhelmed at how so many blessings came to me this changed Christmas,

 It was the first without my beloved husband, He was part of my life for more than 50 years and remains with me close in spirit.

In silence, surrounded by the beauty of Christmas, my heart still fills with immense gratitude at sharing and receiving love throughout this holiday season.   

The message of the Christ child, pure love, freely given, came through loud and clear.

WHAT WAS THE BEST PART OF YOUR OWN CHRISTMAS SEASON THIS YEAR?

Hearts, Flowers, and Love

It's quite obvious that the world needs more love.

With that thought in mind, Valentine's Day is around the corner.

Imagine having a holiday that is dedicated to love!  How sweet is that?

Of course, it would be a better world if every day of our lives could be dedicated to love.

Truly, decorating for Valentine's Day is a delightful task.

Bright red hearts on a white platter; a white cherub in a reclining position;  a gold and red teddy bear; a simple heart-shaped red box; a sweet straw angel with red accessories;  candles; and pink leather gloves are all part of the front hall table tableau this year.

It has been so much fun getting ready for Valentine's Day.

WHAT, IF ANYTHING, DO YOU LOVE ABOUT THE UPCOMING HOLIDAY?

Long-Lasting Friendship and Flowers Are Gifts To Celebrate

A dear friend of many years gifted me with a purple and white Mother's Day floral arrangement.

It came in a pink basket with green and light turquoise trim. Toting other gifts as well, this dear soul even delivered everything to our house!

Our friendship is like the long-lasting baby's breath, daisies, mums, and statice in the bouquet. 

For awhile, our lives went along totally different paths but we never lost touch.  Letters, cards, and then e-mails helped us maintain communication when we lived thousands of miles apart. 

My dear friend has survived divorce, deep disappointments in life, and breast cancer. Right now, she is battling with diabetes.   She is an amazing person with an indominable spirit. She is also kind and generous beyond belief.  She's  immensely talented, creating all kinds of gorgeous arrangements and decorations from silk flowers, for all occasions.

As for the flowers in the bouquet, one of my favorites is the daisy.  When we were kids, we plucked off petal by petal. As we did this, we thought about certain boys we liked and said, with each plucked petal, "he loves me, he loves me not."   If the last petal turned out to be a "not," I'd throw it down on the ground and start all over again!

The Greek name for baby's breath, gypsophila, means lime-loving and sure enough, this plant likes alkaline soil in which to grow.

Crysanthemums, natives of Asia, have been around for a very long time. As a matter of fact, Confucius mentioned them in his writings in 500 B.C.!  While the petals of this flower are edible, I prefer them in bouquets for their color and ability to last a long, long time---kind of like my friendship with my dear high school buddy. Both the bouquet and her continued friendship were among my best Mother's Day gifts this year!

DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL FRIEND OF LONG DURATION?