My Daughter's First Centrepiece

Yesterday A came over and she made her first ever Christmas centrepiece.  I think she did a marvellous job!!

Seeing Red, Pink, Yellow and White...the Kaleidoscope of the New Poinsettias

You can imagine my surprise when I saw melon coloured poinsettias this week!!  Thanks to revolutionary select breeding, new colours and patterns on poinsettia leaves are becoming increasingly available but how will the public respond, I wonder.  Here are some photos of those beautiful plants, the traditional and not so traditional.  Which is your preference?

Christmas Centrepieces

For inspiration, I've included a few photos.

An unusual colour scheme chosen to complement the magnolia leaves.

A selection of centrepieces

An undressed urn drop-in ready to decorate.

My urn 2016.  I used white pine predominately, red dogwood and white birch for the upright aspect. Embellished with stems of mountain ash with berries, a red lantern with a battery operated tea light, one grapevine ball and two sugar cones.

It can be as simple or detailed as you like.  Make it yours and have fun.  Cheers!

Foggy Evening

Last evening a dense fog rolled in.  It was the perfect atmosphere for Halloween, alas one night late.

Great dense mists obscure

trees and houses though nearby

swallowed in the fog 

~ SMartin 2016

Hello November!

With Halloween by the wayside, November dawned with a dusting of light crystal snowflakes.  As I walked out on the deck this morning, the air was warm enough for the snow to stick.  Miniature crystals perched on flower petals, as if gently dusted there.  I look out the window now to see more flakes falling, their presence much more significant than an hour ago.  

This is not to be long-lived though, if our Beetlejuice weatherman (Global news' Mike Sobel) is to be believed.  The next few days, into the weekend we are forecast to see temperatures in the teens (Celsius).  A joy we haven't experienced in a few weeks!  There's hope I will get my bulbs planted yet!

As chilly as it may be today, tomorrow and the next few days should be brilliant!! I watched a video this morning of my 18 month old grandson doing the Monster Mash dance.  What a hoot!  It melts my heart to watch him and am so grateful for the videos shared on social media by his parents and his grandmother.  

I sit here now contemplating the day ahead.  Today should be a good day to clean bathrooms, visit the library and do some reading.  A flu shot is scheduled for the middle of the day, I am reminded.  Next week we continue the set up at work for the "floral department" for Christmas.  I look forward to the upcoming weeks immensely as I really enjoy designing with greens.  The fragrance of cedar, spruce and fir alone ought to put everyone in the spirit.

How was your Halloween?