Flowers etc.

I love the surprise of receiving flowers.  Over the years, my Mommy (who should win an award for being the kindest, most thoughtful, caring, generous, self-sacrificing, loving Mommy on the planet) has sent me flowers when I really needed a boost.  She has done it for years and she has a knack for sending them to me at exactly the right time.  For example, my first full week in the Dungarvin Wisconsin office back in January when I was experiencing misery of epic magnitude, I got a delivery.  A lovely winter flower arrangement.

Then there was another time a couple of weeks ago.  Scott had been here in Madison visiting, but left to return to Columbus on a Sunday afternoon.  On Monday, a delivery.  Sent by my wonderful Mommy.  Very cheery.

While my husband doesn't send me flowers nearly as often as my Mommy, when he does send them he goes all out.  This was one of the most beautiful arrangements I have ever received.  They were wonderfully fragrant and I got many compliments (and inquiries) about them from the people in my office here at Dungarvin Wisconsin, as I always do when I receive flowers at work.  Plus the vase the arrangement was in was really cool.   

IMHO, flowers of any kind are nice to receive; flowers of a grand scale, like the ones above that Scott sent me, and flowers of a smaller scale like the ones below.  I think all flowers are good flowers.  Except for carnations; not a personal favorite.  Anyhow, the office I work in has a "Sunshine Committee".  The Sunshine Committee made these for all the staff in the office and put them on our desks about a week ago.  I especially enjoy Pansies because they flank the growing season for most other flowers in the Midwest.  Pansies grow in Spring and Fall, two seasons that I love for their vibrancy.

"If you've never been thrilled to the very edges of your soul by a flower in spring bloom, maybe your soul has never been in bloom."  ~Terri Guillemets

When I lived in Columbus, in both The Little House and The Medium House, I looked forward to planting flowers in the Spring.  I learned from my Mommy how to plant flowers properly, which go in the sun and which do better in shade, the importance of measuring when planting, how to carefully mulch properly for added emphasis and beauty.  I wish I had pictures of the yard at The Little House.  My goodness it was lovely when it was freshly planted in the Spring.

The yard at The Medium House is different.  We don't plant as many flowers in the ground at The Medium House as we did at The Little House.  We do more planting in pots.  I always put a pot of flowers at the turn in the walkway that goes from the driveway to the front door.  This year, I wasn't home to plant since I'm here in Wisconsin.  Scott took on the task in my absence.  He did a great job!

Scott did all the mulching at The Medium House this year by himself.  That is no small task.  It was hard work when we did it together.  I can't imagine having to do it alone.  Scott is meticulous, though, and he did an amazing job.  Oh, Lord, and that man can trim some bushes.  He is patient and attentive to detail, which are two things I really admire about  him.  Doesn't the front of The Medium House look gorgeous? 

Scott even got the plants that I like to have on both sides of the front door.  He also put out my star on the door and the flags in the ground by the front door stoop.  I taught him well.  :)

If I had to identify the single greatest thing about The Medium House, it would be the back deck.  I wish I had better pictures of it, but for now here are a few pics of the work Scott did on the landscaping around the deck.

This post started with me gushing about how I love to receive flowers, segued into flowers/landscaping at The Medium House, and will end with a picture of my two wild hillbillies in the backyard.

I showed this picture to someone I work with.  She asked, very excitedly, "You have trees in your backyard?"  Big trees in yards of homes are rare in many neighborhoods in Madison, sad as it is.  Her comment made me appreciate the yard at The Medium House all that much more.  Scott and I have been fortunate to live in a home on a wooded lot, next to a large open field with a park, in a nice neighborhood.  It's a real treasure right there on the west side of Columbus.