Flowers: My New Obsession

Don't get me wrong: I love flowers. Back when I worked as a magazine editor, our office was located within walking distance of the flower district. Going out for my walks at lunch time, you would have thought you were somewhere else other than New York, when you passed those florists that would have their gorgeous wares on display right outside of their shops. My walks were often adorned with the most beautiful, most whimsical works of natural art, straight from God's hands.

I love flowers. I just didn't always necessarily love taking care of them. There was always something else to do, and gardening was so time-consuming, besides I didn't have that legendary green thumb, etc. My hubby and I have had an arrangement: He takes care of the outside of the house, and that would include our rosebushes and palm trees (yes, we have palm trees! Two of them! LOL!), and I clean & pretty up the inside of the house.

But then Bill had to have surgery last week. That left me with the task of babysitting the flowers, some of which I've bought but he usually tends to. Since I took off a couple days from work to take care of Bill during his recovery, I had time just to water the flowers and the rest of the garden at my leisure.

And that was the beginning of my brand-new obsession. Over the weekend I added MORE flowers, which I potted myself. You can see them above, where they're beautifying our deck! There's something peaceful and centering about caring for a garden, even one like ours which is spread out, some of it in the backyard, some of it in the front (here's a shot of our front yard, with the azaleas that greet you when you first arrive at our home). Then there are the pretty annuals in hanging planters lined along our porch.

So when I'm not writing, I can spend time with my cheerful dahlias and those sassy gerbera daisies that just fascinate me! Suddenly now I'm on a search for flowers that show off, that catch your eye, that make a little corner of our deck remind me of those folks in the City who would take a tiny patch of yard and totally transform it with the colors and fragrance of wonderful, wonderful flowers.

I like to think of home now as our OWN flower district!