Well, just because I'm a guy doesn't mean I can't like flowers does it? Well I do, so there.
(https://victoriaflorists.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/delightful-is-a-bright-seasonal-bouquet-with-a-natural-wrap-75.00.jpg)
Over the last year or so I started getting flowers on a weekly basis for Karen's room - cheers things up, they look nice and the three Tasmanian Devils I gave her prior to that... well, let's just say they didn't work out.
Anyway, I'm no flower arranger but I've learned to do a few things, such as cut the stalks to the right length, pare off the leaves, match colours, all shit like that. Kind of looks nice. The garden will be blooming in a few months, and that's always nice too. I think flowers bring a real sense of beauty and colour into your life. I couldn't honestly tell you what a flower is by looking at it, other than a rose, but there are some lovely ones.
Anyone else interested in flowers? No? Just me then.
Not just you, TH :) I love flowers. I just suck at taking care of them. Few things can so effortlessly enrich and beautiful a space like flowers, whether outside or indoors.
One of my favorite things that we have is a golden rain in the garden. At least that's what we call them.
(https://scd.community/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FhYLjgo7h.jpg&hash=fac8313d59c90a55a0cb1d0a0fff68421a1f33c3) (https://imgur.com/hYLjgo7)
The bumblebees go nuts for it and I like to just stand underneath/ inside it and listen to their buzzing.
Too bad it's awfully poisonous :laughing:
Nice thread idea, TH! That's a lovely flower arrangement, and so thoughtful of you to bring fresh flowers to Karen's room every week. What a wonderful brother you are. :love:
Guy, I've never heard of a golden rain tree - but that is beautiful and unusual; must be lovely to have such a tree in your own back yard. I also see that you have the proverbial white picket fence. :)
I love flowers and enjoy keeping them around the apartment as much as possible. I'm a bit of a tulip nut, especially parrot tulips.
These are currently in my livingroom - they are just regular tulips, though. (You can click to enlarge.)
(https://i.ibb.co/jG0y36T/tulipdin.jpg) (https://ibb.co/jG0y36T)
Sunflowers currently in my kitchen. I snipped the long stems to fit the flowers in a bowl.
(https://i.ibb.co/SVssTxm/sunflowers.jpg) (https://ibb.co/SVssTxm)
Usually in spring/summer/fall I keep a variety of potted flowers on the terrace (way too cold outside at present).
(https://i.ibb.co/X32X9FN/terraceflowers.jpg) (https://ibb.co/X32X9FN)
OK I should clarify: that's not my arrangement in the first post, just a random picture. I will however photograph the flowers in her vase and post them tomorrow. That golden rain thing is cool, Guybrush. Never saw anything like that before.
Quote from: Guybrush on Feb 06, 2023, 10:28 PMOne of my favorite things that we have is a golden rain in the garden. At least that's what we call them.
Not as spectacular as your specimen, but that tree is fairly popular here - and it's called "lluvia de oro", so effectively the same name.
Yep,it's an interesting topic for a thread, Trollheart. Funny thing about guys and flowers isn't it? It really hit me one day when I was carrying a bunch of them on the London tube one day, how it wasn't the masculine thing to be doing. :embarassed:
Nice tulips, ribbons, and who can fail to love sunflowers?
(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Py4wt8Zoy-0/maxresdefault.jpg)
What really ticks me off is almost every other time, because I'm getting a taxi back home with the shopping, the driver will almost always quip "Oh are ye in trouble?" as if flowers can only be bought to say sorry. I know they're only kidding but it's like, don't apply your own low standards to me, dude. It's a reason why I hate Valentine's Day. So many people will go out of their way to buy flowers, chocolate, teddy bears etc to show how much in love they are, and then the other 364 days of the year be a right bastard. Like, why can't you do these sort of things all through the year? Is it a case of here comes the day I have to be in love or at least show it - oh thank god that's over; now back to normal we go. Gahhhh!
Quote from: Lisnaholic on Feb 07, 2023, 04:22 AMNice tulips, ribbons, and who can fail to love sunflowers?
(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Py4wt8Zoy-0/maxresdefault.jpg)
Thanks, Lisna - I tend to like simple flowers, nothing fancy - and usually buy them at the local green grocer's. :)
I have vaguely heard of
Everything Is Illuminated, by the way - just looked it up, and now understand the sunflower/Ukraine angle. I'd like to see that film - thanks for the tip!
Quote from: Trollheart on Feb 07, 2023, 05:08 AMWhat really ticks me off is almost every other time, because I'm getting a taxi back home with the shopping, the driver will almost always quip "Oh are ye in trouble?" as if flowers can only be bought to say sorry. I know they're only kidding but it's like, don't apply your own low standards to me, dude. It's a reason why I hate Valentine's Day. So many people will go out of their way to buy flowers, chocolate, teddy bears etc to show how much in love they are, and then the other 364 days of the year be a right bastard. Like, why can't you do these sort of things all through the year? Is it a case of here comes the day I have to be in love or at least show it - oh thank god that's over; now back to normal we go. Gahhhh!
I'm not a fan of "Hallmark holidays" as we call them in U.S.; although I do observe many of them, so I suppose I've been socially brainwashed!
You certainly show your love for Karen in the most selfless, meaningful way 365 days a year - flowers or no. But nice that you toss in weekly flowers besides!
Ironically, I just realized a work colleague's birthday is tomorrow; so in a last-minute scramble I ordered flowers for her from the 1-800-FLOWERS site. ;)
Quote from: ribbons on Feb 08, 2023, 01:01 AMQuote from: Trollheart on Feb 07, 2023, 05:08 AMWhat really ticks me off is almost every other time, because I'm getting a taxi back home with the shopping, the driver will almost always quip "Oh are ye in trouble?" as if flowers can only be bought to say sorry. I know they're only kidding but it's like, don't apply your own low standards to me, dude. It's a reason why I hate Valentine's Day. So many people will go out of their way to buy flowers, chocolate, teddy bears etc to show how much in love they are, and then the other 364 days of the year be a right bastard. Like, why can't you do these sort of things all through the year? Is it a case of here comes the day I have to be in love or at least show it - oh thank god that's over; now back to normal we go. Gahhhh!
I'm not a fan of "Hallmark holidays" as we call them in U.S.; although I do observe many of them, so I suppose I've been socially brainwashed!
You certainly show your love for Karen in the most selfless, meaningful way 365 days a year - flowers or no. But nice that you toss in weekly flowers besides!
Ironically, I just realized a work colleague's birthday is tomorrow; so in a last-minute scramble I ordered flowers for her from the 1-800-FLOWERS site. ;)
Um, I don't know what to say! I don't toss, in anything... oh. Oh! OH! My mistake...!
:shycouch:
Yes, I'd say Everything Is Illuminated is worth watching, plus a soundtrack worth listening to.
Quote from: Trollheart on Feb 08, 2023, 02:24 AMUm, I don't know what to say! I don't toss, in anything... oh. Oh! OH! My mistake...!
:shycouch:
Whatever you do, don't toss in Karen's flowers on Valentine's Day. :coldsweat:
:shycouch:
Quote from: Lisnaholic on Feb 08, 2023, 04:14 AMYes, I'd say Everything Is Illuminated is worth watching, plus a soundtrack worth listening to.
I hear there are some
balalaikas ringing out on that soundtrack. I'll be listening.
🌻
This week's arrangements, for those who are interested.
(https://i.postimg.cc/9QTnH4LP/20230209-154025.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/L8BGZYj9/20230209-154018.jpg)
Those are pretty flowers, TH - love the bright colors! You do everything possible to make Karen's situation more bearable and I'm sure it means the world to her. You are really something else. :love:
P.S.: Bonus points to you for not using baby's breath in those bouquets; I always think they make arrangements look contrived and unnatural.
Well, I didn't have it. I mean, those are bouquets I bought and then trimmed and de-leafed (?) and arranged in the vases. I just work with what I got. Usually there are a good few left over, and also last week's ones are not yet dead but there's no room for them, so I drop them in next door to my neighbour, who appreciates them. She was an old friend of my ma's, and she's a nice lady, so I manage to both brighten up two women's day while also keeping the "old" flowers alive for a few more days. Win/win.
That's great, TH :) your kindness is inspiring, as is your love of flowers.
By the way, there's mothers day today and then Valentine's Day in a couple of days.
Yup. Mother's Day in Ireland is different; it's not till about the middle of March. That will necessitate a trip up to the cemetery.
Lovely that you share the flowers with your mom's friend, TH. I think your mom would definitely approve and be very pleased and proud of you. <3
Guy, I hope your wife has a very happy Morsdag! :love:
Hey, congrats, Ribbons. You just made Full Member. :)
Thanks, RS! I've arrived. :laughing:
And nice to be here with all of you.
Quote from: ribbons on Feb 12, 2023, 05:58 PMGuy, I hope your wife has a very happy Morsdag! :love:
Thanks ribs :) I think she does. I made drawings for her with the kids and she got some nice bath bombs and some time to herself.
Hope you have a nice mother's day too!
^ That's great, Tore - I'm sure she'll treasure the kids' drawings, and who doesn't enjoy bath bombs and time alone now and then. :)
Thanks so much for the kind mother's day wishes - I'll hold on to them for mid-May (our mother's day here in the U.S.).
Karen's Valentine's Day flowers: twelve red roses for the thorn in my side! :laughing:
(https://i.postimg.cc/cJMYX5gy/20230214-142433.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/0NqDGqN0/20230214-142439.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/JzXjBhRh/20230214-142443.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/Pr9mxDsc/20230214-142446.jpg)
Very pretty roses, TH. You're the king of brothers for sure. (https://tl.net/mirror/smilies/koning.gif)
Commendable TH :) And very pretty roses.
I also got my wife red roses for Valentine's day. She gave me some expensive-ish caramels. So romantic :love:
That's lovely, Tore - I'm sure your wife loves those roses and you the caramels. :love:
I was very grateful to receive a beautiful floral arrangement from my daughter and my son surprised with tickets to a George Harrison/"Concert For Bangladesh" tribute concert (we're going together).
And as usual, I gave both of them gift certificates (how imaginative of me) and very mushy notes in their Valentine's cards. :love:
Karen's room today
(https://i.postimg.cc/J0987Nqb/20230224-124001-1.jpg)
That's lovely, Trolls :)
Is that you in the photo in the left, Trolls?
Looks like a lovely photo of the Queen in the centre, too :)
No. The picture on the left shows Karen about to go to her debs ball - think she was about 17 at the time - with her then-boyfriend, Daragh. The woman in the middle is my Aunt Eileen, about whom I've spoken before: she lived to 99 and died in 2017. The smaller picture in the frame is of Ritchie, one of our cats, and the bigger is the Sacred Heart, also known as Jesus. To the right is a picture of Karen with our mam, but you can't see that as the flower vase covers it up.
Yeah that's the one. I was just messing about the Queen BTW :)