Mixed Blessings

Yesterday, I actually was able to work outside a little. It had stopped raining (Saturday was nice too, but I was busy at the flower shoppe) and I had made a mental list of what I needed to accomplish....
mow the lawn, check
spray for moss in the lawn, check
cut back dead branches from winter,check minus (I found several dead bushes along with bushes with last years growth that needed to be pruned but I didn't get finished)
spray dormant spray on the nectarine tree, check
spray the walkways, check - because Michelle came out and helped me! There are literally thousands of little maple trees trying to take over everywhere.

Michelle and I were feeling like we had done pretty well on our list and finished about 5:30 - she headed off to youth group and I stayed out for a little longer. My right index finger appears to be stained permanently brown - because of course as I was finished mowing the lawn I reached down to pull a few weeds and not having my gloves on I soon was a muddy mess! Combine mud with mixing Roundup or dormant spray and I am really stained! Even clorox and the "orange" scrub didn't get it all off!

To top things off - after I showered it started raining outside - so who knows if all the spraying we did will even work!

Garden Score
Weeds 1 Me 1-1/2 (maybe!)

Saturday was a busy day for the flower shoppe! Well at least for me it was. Erma said she has been typically doing about 14 arrangements in a day the last week or so - now remember she also does all the ordering and book keeping and "paper work" during the day also, so 14 is certainly not the most she has done or could do in a day. Well on Saturday I did 12!!! which also included delivering half of those arrangements! It was busy for me but I loved it.

The last arrangement was for a wife in town who's husband is serving in Iraq! He called from Iraq! Normally by the late afternoon we don't accept orders for delivery the same day but how could I refuse him? Karen was out doing our last delivery at that time so I said I would deliver it on my way home. Their home wasn't too far away, anyway.

I started with pink snapdragons and peach roses and added pink alstromeria, white daisies, pink and white calla lilies and pale blue freesia and green viburnum topping it off with a little pink wax flower. It was such a great way to finish my day.

I remember fondly when Al sent me roses for my birthday when he was in Afghanistan and again in the summer when he was in Iraq. I was and still am so touched by his thoughtfulness when he was there supporting our troops, in a hot desert and living in a sandy tent that he would think of me and how I love flowers! My heart is full with memories of Al - the best part of me.

I am so thankful that I was able to do this for this soldier - to share in his love story for his wife.