Box Crazy ...

My husband is a FANTASTIC Scoutmaster. He is actually not a Scoutmaster right now - but has been many, many times. I remember once when he was called how many of the parents in the Ward had told me how excited they were to have him be their sons Scoutmaster - I understood.

When a bit later he was released to be called to the Stake High Council a couple of those same parents came up to me and said they came 'this close' (finger and thumb mere millimeters apart) from standing up during Stake Conference and objecting - I didn't understand ...

 But was enormously happy it didn't happen.

Still - the man is basically a 12 year old in a gorgeous mans body. He seems to have the energy for it too.

Gary finds it physically impossible to sit around and just read a book, do nothing, veg - it is nowhere in his make up and as foreign to him as a day as a Sherpa in Nepal.  Since it is basically all I do - I figure energy wise - we even each other out ...


Everyone loves him as Scoutmaster - basically because every year he applies for the Philmont Lottery and basically generally gets it. So the boys get to go to Philmont. The older boys are always treated to some amazing, fantastical High Adventure experience - usually involving canoes, rivers and white water rapids.

His goal - ALWAYS, ALWAYS - is to help the boys earn Merit Badges. This is for his underlying ULTIMATE goal: to have the boys, by 14 ready to start working on their Eagle. Ryan earned his when he was 12 and we were moving to Norway.

On the day we stepped on the plane for our New Adventure on the other side of the World - EVERY SINGLE ONE OF HIS SCOUTS (and, yes - they are MOST DEFINITELY 'his' Scouts) had all the requirements to start working on their Eagle.

Every.


Single.


Boy.

If there is one thing my husband does not understand or know much about having rarely experienced it is: failure. He sets out to do something and he gets it done - no excuses, no dilly dallying - just work with your head down until it is finished.

In our house in Sugar Land he wanted a bigger patio. So he built the forms and poured it himself.

In our house in Sugar Land he needed 220V power in the garage to run his Industrial Strength power tools, so he wired it himself.

In our house in Sugar Land the tile in his shower was cracking - so he bought a book on how to tile and tiled it himself.

In our house in Sugar Land we got tired of our linoleum floor in the kitchen - so he tiled it himself.

In our house in Sugar Land, one sleepy Sunday morning, Ryan came in our room and told us that it 'was raining in the kitchen' ... a leak. So Gary repaired it, re sheet rocked? the ceiling and painted it himself.

I truly believe that there is nothing that he cannot do.

The man is magic - pure, lovely, wonderful, pure magic.

A month or so back he realized that he needed to make some more small Shaker Boxes. He had made them for all the boys in Young Mens (he is the Young Mens president and HEAVILY involved in their Scouting). I showed it in an earlier post. Inside he had taken leather and his leather kit (yes - he tools leather - are you surprised?) and cut out a piece for a Buck brand pocket knife. He tooled into then leather the inscription "Buck Up" above the pocket knife and below it "Do Your Duty to God". He decided that at least it was different and was hoping the boys would keep them in their room somewhere and maybe, just maybe they would do some good.

Enter a new batch of young'uns and he decided he would make 'just a few more' boxes for them too and out he went into his beloved wood shop - which - of course he built - added support beams to the ceiling, laid down the plywood for a fabulously HUGE attic (his shop doubling as an over sized 3 car garage - but don't mention that to him - it makes him ... testy), sheet rocked the whole thing, painted it, added chair rails - cause - you know - you might hit the wall with a large piece of equipment, wired it for 220V complete with a separate fuse box, installed banks and banks of fluorescent lights (my sister calls it the 'Tanning Booth') and then read a book on air conditioners and installed one - the freaking shop is cooler than the house when he is in there!

But then a dilemma! Since now the lawnmower, bikes and other 'garagey' type items were not worthy to live in his beloved shop - he built a shed - poured the concrete, built the shed complete with two windows - duplicated the siding and shingles to match the house and now we have a wee bitty mini house in our back yard holding all the 'unworthy items'. Not once did it occur to the man that any of this would be beyond his capabilities. And it wasn't.

I vacillate between thinking he is a genius and thinking he is a bona fide freak show - I am pretty sure he is a little of both and I love every bit of each!

So - as I mentioned before I went off on Gary's multitude of talents and savant-like ability to do anything he sets his mind to - he headed out to the garage to 'make a few small boxes'.

That was two months ago.


Just a sprinkling of comments he has said as he wandered in from his shop and passed me lying in bed.

"Since I had everything out - I decided to make a few more sewing boxes - what size should I make them?" To this, being rather well versed in Shaker Box Sizing I said "At least a 10 - you need to make sure that a large pair of scissors will fit in the tray." To which he nodded and wandered off.

"I bought a bunch of Walnut wood today. I would like to mix and match the Sewing Boxes." I readily agreed, then started wondering with all the beautiful combinations - how was I going to pick mine?

"Um, I think I went a bit overboard - I have made a TON of Shaker Boxes in addition to the Sewing Boxes and trays. Everything was out and I couldn't stop myself." To which I told him that I was sure we could find some pour souls to give them to - not to worry ...

"Uh - I made a few more boxes. I am not sure why." I had nothing for that ...

I have not ventured out to his garage and my car for some time - but the other night I went out - for a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT project he was working on (post to follow ...) and took photos.


Sitting atop his main workbench sit just a few of his 'partials' waiting for their master to finish them.

Some of the sewing boxes were clumped together in various states of completion - all beautiful:

Even the trays are unbelievably beautiful:

Each and every one of them is different - maple and walnut, solid maple, solid walnut and various other combinations.

I am a bit partial to the walnut - after he finishes it and gets it shiny smooth - the color is unbelievably beautiful. I realized that I have never seen a box 'in the process' before. Before he makes them beautiful.

Pegs sticking out - waiting to be cut of and gently sanded smooth. Little strays of the ... what? It is a grass - he uses it as a string and 'stitches the boxes' with but I am at a total loss as to what it is called right now ... but I have never - not once seen an errant, stray piece as is showing here. He told me he trims them all off.

I guess I just assumed that they came out perfect the first time ...

This combination is lovely - it is going to be a beauty:

The trays showing their 'toothpick nails'- sitting there all pretty - waiting to be finished ...

The 'stitching' before Gary finishes it. I told him I was going to use this photo since it showed his adorable legs. He had just come back from one out of many sessions with one of the boys he was teaching to swim so that he could pass off that merit badge (Have I mentioned that he is a swim instructor, lifeguard and certified in CPR? Are you really surprised?)

Gary is a generous man - one boy - hours at the pool. He passed him off last week and the boy will be able to now advance with all his requirements on time.

That grassy stuff - before Gary does what ever he does to make the inside pretty:

I am not as generous with Gary's time - I am rather protective of him. I don't think the parents or the boys realize the time commitment Gary puts into his calling. He made each boy a 'Paddle Plaque' for a Court of Honor just a few weeks ago.

He had read about how to transfer a photo to wood. Bought a bundle of mini paddles and started. It was not working out well - when he would peel of the transfer - 8 times out of 10 he lost a piece of the photo with it. He was batting about a 20% success rate - but that didn't bother nor stop him - he took the 'failures' out to his shop and sanded of the bad photo and tried again.

I am not sure how many attempts he made to get one Paddle Plaque for each boy but he printed, transferred, sanded off over and over and over again until he had enough - 50 times comes to mind. He never thought that he wouldn't eventually have enough - but hours and hours and in 15 minutes handed out at a ceremony.

He mentioned the boys liked them, but I am rather sure they do not realize what went into having them sitting there at the Court of Honor. Oh, did I mention that they were awards for surviving the white water rapids on their High Adventure trip this summer that Gary put together - not a Scoutmaster - but helping out a bunch ...

And between sanding paddles he worked on his 'boxes' ...

I was curious about the stitching and the 'un-named' stitching material. He showed me how it came:

And then he soaks it for over 24 hours in glycerin or something. I told him that it DIDN'T look like glycerin but something ... much more unpleasant - he assured me it was glycerin ...

Then I wandered and took a few more shots.

 I liked this one because of all the beautiful patterns in the background:

That 'to die for beautiful' walnut wood again.

You just wait - when this is finish it will be unbelievably beautiful, I have no doubt whatsoever:

A few of the less complete pieces - gently set off to the side - patiently waiting for 'their time' in the masters hands:

A tiny mystery box, sitting dejectedly in the windowsill. I asked Gary about it - he mentioned something was wrong with it. I don't see it, but usually I never do. Gary is EXTREMELY discriminating and any minuscule imperfection will bother him for life - thus everything is fixed or given away so he cannot see it ...

I smiled as I snapped a photo of his burgeoning clamp collection. He always says: "A man can NEVER have too many clamps." And is CONSTANTLY increasing his stash just to make sure he isn't a liar ...

I don't get it ... but I find it one of the most ... endearing traits in him! 

He hoards clamps and routers - it makes me smile and reminds me that he really, truly is ... human ...

A bowl full of his 'toothpick nails'. I told him that it looked like a pain to cut them all.

He said in a semi-exhausted, exaggerated voice: "It takes hours and hours - I hate it."

 Then he smiles and says - "I just cut the entire box in half on the band saw - it takes me ten seconds."

And I smile back ...

And now he is in Korea - mediating meetings and making sure physical violence does not ensue - or some such thing - did I mention that he is a very patient man, can tell people to got to hell, or that they are wrong and never offend, and make sure meetings do not get out of hand. He has GREAT people skills ... surprised yet?


Soon he will be home and back to his 'projects' out in the shop.

One project he needs to get on pretty quick? Those small boxes that hold that Buck knife ... apparently he got so distracted by beautiful sewing boxes that he has not even started on the wee little ones.

Wanna bet me they will be done and ready to go on the date he needs them?


Didn't think so ....

Russian Nesting Dolls ...

A while back I posted this on Facebook:

"Gary is St. Petersburg, Russia. He just called me to ask if I wanted him to bring me home a Russian Nesting Doll ...

Excuse me?

It's a RUSSIAN NESTING DOLL ... from RUSSIA!!!

The man is a genius - but sometimes I just have to wonder about him ..."

*** end of Facebook post ***

Well - the guy does not need to be told twice (or verbally abused about it on Facebook - but that is neither here nor there ...) and came home bearing a gift - a bona fide Russian Nesting Doll - FROM RUSSIA!!!

If you read the previous post you know that in my 'Book of Life - the Rules ...' I live by the rule that when visiting a country - I may shop and bring home wondrous, beautiful (expensive) items BUT ONLY if they were made in that country - it means more to me that way - and it is a rule - thus I must obey ...

This is the reason I was so dumbfounded when Gary asked me that question, but since he doesn't have Rule number 5 addendum 'd' in his 'Book of Life' (apparently - he is not sharing and based on some of his more bizarre behaviors I just might not want to read his book anyway ...) he didn't understand the importance to me.

I set him straight pretty fast (and mocked him on Facebook - ALWAYS a plus) and threatened to stab him in the heart with a fork if he showed up home empty handed - or something like that - thus my new Russian Nesting Doll!

And she is exquisite:

All in all there are 10 dolls. It must be a rule or something because I have (*ahem*) a few other Russian Nesting Dolls - made in Russia but purchased in Norway - thus don't count ... and ALL - regardless of the starting size of the doll have 10 little beauties total.

I especially like that the wood is 'natural'.  This is not something that I had an option for in Norway - maybe they don't like the look - I don't know but I am glad she is a bit different - separated a bit from my 'fakers' ...

Here is some close ups of the detail on each:

Isn't the wee bitty baby just the cutest thing ever? Or is it me? I LOVE itty bitty things so it might be that - because it is clear that the biggest with all her wood burning and gold is clearly prettier - but is ginormous in the entire 'Russian Nesting Doll' scheme of things - thus I am not as enamoured with her as with the bitty baby ...

When Gary got home he noticed the  three beauties on the shelves in our Master Bedroom - in the photo below. The follow conversation (paraphrased) ensued:

Gary: You HAVE Russian Nesting Dolls!?! Why did you make me get one?

Me: Um - you KNOW my rule - all of my current Russian Nesting Dolls were purchased in Norway thus do not count.

Gary: Count for what?

Me: Nevermind. Just DON'T go upstairs.

Gary: Why?

Me: It's not important - forget I mentioned it.

Gary: Are there more Russian Nesting Dolls upstairs?

Me: OF COURSE. Deal with it.

Gary walks off shaking his head ...

The doll on the left in this photo was one I bought in a lovely little town called Kirkenes, Norway right on the Russian border in the Northernmost part of Norway. We were there for an evening to board the Hurtigruten - a cruise ship that was going to go from there down to Bergen - it was sort of a final HOORAY at the end of our stay in Norway and a indescribable DISASTER.

First - Kirkenes is very small - Gary called the evening we spent there "The week I spent in Kirkenes one evening"

Then we boarded the ship to watch it rain for the two some weeks we were on it minus one glorious half hour when the sun peeked through. Even the damn ball statue located at the Arctic Circle was missing the damn ball! I took photos of a half circle arc ... totally empty - total RIP!

 Did I mention we took the kids? As in Jessie - that girl of ours with the attention span of a gnat? Ooooh it was fun!

She is the only doll (I think) that I did not purchase in Bergen.  They said that every first Saturday of the month the Russians come over and a ginormous flea market ensues.  Sadly - the day we were there (even if it SEEMED like a week) was NOT the first Saturday of the month.  So she is my most 'Russian Faker' that I own - having purchased her less than a mile from Russia.

I actually LIKED Kirkenes. Not even knowing of the two weeks of hell to come - I happily shopped my brains out while Gary baby sat.

What's not to like?

The larger pretties upstairs:

When I set up and took the  photo below, Gary was strangely silent about it while I felt OH SO CLEVER.


Get it?


Get it?



NO?


Neither did Gary.


It's the NESTING! They match, they seem to be made for each other - seemed symbolic or something but apparently Gary didn't get it ... until later when apparently he had a nesting epiphany ...


I personally think it is cool ...


But that's just me ...

To say I was horribly jealous of Gary for being able to go to Russia is an understatement.  The poor man doesn't dare take too many photos and is generally über busy. He has mentioned that he walks a fine line of me being disappointed that he didn't take enough photos to me being disappointed that he took a ton of photos and made me jealous.

He has erred on the side of too few since he realizes (somehow ... like maybe the fact that I told him to his face - many, many times) that if he takes a ton of photos I will stab him in the heart with a fork while he sleeps.


No pressure ...


None.


At.


All.


And on to Gary's current crazy projects ...


Back in a jiff ...

Since I Mentioned it in the Last Post ...

As I mentioned in the last post - as 'L' and I waited for my prescriptions to be filled we had an hour to kill so I got the FANTASTICAL idea to go shop at the HEB across the street since they have a bitchin' floral department and I am desperate to take photos - of ANYTHING - flowers are about the only thing I have these days.

Since I have been ill there has been absolutely no traveling and I cannot begin to tell you how jealous of Gary I have become ... it is not healthy, but there you have it ...

I really went over to get Charlie her dog treats - pigs ears - the ULTIMATE, MOST DISGUSTING items on the planet.

Pigs.

Ears.

That pretty much sums it up and the HEB up by my 'Walgreens That Stocks the Heavy Duty Drugs' actually sells them. We started giving them to her in Norway since the wonderful family we got her from had said they were good for dogs - kept their teeth clean and whatnot - so I went to the pet store and got some.

Whoo Eeee! Was that a TRIP! And now that I remember this - Pigs Ears are MOST DEFINATELY NOT the most digusting items on the planet. In the Norwegian Pet Store I had my choice from Pigs Ears, Bull Testicles, and Bulls - well - they were about 2 and a half feet long and skinny - you do the math ... and other things from animals that I won't go into ...

Basically having to shop in Norwegian Pet Stores has scarred me for life ...

Since I couldn't bring myself to actually touch the dried up bulls testicles - even though the lady there said they were WUNDERBAR for dogs and dogs health and actually couldn't bring myself to even look at the other ... ah various and sundry parts of bulls, pigs ears it was.

The ones at HEB seem drier (and greasier) than the ones in Norway and Charlie has a special place she eats them - smack dab in the middle of the Master Bedroom floor. Wonderful - complete with the most lovely grease spot ..,

WONDERFUL ...

She crunches it down and to avoid barfing while hearing her I just pretend I gave her a Dorito or two and call it good ...

Aaaaannnnnd - I have digressed - L graciously said she would go pick up the Pigs Ears whilst I perused the floral department. When she got back I had filled one cart to the brim and was working on my second with two deliriously happy Floral Department workers running about doing my bidding. 

To say I go 'a wee bit out of control' in any floral department anywhere is an understatement ... (don't tell Gary ...)

Here is my 'booty' (no, I am not talking about butts - look it up in a dictionary ...) after hauling it into my house from L's car:

I couldn't even wait until I had them all arranged and prettified - I had to take photos.

In all honesty this was as good as they were ever going to look - I EXCEL at killing plants - half of the ones below died during my last extended illness - ooops the one before that - due to lack of water. 

Combine my black thumb with neglect and you get me visiting floral departments VERY often ... (don't tell Gary ...)

Tell me this is NOT the cutest bitty arrangement you have ever seen!

 It was the most expensive thing I bought and well worth the price ... (don't tell Gary ...)

I had sorted all my items - all the 'extraneous' stuff was on this counter - it was full of cool spindly wood pieces, eucalyptus, and other goodies:

And on to close ups since you never know (with me) when the next time I will be upright holding a camera:

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE having a bamboo plant in the corner of my ginormous tub. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE taking long baths and so candles, Bamboo plants and pretty, lovely smelling thingies are MANDATORY.

Having had seizures has sort of put a crimp on my long soaks.

Not only did my neurologist tell me not to take baths unless someone was 'supervising' read:

'Peeping Tom' or 'Voyuer'

But also - I went to visit our old next door neighbor at the home we lived in before Norway - this was after we had moved home from Norway and she told me that the lady we had sold the house to had had a seizure in the tub (MY TUB!!) and died a few months after moving in.

Weird - the only other house we have owned - the man that bought it died from a heart attack three months after moving in.

I feel that I need to place a 'disclosure' on this house when we sell it that we are cursed and anyone who purchases our houses dies within 3 months after moving in - buy at your own risk sort of thing ...

Mandatory?

Voluntary?

Let me know if you think that I should tell our realtor we are cursed cause I am SURE she will believe me - but it is rather creepy that the ONLY two houses we have owned have basically killed the new owners straight away ...

Aaaaannnnnd I have digressed ...

But if I am honest with myself I think it is rather cool that I am "House Cursed" ...

I am sure the owners family would not find this half as amusing as I do ...

I climbed onto a chair and pulled out all the vases from the cupboard above the microwave - basically a 'No Mans Land'.  Just like the cupboard above the fridge where my china lives - I don't believe we have had the china out since we moved into the house ...

Sad, very sad ...

There were items in there that I don't remember - I think a going away gift to Gary from his work in Norway, a Waterford crystal bowl that is a complete mystery and things I had forgotten about - old friends!

It was like coming home from ... somewhere far away ...

I think I used them often in Norway - the place where my love for floral departments began - it was good to see them!

Old friends indeed!

Tell me these don't look spectacularly adorable? Alas they were sort of too big to fit in the cute little boxy thingies so there was kinda a lot of pushing and shoving.  Sadly, they all died horrible deaths within a week.

*sigh*

And on and on

and on

and on

Seriously - who could pass up ginormous beautiful sunflowers?

and on

and on

Here is my brand spanking new Nambé bud vase.

More on my "Super Duper Nambé Shop-a-thon" later ...

These - what ever they are - even though I have no idea what they are literally take my breath away ...

And then the placing and arranging started.

This lovely boxed plant thingie is still sitting right there but half of the plants are dead and the photos that came with the container are still being proudly displayed ...

Such a lovely, beautiful, happy family ...

I really need to do something about it ...

OH!

This is the most expensive thing I bought - not the pink baby bunch of beauties ... (don't tell Gary ...)

Sometimes it is rather dangerous to place my 'real' plants amidst all my 'fake' plants in my 'Indoor Garden'.

Watering gets rather confusing - thus the reason Gary refuses which is probably a good thing ... I am not sure what water does to silk plants ...


Anyone?


Anyone?


(I use this reference ALL THE TIME and feel no one gets it ... think Ferris Bueller)

But if you know what happens to silk plants when doused with water - feel free to let me know ...

My Indoor Garden growing and growing ...

And, just a 'few' arrangements that I spread about the house - with no less than three at my desk.

Along with a few silk arrangements on my desk - I was surrounded by a bounty of floral beauty for a while.

It was glorious!

Um ... and then I sort of got sided tracked.


The mysterious Waterford Crystal bowl.

I do purchase crystal at an alarming rate (don't tell Gary ...) but generally only overseas. I have Orrefors from Sweden - because it is made there, Swarovski from Austria - same thing, a few Norwegian brands, Bohemia from Prague and on and on ...

Gary is not as enamored with this 'rule' of mine - but it is really only an addendum - but still - a LAW nonetheless.

Just following the rules, dear ...

While living in Norway and having a wee bit of extra funds to spend due to my blatant embezzlement of our checking account (don't tell Gary ...) every country I went to I shopped with unregulated glee - Gary at home tending Jessie and all ...

BUT: the rule was I could only purchase items made in that country - thus the Montblanc pens (yes pens as in plural - don't tell Gary ...) from Germany, the Swarovski from Austria, the Mini Hummel China Picnic set from Germany and on and on ...


IT IS A RULE.


I must obey ...

Addendum: no - if you read this post earlier - these two photos were not here, but I was taking some other photos and love both these items that I mention above so much - I decided to photograph them and add ...

My darling Hummel Picnic Set:

My "Hand Carried Home" Bohemia Crystal from Prague, The Czech Republic:

Back to the Mysterious Waterford Crystal Bowl ...

I thought I could get some cool shots through the crystal ...


Note to self:

Damn Girl!

Wipe the stupid thing off first or every speck, fingerprint and whatnot is going to show ...

And here I started wandering the house documenting my new Nambé items for some unexplained reason other than I had not done it - and I love taking photos of 'Cool Stuff I Bought and TOTALLY Don't Need'. 

I saw a Nativity made by Nambé and purchased it - OF COURSE!

It is documented in my 'Nativity Shopping Spree' post I wrote a few months ago. 

Actually another 'Nativity Post' to follow documenting the two back ordered Nativities that have since shown up on my doorstep and are now safely ensconced in the closet upstairs. Other than the Nambé one these two new ones are most decidedly in the spots of two and three in a list of 'Most Beautiful Nativities I Purchased During My Shopping Spree'.

I am beyond excited to put them out at Christmas.


Hey!  This might be the cure for my TOTAL LACK of excitement for decorating for Christmas! 


Or maybe not ....

My lack of enthusiasm, sadly, I believe stems from the schlepping and unpacking the 14 or 15 Dreaded Christmas Trunks.

Hmmm - that 14 or 15 trunks?  That number will most definitely increase by 6 or 7 or maybe 8 or 9 due to my lack of self control and buying a billion VERY LARGE nativities a few months ago ...  I guess I blocked out the part of storing, schlepping, and unpacking all my new found friends ...


I guess we will find out sometime in December ...



Here are two Nambé Silver Heart bowls.

I wrote that because I was sure y'all would not know what a 'Heart Shaped Bowl' was ...

Digressing - Norwegian crystal that I forget the brand name ...

Swedish Orrefors - is this not the COOLEST bowl you ever did see?

During my Nambé Shop-a-Thon one of the places that I was purchasing Nambé also sold Orrefors and this is part of the design set the 'Tornado' series. 

I seriously salivated over the vase that matches. Next time I rob a bank I think I will buy it.  At hundreds of dollars for a single crystal vase - even though it is the most beautiful crystal vase in the whole wide world - I do actually sometimes stop myself from merrily giving the store my credit card ...

I know!


SHOCKING isn't it?

Sadly if you purchase crystal in the country of origin - it is seriously much cheaper ...

That or I didn't care when I purchased this since I was 'Embezzlement Flush' ... (don't tell Gary)

It was so photogenic I couldn't stop ...

Probably the coolest shot of my beloved crystal bowl

I'm sort of addicted to crystal. 

Have you not figured that out yet?

I have a whole shelf here waiting for the day I feel well enough to revamp all of our shelves to fit in all of Gary's new 'boxes'.

I had a plan - but that was before April 20th (or, as I call it: The Day I Almost Died ... But Didn't) it has sort of been 'shelved'

(hah! pun!)

for now and everything sits in weird places waiting for the day that I figure out where everything lives ...

A shelf of a very small part of my crystal - waiting for a permanent home ...

Just a few items that I also purchased for my:

"Shelves Throughout the House Overhaul to Fit Crazy Gary's Boxes and Make it Not Look Like He Made the Billion that He Did":

Two of my Nambé Butterfly Bowls - aren't they lovely? 

I LOVE the shape ...

And to finish (ahem) THIS shopping spree - a few of my HDR photos:

Seriously - these were STUNNING - I wish I could have preserved this set.

I told my friend that had said that she never buys cut flowers anymore because they just die that I LOVE to buy them!

Because then I take photos of them and I have them with me forever!

So I will always have my photos of this charming little 'fellow' ...

But still - I miss him ...

Aaaaannnnnddd on to my SECOND 'Floral Shopping Spree' - I decided that even though it is out of order it was killing two birds with one stone ... so to speak ...

Again - with my good buddy L after a trip to the doctor (OF COURSE) we stopped off at Krogers.





It does not have the greatest floral department because it is small but what they have is beautiful ... or maybe it is just me. 

I have never met a flower I didn't love ...

Hmmm ... this I believe is actually a couple of flowers from my favorite buddy from Floral Shopping Spree 1 ...

 Out of place but still pretty ...

I don't know what these flowers are but I am sort of in love with the funky petal shape - and the way the colors blend ...

Here we go!

 On to 'Floral Shopping Spree #2':

These ABSOLUTELY, UNBELIEVABLY, DARLING bowls of mini settings were the first thing I spotted.  There were only two - but both equally adorable - full of one of my favorite things - minis!

I started salivating but they were über expensive and I was so sad I thought of just sitting right down and bawling my eyes out.

This, of course is because basically I am basically a three year old and I wasn't getting what I wanted - very clear, yes?  If this surprises you - well - then you don't know me very well ...

If there is one thing that I have repeated in this Blog thingie of mine over and over ad nauseam is that I am a VERY spoiled (aka: lucky) girl.  I know it, Gary knows it - and if you had not figured it out yet - well - now you know!

While getting ready to plop down on the floor and start to cry a kindly Floral Lady came over and said she was just getting ready to mark them down (a WHOLE $20 from the original price which put them in the realm of possibility for me ... don't tell Gary ...)

I was beyond ecstatic! 


It was my lucky day!


And laying down on the floor in the Floral Department just sounded SOOOO exhausting ...

I looked at each and I looked at each.  I evaluated and evaluated both twisting and turning them.  Frowning I just COULD NOT make up my mind.

Finally my friend L told the kindly Floral Lady that I would be taking both, please mark both of them down ...

And suddenly -  I was a very happy girl again!

Tell me - is this not TO DIE FOR? 

Hmmm - maybe I should stop using this phrase - but seriously -

TO.


DIE.


FOR!!

Soooo absolutely darling!  The chair is SOOO  CUTE! I really need to go get one of my Playmobil buddies and let them relax a bit in the chair ... 

The bitty fence - the cute rock 'fake' water - it is a beauty!

Baby roses are a MUST for me - but sadly, they always die.

I keep purchasing them in the hopes of purchasing one with mutated DNA that renders the plant hardier then the usual lot. 

I keep buying them and buying them and as yet I have not found that elusive hardy one - but I will persevere ... (don't tell Gary ...)

And *squeee!!!* the other bowl 'diorama'!

 The wee bitty wheel barrow, the bitty fence, the bitty shovel and the lady bug and froggie (both sitting on their very own bitty mounds of moss - or some such stuff).

These were to die for!

Hmmmm - ah - forget it!


TO.


DIE.


FOR!!

I totally had to adopt them or I would not ever rest again. Really truly.

Even when I was sick I staggered out with my bottled water and watered the bitty plants ...

THESE ARE NOT GOING TO DIE!!!

 Damn!

I probably just cursed them ...

Seriously - could you pass this cutie up? 

OH! I forgot - the WEE WATERING CAN (lower left) - SO CUTE!!

Then one evening I got out my tripod and my close up lens and tried to take a bunch of 'artistic' shots.

Since I do not actually have an 'artistic' bone in my body nor have I figured out a way to grow one ''


or buy one (more my thang)


Sadly, I have discovered that you cannot 'buy' artistic ...


Damn ...


What's a girl to do?


And yet, stupidly I persevere ... hoping that one day I will get lucky and take a pretty shot.

Sadly - it didn't happen that night.

Pretty?

Probably, but completely normal, mundane boring flower shots.

And so ... I shall leave you here for a bit whilst you scroll through my extremely normal, extremely mundane flower shots ...

*sigh*

Apparently my metal 'GROW' letters are ignored completely.  I can hear the live plants sniggering at me even as I type this ...

This was my last shot and it was getting late (if you noticed - halfway through the photos I turned on a spotlight since my exposure times were getting ridiculously long and my back was killing me):

Sadly the baby roses have all died - the BUTT HEADS!!! A total bust on my DNA quest ...

Also a few others due to lack of watering during my over two weeks in bed but I literally - yesterday when I got up for the first time in ... forever - literally drowned every living thing in my 'Indoor Garden' - even those that were crunchy dead.

The crunchy ones probably will not miraculously come back to life - but just in case - I hate to dump a half living plant in the garbage with it quietly (because it is so weak - of course) screaming "Noooooo!!!!"


Planticide ain't my thang ...


All plants that die in my house either die of natural causes or suicide - I promise.  The 'Plant Police' cannot hang anything on me - I am clean - and my intentions are pure ...


Well, about keeping plants alive ...



Sadly, plant death just sort of happens on my watch ...


ALL THE TIME


And here is my indoor garden - it looks flush - but probably 3/4th of these plants are fake.  And EVER SO EASY TO MAINTAIN ...

The tree is real - the nest (with the most ADORABLE bitty eggs in it) is not, but, sadly the tree is telling me - EMPHATICALLY that he is going to die soon - half of its leaves are dead.

We moved two of the other trees outside when I was forced (by Gary) to deconstruct my "Indoor Garden #2 since we had to move a table and chairs into the defunct Gardens spot so we could fit a piece of furniture Gary had made where the table and chairs originally resided.

After dumping them unceremoniously outside, we decided to wait until they died a gentle, natural death and then chop them up and leave them for the garbage man. Surprisingly - they are still alive and actually thriving so we really should move out my final, suicidal tree to live amongst his buddies ...

But that would be very sad - I need a tree in my house.  I simply cannot live without an indoor Garden.

The life in my Garden invigorates me and brings me peace - it is essential to my survival so we would have to go buy more trees ...


I should get on that - but I am pretty sure I will need Gary's help and he might not be too partial to coming with me to a place that sells plants after he reads this post.


Hmmmm ...

Maybe I will go with B - she is seriously an Amazon Woman - and I mean that in the nicest way possible. She could heft a tree - and if Gary were out of town ... which these days is a huge possibility - we could steal his truck to transport it to my house.

 Hmmm - but then she would have to help me plant it and haul it into the house and that is asking a lot.

*sigh*


I guess begging Gary is my only option ...


But for now - My Indoor Garden is thriving and good - and keeps me happy and sort of sane ...

So ... that is ALL of my flower adventures (OK except one trip tramping out into a ginormous field of sunflowers that I happened to drive buy one day driving between pharmacies to fill my stupid meds that no one stocks since they are dangerous and controlled to the point of ridiculousness ...)

Since I carry a trusty - excellent camera in my purse at all times - didn't have to resort to iPhotos - but I am pretty sure y'all will live without seeing them.

Soooo ...

On to all of Gary's 'gifting' and crazy projects.

 Probably much more interesting than my mundane flower photos - but by law - I MUST post them or some 'Flower god' will curse me and kill even my silk plants ...

I am sure of it (Article five addendum 'd' in my book of life - true story ... I was reading it just the other day ...)


Later y'all - and thanks for reading!

Note: Gary reads my blog often - but generally skips the long posts like this one.  The Don't Tell Gary was a joke - he knows all of my foibles and is still caring, loving and kind to me.

I have NO IDEA WHY ...

It might be that I threaten to 'stab in in the heart with a fork' at least weekly - so it might be a fear thing ....



Nah ...


He is just seriously the nicest guy I know ...


Being married to him for over 31 years has been just icing on the cake!