Golden Doodles

This post is for Katie who loves Doodles. Look who I met - a dog named Max!


He is so sweet - his hair feels curly and soft like a poodle's and he loves to be patted just like a golden.

He wants to be a lap dog and hops up onto the couch to cuddle.

Fiesta Dinnerware

How I love my new Fiesta Dinnerware! I went to Linen's & Things closing sale and got it for 60-70% off. I'm sad to see one of my favorite stores closing, but excited to get these dishes.

My salad looks so much better on a Heather colored plate. I also got this 'Liz Claborn' placement.

I didn't find all the pieces - just dinner plates, luncheon plates, mugs, and 2 bowls.

I bought dinner plates in these beautiful colors: Cobalt blue, Heather, Evergreen, Shamrock, & Peacock. I found mugs in Tangerine & Sunflower also.

Since they were such a good price I have service for 20 or so... I'm ready for a party now!

The Wisdom Ring - Morikami Gardens, Delray Beach, FL

I went to Morikami and listened to the audio tour for the first time. I learned that our favorte photo spot is called 'The Wisdom Ring'. It is a replica of a stone lantern (ishidoro) in Delray Beach's sister city in Japan, Miyazu, the birthplace of George Morikami.

The original Wisdom Ring (chie no wa) stands on the grounds of a temple dedicated to Monju, the Buddhist bodhisattva of wisdom. This replica was given to Morikami in 1997 by the citizens of Miyazu to commemorate the museum's 20th anniversary.

The beautiful tree next to it is a Parkinsonia aculeata, Jerusalem Thorn. Here's a picture of it in late April.

While the audio tour was interesting, it only talks about the history, and not about the plantings in the garden.

I'm looking forward to everyone coming to visit and havung their pictures taken by the Wisdom Ring!

Wellington Garden Club Flower Show - Post Time

Here's some more of my favorite pictures from the flower show.

The first division was for Horticulture. You could either enter a potted plant or a cut specimen.

All plants are labeled with their botanical names and families. This is Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow (Brunfelsia latifolia in the solanacaea family). It got its common name because at any one time there will be white, lavender, and purple blooms on the same plant, and the color changes each day.

The plants with the colorful leaves are ti plants (Cordyline terminalis). I brought one of the cuttings home after the show, and inserted it into the ground. Thats all you need to do to

propogate them.

A beautiful display of cuttings from flowering shrubs. The blue flowers are from the Blue Butterfly bush, Clerodendrum ugandense. The flower is shaped like a butterfly.

The second division is for floral design. I always enjoy the table settings. The show had an equestrian theme - this class is called 'Lunch at the Corral'.

I'd like to eat at this table. The red flower is anthurium. I have them growing by my front door.

Check out those peppers - just like the ones I grew this summer.

'Polo Grounds Party Luncheon'

Here's one of my favorite designs - 'Polo Fever' - a design featuring orchids

This was so cool - a woven coconut palm leaf. We all want to learn how to do this.

My neighbors and good friends, Christine & Phil, pose by Christine's design 'Tall in the Saddle'.

Christine just joined the garden club, and this was her first Flower Show entry. She won the blue ribbon for her class, the Tricolor Award for best design in the Section, the Award for the best use of color. and Design Excellence Award for the best design in the show. Go Christine! Its great to have such talented friends - maybe I can learn something from her ...

There's also a Youth Section. Here's some of the entries from our Junior Gardener's club.





The show opened with a VIP Preview Party. There were edible arrangements. We ate them - they taste as good as they look.

One of the member's made this edible arrangement which was sitting on the table with the drinks.

This was the first time the Wellington Garden Club put on a standard flower show. Over 500 people came to see it. Wow!

Getting Ready for the Wellington Garden Club Flower Show

I spent all week getting ready for 'Post Time', the Wellington Garden Club's Standard Flower Show. As the Awards Chairperson, I ordered all the ribbons. Everyone dreams of winning a blue.

I also worked as a judge's clerk. The clerks guide the judges (21 in this show) to the sections they will judge, and record the judge's decisions for each entry. There are lots of rules we needed to learn. Even after a special clerk's meeting, my friends Christine, Judy, and I met again to be sure we knew what to do.

We went to every florist in town at least once to get ideas and pick out flowers. It was so much fun to go into the refrigerators to look. Wellington Florist had a great selection of flowers and foliage. The new 'Whole Foods' also had wonderful flowers.

The show had an equestrian theme. We got a sneak preview of the horseshoe Wellington Forist made the show.

I entered two divisions: Design and Horticulture.

I made a small floral arrangement (8 inches), in the class 'Dynamic Stallions'.

I used schefflera leaves, the leaves of a fan tail palm, and celosia (cockscomb) for the flower. This won an 'honorable mention'.

In the horticulture division I entered a heliconia, which one a blue!

Its so cool to be able to grow tropical flowers.

Look who came to breakfast

We enjoy watching the birds in our yard.

Here's two fishing partners - a wood stork and an egret.
The great blue heron. In Maine they are always hiding. In Florida, they don't seem to be as shy.

The wood stork is one of the largest wading birds found in Florida. It is on the endangered list. We are fortunate to see them often.

Halloween Night

Its so much fun to see the way people decorate for Halloween.

We didn't get as many trick or treater's as I would have liked...

Mom was inspired by my witches hat and put on her Halloween hair.

Now we have lots of candy left to eat.