Thursday, March 24, 2011

Always a Student....

I hope that I am always learning, looking at things in a new way and not becoming stagnant in what has always been. Today, I took a corsage class at one of my favorite floral wholesale locations. As the weather would have it, I had the instructor all to myself, and it was wonderful. There are always new products entering the floral market, and today I got to play with many of them.

While creating, I was thinking of another learning day while at my wholesaler's. In the spring of 2010, 3 designers were brought in for a Wedding Show to display some new products and techniques. I hope that you enjoy the photos of the fun evening out.



















The class that I took today was very inspiring. I'm even more excited for the busy wedding season to be in full swing!

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Peonies on Parade

Bridal planning meetings are in full swing at Forrester Farm. Spring always brings discussion of one of my absolute favorite flowers - peonies...











(Photos property of Forrester Farm)

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Praying for and giving to Japan

I can't even imagine what the citizens of Japan are going through right now. The video and news that we are getting give a vivid idea, but really, we are not walking in their shoes. For those who are asked to stay in their homes due to the radiation levels - my heart is just going out to them, praying for protection.

My cousin Pam, who is a grant writer, just shared the following quote and links with her readers. I wanted to pass it along here as well.

“Strange is our situation here upon earth. Each of us comes for a short visit, not knowing why, yet sometimes seeming to a divine purpose. From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know: That we are here for the sake of others...for the countless unknown souls with whose fate we are connected by a bond of sympathy. Many times a day, I realize how much my outer and inner life is built upon the labors of people, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must exert myself in order to give in return as much as I have received.”
Albert Einstein

Here are some links to organizations who are involved with the relief efforts in Japan. If you are able to give, please help the victims of the earthquake in Japan.

Network for Good

Mercy Corps

World Vision

Blessings!

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Exploring Venice, Italy

Charming and filled with history, Venice was everything that I had pictured and more. While meandering through the cobblestone walks there were breath taking moments at Piazza San Marco and Saint Mark's Campanile and Basilica. So much to see and explore, the sights and sounds were amazing. As I mentioned in the previous two posts, Wikipedia offers a wealth of information on different parts of Italy. If you are interested in more details, click here : Venice.

I was so thankful to be able to join my husband on his work trip. Taking the little jaunt from Bergamo to Venice was a wonderful perk. We made a day of it, returning to Bergamo in the evening.

Enjoy the photos and hanno un grande giorno (have a great day)!






















In all, we took over 750 photos during our short trip. I hope that you have enjoyed the small sampling that I've shared in the past 3 posts. Buona giornata!

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Exploring Italy - Women's Day Festival & Bergamo Città alta (upper city)

I happened to be in Italy with my husband on March 8. As we were getting ready for a great day of exploring, I looked out of the windows of The Papa, where we were staying. I noticed amazing yellow flowers being displayed on the sidewalks in front of almost every store - not just at the floral shop across the street. I also noticed that men and women alike seemed to be drawn to the flowers, and were purchasing and carrying little bouquets as they walked. I was drawn to the bright yellow display, and naturally, had to get a closer look right after a fabulous breakfast. Much to my surprise, the tables at The Papa had been transformed with fragrant little bouquets of yellow flowers, which I learned was called mimosa. I'd never seen this flower before in America. When Gorgio, the proprietor of The Papa greeted us at the table, it was with a warm, "Buon giorno della donna". Happy Women's Day!

La Festa Della Donna, women's day festival, is celebrated March 8 all over Italy. On this day, men bring flowers, usually yellow Mimosa, to the women in their lives. Restaurants have special Festa della Donna meals and there are often small local festivals or concerts. You can read more about this festival by clicking on Life in Italy.

Captured by the culture and festivities of the day, we explored the Città alta of Bergamo. The "upper city" is surrounded by a stone wall that was built during the 17th century to protect it's inhabitants from outsiders. I mentioned this link in my previous post, but you can read more about Bergamo and the history at Wikipedia.

Enjoy the photos and Festa della Donna Felice!