Remember when you were a school girl (or boy as the case may be) and your teacher gave you a project of planting a seed in a paper cup? I do, I think the first time we did that was in 1^st grade and the nuns (did I mention I’m a recovering Catholic? *SMILE) gave each student a paper cup, and some seeds which I don’t even recall what they were. We marched outside to the school yard, hoes in hand and began digging up the earth so we could put the dirt in our humble paper cups, add seeds, a little water and then wait.  We waited for what seemed like eternity (probably only a few days in adult time) as the paper cups sprouted little green leaves.  I remember how proud I was of that little plant… that I (and God) could actually create a living thing!  In fact, it is probably the only good memory I have of Catholic School.  This is, I am sure what started my love, awe and respect for flowers.

According to the National Gardening Association, gardening is one of the nation’s most popular pastimes. One in four Americans says that gardening is a real hobby or interest of theirs. About one in four spends four or more hours per week tending lawns, flowers, and vegetables.  It wonder how it is around the world? In some parts the numbers are probably much higher!

It got me thinking about how flowers affect us in such profound ways.  In fact today reminded me of a story Gloria Mount shared on the WIN network here on RYZE (in 2006) which I’d like to share with you today:

THE FAMILY ROSE by Gloria Mount

Elizabeth is standing along side of what we are now calling, “The Family Rose”, at our home in California.

It was just a nice little red rose bush, to begin with and suddenly, it has taken on a life of its own.

It began with Liz’s wedding back in December 2004. The morning of her wedding, for various reasons, I was not able to attend her “original” ceremony. That morning, when I went to get the morning paper, I was heavy hearted.

Then I noticed this red rose, in full bloom….in the dead of winter, the only plant in the garden blooming. I was amazed, but knew the Lord was comforting me.

Come February 2005, the morning of my Mother-In-Law’s funeral….suddenly in our barren rose garden was this Red-Rose in full bloom!!! We cut it and took it with us to the services.

When Baby Luke was born, Oct. 2005 there was this Red-Rose!!

December 2005 when Christina was here for Christmas holidays, the day we took her to her Grandma’s grave site….here was this red-rose in full bloom!! We cut it and Chris put it on Grandma Mount’s lovely grave.

Now, May 2006, the morning of Liz’s Bday. I walked outside and saw 2 brilliant red buds….by the time we came back from her Bday breakfast…there was the Red Rose, in full bloom !!!!

Now, I’m wondering how Christina came to name her website….Cyerra Rose…I’m sure Chris wasn’t thinking of our roses here in Whittier….but “Some One” had guided her heart and mind.

As I’m writing this, the connection, now is amazing.

Cyerra Rose was always a beautiful name, but, now it all makes sense with our “Family Red Rose”.

God loves to delight us!!!!

If you’d like to stop by Gloria’s page and say HI and thank her for her story, it’s here: http://www.ryze.com/go/Italianmamma

In case you’d like to read about the other benefits, check out a post I wrote last month entitled “NATURES BENEFITS” at  http://tulipstalk.wordpress.com/2008/03/12/natures-benefits/

And if you like flower humor, here’s one for you:

What did the bee say to the flower?

“Hey bud, when do you open?

Time to get out the shovel … Happy Plant a Flower Day!

Heidi

This annual event was originally organized in 1952 as “National Secretaries Week” by the National Secretaries Association (now known as the International Association of Administrative Professionals) in conjunction with public relations executive Harry Klemfuss and a consortium of office product manufacturers. It was established as an effort to recognize secretaries for their contributions in the workplace, and to attract people to secretarial/administrative careers. 

In the year 2000, IAAP announced a name change for Professional Secretaries Week and Professional Secretaries Day. The names were changed to Administrative Professionals Week and Administrative Professionals Day to keep pace with changing job titles and expanding responsibilities of today’s administrative workforce.

Over the years, Administrative Professionals Week has become one of the largest workplace observances. The event is celebrated worldwide, bringing together millions of people for community events, educational seminars, and individual corporate activities recognizing support staff with gifts of appreciation.

Today, there are more than 4.1 million secretaries and administrative assistants working in the United States, according to U.S. Department of Labor statistics, and 8.9 million people working in various administrative support roles. More than 475,000 administrative professionals are employed in Canada. Millions more administrative professionals work in offices all over the world.

Remember: there’s still time to order flowers for your assistant. Just give Eden Florist a call at 954-981-5515 or visit our website at www.EdenFlorist.com.

Spring

Spring makes the world a happy place
You see a smile on every face.
Flowers come out and birds arrive,
Oh, isn’t it grand to be alive?

Spring is one of the four seasons of temperate zones. Astronomically, it begins with the spring equinox (begins today - March 20 in the Northern Hemisphere, and around September 23 in the Southern Hemisphere), and ends with the summer solstice (around June 21 in the Northern Hemisphere and December 21 in the Southern Hemisphere). In meteorology, it is by convention instead counted as the whole months of March, April, and May in the Northern Hemisphere and September, October, and November in the Southern Hemisphere. However, in the Irish Calendar it is counted as the whole months of February, March and April.

Spring, Almost

The sunshine gleams so bright and warm,
The sky is blue and clear.
I run outdoors without a coat,
And spring is almost here.

Then before I know it,
Small clouds have blown together,
Till the sun just can’t get through them,
And again, it’s mitten weather.

April

April is a rainbow month,
Of sudden springtime showers.
Bright with golden daffodils
and lots of pretty flowers.

Click here to download our Easter Coloring Book

Click here to Order FLOWERS

Did you “blow it” for Valentine’s Day? Did your sweetie give you the worst Valentine’s present ever?  Was it the most unromantic gift you could think of, like a toaster or vacuum cleaner or worse? Did he (or she) forget Valentine’s Day all together? I mean, what’s wrong with a new MOP anyway?  After all, it would be a great way to make your getaway from that relationship.  February has long been known as the month of romance.  From Valentine’s Day (February 14th) to Dream of Your Sweetheart Day (February 13th) to Cuddle Day (February 25th), February brings many opportunities to shower your love with affection.  However, up to now, no day has existed for the romantically challenged who want to show their affection without spending a fortune.   Romance isn’t about how much money you lavish on another.  It’s about attracting the object of your affection.  Romance is about making dreams and fantasies come true.  It’s a time to ignite the soul and recreate adventures of the heart. Romance does, however, have a price.  Romance is about timing, imagination, exploration and creativity.   Hence, National Romance on a Budget Day® was created to be celebrated on February 28th.     It’s a time to put on your thinking cap, kick in your creativity gauge and UP the romance meter. National Romance on a Budget Day® is a time for true romantics to cultivate loving sensual relationships.   

While you’re at it, take the Eden Florist “Romance” Survey and you could win one of many prizes including the book Romance on a Budget - 199 Cheap Thrills, Romantic Antics and Love-Changing Experiences, and 52 Weeks of Romance in a Box! Be sure to order flowers too!

“Friends are flowers in the garden of life”

A great way to make a new friend is to send flowers to someone you admire! 

When it comes to telling your friends how much you care, there is no better way than to do it with flowers. Reach out to all the special people in your life with beautiful Flowers. Whether it’s with a yellow rose or with bright sunflowers in bloom, flowers say it best!

Despite occasional grumblings that it was invented by the greeting card industry, Valentine’s Day actually has a long, rich history. Its earliest origins derive from a pagan festival called Lupercalia, in which Romans called upon the god Lupercus to keep the wolves away. As part of the festivities, Roman girls wrote their names on a slip of paper and placed them in a jar for the boys to draw from. The matches were supposed to be sweethearts until the next Lupercalia. 

To read the rest of the History of Valentine’s Day, click here.

To order flowers, visit EDEN FLORIST