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April 10, 2017, posted by Gina – This week’s post is not exactly about manners but rather about courteous behavior. You’ve seen it. Maybe you’ve done it. Or maybe you took care of it.

I am sure we have all been on the wrong side of a shopping cart from time to time. You know, you see a great parking spot near the front door of the store and as you start to pull in you have to suddenly hit the brakes. That’s right, someone left a shopping cart smack dab in the middle of the parking space. As welcome as an ant at a picnic.

As you circle around, trying to find a space, you realize the cart that was left in the great parking spot is only two parking spaces away from the cart corral. You begin to wonder why a person would just abandon the cart in the middle of a perfectly good spot when it would have taken two seconds to put it in its proper place.

I once overheard a conversation between two people in a grocery store parking lot. It seems they felt it was the duty of the store employees to take care of wherever the carts land and since they were customers they should be able to leave their cart wherever they wanted.

It is true that there are employees that can handle wayward carts, but a little bit of effort and kindness could go a long way. Is it really that hard to put the cart in its proper spot? If someone returned their cart to the proper spot could it save someone else’s car from getting hit? Or maybe just allow someone to park in a space? Or what if they just returned it to be kind? We’ve all seen store employees on a 95-degree day pushing what looks like 50 carts back into the store. It would make life a lot easier for them if carts were corralled and they didn’t have to walk all over to gather carts from here and there.

It only takes a few seconds to return the cart. Wouldn’t it be nice if everyone who saw a cart in a parking spot as they made their way into the store, just grabbed that one? After all, they need a cart and another person needs a parking space. We’re not the only ones who are irked by this rather selfish behavior. Check out this funny article from Matt Walsh, Attention Shopping Cart Ditchers: Look What You’ve Done, to read his thoughts about shopping cart etiquette. We’re right there with him!

We’d like to hear from you! If you’d like to leave a comment, click on the title of this post and the comment form will appear at the bottom of the page.

April 7, 2017, posted by Gina – It’s Friday and we have some fun stuff for you! Hope you enjoy this week’s round-up.

Ina Garten

We just could not wait to share this news with you. First, Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa) is working on a new series for The Food Network. If you are like us, then you consider Ina to be a trusted source for all things good to eat. Her recipes are easy to follow and visually beautiful. We have been missing her appearance on The Food Network. The new series is entitled, “Cook Like a Pro” and is scheduled to air sometime in mid-May. We’re looking forward to it!

Ree Drummond’s New Cookbook

Another bit of exciting news is that Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman) has a new cookbook in the works. We have trusted and enjoyed her recipes for years. In fact, we may have ALL of her cookbooks but who is counting? We could not find a name or release date but stay tuned!

Shay Spaniola

We saw a few of these pillows online and just could not get enough of their beautiful patterns. Shay Spaniola, the designer, creates these textiles from watercolors she has painted. One of these pillows could take your room to a whole new level. Give them a look. ***

FLOWER/HERB GARDEN

This past week, I began creating a flower and herb garden. While I have planted flowers and shrubs my whole adult life, I have never attempted to create a garden dedicated to flowers. Here is a list of what I planted this past week. Louisiana Iris, Constant Wattez Bearded Iris, Lamb’s Ear, Snow Cone Candytuft, May Night Salvia, Shasta Daisies, Ballerina Lilac Armeria and lots of Zinnias and a variety of herbs. Soon I’ll be adding Purple Coneflower and Coreopsis. I’ll keep you updated on the progress! Thanks for stopping in today and enjoy your weekend. Until Monday!

***(A quick note to our Subcribers: We apologize for an email that was sent out earlier in error. The last thing we want to do is clog up your inbox with silliness!)

April 5, 2017, posted by Gina – Most people love having beautiful flowers at home and we all want to keep them looking fresh and pretty for as long as possible. On average, fresh cut flowers last a week but several factors such as temperature, light and flower variety determine just how long you can keep them looking their best. By doing these simple things, you’ll be able to enjoy your flowers longer.

1. Once you arrive home with your flowers, remove any wrapping and/or banding and spread them apart. These flowers you just purchased need a little TLC after their long journey to your house.

2. Remove all foliage that will be below the water level of the vase. Keeping the water clean is essential. Any foliage that falls into the water will create bacteria which greatly shortens the lifespan of your flowers.

3. Cut at least 2 inches off the bottom of the stem under water using a knife (use a plastic container for this). The flowers need to start to drink lots of water and cutting with a knife, instead of scissors or sheers, allows the most amount of water to get to the flowers. Scissors or sheers squeeze or crush the stem.

4. Immediately place your freshly cut flowers into a vase that has been prepared with water and floral preservative. A packet of floral preservative is usually included with your flowers. Floral preservative contains three main components; an anti-bacterial, food and an acidifier which all assist in lengthening the life of the flower. You can make your own flower food with lemon lime soda and bleach. The lemon lime soda contains sugar (food) and citric acid, which lowers the PH in the water. Also, adding a little bleach will help keep the water clean. It is far easier to use the floral preservative.

5. Let your flowers sit for a minimum of 2 hours but preferably 24 hours so that they can rehydrate. Think about how you feel after a long flight. You are rested after being home for two hours but at the top of your game after a good night’s sleep.

6. Once flowers have rehydrated, arrange them in your vase. Give your flowers a fresh cut and place in fresh water and preservative every three days. Re-cutting and cleaning water simply repeats the steps that help keep the flowers fresh instead of allowing bacteria to form.

7. Try not to display your flowers in warm areas, a draft or direct sunlight. Flowers just are not happy in these conditions.

We hope these tips allow you to enjoy your beautiful fresh flowers for a few extra days! Do you have any other tips to share with us? Questions? Comments? Click on the title of this post to open the comment form that will appear at the bottom of the page.

March 31, 2017, posted by Gina – It’s another Friday and we have some fun stuff to share with you.

One Man’s Trash Is Another Man’s Treasure
This past weekend I had the opportunity to search for treasures in an antique mall. I was not looking for anything in particular, but came across these mint julep cups. They needed so much TLC that I wondered if I could bring them back to life. The weight and quality were good, so I decided to take a chance. After about 10 minutes of scrubbing I actually brought them back to their glory days and look forward to using them soon. A fun side note is that you can use these versatile silver cups many different ways. I attended a luncheon a few years ago and the soup course was served in these pretty little cups. They are also perfect for small flower arrangements. How about you? Do you like the challenge of hunting for treasures or do you prefer the easy accessibility of buying new items?

What’s up, Doc?
I spied this cute rabbit on the side of the road and found myself turning around to take a photo. This rabbit began its life as an ordinary hay bale and I just loved how some creative person turned him into this little guy.

Sliver of Light
One evening this past week I was at my kitchen window cleaning up dinner dishes when I looked up and saw this unusual sight. At first glance it may look like a regular photo of scenery but it was taken during a thunderstorm at dusk. The one small spot of light you see was as bright as a light bulb while the rest of sky was cloudy and dark. It was so striking I just had to share it with you.

Bumper Sticker Love
The other day I saw this bumper sticker and it certainly made me think. Sometimes I think we believe that to make a difference we must do something grand but maybe this simple directive is all it takes.

Flower Power
I saw these J/Slides Rally Lace Up Floral Espadrille Sneakers and can’t get them out of my mind. I mean, floral shoes would be so perfect for someone who loves flowers as much as I do. I’ll let you know if these babies end up at my front door.

Have a great weekend and enjoy the beautiful spring weather! If you’d like to leave a comment, just click on the title of this post and the comment form will appear at the bottom of the page.

March 27, 2017, posted by Gina – It’s just another Manners Monday! This time around we’re discussing one of our pet peeves: not responding to emails. Have you ever sent an email asking a question or requiring action and suddenly you feel like Adele singing ‘Hello’? You wait for a response and even a few days go by and still nothing, nada, nunca! We get it. Everyone is busy and inundated with unwanted emails. It gets exhausting just trying to sift through the ad emails to get to the personal emails. Be that as it may, it does not give any of us an excuse for not replying to personal or business emails. Before cell phones became appendages it was more common for people to take a few days to check and respond to emails. However, these days we are more connected than ever so it would seem it should be easier to communicate.

All of this had us wondering if Emily Post had anything to say about emails. Well, it seems Emily Post’s Etiquette, 17th Edition by Peggy Post addresses this topic. It’s no surprise (even obvious) that junk mail, commercial spam and forwards can be ignored. We would never have time to open and read anything else at the rate these things pop up in our inboxes. Here’s what they have to say about real emails from colleagues and friends:

1. You should always respond to a real message, whether it’s an invitation, a meeting notice or a hello from a friend.
2. It also suggests that you check your emails a few times each day which allows you to respond in an orderly and timely fashion.
3. And finally, 1-2 days is the recommended timeframe in which to respond.

Now, it’s understandable that from time to time we all miss an email or are unsure if we can attend an event. But responding to an email in a timely way is a very considerate action. It lets the sender know that you appreciate their invitation or message and you are aware that their time is valuable too. Even if you are not able to give a definitive answer within a couple of days it’s still acceptable to email a response such as, ‘Thank you for the invitation. I will check with John and let you know by this Friday if we can attend.’

Think of how frustrating it would be to for someone who sent out invitations for a dinner party and only received a few responses. Being unsure of how many guests would attend, they’d be in limbo as to how to proceed with the planning. We could go on, but we know our readers are smart and polite.

Let us know your thoughts. Do you have any emailing or texting pet peeves? Do you have some helpful tips? Please click on the title of this post to leave us a comment.

March 25, 2017, posted by Gina – I recently helped host an engagement party for a friend’s daughter and fiancé. It was a lovely occasion and everyone had such a wonderful time. The duties of the party were spread among eight hosts which made it so much easier to manage. My task for the party was to create the flower arrangements. I made one main large centerpiece and flanked it with two smaller coordinating arrangements. I was told the bride to be loved pink and so pink flowers it was! I used roses, fuji mums and gerbera daisies and, in the centerpiece, pussy willow which gave the arrangement height as well as additional texture and interest.

The food was delicious and I would share some of the recipes if I had them but I did not prepare any food for this party. I at least want to share the menu though, as it may come in handy if you find yourself planning such a party. And of course, I am sharing plenty of photos of this delectable and beautiful buffet.

Cheese, nut, fruit and cracker tray  – This was quite the spread. In fact, I think the tray was about four feet long which made a very dramatic presentation! Everyone commented on how beautiful this was.
Marinated Shrimp  – The marinated shrimp were delicious and looked so appetizing in a wonderful McCarty bowl.
Grilled Pork Tenderloin with rolls, mayo, Dijon and pepper jelly  – These were tender and succulent.
Potato Casserole – The potatoes were the perfect compliment with the grilled pork tenderloin and were creamy and hearty.
Grilled Vegetables  – The vibrant colors were so attractive and this dish really delivered with such intense flavor.
Petit Fours – These dainty cakes were very moist and the touch of gold (rings, how sweet!) put them over the top.

March 24, 2017, posted by Gina – Hello Friends! This is the fourth installment of Fun Stuff on Friday where we write about anything that happens to be on our minds or has caught our fancy over the past week.

Baseball

As we head into this glorious weekend, I have all things Spring on my mind. We will be watching Son 2 play a bit of baseball. For a Mom with two boys who started playing baseball when they were four, the sport has always been one of the bellwethers of Spring in our family. I saw a cute and clever baseball fan T-shirt the other day that read, “I like a little dirt on my diamond.” And speaking of dirt…

Cutting Garden

I’ve been digging in the dirt a bit myself and I love it. Spring has made its way to my neighborhood and I just can’t seem to stay out of the yard. For as long as I can remember, I have always been interested in all kinds of gardens and how to plant them. I love pouring over gardening books and magazines for ideas and tips. This past week, I have been researching flowers that are good for a cutting garden. After all, at GDFC we are all about flowers so why not have a few posies to pick in my own yard? There’s so much to learn but I hope one day I’ll be able to show you the fruits of my labor. Stay tuned.

Photo saved from Beau Tied Affair on Etsy

Sentiment Bloom Be Cups

We spied these handmade glazed clay Bloom Be Cups in the Sundance Catalog and it was love at first site. These would certainly put a smile on your face or would make a great gift for a friend.

A Pretty 10

With all this gardening let’s just say my nails are not so pretty. In fact, almost every time we’ve have a nice event to attend recently, my nails look as if I have been doing hard labor. Well, I’m not sure floral design and gardening falls into that category but my nails look that way. I decided to schedule a weekly manicure because I know if I put something on my calendar I am more likely to do it. Last week, the lady that normally does my nails put something new on as a top coat and, believe it or not, my polish has lasted 6 days. For me, that is HUGE! How about you? Are you like me or do you already have a scheduled appointment? Or are you just not a nail person at all?
Thanks for stopping in and come back Monday when we discuss just what you do with all those endless emails that keep on coming. Have a Great Weekend!

March 17, 2017, posted by Gina – Well, here we are. Friday has rolled around again and we have a few fun things to share with you.

A IS FOR AZALEAS 

As we head into this last weekend of Spring Break, we are savoring every last minute of the beautiful blooming azaleas. They have been particularly pretty this year. We definitely give them an A! Just look at the entrance to my neighborhood. What a nice welcome!

THE BODEN BAG

I saw this bag in a recent Boden catalog and could not get it out of my mind. After a day of thinking of reasons why I should not order this bag, I ended up ordering it because I thought it would be fun as well as practical. I am loving the pink and red combo and the endless possibilities for using this bag. They have lots of color combinations and other great styles so you may want to browse through their catalog.

SPRING 2017 MILIEU

A few years ago a new home design magazine called Milieu was launched and we fell in love at first sight. We look forward to its arrival each season and devouring the stunning features. This magazine inspires us, gives us ideas for projects and just sparks our creativity. The current issue features some beautiful homes and gardens that transport you. If you like browsing through decor and design magazines then we highly recommend this one. So, grab a cup of coffee or tea, sit back, relax and be inspired. By the way, Milieu is pronounced, ‘meel-you’. On their site they explain,  “In Milieu, every story captures the look and feel, the mood and character, the style of a place – its milieu.”

EASTER DÉCOR 

I started to decorate for Easter with a few of my favorite pieces. I plan on continuing over the weekend and will show you more next week. How about you? Have you decorated for Easter or do you have plans to do so? We’d love to hear from you. If you’d like to leave a comment, click on the title of this post and the comment form will expand at the end of the page.

March 10, 2017, posted by Gina – We have many fun, creative and interesting things on our mind as we head into the weekend and Spring Break. Since it’s Fun Stuff Friday now is the time to share of few of them with you. We hope they put a smile on your face and provide a little inspiration for you as well!

First up, the Celfie vase. We will be ordering one (or a few) of these very soon. They are so precious and versatile. You can style the Celfie so many different ways that she’ll never be just another boring old vase.

Photo from Accent Decor at www.accentdecor.com

Second, we are BEYOND excited about the new HGTV show filmed in Mississippi called HOMETOWN. It premiers on Tuesday, March 21st. It’s hosted by Erin and Ben Napier, a young couple with a passion for renovating old, classic homes in Laurel. This show feels very similar to the hugely popular Fixer Upper out of Waco, Texas with Joanna and Chip Gaines. We are looking forward to seeing all their projects and great ideas.

Moving on to our third fun item that we can’t wait to start using this Spring. We are absolutely loving these Straw Bags with Pom Poms as they are showing up everywhere and seem to be the big trend for casual Spring and Summer outings. How could you not get one of these cuties? We spotted this one on Shopbop.

Our final fun item of the day is Jergens Natural Glow Instant Sun sunless tanning mousse. You know how it goes. All is right with the world and then you have a friend that comes back from the beach with a beautiful glow and you want that glow too. We have never found a sunless tanning product that did not look orangey or just plain bad. That is until now. This sunless tanning mousse goes on without being so dark that it is noticeable and it doesn’t leave streaks. It looks natural and gives a nice glow just like you spent a few days at the beach. If you think you might want to try this we have a few tips. Make sure to exfoliate. Make sure your skin is well hydrated by putting on a regular lotion first. Wear disposable gloves when smoothing it on being very careful around ankles and elbows. We found putting it on your face was too dark so just mix a little of it in with your regular lotion or moisturizer for just a slight bit of color. Once you have it everywhere but your hands, remove the gloves and very lightly cover the tops of your hands making sure to stay away from your knuckles and the sides of your hands. Choose the lightest color they offer, after all we are not trying to look as if we sunbathed for a week straight. We are just trying to get a bit of color.

Enjoy every minute of your weekend and check back with us on Monday for our first post on manners.

March 3, 2017, posted by Gina – Thanks for checking in with us this week. We don’t want to leave you empty handed over the weekend so here are some things we are thinking about as we head into a few days of rest and relaxation. Spring is upon us and we’re looking forward to the return of blooming trees and flowers, Easter treats and some feathered friends.

Chocolate Malted Robin’s Eggs 

For me, except for the bounty of blooming flowers, there is nothing that ushers in Spring more than Chocolate Malted Robin’s Eggs. I can’t wait until these little goodies hit the grocery store. I purchase them even before Ash Wednesday and enjoy them up until Easter. This has always been the case except for one wild and crazy Lent where I decided to give these AND diet coke up at the SAME TIME!! What was I thinking? It was a true sacrifice! I love placing several packets in a glass jar. If you only have a few a day, what’s the harm? Besides being delicious, they are just so pretty. Go ahead and get yourself a few bags! You’ll be happy you did!

Bird Feeders

Very early this Spring, I purchased a Squirrel Buster Bird Feeder and a hummingbird feeder at Lowe’s in hopes of being host to lots of feathered friends. I wanted the squirrel buster feeder in particular because we have tons of squirrels in our backyard and I did not want them eating all the seed. So far, this feeder has been a wonderful addition to our garden attracting all types of beautiful birds.

I have tried attracting hummingbirds to my yard for years with no luck. It does not help that the yard behind mine has been on the garden tour and has several feeders that the hummingbirds are used to. Not to be defeated, I am trying again this year. I have moved the feeder location and have put my feeder out early enough so the scouts may find it soon!

Have trees and flowers started blooming where you are? What do you look forward to every Spring? We’d love to hear your thoughts and comments, so please click on the title of this post to open up the comment form.