It was the night before....

This is our first Valentine's Day at 19 Queen Street.  I have just arrived home. A week of late nights and early mornings. It's almost midnight as I write this. And after making a much needed cup of tea, and dissolving into my couch, I sit with my lap top trying to catch up on the emails I have not yet answered. My home seems unusually quiet and empty and I realize I miss my dog, Charlie, whom I have hardly seen over the past couple of days. He's having a sleep over with his doggy friends at Philippa's, his home away from home.

Over the past two days, boxes upon boxes have been collected and emptied, flowers unpacked, cut and conditioned; then led to water to recover from their journey. Thorns have been removed, leaves stripped and stem upon stem have been individually cut, tweaked and trimmed. 

During the past few days, emails have been coming in with request after request and the phone has earned its keep. I have loved being privy to such heartfelt messages, written out carefully and then sealed in envelopes waiting to be read.  We stayed late again tonight to make sure we'd be ready.  After checking the flowers at Harry's, I returned with some sparkling wine - Rose of course. We'd exhausted our ideas on YouTube so we went with one it selected based on what we'd previously played. The Bee Gees. Really? We laughed as conversation turned to the 80's as we remembered what we were doing and who we were with. And I had to smile as I thought then that life was easy... 

When the last rose was wrapped and the floor swept for what must have been the 50th time that day, we set the alarm and turned off the lights. I looked back at the sea of flowers; a meandering pathway of bouquets. What a transition from only two days ago. Bouquet after bouquet after bouquet. Each designed to order. 

An early start ahead. Must remember to set three alarms. The wind is howling right now and rain is lashing at my windows. I wonder if it will rain tomorrow...  My mind races ahead to timetables, drivers, helpers, routes, schedules and flowers. It always comes back to the flowers. Each one cared for from seed. Grown and loved. Cut and designed. Each variety so unique. A cacophony of colour, smell and texture. All for a few days of beauty. 

Flowers always remind me about the fragility of life and how important is to live in each and every moment. Flowers remind me how grateful I am to do what I do and how I find happiness and friendship at the most unexpected times in the most unexpected places. How grateful I am that Sara came down from New York and that Sharon took a week off work to help out. That Erskine was available to drive while Mr. Butterfield went away. That my son will help with the deliveries tomorrow. That Claire is scheduled to wear the wings. That our little shop on 19 Queen Street has created quite a following...

And isn't that what it's about? Sharing what we love with you and who you love? I am so very proud at what we've accomplished and it is my absolute pleasure to share our world with you.  But most of all, thank you for your love and support. We could not have done it without you. 

Happy Valentine's Day.   14.02.14       njb

We invite you to leave your comments at the end of the blog and to share thoughts on your world of flowers. 

 Ranunculus

 We have tulips in red, orange, white, purple and yellow

 Anemone

 Sweet peas in pink, coral and white

 Statice

 Lilies - Aren't these fantastic? - I have never seen this variety before!

 Freesia

 Nikki, Sharon and Sarah burning the midnight oil...

So excited to team up with Alexandra Mosher - her jewelry is beautiful!

Godetia

Freesia and Ranunculus in a Christian Tortu vase

Gerbera

Forsythia

Anemone

                  And as a special treat, we have a selection of Alexandra Mosher's jewellery too...




Petals ~ A Bermuda Florist