Thursday, February 13, 2014

The Winter That Was, Is, and Is To Come


Where did January go?  Or the beginning of February?  It seems like it was just Christmas, then New Year's, then it started to snow.  And the bottom dropped out of the thermometer. Then it snowed some more and the wind blew.










I confess that I wasn't around for three weeks of this winter loveliness (???) but thanks to the internet and the Viber app, I heard and saw more of what I experienced before I started my travels. There were pictures that I had hoped to post, showing a beautiful snow we experienced in the first week of January, but the snow we got next put that one to shame.

Then I left.

As many of you know, Mom and I spent two weeks in Ecuador, visiting Karina and her family, who live in Quito, Ecuador's capital.  Karina lived with Romie and me and our two daughters for a year in 1993-94.  She became a beloved member of our family and I've gotten to make the trip to visit her three times now - once every 10 years or so.





I'll be blogging about our adventures there in several posts, so for now I'll just say if you EVER get a chance to go to Ecuador, jump on it.  Don't think twice.  Just do it.  I promise you won't be sorry.  It's a beautiful place and so are its people.



Just three days after we returned from Ecuador, Mom and I were once again winging our way to another destination - the Northwest Flower and Garden Show in Seattle, Wash.  My co-writer, Jenny Peterson, and I were speakers there, giving two presentations related to our book, Indoor Plant Décor: The Design Stylebook For Houseplants.

Jenny (on the right) and I talk about "What Style Am I?"

This flower show marks the beginning of the spring season for me, with its fabulous display gardens and speaker presentations that fuel my imagination for the coming season's gardens. Even though we still have a couple of feet of snow on the ground, I just know that the snowdrops are pushing their way through the soil under all that and in a few weeks, crocus will be blooming in shades of gold, white, and purple.

Hang with me in the next few weeks as I take you on a tour of life in the Andes Mountains and the Amazon rainforest at the middle of the earth and then show you the beautiful things I saw in Seattle.  I won't lie to you - those three weeks away were likely what has allowed me to keep my sanity during this winter of one giant snowstorm after another.

We're sure to have more winter, but by the time I finish sharing my experiences with you, it will almost be spring and time for grandchild number two to enter the world.  Hannah's going to get a new cousin!

Older daughter Kara and Baby Fritz!
27 Jan 2014

3 comments:

Lisa at Greenbow said...

This will certainly be a winter you will remember. Fabulous.

Alison said...

I saw many of your pictures on Facebook, but I'm really looking forward to reading your blog posts about your trip to Ecuador. Congrats on the new grandchild! And I hope your snow melts soon.

Buckeye Blooms said...

I just came across your blog and loved your last post! I'm from Northwest Ohio and my mom and I own & operate Buckeye Blooms www.buckeyeblooms.com -- a flower farm and floral design studio near Lima. My husband and I lived in Ecuador for two years as Peace Corps Volunteers. It looks like you traveled to the Oriente--were you in Pastaza or Napo province by chance?

There is a new book that just came out-- Fresh from the Field Wedding Flowers http://freshfromthefieldweddings.com/ that includes some of our work. Would you be interested in potentially posting something about the book to your blog? We'd be happy to do an interview or submit photos, as appropriate. I can be reached at buckeyeblooms [at] gmail.com

Look forward to connecting with you!

Susan Studer King
Buckeye Blooms

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