Its wedding time

 

                    

Last weekend I had my first wedding order as ‘Nature Inspires’.
While working along I couldn’t stop myself from reminiscing about all the weddings over the last 35 years. I cant put a number on them, but there were years when we had less then 10 weddings and other years even more then 30 weddings in the Order-books of the different flowershops.

classy ivory Roses with a hint of Gyp and Eustoma

A fluffy Ball of 'Gyp' and Fern

During my apprenticeship, the skill of creating the Centerpiece – which is the Brides-Bouquet - of every wedding was the most challenging. There was no oasis holder available those days and each bouquet was a designed piece of Art. Every stem had to be cut to the right length, a small cotton-wool pad, trenched with water and taped with stem-tape kept it fresh ... it was a very time consuming affair.  

A wedding in Germany in the 80-thies and 90-thies usually consisted of Brides Bouquet, Bridesmaids Bouquet, Buttonholes, the Church Arrangements, the Car Decoration ( on a magnetic holder ) and the Restaurant. During the 'Celtic Tiger' 'Boomtime' in Ireland people loved every detail  and it is the small 'fiddly' bits and pieces like the buttonholes or head-crowns, cake corsages which drive a florist crazy. Usually those are done last and it could be well after midnight, when you are required to concentrate on the small bits. Give me 2 of the largest pedestal arrangements anytime, but please not all the tiny bits. 

a great selection of local Foliage is a good base for the Altar arrangement

the finished 'product'

In that time span from the early Eighties until today, I suppose I wont claim to have seen it All, but at least a lot of it: 

- Brides from as young as 16 and well over 60
- Dresses from baroque style to elegant super slim fashion
- Bouquets of just one single flower to a ‘shower’ of flowers down to your feet
- The different shades of all colors available
- Brides, who leave it all to the Florist and others who have every detail planed 

- Happy Brides and sad Brides
- Brides on a tight budget and others with no limit (well those were rare)
- Weddings in tiny Country churches, in Cathedrals or in Register Offices
- Vehicles from bicycles, horse drawn carriage, tiny Fiat Bambinis and Porsches
- Wedding ceremonies in different countries with different nationalities and      different customs.

Every Couple has a story, how and where they met and often traditionally it starts with the engagement. 
The preparation for an engagement proposal, turned out to be one of the most unusual requests of my career. 
All those years in Ireland ( 22 years ) I used to work for 'Guns and Roses' of Tubbercurry, County Sligo (the shop does still exist and is run by a lovely Lady ).
This particular story goes back at least 15 years, when my boss Annemarie got a phone call from the United States of America. Nothing unusual, but this young man had planed his engagement proposal in Ireland. He was originally from the area around Tubbercurry and had spent many summers with his Granddad in Ireland. After the old man had passed away he didn't come home that regularly , but had planed to visit Ireland with his Fiance - a real American Girl, with no connections to Ireland. He gave us directions to the Grandfathers cottage and told us, we should have a look at it. 
Well now, it was like discovering Sleeping Beauties castle - except it was an old abandon three room cottage, no real road access, overgrown with briars, gorse, nettles, thistles and everything itchy and stingy in between. All manageable, if you have the right tools ( a little pair of scissors ) - but the young, giddy bulls were the bigger problem. Finally the girls and myself made it to the door and screech .... it opened. 

"How is it going lads .."..

'Cowgirl' needed 

 Immediately we were put back into times, but despite this feeling it gave us the impression, the the occupant was just out, checking the cattle or being over with the neighbor. The raincoat hanging behind the door, the old mans cap on the armchair, the kettle was on the stove, the papers and the 'Old Moore's Almanac' on the table and and a knobby blackthorn stick beside the Wellis just right from the door. Also some cups, plates and bottles, the open fire place and everywhere a lot of cobwebs, with and without dweller. The girls screeched and squeaked regularly with disgust. 
After a while we calmed down and pretended professionalism ... until another spider wiggled in or out somewhere. We took notes and looked out for original containers, like the old teapot, a USA-biscuit tin, an old shoe .... . All those could be arranged and brought back to life.

doing the 'kettle - arrangement'

The lovely Lad was delighted with our suggestions and revealed his plan to us:
During his visit in Ireland he will visit his relations in the area and will go for a stroll with the girlfriend. They will end up at the cottage and enter it. We weren't allowed to undertake any changes, like clean up or removing the spider webs. Just adding some wildflower arrangements, like they would belong there. 
He also had a ( clean ) set-table organized too, to have a romantic candlelight dinner in the main room. Then after the meal he will pop the overall important question. If she whispers 'Yes', he had a fiddler waiting in the bedroom, who would come out and entertain the two lovebirds with a tune or two. 

Mary and Irene practicing the 'final rehearsal' 

It wasn't to long afterwards that he phoned the shop, thanked us for our work and about his success.

Now - isn't that a great love story.  

a classy Rose buttonhole 

Imagine - if refugees would be Daisys

Last week I was attending my first marketing course. It was exciting and really very informative, but I m afraid I realized once more that the business/marketing part will be the most challenging task of my business.
One statement was: 'don't be political or make political statements on your social media accounts ...'   I m aware this makes rather sense, because we deal with different customers, which have different points of views, belong to different religions or just leading a lifestyle which suits them.

I still decided to get a bit 'political' with this blog post.

While watching the news a few days ago there was one report, underlined with some powerful pictures. Some hundreds of refugees have been drowned and washed ashore in different countries. A few women in their colorful clothes were lying stretched out on a beautiful beach. Tears running down my face ...... It didn't leave me since.

Do we really care?

Do we think it will go away, if we build a wall around Europe?

Do we hope that they just stay there where they 'belong to' and die in silence.... not bothering us?

We might just change the TV-channel for a minute or two....

We might just listen to the uprising right-wing political parties  all over Europe, who want to 'solve' the problems, by securing 'our borders', preventing shelter seeking humans from coming ashore in Europe or not letting them move further. It was also suggested to shoot them at the border by a new uprising party in Germany .... .

And then there is Trump, a Bully ( and that is a nice word describing him ... ), who gets so much media coverage promoting his hatred and promising 'to make America great again'.... and other politicians want to make their countries great again.
There is nothing great about letting people drown or starve or die by war .... .
History wont be merciful with us about its judgement in times to come.

Last evening I strolled around the garden. My mind still heavy with thoughts about those 'incidents' occurring on a regular base.

my magic chair on Corsallagh bog 

where do you watch the sun-set

After a while I found myself on my 'magic chair' up on the high turf bank. A place where I usually experience my own inner peace, where I listen to the birds, where I see the sun set and where I watch the stars on the deep, dark horizon without any other artificial light pollution.
It is a great place for being inspired.....








Imagine - what would be, if refugees would be Daisys ....

Imagine - realizing that there is nowhere to go for you and your family....

Imagine - if you have to tell your children that they are a problem to this world....

Imagine - if your boat capsizes and you see your husband, wife, children drift away ....

Aren't we all refugees one way or the other? Running away from a bad job, toxic people, our past or future ... seeking shelter from the rain, wind, hail and snow.

I once ran away from a country I didn't believe I belonged to.
I was priviliged, I could purchase a ticket on a safe ferry ... I just was lucky ... I was an EU-citizen - I had the choice....

Everybody is somehow a stranger in this world...

A bit of herbal talk and my biggest influence

This week will be busy preparing all sorts of talks.
First I will attend our local Primary school and try to 'inspire' them for their upcoming summer holidays.
There is so much to do outside: it doesn't have to be something extraordinary, something where you need expensive gadgets or special clothing. Experiencing your environment can be as exciting as a journey abroad - especially if you live in such a quaint, beautiful place like our part of the world.
All senses will be activated once you step outside the house:
see: the beauty, observe plants, animals ... even the weather
touch: a lot: soil, stones, animals, plants ( yes even nettles :) )... wash your hands afterwards
taste: 'real', plain food .... many herbs will let your taste-buds experience new impressions
smell: take a deep breath .... inhale the pureness after a rainfall in summer, smell flower, herbs, food... exercise this sense ... there is no limit
hearing: listen to the birds, the morning choir at dawn and also wait until the last bird goes to bed. There is a lot of buzzing, humming, screeching, barking, 'muh and maeh-ing' to be discovered.


As some 'facebookers' might have discovered that I will offer a talk on HERBS. briefly how to cultivate them and how to use 'domesticated' and wild Herbs.

The Talk will be on Wednesday the 1st of June in the Tubbercurry Family Resource Center, 11.00 - 12.30.

Over the years I have done several Talks on Herbs, for women groups and some within Adult Education. Even though I never promoted them, some friends of mine are aware, that I do have an interest in the subject and that I use Herbs on daily basis.

No - I do not have am official Qualification. 

But I do have a lifelong passions for this 'Hobby', which was nourished by three influential people: my Granny and both of my parents - in later years mainly my Mum.

Happy in their garden

     

I might sound sentimental ...., but it is the first gardening year without all of them. With my Mum I would exchange a lot of news over the phone what was growing in her garden patch and in mine. What did we already harvest, what dish did we cook, what cake did we bake or what tea we would be on and how did it 'kick in' ... and always a bit of a chat about the weather.

even outside the growing season, Mum had to make sure that the birds had clean water in the little pond 

Despite, that the visual memories of my Grandmother are rather faded, her individual scent seems to be imprinted in my memory. Whenever the smell of yarrow hits me, a button in my brain seems to be activated, which lets me remind of her. Not only had she a lot of simple everyday Herbs in her 'Farmers-Garden' ( Bauerngarten ), but sometimes we would be out walking with her and collecting her 'favorite' herbs Yarrow, chamomile and St.Johns-wort. At home she would put them on sheets of newspaper and let them air-dry. Once you entered the farm-house that scent of dried herbs was everywhere, but especially yarrow seemed to be her personal fragrance to me.
Another habit of hers, which I want to share, is, that before we cycled the 5 km back home to our house, she would give us a feed of dark brown sourdough rye-bread, loaded with butter ( we could see the mark of our teeth in the butter ), a pinch of salt and covered with small cut chives. All washed down with a glass of raw cows-milk, where cream has settled on the top, which gave us white mustaches.
Our Dad was a real Gatherer. Every year he was out ( and we often with him ) collecting wild strawberries, raspberries and blackberries. I m not talking about a basin of any size, but buckets .... ! His special passion was collecting mushrooms,  but that Hobby finished after the nuclear disaster in Tschernobyl, as high radiation was discovered within that region ( parts of Bavaria ).
Whenever Dad had his harvest done, all fruit was spread on the kitchen table and Mum and us kids sorted out the fruit from the 'creepy-crawleys'. Some summers the tiny worms were everywhere ( even at night in my dreams ) and other years the fruit was near to perfect. Usually our Mother made syrup and incredible beautiful jam from this harvest ...and cake ...lots of yummy cake. I still love doing my own jam from our own fruit, but it never is as intense as Mum's wild Raspberry Jam.... not to mention the disappointment when I buy some 'Gourmet-jam' for 4 or 5 euros... .
I suppose its a matter of life-style nowadays, but many years ago all those procedures were a matter of saving money and trying to get by with your own produce ... it didn't matter in which country you lived.

part of my herbal corner during last weeks sunny spell 

Back to the herbal business - most people would ask me, but what do you do with all those herbs - well I mainly pour hot water over those and drink them. But I also make my own Valerian and Echinacea - drops. Recently I visited my aunt, the last survivor of my parents family. She is a nun and grows and uses herbs all her life, like her Mother did.
Herbs can ease certain discomforts, but I have to advise people to see always a general practitioner if you are unwell ... as already mentioned I m not a doctor, healer or anything in that direction.
But there is no harm in certain habits, like drinking my evening cup preferably with lemon-balm, sometimes mixed with wild peppermint or an borage leaf/blossom. This time I would collect white-thorn blossoms and later in the year its berries. Then drinking nettle tea or making nettle-feed for my plants gives that powerful herb ( some call it weed ) a clear reason for its existance. Also young dandelion leafs do taste nice between hot spuds - and are good for you ...... and much more.

a herbal summer lunch with ALL homemade products

So again, if you know someone in the area who has an interest in this subject, give him a hint and my contact details.
Thank you for sharing.

attempt to 'create a green kid'

The logo ... what do you think?                        

While waiting for my logo to be completed ( thank you Armine for your patience with me :) ), business cards and flyers being printed I decided to email some Primary Schools in the area, to see if they would like some activities before they finish up for the summer holidays.
Many of our local schools would be involved into the 'Green School - Program', which I think is a wonderful way to introduce each age group to greater awareness for their environment. On an international level those schools are also called 'Eco-schools', whose main partners would be UNESCO and the United Nations Environment Program ( UNEP ). The school should attempt to reach all seven goals, which are divided into Litter and Waste, Energy, Water, Travel, Biodiversity and Global Citizenship 'Litter and Waste' and Global Citizenship 'Energy'. That means throughout the school curriculum teachers and pupils have to stay 'on the ball' by electing a Green School Committee and develop an 'action-plan' on their particular theme. All projects will be monitored and evaluated and if successful, the school will receive their next green flag for their school yard.

So what would 'Nature Inspires' have on offer for those boys and girls, age ranging from 4 - 13?

* Sowing out seeds is a wonderful experience, especially, if the seeds grow as fast like cress, mustard or even radishes. But also sunflowers, runner beans and peas are a winner. The task would be watch them grow day by day and don't forget to water them as well.

* Another trail run can be done to put a commercial birds food mix on some a compost tray and see what will grow out of this and identify them afterwards.

* We could gather some plants around the school yard or from alongside the road and try to identify them. If there are flowery bits we even could arrange them and place it on the teachers desk :).

* As an autumn or early spring project we could mark places where we could plant some currant bushes, raspberries, gooseberries or even rhubarb. By choosing late varieties they could be harvested in September.

* Build a 'willow tunnel'

* What about the school yard? Often those areas can be a bit weary ... lacking in biodiversity, mostly because of maintenance reasons.
Mark a square meter on one green area on the school lawn and identify the plants on it and we will compare it with a similar size of a 'wild patch' - an easy way to start talking about biodiversity.
Pick a corner in the school yard and allow a mix of wildflower meadow to grow to attract butterflies and bees.

* Create a small insect/wild bee habitat

* Bombs are usually something despicable and bad - except water-bombs and seed-bombs. A great fun project is the forming of seed-bombs. Children have now the mighty power of enhancing 'boring, plain areas' in their own environment.
Warning: this may make your hands dirty :)

* 'Box - Gardening': Plant a Timber-box with all sorts of 'green stuff', like strawberries, herbs, veg, flowers .... and maintain/harvest it throughout the year.

* Composting and recycling guidelines

* Herbs, wild and cultivated: Identification and use of common herbs.

If you know a school, which might be interested, also for more information, rates and availability please contact me.
Thank you :)

'Action'

Another sunny morning in the NorthWest of Ireland .... it has to be said, that throughout the year we might get that bit more shitty weather then so many other countries, but overall we do get our share of sunny days. The reaction on a 'heat-wave' is almost overwhelming: once the sun decides to drench Ireland with its presence. Everybody is just so happy ... there is so much to do... go to the beach, climb a mountain, cycle the small country lane or just soak it all up. If you have a little or even big garden find your 'happy place' - it could be your patio or beside the back door, under a tree or beside a fragrant shrub ... soon the elder flower are in full bloom or did you ever smell any of the broom-family? The fine smell of the soft yellow broom initializes 'spring' in my head, while the stingy yellow gorse seems to puff out a gentle exotic Caribbean coconut scent.
                                     
                                               

Caribbean scent while walking country lanes

But if you feel like a bit of 'Action', now is the time for it. Make yourself realistic goals, what and how you want to 'produce' over the summer. An easy option is a trip over to the nearest garden center. I know people who would easily spend 300 or more euros on plants and seeds and other gadgets and then just don't get round to maintain it all. Others would say I would love to have more plant variety other then my lawn and Leylandy hedge, but I don't have any money to spare.
Why not try your neighborhood ... the old Lady in the B&B, who has the most beautiful Geraniums all year round in her little conservatory or the unemployed fella down the road who digs his ground every year. He might just have some cabbage plants left over or even might offer you an offspring of his massive Rhubarb plant. Or those green fingered people who have an abundance of herbs and rockery plants, flowers and wild hedging. Then the auld fellow in the hidden cottage down the boreen, who used to take pride by doing his raised beds for the spuds. At least he might be just happy to get out of the house and give you a demonstration how to do it right. All those people did exist in my gardening experience over the decades. Overall, gardening should be a bit of a 'give and take- game'. where in the end everybody should be left happier, healthier and proud about their effort.

our first 'lazy beds' with the help of our 'new elderly neighbor' Pat Smith - 25 years ago 

Last month Action consisted also of some spring themed workshops and talks about up-cycling. How to create small features around your garden/patio on a very small budget, how do do trellis for your climbers, how to create a small insect/ wild bee habitat and also how to revive a large broken pot. Oh I can sympathize with that  heartache when you realize that your dogs or cats or goats just knocked over your favorite pot. We even weaved our own hanging basket ... . Also we were taking on wild and cultivated herbs, how to grow and identify them and how to use them - but this will be another 'blog' one of the days.

a few cat-food tins can make a lovely herb-pot 

the revamped broken pot

hanging basket made out of 'dog-wood'

There were also Easter and spring-themed workshops with women-groups. As I don't sell flowers, I leave it to each participant to bring their own material. I never liked the idea to hand over some flowers, foliage and container and worse, maybe even demonstrating 'the right' arrangement beforehand. It takes away from the whole process. Your arrangement starts at home or in the flowershop or even in your neighbors garden ... thinking 'what would I really like to create'. It is amazing to see all the different materials in those buckets and bag, which the ( usually ) Ladies bring along to the workshop. Even on the night, the sharing goes on, as some might see a flower or a piece of greenery, which might just add to another girls arrangement.
'Am I doing this right?' is another popular question ... right, wrong .... at this entertaining level of flower-arranging there aren't such words. I can support with certain techniques and practical tips and ask the final, but important question ... are you happy with it ... ?

                                                     

spring center piece with home-made wild sally fence

                             
In June I will offer some workshops/talks in our local Resource Center in Tubbercurry. I also will hopefully have a bit of fun with Primary School children ... making up 'seed-bombs' and wild bee's habitats .... low cost is a promise. If interested follow my fb-page NATURE INSPIRES for more details or leave a message.

Enjoy the weather :), while it lasts.

This is me ....

.... so what is it all about 'NATURE INSPIRES' and 'NATURE IS THE BEST FLORIST'?

I have come a long way .... being a Florist since 36 years.
Exactly on September the 1st 1980 I started my 3 years apprenticeship as a Florist in Augsburg/ Bavaria. Did I really want to be a Florist ... nooo ... , but some kinda 'intelligence' test figured out, that there was some creativity in my DNA .... and beside the suggestions of a window decorator, an organ builder ( I play/ed the piano ), Florist remained the top choice.
After my first interview I was employed and lucky I was, as the couple I was working for were just amazing. Egon and Gerda ( both deceased RIP xx ) were so inspirational in many ways ... even though in their fifties they were as cool as any young one could dream off. Maybe I was easy impressed, coming from a catholic country boarding school into the city of Augsburg. Both had an amazing humor, were political, critical, non religious and loved their music. Whenever 'swing' or songs from the musical 'Hair' were played, they just grabbed each other and danced through the shop ... pretending no one was there .. .
One of their first and crucial statements always echoes in my head: we only can teach you so much ... do go out ... walk, stroll around, observe every twig and leaf and flower ... and learn: 'Nature is the best florist'. It was a slow process, but after the 3 years I started to understand ... and here I am ... still learning.
Then the big change, moving to Ireland in 1993 and working as a Florist in 'Guns and Roses; in Tubbercurry, Co.Sligo IRELAND. It was a great time, working for three wonderful 'Bosses'  throughout 23 years and enjoying our authentic customers of that small rural town in the NorthWest of Ireland.
2015 was a year of change and decisions had to be made - one of those was not to take on the shop and try a different venture: becoming 'self-employed'.
Thanks through the encouragement of family, friends and Sligo Leader I was promoted to start out as 'highly recommended' to give workshops/courses and classes not only in Flower-arranging, but also other Nature related themes.
Nature inspires for all age-groups. Maybe the outline below will give you a guide-line:

NATURE INSPIRES:

- Pre-schools: 
Engaging with Nature in a playful way. Sowing out seeds, gathering or ‘arranging’ flowers. Starting to learn basic specification of local flora.

- National Schools: Gathering wild material/ garden flowers, identifying them and attempt                               arranging. Planting useful shrubs, willow constructions, fruit bushes, butterfly/bees areas on school grounds. Support for Green Schools, especially for the Themes of ‘Litter and Waste’, ‘Travel’, ‘Biodiversity’ and ‘Global Citizenship’.

- Secondary Schools: Teaming up with ‘Tidy towns’. Identifying litter black spots in the area, growing some supply of food for use within home economics classes, doing craft projects involving woodwork/ home economics. Talks about the importance of Bio-diversity within our environment. Foraging eatable ‘weeds’ and herbs.

- Colleges: Talk about Urban and ‘Guerrilla’ Gardening, Bio-diversity, Foraging, enhancing your environment, basic flower arranging, Nature, gardening and its benefits to safe money and sustain good mental health. 

- Women’s and Men’s Groups: Flower arranging with your own flowers/ foliage, talk and ‘hands on workshops’ about gardening, self-sufficiency, animal husbandry. 

- Nursing Homes:Flower arranging classes to exercise your memory and co-ordination skills. 

Also available:

- Tailor made workshops for your individual needs, group or organisation

- Flower demonstrations for groups, corporations and Charity events

- Freelance Florist

So I would say this gives everybody some idea ... .

In the meantime ... I would say, just go out there ... be inspired