2013

Well here we are another year gone and a new one just beginning.     I can not believe how quickly time seems to fly.    Seems like yesterday we were preparing for Holly and Michael's wedding and that June 30 th seemed so very far away.     Here we are zipping past those warm summer days and finding ourselves blanketed in the piles and heaps of white white snow ,   surrounded by the hues of grey,  black a little brown and lots and lots of WHITE !   
  Last year we had a little snow a few times.   Now it is as if winter is here to stay this year,    with snowfall daily and the accumulation just keeps growing !  
   
Happy 2013 Loved Ones.   This new year finds us Blessed from the past and hopeful for what the Lord has in store for us this new year.   Possibilities abound !   Pinterest is such a fun addition,   and one friend shared that there are 365 blank pages ahead of us .... What shall we fill them with ?

  I for one am going  to try to find the "me" time to blog again.    It has been  years literally.   I would like to  make an effort at least weekly if not more than that  to share some thoughts.    
  The year was one I don't have to be sad about.    We were so blessed to be able to have a celebration beyond belief for Holly and Mike's wedding.    Truly a JOY and a DELIGHT   to have our families and friends surround us to help these young people begin their lives as husband and wife.    It was most definitely the most beautiful few days of my life.   Holly was glowingly radiant,   she floated bubbled and beamed of happiness in every sense of the words.   She was gracious and grateful.     I am so proud to say she is my girl.      I will share her with Michael ,,,, but she will always be  "my girl " .   
Her birthday just passed a few days ago.   I reminisce of the time how quickly it has gone.    24.     24 years old.    gosh.      Seems like a few days ago we were sledding down the front hill giggling and building a snoman,     and then coming inside for hot chocolate....Sometimes I long for those days,   They seemed simpler ?   
   It is quiet in this old house with out her here.     I miss the constant chatter and song that wafted about.   Now its two old farts and 3 crazy dogs and 3 weird cats and a noisy bird and a bubbling fishtank.      Enjoy the commotion while you have it .     When its over ~   There is a void and although she has actually been out of the house since late 2007 ~   their wedding seemed to manifest itself into the reality ,    we are old. ,    and ahead is a new chapter.  

I neglected to get Christmas cards out ,   for that I am sorry .    I also neglected to put up a tree.    SAD SAD SAD.    I have been so very busy at the shop decorating for everyone else I thought it would be no big deal.   However,   I am wrong.      Won't try to do that again.    :(  

We have been blessed with a few great friends of whom are so talented,    Shawn Magill built the most beautiful porches on the house.   Both front and back.   Shawn's idea changed the look of the front of our home .    It is my favorite room in the house now ,   although a little brisk these days I don't find myself sitting out there these past few months. 
The back deck is equally as nice.   i enjoy feeding the birds out there now in the winter.   Summer and lighter weather days you can see I have clothes on the line strewn from the garage to the chimney back there.   They dry so quickly ,   almost dry by the time I get the last one's hung up !    The porch and the deck are my favorite reading spots !   

Kenny is well ,   a pretty good year for him.     Working at BOC   3 days a week,   their company is growing  and building ,   literally.   Bowling on Tuesdays still and happy to keep the house warm all winter as we still heat with wood.    K's brother Larry has been a great help  in the wood area.   I appreciate his ability to help as I seem to not have the time strength or energy !
  
The Dutch Tulip is my all consuming passion and   project as well as my job.   2012m  has brought growth and wisdom to us there.    We have learned much in the flower shop event planning world.  Although it hurts to my core,   I am going to try to say "NO"    when I have to.    In fact this past week I did say no.     broke my heart ,    I REALLY WAS SAD.     But reality says you can't do it all.     and as we learned this past year ,     you can't  ,   I CAN'T    do it all.    Our team of talented people is growing.    We added Nancy in May ,    She is a great designer.     Her daughter Abbi helps much and my buddy Casey comes as often as he can to "dig me out " as I like to say.   Holly helps on occasion ,   Lauren helps when home from college,    Monica is my buddy and a great asset.   Renee is always willing to pitch in and help us set up weddings and clean flowers,   She was my tree designer this year. Last but not least is Ellen.    Our manager and bookkeeper .   She single handily holds it all together. Billing and posting typing my hieroglyphics of estimates and deciphering my sketches.    It is an exciting little fine floral and event shop.     We have had a Great Christmas Season.    !!   I would like to say Thank You to everyone who trusts us to help you create your most beautiful day in your life,   Your wedding.   We finished about 53 of those in 2012 .  Please don't look for those numbers  in 2013.   25 is my goal.    :)  I want to put a lid on the numbers and do things better and more excellent ,   and just develop some roots at The Dutch Tulip.    I do love going to work though .      I feel as though that shows.     I hope it does.   

Well that sums up the year.     Hope you enjoyed catching up as much as I enjoyed this hour catching you up  to    our world.   I look forward to next week to see what is in store !
  Be Blessed in 2013.    Be happy ,   be courageous,   be generous, be wise,  be  humble.   be LOVED.
J 

Well here we are forever again till I get back.

Seems as though I am having a hard time checking in to my blog. It has been about forever since I was here last. Life is just soooooooooo busy. Seems as though I am running and running and not going anywhere ! Ever feel that way ? Summer has surely been H O T I wanted window boxes at the flowershop , I am glad I did, however they need watered every day. Sometimes even two times a day. Just home from there now tonight , showered and clean, refreshed from a busy sunday. K and I purged the sunporch today. I had a fire burning this afternoon ~ almost all day. Seems as though every time Mom comes home from Florida she says I have ---- for you. then she followes up by saying I only bring you stuff you can use.... Yes, correct, however I just threw much of it away. as well as burnt some too. Every piece of equipment or shoe we have purchased this year had a box which was happy to live out on the porch. I however am most happy they no longer do!
We are blessed to have a wedding a weekend , occasionally we have 2 or 3 . ( A weekend that is ) Holly has been a tremendous help this summer. She is interviewing for a teaching position....... Gosh I hp[e she gets it..... She has to start somewhere. I think this position would be perfect. I know the Lord has that perfect spot for her in her career..... But it is time.!
I am typing on a new computer, laptop , It is lovely. My keypad is a little smaller than I am use to so forgive my errors. I feel slightly in cumbered. I have been using it for a few days, but this is the first writing I have done.
Since I have this I will try to put some pictures up . Should be easier now.
Should also be easier for me to keep up with typing..... Lets see how I do ~

Spring has Sprung a Leak !

Hi friends,
here comes the summer months and along with this comes copious amounts of water! I haven't seen the creeks and ditches so full for a long time. Just keeps raining . The poor trees don't know the difference , they bloom , their blooms get knocked off and the grass keeps growing. It is all a little muddy , sloppy and just a little yukky ! It makes me appreciate the fair weather days that much more but geeze oh man.... If I am not whining about the cold I am whining about the rain. I hate whiners. and here I am complaining and wishing the sun would come out. Kenny was only able to mow twice now. Some people have gotten several rounds in . I 'd like to get the garden spot ready and some flower beds worked in . Seems as though that's not happening yet.
Last year we weren't able to plant because of the GOATS . They are gone so look out here come a few of the famous heirloom tomatoes ! I don't think I will go too crazy with planting ~ however more than last year would be good !
I hope this finds you happy and your basement dry !
Love you
~J

May day May day

May day! Jill Dian's Birthday, the day of much celebration and jubilation as the doldrums of winter are now behind us. We will have a few more frosts, but I think the worst is over.
Much to do today. Have today and tomorrow to get ready for Thursday Morning ,,,,, WFMJ TV will broadcast their morning show live from The Dutch Tulip !!!! How cool is that going to be? Yes I would say pretty coo!!!
The Junior League of Youngstown will be creating beautiful Kentucky Derby style hats at the flower shop and I will be helping them with that project to benefit their fundraiser of the Kentucky Derby event. !
So tune in at 5:45 AM - 7 :00 AM to watch me be sick on TV ! :) hahahah

Lots happening this week. Mother's day is Sunday, More proms on Friday, and............................................................................................



HOLLY GRADUATES KENT STATE UNIVERSITY on Saturday May 7 ! ( with Honors )
I am so excited I almost can't stand myself ! She makes me so happy !!! First generation college grad in this little family. She will be a great teacher I haven't a doubt. However we need to help her find a job . Kind of important ....
I can hardly believe she is 22. .. Where did that time go ?
Well I am off to the Angels Garage sale as well as the Columbiana Fire dept Garage sale. Hopefully to find the blue or yellow chair I am looking for....
Have a happy day .
~~J

Up from the Grave He Arose !

So Easter Sunday.
Happy day for me, happy memories, usually the first thing I think of on Easter morning is that song, sung by you know who my hero....My dad. In planning my day today I did the usual check in on facebook and mentioned that old favorite hymn in line or two. ~ Got busy preparing to go to Doug and Martha's for our Easter family celebration involving food and scrabble.~ And oh yea, that song ! Walking in to their home we all broke out in chorus to sing a line together, not the way you'd think kind of 1/2 joking around and each one of us with the twinge of dad 's memory tugging at our hearts while we smiled. The inlaws think we are crazy. Come to find out Amy sang it to the twins while they played this morning, Alex sang it to Seva, Douglas sang it to Martha and I of course sang it to the world on Face Book..... Funny isn't it that we all have the dear old hymn in our hearts thanks to Dad....

Hahaha, some times a song or lyric will transport me directly to another place and another time. Happen to send me directly to Berlin Center United Methodist Church. I dressed in a pretty new outfit for Easter, can smell the Easter Lilies and Spring bulbs all in their brilliant gold foil neatly and symmetrically placed around the altar and the front of the church. Line up in the pew as I recall~ Molly all they way in , then Mom and then me and Dad on my right. The sun shining boldly through out the church and through the lavander and yellow stain glass windows. We always sat 1/2 way back on the west wall aisle. Dad always on the outside... I can often hear him belt out and sing loud with his head tipped back as if he were singing in the heavenly choir of angels. ! I know now he is, however in the early morning coolness in Berlin Center Ohio he was.

I smile and long to feel those rough cracked fingers hold my hand as I fidget and get bored. I also smile and long to have the yukky taste of sugar free candy melt in my mouth , but love it all at the same time because he gave it to me. Gosh I miss him. Happy Easter Dad. I can't wait for the opportunity to sing "Up form the Grave He Arose, With a mighty triumph o'er his foes. He arose a victor from the dark domain and He lives forever with His Saints to reign. He arose, He arose Hallelujah Christ Arose." With him again.... one day in glory we will sing together... :)

Geeze Oh Man !

I have not been here since November,,,, I am sorry for that, This is a good thing for my Brain as well as my soul. Thinking out loud has many benefits so let's try to get back on this "horse " ....I have missed you all. And I am sorry to have let you down. Especially you Anneliese. My heart aches that I find myself too busy to say hello. I am sorry for that. Seems as though sorry for many things today. Been a rough day.

No reason other than pride~ but a rough day. Life is not always a bowl of cherries however for the most part things of late have been pretty good. I will be the first to admit I have been kind of waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop. Kenny is well~ not so well. Numbers are where they need to be, The Dr is not concerned, I am , He has been changing quite a bit this year , Very much this past 6 months. I think he has lost around 50 pounds in 10 months. Good for the body however I am concerned it has something to do with the dreaded diabetes.
( Hate that word) btw

Hilde and Gretta have gone to a new farm to live. I need to be considering trading in the van in the next 6 months or so ~ Which also means i need to take it to be detailed and have the paint re buffed as the goats have ruined it... I also love Kenny more than I love them and that in itself is reason they needed to go. Met a man through a mutual Friend. I think they are at a better home. I have not gone to visit as I think they won't remember me and I think it will make me too sad. So for now I know they live on a happy farm in a happy place in Lisbon. I hope they have chickens to tell them whats happening, in their new little world.

Everyone else on the farm is good. Snick and Belle have had hair cuts of late. Snick is 2 weeks post now, curls are beginning to form again on his ears. He need 2 weeks of growth to become more like himself.. Belle on the other hand is not one week post yet. She still looks like a shorn sheep and kind of a pit bull / = some where in between.....:) Cute frisky naked....


So as I type this I realize the time is approaching midnight.
Hope I can sleep tonight.
Welcome back friends...
I have missed you... Lets visit one day very soon. I hope it is not 6 months until I return again!
~j

Thank You to our Vetrans

One thing that has always been important to me , is respect for our service men and women as well as the service our veterans sacrificed for the safety peace and well being of Our America.
Our America... do you love it here in this land of the free and home of the brave?
Our America.... do you or have you ever read the constitution of the United States?
Can you recite a few of the words of the preamble .... we the people in order to create a more perfect union ....
Did you vote last week ?
Were you an informed voter?
When at a sporting event and the National Anthem is played to you recite the words or even sing along?
How about the Pledge of Allegiance.?

Do you realize freedom isn't free? Do you realize men and women are serving in the desert in the mountains and in the horrid places of the middle east right now ! ? They haven't seen their loved ones for months.... Do you intercede for their safety peace and well being ? Do you support their family members who remain out of touch with their loved ones for weeks days and even months at a time...

I believe in this country. I believe in the way it was founded and built. I believe it is my responsibility to be informed , conscious and willing to do my part to make things safe and hopeful for following generations. To leave a foot print of integrity and honesty that make my daughter and other young people proud to be American as well....
I believe we must work hard and diligent to keep the earth clean and free of unnecessary garbage.

Even though I do not agree with all the political jargon happening in Washington , I do believe it is my responsibility to hold those elected officials in fervent prayer to be surrounded by Godly counsel and wise men.
Thank you veterans and service men and women... I am proud of you. Proud of what you are doing for us. Your unwilling sacrifice and willingness to serve.
God Bless you on Veteran's Day
God please continue to bless the United States of America.
~J