One can Never Have too Many Vases

I pulled out a bunch of  vases and assorted containers when the Register Guard was coming out to shoot their story on spring flowers and thought I'd share with you.  Clearly, I like curves and I like the country vibe at my house.  And  I like pitchers and I collect vintage pottery and I always like to use repurposed pieces like the milk bottle and the growler.  And I always love, love a container with a narrow neck.  Plus the basket is super special as it's all hand peeled willow and handwoven by my basketmaking friend Elaine Falbo who has a charming little shop in Portland called Bella Flora Studios. It's the perfect May Day basket shape.  I am definitely of the school, one can never have too many vases, but I find myself going 

to these same ones over and over.  Except for the growler.  I'm still experimenting with that one!

 Easter was spectacular. It was all lilac and dogwood and apple blossoms everywhere.

And the weather was gorgeous.

 I brought three different kinds of lilacs to our little local  feast. I had to smile when they served Bloody Marys for Easter Brunch.

 And, of course, in the best locavore tradition, they were composed of fresh frozen tomato pulp from the summer before. Plus a little salt, a little pepper, lemon juice, and some fresh grated horseradish gave it just the right amount of zing.  Oh and then the vodka zing thing too!  And a home canned dill bean to stir it all up.

I think I'm going to make Bloody Mary's my new Easter traditon.

Susan Goodwin Jewelry Comes to Town

 The ever talented Susan Goodwin will be joining us for a trunk show next Friday at 2 and her work will be up until Saturday afternoon.

 Word on the street is that Susan has radically changed her display and I had a little sneak peek when I visited her in Carlton.  It's ephemeral and incorporates photographs.  Susan not just a great jeweler.
She's a talented artist who has spent most of her adult life living off the fruits of what she creates with her hands.  I have so much admiration for people who do that. Just stick to their one thing and ride with it as far and long as they can - constantly re-inventing themselves and, at the same time, staying true to who they are.

I always find something lovely for myself. And hope you come and find something lovely too.

Passionflowers Abound

Passionflowers come in all shapes and sizes!!!

Did you know we can print these beautiful canvas wall charts with your artwork?

Come in the store and take a look?  Wouldn't these be a fun backdrop for a wedding with big urns full of curly willow branches on either side?

Making Nice Nice for the Register Guard - Ode to Spring Flowers

 Colin Andrew from the Register Guard came out to my house for a photo shoot today.  They're doing a story about picking flowers from your yard for spring bouquets.  I wanted to stay true to the story and not stress out about it too much.  So I made sure we had a little spot on my porch to take pics and then I went out and picked some flowers in the morning. Simple as that. No pumping it up with big hothouse garden roses or other exotics. A little trust in Mother Nature experiment.  Doesn't hurt that the lilacs have just begun to bloom.

I put a group together of whatever spring like vases I had around the house.

 Colin came out and took the pics.  A couple of me tra-la-la ing out in the apple orchard and then he said my yard looked like a park, which pretty much made my day.  And then I put a little bouquet together for him.

 Okay, I guess it wasn't so little!

 

And then there was a big mess to clean up and onward with the rest of my day.

Kind of a fun way to start the workweek.

A Lovely Cordial for Easter Brunch.

 

So happy to have this back in stock.

Passionflower Turns Twenty

It was twenty years ago today.....well I'm not sure if it was exactly today....but it was close to this time that Passionflower had our official opening party.  The very first ever Passionflower party. I remember because it was near Easter.  And I rented a big Easter Bunny outfit and talked a friend into wearing it. (I like a little drama at a party!)  And, for years afterwards, a young child named Marlow, son of some art professors, would come in the store and ask his Mom where the bunny was.  And my mentor, Elaine Falbo, my inspiration, my beautiful, hippie friend who channels Tasha Tudor, brought me glorious branches of white native dogwood.  And I saw the dogwood blooming the other day so I knew it was about now.  It was the little store down at the train station.  And there was a double rainbow during the party which we all went outside to ooh and aah over.  I have a picture of that somewhere. That was when you had to go get film developed.  And my Dad and my stepmother came out and took us all out to dinner in the little tiny dining room at the old Jo Federico's.  Twenty years is a long time.  So many people have passed through the door as friends and customers and employees and people we do business with, or some fluid combination of all of that. So many. And so many things have passed over our sales counter and, I hope, made your life more beautiful and contemplative and fascinating.   I just love being a shopkeeper and I have all kinds of mystical notions of what that means, which I will spare you from today, but suffice it to say, thank you each and every one of you for being a part of the whole Passionflower party.  Happy Birthday to us, All of Us!