My Mother's Vase

Dear Readers:

I am really enjoying spending the summer with my two, active little boys.  Really, I am.  But I am also struggling, STRUGGLING (!) to get my blog updated as often as I like.  Please bear with me; fall is just around the corner.

Today I leave you with a lovely picture of some summertime flowers in my mother's vase.  I remember this vase from my childhood, usually filled with lilacs from the bush in our yard or lily of the valley from our boxwood border.   My mom gave me this vase when she was downsizing from her house to a small apartment.  She tells me that it was a gift to her mother from some visiting relatives, already an antique when it was given back in the 1930's.  I love it because it is perfect for so many different types of flowers.  I cut these long-stemmed alstromeria lilies short and love how they look.  These are some of my favorite flowers for several reasons:  you can pick them up inexpensively from almost any grocery store so there is never any excuse for not having fresh flowers in your home; they come in so many different colors you can suit your mood; they make great filler for use with other flowers; they last forever.  This batch looked fresh for about three weeks.  $4 for three weeks of flowers -- how can you beat that?