Today's little flower concoction is perhaps my fastest to date. Most of today was focused around getting my mother to a regularly scheduled medical appointment, which involved a drive of well over an hour each way, so there was not a lot of time to think about a vase or to arrange the contents. Just before leaving, I snipped some blooms from a chrysanthemum which was tucked into a container in the patio some weeks ago. I brought the three flowers indoors and floated them in a teacup.
This teacup, with its bright pink cornflowers, was given to me many birthdays ago. It began my small, mostly vintage, teacup collection.
Florist's chrysanthemums have so far been fairly successful for me here as cool season annuals. I almost managed to bring one through last summer as well, and I think that even a slightly milder summer might see them survive to bloom and grow again in the autumn. As they are quite inexpensive, being sold just as container annuals for the season, I have bought several and will be interested to see what happens next summer!
This one is planted in a deep container of a dark brick red, which matches the flower color nicely. That same color is a little peculiar with the pink flowers on the cup, but as I say, I was in a hurry!
Our long drive had various points of interest, including a sighting of a herd of wild burros as we drove along the 303. Not so happily, we also saw the vehicular remnants of today's twenty-car chain reaction crashes on 101. Our route took us past many a puddle from the rains we've been having, and over and around a few as well. As for the rain, it dripped, and cleared, and spurted, and splashed, and cleared... I doubt we'll get any more, but this was the most rain our neighborhood has seen since last winter. Not surprisingly, the garden is in a state of bliss.
I thought I would include a couple of shots (taken with my phone) from our stop in Scottsdale. These show just a bit of desert at the far side of a parking lot. It was fun looking at the barrel cactus and chollas.
Today's IVoM post has ranged a bit further afield, but still it is all about picking a few flowers and putting them in a... teacup this time. Thanks to Cathy for hosting this lovely meme at Rambling in the Garden!
Weather Diary: Partly sunny, with rain showers and scattered thunderstorms; High: 70 F (21 C)/Low: 53 F (12 C); Humidity: 44%-100%
Cathy (Tuesday, 22 November 2016 04:54)
But it was intersting to hear about your journey too - the landscape and wildlife and weather, but sadly the major bump as well. The tea cup was such a pretty gift - how refreshing to see cornflowers on it - and despite the simplicity the floating blooms look most effcetive and will bring you just as much pleasure as a full scale 'vase', I am sure. Thank you for sharing
danger garden (Tuesday, 22 November 2016 10:59)
Thank you for the desert scenes, I love them so! I hadn't heard about the 101 pile-ups, how horrifying, glad you were there after the fact. As for your small arrangement I bet it gives you just as much joy as a full-fledged one.
Kris P (Tuesday, 22 November 2016 12:36)
The mums look perfect in that tea cup! I'm glad you got some rain too. The whole world looks a little brighter - and smells a lot better - afterwards, doesn't it? I'd have loved to see a whole herd of burros.
Cathy (Tuesday, 22 November 2016 14:09)
I love that idea of floating just a couple of flowers in a teacup! Both the flowers and the teacup are very pretty, and it was interesting to hear about your trip too. Good to hear you have also had some rain. :)
Amy@smallsunnygarden (Wednesday, 23 November 2016 12:28)
Cathy @Rambling in the Garden - You are quite right! The little mums floating in the teacup have brought as many smiles and happy comments as a larger, more deliberate bouquet :) And much as I love roses, it is always fun to find teacups decorated with other garden plants!
Amy@smallsunnygarden (Wednesday, 23 November 2016 12:35)
Loree - Those crashes must have occurred shortly after we drove through eastbound :/ So glad we weren't caught in it, and so sorry for all those who were! As Mom's appointment was short, my sister and I had a good time tramping around looking at the scenery; but she had had the sense to bring her camera, which I did not ;-) Glad you enjoyed the very small tour!
Amy@smallsunnygarden (Wednesday, 23 November 2016 12:39)
Kris - Absolutely! The air hasn't smelled this good for months! Digging holes for new plants has just gotten a good deal easier too ;-)
This was the first time I've seen any wild burros there, and my sister actually got a shot of them as she was photographing out the window as we drove through. I'll see if I can get permission to post her photo here...
Amy@smallsunnygarden (Wednesday, 23 November 2016 12:45)
Cathy@Words and Herbs - Sometimes the simplest arrangements really do work best (hard for me to keep in mind!), and it was nice to let the teacup share some of the limelight ;-) We're back to perfectly sunny days, but everything feels different now we've had some long-awaited moisture!
Derek Grant (Wednesday, 23 November 2016 18:44)
My mother was passionate about tea, tea cups, flowers, and nature, so I suspect that she would give your post a very high rating, as I am doing.
Amy@Smallsunnygarden (Friday, 25 November 2016 14:14)
Derek - That is a big compliment as I can tell from your book what a wonderful woman your mother was! For me, these things are a never-failing source of beauty and even of reassurance...