Wedding Portrait Bouquet

Edited below!

My bride for October 10th needed a bouquet for her bridal portrait session today. This one is nearly identical to the one she will have in October, but that one will also have stephanotis florets; which she will wear in her hair as well. She picked it up this morning at 8 am, and I took photos of it because I didn't know I'd have the opportunity to take the one below. I met with her and her mother at the wedding site later in the day, and she was still in her dress when I arrived.

A pretty bride, I'd say! The bouquet features gardenias, cymbidium and dendrobium orchids, hypericum berries, miniature calla lilies, Kermit mums and bear grass. The cascade is making its way back into style after being somewhat verboten for about 8 years. If you wait long enough - everything comes back into style. I enjoy making cascades, even though this one took almost two hours because of all the wiring and taping I had to do. Luckily, she loved it.

One corner of the room in which we met today; furnished with period pieces and accessories. To the right of that corner is a massive stone fireplace; the photo of it is found below.

The place she is having her wedding and reception is called The Sutherland. It's a wonderful old home - and I wish I knew more of its history to tell you. I didn't think I'd ever been there (it opened last year) but as I approached the home, I realized I had done a double wedding there for the daughters of previous owner. It was many years ago, and the new owners have done wonders with the landscaping and additions to the original home. Click on the link to see the home and grounds.

I'll take more photos on the day of the wedding, when everything is decorated to the hilt. Her colors are sage green and white and I am sure it will all look beautiful.

Edit: Several people have asked what this is about. In the US, many brides have a formal portrait made in their wedding dress a few months before the wedding. That portrait is displayed at the reception, and is also used for the wedding announcement in the local newspapers, which appears on the Sunday just after the ceremony takes place.

Quito, Ecuador and The Galapagos, Part 1

One of my children has just returned from a 15 day trip to Ecuador, including a cruise on a 108' yacht (The Beluga) throughout the Galapagos Islands (600 miles off the Pacific coast of Ecuador.) She took almost 600 photos, and is passing them on to me in small bunches. I promise not to make you look at all of them, and I'll try to choose the better ones. I didn't edit these at all, so you should be able to enlarge them by clicking on the photo.

Look at the size of these bottles, from one of the hotels in which she stayed. I should have put something in the pic for comparison, but they are over 4" tall and the diameter of a quarter. Most hotels I've stayed in give much smaller portions.

One of the many friendly animals she saw there.

One of the thousands of iguanas. I could swear they are smiling!



I know there will be better photos of these birds and their snowy white babies.

Tiny Frogs and Emoticons

These little guys seemed stunned when I took them out of the skimmer, having spun around in there for Lord knows how long. They sat in that spot for hours before moving on. Unfortunately, the one on the right jumped back into the pool, and I found him the next morning, dead. He should have listened to me when I told them to go back into the woods.

*******

You know those little computer symbols called 'emoticons,' where:

:) means a smile and
:( is a frown.

Sometimes these are represented by:

:-)

: -(

Well, how about some 'ASSICONS?'

(_!_) a regular ass


(__!__) a fat ass


(!) a tight ass


(_*_) a sore ass


{_!_} a swishy ass


(_x_) kiss my ass


(_X_) leave my ass alone


(_zzz_) a tired ass



(_E=mc2_) a smart ass


(_$_) Money coming out
Of his ass


(_?_) Dumb Ass

Got any you might add to the list?

Book Recommendation

As I finished reading Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet today, the last three or so chapters were punctuated by my great, shoulder-shaking sobs. Don't let that dissuade you from reading this wonderful story - though the sobs were not completely happy - they were bittersweet to say the least.

Written by Jamie Ford, who is the great-grandson of Nevada mining pioneer Min Chung, who came to San Francisco in 1865 where he took the name "Ford," it is the story of Henry; a young Chinese boy growing up in Seattle, who fell in love with a Japanese schoolmate during WW2. There were, as you might imagine, unfortunate as well as fortunate aspects to that relationship, making for a really good story.

I urge you to read this impressive debut novel.

The stateliest building man can raise is the ivy's food at last.

Charles Dickens, novelist (1812-1870)

*******

A man and his wife, moved back home to WV, from Ohio.
The husband had a wooden leg, and to insure it back in Ohio
cost them $2000. per year !

When they arrived in WV, they went to an insurance agency to
see how much it would cost to insure his wooden leg.

The agent looked it up on the computer and said: '$39.'

The husband was shocked and asked why it was so cheap here in
WV to insure it because it cost him $2000 in Ohio !

The insurance agent turned his computer screen to the couple
and said, 'Well, here it is on the screen, it says:
Any wooden structure, with a sprinkler system above it,
is $39...

You just have to know how to describe it.

*****

Words for Women

Another email goodie!

Age, skill, wisdom, and a little treachery always overcome youth and arrogance!



1. Aspire to be Barbie - she has everything.

2. If the shoe fits - buy them in every color.

3. Take life with a pinch of salt... A wedge of lime, and a shot of tequila.

4. In need of a support group? - Cocktail hour with the girls!

5. Go on the 30 day diet. (I'm on it and so far I've lost 15 days).

6. When life gets you down - just put on your big girl panties and deal with it.

7. Let your greatest fear be that there is no PMS and this is just your personality.

8. I know I'm in my own little world, but it's ok. They know me here.

9. Lead me not into temptation, I can find it myself.

10. Don't get your knickers in a knot; it solves nothing and makes you walk funny.

11. When life gives you lemons in 2009 - turn it into lemonade then mix it with vodka.

12. Remember where ever there is a good looking; sweet, single or married man there is some woman tired of his bullshit! (I LOVE THIS!)

13. Keep your chin up, only the first 40 years of parenthood are the hardest.

14. If it has Tires or Testicles it's gonna give you trouble.

15. By the time a women realizes her mother was right, she has a daughter who thinks she's wrong.


Please go here to read an excellent post (the July 31st segment; especially if you tend to hold grudges!)

Anagrams

This has got to be one of the cleverest
E-mails I've received in awhile.
Someone out there
must be "deadly" at Scrabble.
(Wait till you see the last one)!


PRESBYTERIAN:
When you rearrange the letters:
BEST IN PRAYER


ASTRONOMER:
When you rearrange the letters:
MOON STARER


DESPERATION:
When you rearrange the letters:
A ROPE ENDS IT


THE EYES:
When you rearrange the letters:
THEY SEE


GEORGE BUSH:
When you rearrange the letters:
HE BUGS GORE


THE MORSE CODE:
When you rearrange the letters:
HERE COME DOTS


DORMITORY:
When you rearrange the letters:
DIRTY ROOM

SLOT MACHINES:
When you rearrange the letters:
CASH LOST IN ME


ANIMOSITY:
When you rearrange the letters:
IS NO AMITY


ELECTION RESULTS:
When you rearrange the letters:
LIES - LET'S RECOUNT


SNOOZE ALARMS:
When you rearrange the letters:
ALAS! NO MORE Z S


A DECIMAL POINT:
When you rearrange the letters:
I'M A DOT IN PLACE


THE EARTHQUAKES:
When you rearrange the letters:
THAT QUEER SHAKE



ELEVEN PLUS TWO:
When you rearrange the letters:
TWELVE PLUS ONE


AND FOR THE GRAND FINALE:


MOTHER-IN-LAW:
When you rearrange the letters:
WOMAN HITLER