easter HOP-E

My life is marked with a DOOMED THUMB.  I said that with conviction in this BLOG. 

HOPE for this particular case no longer lives.  I know myself  ... Look the opposite way when ALL means have been exhausted and when HARM has been done! 

Almost a hundred greens in pots have succumbed under my care. Either too much sun??? Or too little water???  I was never able to grasp the mind-puzzling scientific formula to gardening.  Even water-based plants literally wilt then later die on me.

Wish for a garden moments still do drop by, but I have deliberately declared a no plant house to save the greens from doom.  I think it's much better this way. I have already accepted this part of my destiny.  

Yet, "green"  wishes do come true.  Mine came in two wonderful surprises.

ONE, I  planted my own flower garden . . .

I have mentioned in previous blogs the difficulty of designing and  putting together  this year's FLORA collection. It still is.  I have mastered its detailed intricacies, yet the level of difficulty remains the same.  A rule I follow:  One Flora necklace per day per week. If more, disaster strikes :)

I presume the same level of  difficulty (and intensity) comes with gardening.  Right???

Beads are still my preference.  Beads don't breath. 

TWO. Despite my stated claims above, I LOVE plants, flowers, nature. We just don't blend.  However, surprises come when you least expect ........

My neighbor's orchid bloomed on my side of the fence! :)

Happy Easter!

March 5, 2010 FATHERS DAY

Today is FATHERS DAY!

I celebrate my Dad's birthday today.  This should have been his 69th year. He passed away more than 2 decades ago, but I know that he has never left my side. 

Way before Sonyas Garden existed, "the garden"  already came alive in my mind.   No one is allowed to enter the blue picket gate.  I discovered this.   Unlike any other gate, there are no borders, there are no fences.  The only way is to close my eyes, pass through the picket gate and walk  barefoot on the most beautiful path. 

Photo by http://wulfworks.net/page3angel.html.

At the end of the path, I see Dad in white by a fountain tending to his plants.   He stops when he sees me.  We embrace and he walks with me toward his cottage. Before we enter, I talk long (very long) and he just listens. 

As soon as I finish, we enter the white wooden door of the cottage which I call . . .  the cottage with no walls.

The first time I saw this, I asked, "Won't the wind blow you away?".  All he did was make me see the most beautiful sight I have ever seen  . . . Angels playing happily in his garden. 

Photo by http://fineartamerica.com/featured/garden-of-angels-joni-mcpherson.html

I will visit Dad today to greet him a Happy Birthday right  before I pick-up Dad # 2 from the airport.  He is arriving at 11:45 am with a sign calling out my name (Lol!  That's what he said in his email.  Please don't!). The sky is gloomy, with a bit of drizzle.  A happy break from the scorching heat.  It must be because of Dad # 2 . . . another theory, he attracts the rain. 

I am so excited to see Dad # 2.  He was in Manila October last year (after Typhoon Ondoy and during Typhoon Pepeng).  Then we were together again 2 weeks after in New York. He was declared the official companion during my trip.  It's my turn. I wonder where I'll take him this time.

Most likely, we will have breakfast in a Park tomorrow, then have lunch in a garden and walk along the labyrinth path next weekend.

The Angel Charms I used for my Flora 2010 collection

February 6, 2010 TODAY

HE and SHE will visit this place today

to deliver all these . . .

and celebrate 4 with this . . .

p.s.  my profile pic in facebook  last year.  can't wait to see this . . .

February 2, 2010 BREAK TIME!

Been so hectic for the past few days for the following reasons:

The PHARMACY

One, I finally have a Store OIC after 6 months of operations.  Aside from our every other day training sessions, my OIC has been very active in texting and sending emails, mostly securing my approval or just clarifiying matters.  Thus, I am online for approximately 16 hours a day including Sundays (16 hours is our  total store operating hours).

Two, we are now heavily promoting our February 2010 calendar of events.  The last 2 weeks of January were spent on flyering at wet markets and churches, visiting health centers, village-to-village and school campaign.  Here is a  plug on our February calendar in case you are in the area of Molino 3, Bacoor, Cavite :)

and Three, last January was the renewal of business permits.  Need not dwell on this anymore.  I refuse to relive the nightmare.  Lol!

BY BEADED STORY

The  first round of creations I did  two weeks ago received a beautiful response.  Happy Angel and Flower Garden were reserved last Monday.  Two sets of my favorite arrangement, Blue Moon, were bought and flown to Singapore last Sunday.

Thus, I am now working on and rushing to finish another set of my Flora Collection for Sonyas Garden due for delivery this Saturday (which by the way is also the day WE are celebrating 4)!  Ayayay! 

Unlike previous years, the flora design of 2010  is the hardest to put together.  It takes me more than half a day to finish just one.  

Why? 

......Probably, one reason is the concept.  It may be worn in 3 ways: 

way # 1:  Long.  My favorite among the 5 designs:  Blue Moon!

 way # 2: Choker-style.  This the Dancin' in the Moonlight arrangement.

and way # 3, as a Hip Accent (belt) 

......Or, combining 5 long necklaces in one arrangement can absolutely take up time.  As I have mentioned in a previous blog, I value uniqueness.  Two pieces of the same arrangement may look the same but are totally different (just stare at the beads). 

......And maybe, this is what you call aging or the effect of early retirement.  I have slown down =)

But really, the arrangements of the past were easier to make.  Here are a few photos:

2007 Flora

2007 Flora

2008 Flora

2009 Flora

I still have a 3 arrangements to finish. With the pharmacy and my beads, I have been capping my days at one am with a stiff back.  But last night was different.  I ended with a chill! 

Photo taken by my husband close to 12 midnight last night.  Was working on another set of Flower Garden. My cel phone stays beside me when I bead because of texts and calls from the pharmacy.

Will take a rest today.  I hope =)

January 25, 2010 FLOWER GARDEN

I love nature. I really do.

I must have collected hundreds of photos with nature as subject (flowers, trees, leaves, parks, mountain slopes, the sea, lakes, sky .... except for animals <& bugs>!).

Oops! Just remembered that I do have a few photos of the youngest in the brood ...

Meet Gizmo! and his best pal (Mr. Brown).

Gizmo (or Gizzy) was too ashamed to have his photo taken in this Hotdog Halloween costume. He tremendously hated us and hid under the table!

But from this ....

To this!!!

Just shows what kind of thumb I own. DOOMED!!! But this does not mean that I cannot build my own garden. I know I can! So, here it is... the last design for my Flora collection ... Flower Garden.