Archive for June, 2008
Rose Petal Jam
1 cup fresh rose petals (must never have been sprayed with any chemicals)
¾ cup water
2½ cups sugar
1 package pectin (i.e. Sure Jell)
¾ cup water
Puree rose petals, ¾ cup water and lemon juice in blender until smooth. Slowly add
sugar. Blend till all sugar has dissolved (leave in blender). Stir 1 package pectin
(i.e. Sure Jell) into ¾ cup water, bring to a boil, and boil hard for 1 minute. Pour
mixture into blender with rose petal mixture until well blended. Do this very quickly –
it sets up FAST!! Pour into baby food jars. Let set for 6 hours, till firm. Will keep one
month in refrigerator. Freezes well.
June 10th, 2008
Decorating/Design Tips and Trends
“He who wants a rose must respect the thorn.” - Persian Proverb -
To keep your roses longer, submerge the whole stem in a tub of warm water for 3 minutes. Cut the stem underwater and place in a vase of warm water.
This hydrates the rose and helps it bloom fully.
Be sure to order Roses during June (rose month). Check out Eden Florist’s Specials!
Testimonial: Heidi – Just a note to thank you for that beautiful rose that we received at the recent GNI meeting at Neimans. I have it in a vase with some tangerine colored gerber daisies and your rose is absolutely breathtaking. Thanks for bringing joy to all of us that evening with your generosity of spirit! Kindest regards, Teri Karst
June 9th, 2008
Rose ~ The Flower of Love
Botanical Name ~ Roseceae “Rosa” Family
White ~ I am worthy of you
Pale Pink ~ Innocence
Hot Pink ~ Infatuation
Red ~ Love, Passion
Yellow ~ Friendship, Honor
Peach ~ Beauty, Grace
One of the oldest flowers known to mankind, and perhaps the most popular,
the rose represents love, magic, hope and the mystery of life.
Nebuchadnezzarused them to adorn his palace. In Persia, they were grown for the perfume oil,
and the petals filled the Sultan’s mattress. In Kashmir, the Emperors cultivated
elaborate rose gardens and the roses were strewn in the river to welcome them
home.
Emperors filled their sitting baths and fountains with rose-water and
sat on carpets of rose petals. The Greeks associated the rose with the blood of
Aphrodites (the Goddess of Love) beloved Adonis. The Roman’s used roses in
feasts and orgies. From an image of Pagan love, the rose was transformed into
an emblem of Christian spiritual love connected with the Virgin Mary, with
Christ’s blood and with the Crown of Thorns.
The rose was created by Chloris, the Greek Goddess of Flowers, out of the
lifeless body of a nymph found one day in a clearing in the woods. Asking
for Aphrodite’s help, she gave the nymph beauty, Dionysus (the God of Wine)
gave her a sweet scent, and the three Graces gave her joy, charm and
brightness. Zephyr (the West Wind) blew the clouds away so that Apollo
(The Sun God) could shine upon her and make the flower bloom. The rose
was born and crowned the “Queen of All Flowers.”
To order Roses for someone you love and admire, visit: Eden Florist
June 8th, 2008
ROSES & HANGING BASKETS
A teenage granddaughter comes downstairs for her date with this see-through blouse on and no bra.
Her grandmother just pitched a fit, telling her not to dare go out like that!
The teenager tells her “Loosen up Grams. These are modern times. You gotta let your rose buds show!” and out she goes.
The next day the teenager comes down stairs, and the grandmother is sitting there with no top on. The teenager wants to die. She explains to her grandmother that she has friends coming over and that it is just
not appropriate…..
The grandmother says, “Loosen up, Sweetie. If you can show off your rose buds, then I can display my hanging baskets.”
Happy Rose Month!
June 7th, 2008
and here’s a perfect story to illustrate the date:
On Being a Perfect Rosebud by Mira C. Coone
Consider a rosebud. It is one of the most wondrous of God’s creations. Its color can be rich and vibrant or a delicate pastel. It is subtly fragrant and a gentle touch reveals the softness and smoothness of its petals. It holds such promise and has the potential to bloom and burst forth in glorious beauty. We nurture it gently; feed and water it, protect it from extremes of wind and temperature and wait and watch, anticipating its unfolding and the fulfillment of its mission: to bring joy and awe to the beholder of its beauty.
How we are like rosebuds! We are not finished yet. We have not fully bloomed. We have not yet attained the glory and immortality that awaits us. We have shortcomings.
Do we fault or criticize the rosebud for not being a fully blossomed rose? Do we discard it and abandon it and fail to care for or nurture it because it isn’t complete? Do we deliberately pollute its water or subject it to conditions that will damage it? Do we withhold sunlight and water from it? Of course not!
Let me nurture my own emerging self with divine light and living water. Let me see myself through the eyes of the Gardener. Let me marvel at my own unfolding beauty. Let me appreciate the good qualities I have developed thus far and nurture the gifts and talents I have been given. Let me abstain from polluting myself with things or thoughts that would harm me.
May I wait patiently for the gentle unfolding of my full potential and appreciate the journey and the process. I may not yet be a perfect rose, but I am a perfect rosebud, and God loves me exactly as I am.
©Mira K. Coone, 2003. Used with permission.
June 6th, 2008
More about the psychological benefits of flowers
Dr. Edward Bach, surgeon and doctor of homeopathy believed that the mind played a key role in a person’s health. Having identified 38 negative states of mind, Bach began a mission to discover remedies for them. Leaving a thriving medical practice the good doctor devoted himself to making remedies from plants and flowers found along the English countryside. He developed tinctures made of those plants and flowers which he mixed with brandy. Bach firmly believed that he could treat states of mind, like anxiety, fear, uncertainty and restlessness with his creations.
The book “The Bach Flower Remedies” (available at Amazon.com for $9.97) is an overview of the natural remedies that have become legendary for their effective treatment of common conditions.
June 2nd, 2008
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