This time of year I always look for bunches of daffodils in the floral departments of supermarkets. This week a bundle of ten stems was $1.29 at Trader Joe’s so I got three of them. I picked out some that were still tight buds, knowing they would be in full bloom by the weekend. Even though I took a class in flower arranging a while back, I’m really not that good at it. I just grabbed a large all-purpose wine glass, cut the stems short, and stuck the flowers in it. They will blossom into a tight yellow mass and brighten the corner where they are.
Trader Joe’s is a great place to buy both cut flowers and potted flowering plants like miniature roses, hydrangeas, azaleas and their specialty – orchids. Orchid plants make wonderful gifts. At first glance they may seem pricey (not at T.J.’s where they are a deal) but the blooms last ten times longer than any bouquet of roses and each one is unique. You can grab a gift and a card and be out the door and on your way to the party in less than ten minutes – fifteen if you pause to choose a bottle of wine.
Another happy surprise was the selection of Easter lilies, azaleas, mums and roses at Food For Less. I don’t think I could stand that powerful fragrance for long, but for a few days the scent of an Easter Lily brings back some very pleasant memories of simpler times. I grew up in the South where dogwood and azaleas were in full bloom this time of year. At the First Baptist Church of Rome, Georgia, Easter was a very special occasion and the sanctuary would be filled with lilies and little girls (like me) in their new shoes and dresses.
Even out here in the desert, a bright bouquet or a flowering plant indicates a promise of Spring and a new beginning. Enjoy!
