My new baby chicks!!

As many of you know I raise chickens and have been for the past few years. One of my girlfriends who owns a BIG farm tells me," they stink" and that's why she doesn't have any. Well--show me an animal who doesn't stink. But, any way back to my chickens. I recently purchased 12 baby Rhode Island Red chicks. They are so cute and they are getting their tail feathers. I go out every morning and talk to them so that they will know my voice. I have in the past done the incubator thing and it takes precise temperature and pretty much around the clock care. It is rewarding and awesome to watch a chicken hatch. They will peck at the shell for hours till they make their way into this world. The best part is you can hear them peep inside the shell. Many of you are wondering....do I put my chickens in the pot for supper... NO...but there is nothing like a fried egg sunny side up! I do have a few roosters for sale if any one would have a need for a few. In the chicken business you just need a few roosters to take care of a LOT of hens.....
That's another story on another day. Well, I have a pile of flower orders setting on my desk that needs to be designed and delivered to the funeral homes and I have rambled on long enough. I'll keep you posted on my chickens.

Remembering.....

Two dozen eggs, newspapers on the kitchen table and old T shirts. Dixie cups of yellow, pink, purple, green, blue and two little girls who couldn't wait for the eggs to cool so they could dip them and make beautiful Easter eggs. The whole afternoon was spent preparing for Easter morning. Their new dresses were pressed, the white patten leather shoes and white lace socks were all laid out. They talked about putting their baskets out for the Easter Bunny. The two little girls would talk about the best places to hid their eggs after church services. These two little girls are grown up now, but they still get Peeps in their Easter baskets.
This Easter season spend some time with your children and color some eggs and make some memories of your own........

poor attitude

It's been raining for over 48 hours around home and to be honest I am over it. It is hard to make deliveries. You have to check to see if the road you going to take is open or if the back roads are passable. Around here if the major roads are closed you know the back roads are too.
I had a meeting last night and when I got out I had my phone in hand and when I shut the truck door the sleeve of my coat caught the door and I dropped my phone....Sh@*! I knew when it left my hand that it was going to land in....WATER!!. I picked it up went in side and began to take it apart and dry it off. Everything seemed to be working--till about 10pm and it started acting up. This is where the poor attitude comes in...
I walk in to my wireless provider about 9:30 this morning. The man at the desk says, how can I help you? I explain to him what had happened to my phone and he ask- why did you drop it. At this point I want to shake him and say loose the attitude..you know the kind no smile or no eye contact. He tells me there is nothing he can do. He hands me a number and says, call this number and pay your $50 deductible fee and you can get a new one in a few days. I had to have a rather curious look on my face and I ask him, you can't assist me with this. No, he replies, we don't do that. It's at this point that I realize that he needs to hear and to take notes (in great detail) at my good friend, Scott McKains motivational speeches on customer service. His actions reflects the company that he works for. I later called to talked to the assistant manager and explained how this man needed to brush up on his customer skills and if I had been a first time customer I would not have came back.
I take great pride is pampering my customers......their needs are my first concern. I have been ask to design some unusual things for my customers. One of my customers husband had passed away and he had been a horseman all his life. She ask if I could design his casket spray with horseshoes.....Yes, we can... then she ask can we put his cowboy hat in there too? Why certainly. You should have seen this spray is was awesome!!

FINALLY FRIDAY!!!

Wow...I made it to Friday.
This week has been one that has had my mind working over time. Should I or Shouldn't I....I think I should and it will be a awesome choice. ( now I got you thinking.....) I will let you know my choice in a week or two. I can't sleep-- keep tossing and turning..what if this and what if that...I wake up thinking about it and go to sleep thinking about it. I have pondered so much that I think I can't ponder another thought about it.
If I choose it, it would be such an asset. Wow...just think about it.
I know your thinking---has she lost her mind, what's going on with her?
Just keep checking in from time to time and you will find out what has been consuming my mind this past week......

Finally Friday!!!

Just like the mail......

Just because it is snowing the deliveries must go on......I started my Friday as usual. Had my normal 8am date with Miss Wanda and we watched it snow and snow and snow. I figured, well it might be an early day and I could go home and curl up on the couch with Lily Belle and Bristol and read my new book that I purchased a few weeks back. "How exciting" to be home early on a Friday. It was quiet till about 11:30am then they all decided to come/call at once. One caller was on the road in Missouri and needed flowers sent to his mom. The other caller needed flowers to lift her friends spirits. Funeral flowers was needed by one lady. She was the lucky one, I had just cleaned off the side walk. The wedding tuxes needed to be picked up. I got everything ready and loaded along with the two dozen eggs for the lady across town. The caller from Missouri wanted to let me know, that if the snow was to bad for me to hold the order till Monday. I informed him I drove a Ford with four wheel drive!!!
He got a kick out of that and told me, "I was his kind of woman." Now as I set here I am just about ready to head home. I've never been one to be afraid of driving in the snow. Don't bother me a bit. Just like the mail the deliveries must go on. Everyone have a good weekend and see ya on Monday.......

I want to laugh!!!

Setting with my Daddy at my Aunt's funeral service the other day the preacher rose with a few of his friends gathered their musical instruments and began to sing. Daddy and I were both patting our foot keeping time with the music. The preacher began talking about my aunt. Naming her family members and saying a few nice things about her. Then he began to preach to us....telling us we need to live our lives the best that we can so that we'll see her once again in heaven. He told us stories of his bad health and a few other things that had nothing to do with my aunts life on this earth. I wanted to hear funny stories...how did she spend her day..what were her hobbies. I know she liked to quilt, tell us about that. Tell us about her childhood and the funny things that she did when she was a child living in the hills of Eastern Kentucky. She grew up with she seven brothers they must have tormented her. I know there are funny stories...I have heard them. But I want to hear them again. Tell me about raising her children and the fun times they had. I want to laugh.....When someone dies it should be a "celebration of life."
Sermons on hell and how you live your life should not be allowed on the day of a funeral. Lets reflect on the good things that she did while she was on this earth.
So if you get the chance to attend my funeral you better be wearing your "Depends" cause you are going to need them.

Setting down at the table Thursday evening with Lily on my lap I opened the days mail. There was the usual junk that comes every day and then the always present bills that seem to find there way into your mailbox. I came upon a card from a person that I didn't know but recognized her name from an order from Valentine"s Day. It goes as follows......
For my Birthday on February 14, I received three floral arrangements. Yours has held up and still looks pretty. The other two had slow deaths. Thank you!! I'm still enjoying your flowers.......
To me this card is priceless. This is why I pamper my flowers the way I do.This is why I work 12/14 hour days. I take great pride in floral designing. To me it is not a job--it is my passion.
Each floral arrangement that leaves my shop is given special attention.
I design each arrangement as if I was going to send it to my own Mother.
If it's not good enough for Mom..it's not good enough for my customer's.
For those friends that wonder into the design room, they will find one wall that is covered in cards and letters just like the one I received. But...there are a few arrangements that haven't held up do to circumstances beyond my control. Maybe they were not hydrated properly at the farm. It looked great when it was packed and loaded on the plane. Maybe the plane was to cold or to hot. Maybe there was problems with customs and they set to long. I'm not making excuses when flowers don't last beyond a few days. There are just so many things that can go wrong from the time it leaves the farm to when it arrives at my shop. So--this is why I pamper them when they arrive. I see to it that they are fed and keep cool and have a cozy place to rest after their long trip.