Bel Fiore

The name of my blog is My Favorite Things, so indeed I am here to share with you my favorite flowers. Though I have neither in my very limited garden, I have big dreams of one day having several of each. First up is of course the Peony. I have missed the planting season until next fall, but when it comes I will be ready this time. I have high hopes of going to the Peony nursery in San Jose this spring to see all the peonies in their beautiful glory. I am going, even if I must go alone, but I am sure that I can drag someone with me. My poor little plants will simply have to wait in their containers until it is time to plant. There is no flower more beautiful than a peony. It is the perfect mix of simplicity and fantasy. with usually simple and subdued colors, they are not going to be the brightest color in the garden although there is the occasional red. However, you can't help but notice their enormity. Some of the 'bomb' style flowers can reach 9 inches in depth and the same or more in diameter. It may take a couple of years to get the perfect blooms you dream of, but to me it will be worth the wait.

After looking at hundreds of pictures of peonies I also came to the realization that they are the perfect wedding flower. My cake, bouquet and for that matter any boquet in my wedding officially needs peonies. I have found the perfect wedding cake, which I have pictured below, as well as some beautiful boquets. Although I must admit that when using such a large and heavy flower in a boquet you must use some moderation. There were some arrangements that were absolutely enormous, they must have weighed like 20 lbs. Even though I tend to go over the top, not even I am that bad. I guess the feathers are a little much, but I really love feathers.

Ahhh...I could post even more pictures, but I tried to stick to the best.

On to the next...

Number two is the Helleborus or Lenten Rose as it is called sometimes. Definitely not a plant that you would notice right away with it's downward facing flowers, but it is none the less very intriguing. With nice evergreen foliage that will quite like my shady backyard, I could not ask for more. Oh wait, did I mention that they bloom in late winter into spring, at a time when little else will show it's colors. The flowers are intricately beautiful, you only have to turn their faces upward to see.

All I can think of is that I can't wait to be able to take my own pictures of my own beautiful flowers. One day I will have a beautiful garden. One day these will be only two of the dozens of beautiful flowers that I will be surrounded by. One day my yard will the the envy of my neighbors instead of the disgrace. One day...

The Drawing Cronicles + Riley

I always love finding things that I have forgotten about over time and closets always seem the best for this. Today I cleaned out my living room closet, and most of my bedroom closet. While rummaging through some old things I came across the one sketchbook I own that is not completely empty (and I own about 10). All it takes is a few page flips and my whole drawing career is laid out in front of you. Oh yeah, mom, I figured out today that I have an obsession with taking pictures of Riley like you have with cows. While looking through my pictures I realized that about half of them were of Riley, so I threw a couple from today on here as well just because he is so sweet.

I drew the squirrel about 8 years ago, and the mouse came the day after .

As you can see, it didn't work out so well, and I didn't even finish the poor mouse; he is naked and has no face :(. I just thought that finding this was quite funny, so I thought I would share. That is all I have to say for the night. After spending the last hour fertilizing and feeding all my farmville neighbors crops and chickens I am just plain tuckered out. Goodnight everyone and enjoy.

Confessions of a Hoarder

Since I don't really have any pictures to speak of, I have to say that if I had to choose my ultimate favorite things they would by far be my books. I have books about gardening, decorating, life, science, animals, drawing and I still own almost every textbook I have ever bought for school. I love how you can learn about anything you could think of just by getting the right book. I love the sound a book makes when it is being opened for the first time, and of course I have to take a deep breath in every time I walk into Barnes & Noble. My confession however is not that I love books. My confession is that I tend to buy lots of books on subjects that I really love and then I am to afraid to use them. I may own ten books about drawing, and I may have read every page in every one of them at least two or three times, but in the end I have never drawn a picture and I probably never will. Sad to say, but I guess that trying and failing in something that really mattered to me would be worse than never trying (so I must think). I hold my most precious ideas and passions close, and I seldom let them out. This is my confession, and it makes me sad to say it. It's like I am always saving the best things for last, but the reality is that the best should be enjoyed first. Why don't we have dessert first? By the time we get to the best part, we are full and can no longer enjoy it in the same way. So instead of filling my days with things I love, I waste them by filling them with trivial time suckers like watching T.V. So here it is; my new year's resolution: I will not save the best for last. If you're always saving the best for last, you'll never get to the best part. It is only by coincidence that I am posting this on new year's eve, but I couldn't think of better timing.

I have attached this picture for no particular reason other than I felt like it. When I saw these carrots in the grocery store with these most spectacular tops, I just couldn't resist. I am sure you remember mom :) I could always learn from Pickles. He is definitely not shy about going after whatever he wants most. He sees an almond, and suddenly nothing else matters because that's what he loves more than anything.