My friend Jean decided to get into the spirit of the season. She put up her Christmas tree and started decorating her living room. It’s so pretty.
Read MoreTag: Christmas
Ideas for Simple Christmas Place Settings
Back at the beginning of November, I discussed simple Thanksgiving place settings. We’re now at the end of November, and our thoughts are filled with Christmas. Have you put your tree up yet? Many of us start decorating the weekend after Thanksgiving. Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, there are many types of get togethers including a brunch with friends, an afternoon tea, a holiday party, Christmas dinner, and New Year’s Eve. If you are having guests for Christmas dinner or a party, you’re probably in the planning mode now. Deciding on the menu and dividing up the dishes among us is what happens in my family. Who brings what.
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Poinsettia & Angel Centerpiece
The poinsettia was brought to the United States from Mexico around 1828 by Joel Roberts Poinsett. An avid gardener and amateur botanist, Poinsett was appointed as the first US Minister to Mexico in 1825. While in Mexico, Poinsett observed this species flowering and sent plants back to his greenhouse in Charleston. Until that time, this species was unknown outside of its native range of Mexico and Guatemala, where it was referred to as flor de nochebuena (Christmas Eve flower). Once introduced to the U.S., it quickly gained the common name poinsettia, but is also known by many other common names including Christmas flower, Christmas star, lobster plant, painted leaf, and Mexican flame leaf.
This species has a reputation for being extremely poisonous. While there is little doubt that the milky latex of poinsettias can cause irritation to the skin, eyes, mucus membranes, or when consumed, to the digestive system, poinsettia is apparently one of the less toxic species of Euphorbia. Of reported human exposure, there were no fatalities.
Source: The Neighborhood Gardner, University of Florida
Poinsettia is toxic to cats and dogs and causes gastric distress.
For the last few days, I’ve been adding vignettes to my home. Yesterday I arranged a poinsettia plant, a vintage light, and a cloth angel on the dining room table. It’s a farmhouse poinsettia & angel centerpiece.
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Getting Organized For Christmas
We are now within weeks of Thanksgiving here in the USA. If you are hosting this year, I’m sure you have lists – lots of lists. You’re probably already planning for Christmas too. If you work outside the home, managing a home during the holidays and dealing with modern-day working life are hard to balance. The tool of choice is a Christmas planner: a one-stop location for lists, calendars and menus.
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Skips Florist & Gift Shop
Skip’s Florist & Gift Shop
5324 Mile Stretch Road
Holiday, Florida
Winter in central Florida is very mild with blue skies and usually lower humidity. It’s the best time of the year and I want to go somewhere and window shop. I drove down U.S. 19 to Holiday to Skip’s Florist.
Lucy’s First Christmas
Today’s photos are courtesy of Lisa Marinelli Murphy, my nephew Robert’s wife.
I’ve shared photos from Robert & Lisa before. They share their photos of the autumn trips to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan celebrating their anniversary. Their honeymoon photos are at Fall in Michigan.
Robert adopted a rescue basset hound some years ago. His wife had an old beagle and old cat. When they married, they called their home the old animal rescue as a joke.
Christmas Lights at Florida Botanical Garden
Today I’m re-sharing my visit to Florida Botaincal Garden’s Christmas Lights in 2017.
Pinellas County Florida Botanical Gardens 12520 Ulmerton Road Largo, FL 33774
For me one of the highlights of the Tampa Bay Area is the Florida Botanical Gardens. The Gardens is a Pinellas County learning experience as well as a beautiful exotic horticultural garden. It officially opened to the public on Dec. 2, 2000, showcasing 25 gardens and display areas with 10,000 plants on 150 acres. Admission is free but a donation of $2.00 is suggested to help fund the maintenance of the gardens. It is open Monday through Friday 7 am to 5 pm and is closed on weekends and on county holidays. I did a post on the beautiful garden, The Florida Botanical Gardens, A Tampa Bay Favorite. Today it’s all about Christmas. There are special hours of operation for the Christmas Light display and the suggested donation for the Christmas Lights is $5.00. If you are ever in the Tampa Bay area of Florida during the Christmas season, you must come see the lights at the garden.
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Ron’s Christmas Lights
Today I’ll share a little story about a neighbor of mine. Ron lives in a house catty-corner to me. When I moved here over 11 years ago, Ron and his wife were already in residence. I didn’t really get to know them then, but we waved at each other. We were friendly acquaintances but not really friends. My good friend Vickie next door knew them as well as most people on the block. She’s very outgoing while I’m quieter.