Waxflower

Chamelaucium commonly known as Waxflower

The weather has been truly erratic this winter, with days alternating between 20c and 9c. The recent cold spell has lasted for days and the arrival of a rare warm and sunny day is welcomed relief to finally relax those hunched shoulders.

Porky and I grasped the chance to soak up every bit of sun at an outdoor cafe then taking a leisurely walk around. Our last stop was the flower stall and I was excited to see boxes of fresh flowers.

The lady was busy making tall floral arrangements for an opening. She said the big blooms were not for sale but I could choose amongst the smaller sprays use for adornment.

I finally picked two stems of waxflowers. The lady waved me off and said "on the house". Pruning and arranging my gift in the kitchen I was happy as a Porky (dog). The cluster of pink blossoms seemed to be smiling ear to ear back at me, too.

I crushed a few of the tiny leaves releasing their delicate aroma. Breathing in the fragrance I was awash with gratitude of a nice day lapping the sun with Porky and my vase of pink smileys.

My Baby Tree

Happy New Year! After a long hiatus, Pastel b. is back with more cards, floral designs and always something nice.

First in order is supporting WWF's My Baby Tree program. With every donation you will receive a tiny key chain canister with a living plant (cactus here). The funds go to the reforestation of the Rinjani forest in Indonesia and what's more, a tree will be named after you which could be found on Google Earth.

With proper care the teeny key chain plant will grow along with "your" very own tree. What a better way to welcome the New Year with vibrant green life and know you have made an Eco effort to make the world a better place!

Hyacinths

Hyacinths make beautiful bouquets and in this case a romantic posy. The dense cluster of florets makes an impressive presence and a minimal arrangement is all these bursting stars needed.

Hyacinths are also known for their fragrance. Too bad I cannot be in close proximity with these lovely flowers as I would start sneezing and working with them at length makes my head pound. I have asked some experienced florists if it happens to them and they almost unanimously say yes.

Fragrant flowers such as hyacinths are mostly placed at the shop front and milder ones near their work station. The practicality of the placement has an added advantage, lulling passerby to stop and browse as the fragrances greets their senses miles away.

Brilliant idea.

Potted Azalea

This pot of azalea is my first flowering plant. I have always been partial to cut flowers as opposed to potted ones for their convenience. The blossom in this little pot has lasted two full months. As the flowers begin to wilt I start reading up on the care of azaleas. After the first flowering it's recommended to plant the azalea outdoors for the next season. Since I don't have a garden it will have to stay in its pot.

The leaves have grown wild and unruly in the meantime. I am real skeptical about it blooming again but on the off chance that it would, I have kept up with the trimming to keep its original dome shape. It almost has a sorry end in the trash can one day because it is so dry and brittle. I have completely forgotten to water it.

I think this pot is a late bloomer. Spring has come and gone and it's the height of summer. Nonetheless it's a thrill to be counting the new buds. As a debutant there is still much to learn about plants. I am looking forward to the wide circle of buds yet to bloom and happily thinking ablout choosing my second flowering plant.

Apricot Blossoms

Apricot blossoms


Close up

Spring arrives at the fruit farm with blossoms everywhere. It's amazing these apricot trees can thrive on such arid land. To a happy harvest!!

Spring Flowers

Pale pink roses, selected poems by Walt Whitman


Ranunculus blossoms


Salmon pink baby carnations

Fleurs de printemps.

Votive Candles

Ranunculus blossoms in votive candle glasses

I have a weakness for candles. As a result I have a collection of burnt out votive candles gathering dust on a shelf. I have ruled out scraping the residual wax with knives because of the possible scar marks on the glass. One day, I come across a how-to guide on Martha's blog on cleaning votive candles.

I cannot believe the solution is this simple. Pop the candle in the freezer for a few hours. The rationale being the wax will contract in the cold and it can then be removed without any scraping.

I am pretty sure the glass will crack under the cold temperature but I decide to try it out anyhow, so I put two candles inside the freezer. After four hours I take the frozen votive out. I then use a knife to tease the wax around the glass, all the while remaining highly skeptical of my little experiment. Then I hear a tiny pop sound. I realize that air has been sucked in, meaning a vacuum is created between the wax and the glass.

This is the moment of truth. I turn the glass upside down and give the bottom a few knocks. The wax plop out with a thud on the kitchen counter. The glass is clean and gleaming with no trail of wax whatsoever!! I stand rooted to the spot holding the frosted glass, until the numbing cold from my fingers wake me from my trance. It works!!

My freezer is crammed with a dozen candles now. This simple tip has taken care of a problem that has been irking me for a long time and I am looking forward to a variety of glass holders. Above are the two votive candles from the experiment and they make such perfect vases for solitaire blossoms.

What a great tip from Martha!!