About Me

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I was motivated to start a blog by reading all the wonderful talented individual's who have blogs out there. So, I want to make this blog about everyone who reads it. My family and God always comes first in my life. I want to share my experiences and in turn, hope to get feedback and ideas from you. I love unique things, I adore anything that sparkles (not over the top though) I love decorating, cooking, gardening, photography and shopping. My number one passion is photography! To me it becomes more than a picture, it can become a piece of art, or a beautiful memory. Decorating, though I am not a professional, and don't claim to be, has been a part of my life since I was very young, and just love searching and shopping for new ideas and incorporate the old, such as Mid-Century Modern and Hollywood Regency with contemporary. Living close to the Gulf of Mexico in Florida, and being of Hispanic heritage, I love cooking Mexican food, and love to share my authentic recipes. Though I live in Florida, my heart is in the desert southwest, and hope that my family and I will return there very soon…keep your fingers crossed that my prayers are answered SOON!!!

Friday, November 5, 2010

Poinsettias....

There is no flower out there that signifies Christmas more to me than the beautiful poinsettia.  Today there are so many varieties and each year there always seems to be yet another unique one we've never seen before.  For me, I just can't have enough around my home during the holidays.  Living in a warmer climate, I plant them all throughout my yard around palm trees and in other garden areas.  I collect huge ceramic pots and plant all kinds and colors I can find in them throughout my back yard with landscaping lights and in my Lanai with miniture white Christmas lights.  The best part is when the holidays are over, I will cut them back, and plant them in a shaded area of my yard and they grow until next season.

A few years ago, my daughter and I went out to Los Angeles to have Christmas with my family who lives there.  My husband did not go on this trip with us, and I think he was glad in the end, because it actually turned out to be one big shopping trip.  We arrived days before Christmas, so there was still some shopping that needed to be done.  We decided to drive down to Costa Mesa in Orange County to The South Coast Plaza.   I've been to So. California dozens of times, but never to this mall, so one would think when we pulled in, I would be so excited to see all the fabulous stores and the size of this wonderful mall...well, the first thing I noticed was the beautiful landscaping...thousands of red poinsettia in a curvature design outlined with pure white Cyclamen, it was stunning!   The last picture below is the combination of those that in an arrangement.  So, I'm on a mission this weekend to find the white Cyclamen and get them ready to plant in my front yard with the bright red poinsettias.  Not only is the combination just so perfect for the holiday season, but it brings back the most indescribably wonderful memories of that trip, and after all that's what Christmas is all about, being with the ones you love, making beautiful memories and being so grateful that we have God in our lives.

Here is a wonderful website you may like to visit.  It's the Paul Ecke Ranch in Encinitas, California.  It has the history, legend  facts, myths, etc. of the Poinsettia...along with some great information especially the one listed under "product catalog", 2011 Ecke Summer Poinsettia Catalog about the Polar Bear poinsettia.