Click image to enlarge.

Walking home from work yesterday with Bethie, on our way to my place to make Goldietinis and watch Seems Like Old Times with Goldie Hawn and Chevy Chase (o, cute!!), we walked through the Thomas Jefferson Rose Garden, which I always walk though on my way home, even when there are no roses, which is actually most of the year, roses being the exclusive creatures they are.  It’s not the roses that attract me to the garden; it’s that the garden is one of those cross-through pathways in Philadelphia that makes you feel like you are walking in another century far, far away, and I love that feeling.  Beth had never been through the garden before, so I told her that there would be no roses, but low and behold, Beth found roses.  Yellow roses.  Granted, they weren’t looking exactly perky, and there were only a few surviving on one bush, which was all branch, no leaf, but they didn’t look half bad, either, especially for the end of November, which is usually pretty cold in Philadelphia, although not this year.  Must be global warming, because we had global cooling this summer, which was awesome.

So we smelled the flowers, of course, and they did smell slightly like roses, so that was nice.  And we did not pick any of them, Beth because she is nice, and I because I was scared, and absolutely convinced, that some kind of combination priest/police officer was watching and would yell at me if I picked even just one rose.  The Episcopalian Diocese is right near the garden, not to mention the much scarier Catholic churches, St. Joseph’s and St. Mary’s, which are also nearby.  If I ever got yelled at by a priest for picking a flower in a garden that was not mine, I would feel so ashamed, I’m not sure how many ‘tinis it would take to calm me.  Probably just one, but still.  We only had one bottle of vanilla vodka on us, so there was no sense in taking any chances.

Anyway, please admire the Goldietini, named, obviously, after our evening’s fab movie star, Goldie Hawn.  Seems Like Old Times is one of THE best romantic comedies ever, and they do NOT make ‘em like that anymore.  Plus, Charles Grodin AND Benson are in it, along with Goldie and Chevy.  And lots of cute dogs.  And Aurora’s Chicken Pepperoni, which I also made and which was very fuquing delicious.  Although next time, I am definitely adding hot sauce and a lot more pepperoni.  The pound of shredded mozzarella cheese was perfect, and absolutely not too much.  As if there could ever be too much mozzarella on anything.

But what’s really important is the recipe for the Goldietini.  Ok, ok.  Here it is:

For one ‘tini:

1 shot of vanilla (or regular) vodka; 1 shot of banana liqueur; 2 shots of banana juice (I get Goya banana juice in the cans; it’s awesome, tastes just like Gerber banana baby food, which I used to guiltily and happily scarf as a kid whenever I had to feed my baby sister); two or three ice cubes.  Load it all in a shaker and shake until the shaker is icy cold.  Then pour the contents, including the ice cubes, into a martini glass, and sprinkle nutmeg over the top.  Beth suggests dipping the rim of the glass in nutmeg, and I think that is a fantastic idea.

As is watching Seems Like Old Times and/or Foul Play.  It’s the weekend, people! Retro double feature and Goldietinis! There is no better way to get the weekend party started.  Ok, there is, but this is pretty good.  Sláinte!

Save 15% on Birthday flowers & gifts! Get Coupon Code at http://www.onlinecouponsdeals.com/1-800-flowers-coupon-codes.html

Vase of pink, fuchsia and yellow roses.

Click image to enlarge.

What am I missing for my trip? Dress for Allison & Richie’s wedding- check. Sweaters for autumn in New York- check. Appetite? CHECK AND CHECK.

I’ll have to leave these lovely roses behind. Ben’s mom got these for me b/c I had an upsetting week. I do have the best family in the world!

Pretty yellow roses

And lastly, a sad farewell to Gourmet magazine. New York Times reported this morning that Conde Nast has decided to close the publication. Wish it was Bon Appetit instead!

Gourmet Magazine

In the Weston Missouri State Park there’s not only a lot of great hiking trails, and a campground, there’s a historic landmark:  the 1931 Tobacco Barn. 

Though it’s not in production here, the tobacco barn in town IS still actively drying and producing tobacco.  This one stands as a landmark and is in relatively good condition.  Although we are not allowed to go in it, except just to step a few feet inside and look and take pictures

*I thought finding this discarded cigarette wrapper in the parking lot was meant just for me to get this shot.

*some trivia on the historical sign posted outside of the Barn.

*Some trivia about Sweetiegirlz:  I have smoked once in my life as a teen. quit.  I am allergic to secondhand cigarrette smoke and as a nursing assistant have seen the damage smoking can do…. BUT.   I make no judgements about other people smoking.  Ever.    What’s even weirder?  I love the smell of cigars.   huh.

*in the opening, someone made in the side of the barn, a young tobacco plant stands outside, but it will not be harvested.  It’s there to show us what tobbacco plants look like.

As we were driving through this really small town, I noticed an open door to the new tobacco warehouse where they dry and manufacture tobacco.  

 Believe me, the odor in there of these long leaves drying was pretty strong.  It definitely smells like something is rotting in there, and this picture in no way shows the AMOUNT of plants hanging there.  There were hundreds upon hundreds.

Okay, so your town is small.  really really small.  I had a good laugh over this.

A kind lady has a beautiful huge yard across the streetfrom the actual city park,   and she owns this lovely fountain, as well as a looonnng line of yellow rose bushes. 

 Delores is her name and she was out pruning her roses and graciously allowed me to take shots of her fountain and the roses. 

 She tells us that since her property butts up against the main square in town, alot of people are coming into her yard thinking that IT is the city park.  I don’t know about other people, but the fountain draws a Pisces like a moth to a flame.

This woman was so gracious to us, and friendly, that she snipped one of these beauties for me to take home with me, cutting all the thorns off for me before we went along our way.  There is nothing like a small town flavor. I enjoyed Delores very much.

We’re going back.  this is a town full of antique shops, festivals, (the apple festival is next week)  and gourmet, and local shops. 

Bouquet of mixed roses.

Click image to enlarge.

I had mulled over what I could do to celebrate and honor our marriage today.  I decided that I would do my best to try to remember the good things and forget the loneliness and sadness.

I stopped at Martin’s and mulled over what flowers to buy.  I was hoping to find some red and white carnations because carnations were the flowers that lasted so long from his funeral arrangements.  But, I couldn’t find any.

So, I picked 3 red roses and 3 yellow roses.  We didn’t officially have “wedding colors,” but my dress had red on it and my flowers were red and white roses.  Supposedly roses colors have meanings and red roses signify romance and love- which is exactly my feelings for John.  So, the red roses were easily selected.

The yellow roses have a meaning in John’s family.  His father would always get his mother yellow roses for their special occasions.  After his father, Dave, passed away, his father’s sister, Di,  made sure that John’s mother, Ann, still got yellow roses for her anniversary.  When Ann passed away, John took a yellow rose from the casket arrangement and gave it to me.  A simple gesture that meant the world to me.  Yellow roses also remind me of the LiveStrong bands.  John and I wore ours all of the time- he is buried in his.  My LiveStrong and Melanoma bands are a permanent fixture on my right arm.   For the LiveStrong Challenge, yellow roses are distributed to survivors.  I’ll never forget how it meant when John effortlessly took the yellow rose as he rode by and then handed it to me after he finished!  To me it symbolized that John had beaten cancer and everything was well… life was good.  Of course, the future held a different picture, but at that moment in time… life was good.  So, yellow roses hold a special significance as well.

I picked the flowers and we headed to the cemetery.  A light rain was falling and the sky was gray.

I also changed out the LiveStrong band on John’s marker today.  It was looking a little abused from the weather.  It seemed like a good day to do that.

After I put down the roses, I drove around the cemetery and the rain had lightened and the sun was trying to shine.  It made me think that perhaps it was John’s way of showing that he appreciated my gesture.

Happy Anniversary- Roses at John's grave

I then went out to lunch with John’s aunts.  We went to a local restaurant, Steak &- it used to be Steak & Shake, but some big chain in the midwest didn’t like that they were using the same name & threatened suit, so they became Steak &.  John’s Aunts treated me & Nathaniel- who had his first official meal of his own- child’s spaghetti!  THANK YOU!  Nathaniel was his usual charming self and entertained with his wide open mouth, cute smile, and gesturing at birds and cars and whatever else caught his attention.  It was nice to spend some happy times together.

Nathaniel taking Linda for a walk

Nathaniel, 9-17-09

I think John would have been proud.  That’s not to say that I haven’t shed plenty of tears today, but I’ve spent a lot more time remembering the wonderful man who I was blessed to have in my life and will forever love.

Bouquet of yellow & fuchsia roses.

Click image to enlarge.

Bouquet of yellow roses.

Click image to enlarge.

Looking for heart-shaped stones on the beach is something I’d never thought of doing until recently.  Many people have collections of these.  Who would have thought anyone would consider a ‘heart of stone’ something worth searching for?

Beaches are favorite places for couples to visit.  They take long walks along the shoreline at sunset, or sit on the beach together, gazing out at the horizon while sharing their dreams of the future.   Nearby Rainbow Haven Beach attracts numerous singles seeking summer romance .  Glowing with suntan lotion, they bask in the sun while non-chalantly checking one another out from behind their fashionable sunglasses.

The shore and its pounding waves are sometimes employed by poets as a metaphor for the coming together of lovers.  One waits patiently for the other to arrive at long last from afar.

But what happens when love dies and couples who walked together so often hand in hand along the sand must now walk alone?  If love can begin at the beach, could it not end there as well?

This week I found not only one, but several yellow long-stemmed roses tangled in the seaweed on the shore.  Although they were a bit frazzled by the elements, they still looked fairly fresh.

In the language of flowers, yellow roses symbolize the end of a love affair.  Could someone have been given a bouquet of yellow roses at the beach?  And could these have then been abandoned on the shore or thrown into the sea?  We’ll never know.

Strange how my heart beats
To find myself upon your shore.
Strange how I still feel
My loss of comfort gone before.
Cool waves wash over
And drift away with dreams of youth.
So time is stolen
I cannot hold you long enough.

~ Enya

Receive by email or subscribe in a reader

Bridal bouquet with white and yellow roses.

Click image to enlarge.

Some basic meanings of Roses…

I have been asked again to repost some of the meanings of roses. So here they are.  Some peoples definitions may vary.  These are what I go by.

Red Roses are the traditional symbol for love and romance, and a time-honored way to say ” I love you” The red rose has long symbolized beauty and perfection.  A boutquet of red roses is the perfect way to express your deep feelings for someone special.

 Pink Roses are a symbol of grace and elegance, the pink rose is often given as an expression of admiration.  Pink roses can also convey appreciation  as well as joyfulness.  Pink rose bouquets often impart a gentler meaning than their red counterparts.

 Yellow roses evoke a feeling of warmth and happiness.  The warm feeling associated with the yellow rose are often akin to those shared with a true friend.  As such, the yellow rose is an ideal symbol for joy and friendship.

 White roses represent innocence and purity and are traditionally associated with marriages and new beginnings.  The white rose is also a symbol of honor and reverence, and white rose arrangements are often used as expression of remembrance.

 Orange roses with their blazing energy are the embodiment of desire and enthusiasm.  Orange roses often symbolize passion and excitement and are an expression fo fervent romance.  A bouquet of orange roses will send a meaningful message.

The unique beauty of the lavender rose has captured many hearts and imaginations.  With their fantastical appearance, lavender roses are a perfect symbol of enchantment.  The lavender rose is also traditionally used to express feelings of love at first sight.

 In some cultures, blue roses traditionally signify a mystery, or attaining the impossible. They are believed to be able to grant the owner youth or grant wishes.  Blue roses do not exist in nature.  The flower lacks the gene to create a true blue rose.  They are created using dyes and white roses.

Well I hope this helps you all.  If you have anything you may want to add to this please feel free to leave a comment or feedback.

Please visit the site today to have a look at some of the bouquets and arrangements using roses. 

Have you said I love you today? Roses….yes?

http://theredballoonflorist.freehostia.com/catalog.php?catID=R

The cakes are small but the occasion was very special.

I baked a single 6″ and a 10″ 2 layer chocolate fudge cake.  The frosting was vanilla buttercream. The customer requested white roses with a soft green leaf. The placement of the roses was left up to me. The ornament on top was a gold cross with 2 rings and bells at the bottom with a 50 etched on them. Simple and very pretty.

Cake #2 had a different look, they wanted yellow butter cake with chocolate buttercream. This one I did with yellow buttercream roses and a darker green leaf and a 50th pick. It was also a 10″ 2 layer.                                                  

SIGH!

My mom noticed this today (thanks, mommy~) June 30, 2009, that in my, uh, copy right on the pictures, it says 2008 not 2009! ARGH! I always make that mistake T^T This is why I need to proofread, hahaha. I will edit it–eventually. I mean, I have all the time in the world T^T Sorry, and thank you!

<3 Nini =]

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

More pictures from The Beautiful Garden.

All Rights Reserved, Miss Rita II N. Mendoza

Please do not take from this blog without permission~
Thank you!

•  
• ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
•  

Click here for Full Picture

[Elena flowers on the grass~]
This perspective is different and very nice. ^^

Click here for Full Picture

[Elena flower in a styrofoam box laying in the back~]
The sunlight is really beautiful here. I like how… everything reflects on each other… ^^

Click here for Full Picture

[Morning has passed and now it's time; time to feast on the rays the sun has to offer us all...]
Okay. OMFG. It was bright outside and I could not really see what I was taking–as in, how the picture would end up. The beauty of nature. Wow. It looks so… surreal, it’s not; it’s real, it’s beautiful One of my favorites. <3

Click here for Full Picture

[Lurking in the shadows, I will shine on those hiding in the dark...]
Again, the lighting is beautiful. This rose was behind the apple trees. Beautiful. <3

Click here for Full Picture

[Budding in the darkness, ready to bring brightness to those lost in the shadows...]
Redundant, but still: beautiful. It looks like sunset–it’s noontime. Woo! BEAUTY! <3

(c) changminini, Nini Productions
Miss Rita II, Nini
All Rights Reserved ^^

^^

Friendship Day celebrations take place on the first Sunday of August every year. The tradition of dedicating a day in honor of friends began in US in 1935. Gradually the festival gained popularity and today Friendship Day is celebrated in large number of countries including India. On this day people spend time with their friends and express love for them. Exchange of Friendship Day Gifts like flowers, cards and wrist bands is a popular tradition of this occasion.

Flowers are one of the most sought after gift for Friendship Day! Though people may give any flower to their friends as a Friendship Day greetings, world over Yellow Roses are recognized as the official flowers for Friendship Day. Sending Friendship Flowers is a way to tell your Fiends about your concern about them and on the very special occasion of Friendship Day.

Yellow Rose was chosen as the official flower for Friendship Day festival because it symbolizes joy, friendship, delight, promise of a new beginning, “remember me”, and “I care”. Florists say, a yellow rose with red tip stands for friendship and falling in love.

Popularity of yellow roses as a Friendship Day flowers has grown up tremendously over the years. Every year on Friendship Day florists do extensive marketing for the promotion of Yellow Roses as the friendship flowers. The idea seems to have caught up with youth as they exchange bouquets of Yellow Roses with all their friends. Tradition of exchanging single buds of yellow rose is also quite popular amongst youth across the world. No wonder, price of yellow rose escalates sharply on Friendship Day. Balloons and soft toys will add a special touch to the Flower Arrangements you send to celebrate Friendship.

In the present technologically advanced age, people find it convenient to order flowers online especially for friends staying in other cities or even other countries. Just order online and let the magic of flowers work on your Friendship too.

Bouquet of yellow roses.

Vase flower arrangement with yellow roses and orchids.