I'm not suggesting that my friend is any more brilliant than

[ChrisGreaves]

these flowers, but ...
She took the huge jar of huge gladioli from the dining table to the kitchen cointer, and accompanied our discussion of "Second Use For Everything" and "Aus-NZ politics" with a snip-snip here, and a snip-snip there, here a snip, there a snip, bits of leaves dropping to the floor,... and ten minutes later surfaced with this (three photos follow)

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First Photo She strips the "dead" blossoms from the flowers, arranges them by colour and size, then builds these nested "gllamelias" (I think she called them), each floating in a bowl of water, and destined to sit on the dining-room table.
It's like being in Hawaii without needing to rack up the air-fare. (On the right-hand side of the photo you can see that I have been a Good Boy and washed and rinsed the dishes).
Second PhotoThe blooms-with-a-haircut are re-established in the jug (which will go back to the south-facing window and draw my eyes to the floral garden out there, not that ANYthing could pry me from my computer when I'm on holiday ...).
To the right of the jar is a tumbler with small blossom-heads. My bet is that it will end up waiting for me in my upstairs bathroom by tomorrow morning. Something to stare at while I brush my remaining teeth.
To the left YOU all think I've left the tub of Chapman's-Salt-Water-Caramel-with-Vanilla-Bean out to melt. But you are WRONG! I galloped rapaciously through that third tub in order that we might have a more capacious bit-tub for the new composter we are scheduled to build this Saturday.
I finished the crossword puzzles Tuesday night after I'd walked home, stopping only at the french-style cafe (yes! Right here in Collingwood!) to rest my legs from carrying so much cash in my pockets. They don't show it on the web menu, but they do Croque Monsieur and Croque Madame.
Third Photo Rolled up in the newspaper are the almost blossom-less stems from dying chunks of gladioli. The new composter will be grateful for the carbon, and no-one will ever see that I had trouble with 57-across.
Cheers
Chris
P.S. Yes. I AM blessed with my friends.

[BobH]

That skill is very like being able to gild a lily!

Brilliant!

[kdock]

So pretty! And what a great idea.



Kim