A lovely day spreading flowery joy around the neighbourhood today.
A slow turnover at the bank holiday market yesterday had left me with a beautiful bootful, along with the grim prospect of composting them as I am going away again tomorrow. Too horrible to contemplate such an early wormfood fate for my pretties.
Came up with the idea of asking a local restaurant if they would be interested in purchasing my market surpluses at a bargain price and carrying my card (thus benefitting both parties), but sadly, they currently dress their smart interior with only artificial flowers (boooooooo!), and none even of those in sight today, so obviously not a priority. A shame, as I think my bunches would be a brilliant contrast to the restaurant's sleek lines and really cheer the tables, with their charcoal gray settings. So, leaving them a couple of gratis bunches for their bar so they can see how marvelous they look and sow the seeds of a flowery idea, I departed, with one dahlia arrangement still in my hand.
Saw a lady who works at my bank about to cross the road, so gave her a rather pleasant surprise by interrupting her shopping with an impromptu bunch. Another passerby said "Oh, I was just admiring those.." at which I offered her a further posy from the car, thus earning myself promises of a prayer and a church candle for my largesse.
A nearby, flower-nut friend got back from holiday this weekend, and I knew for certain that she would appreciate the remainder. Roses, sweetpeas, dahlias and echinacea got a very excited reception from the friend and her daughters who rapidly pressed them into service to garnish their tea table laden with the results of their baking spree - sparkly iced cakes, biscuits and nutella lumps coated with melted chocolate. I can vouch for the tastiness of the latter.
My this week's catsitter and her daughter called in to check feeding arrangements and claim keys, and received a dahlia bunch and two bedside posies for their pains. Their delighted grins and exclamations over sweet pea and mint scents, made me glad I had found such good homes for my ephemeral beauties.
The pleasure my bunches have brought all the diverse recipients today has more than made up for a lack of sales. Powerful things, flowers!
