Freytag’s Florist Blog

St. Patrick’s Day is almost here! Don’t count on finding a clover to build your luck up this year, get your green strategies going today…

What will you wear???

With SXSW in full swing here in Austin I expect to see some of these crazy hot green shoes on some super cool band members!

If crowds and hipsters aren’t your thing there is a more tradition steeped St. Patrick’s Day Festival benefiting

The Celtic Cultural Center

Shamrocks  aren’t supposed to be hunted but are only considered lucky if stumbled upon. That shouldn’t keep you from adding four leaves to your life… the more green the better and sometimes you just have to make your own luck!

To eat Irish there is of course corned beef and cabbage with potatoes. While you rarely see a quick recipe from Martha Stewart, you can start this recipe today in time for tomorrow’s feasting!

AND of course the tradition of green beer…

Now I prefer a pot of gold to most of these traditions… still waiting for that to appear!

All photos are taken by me at Freytag’s Florist or sourced on our TUMBLR blog.

Spring is in the air! With my windows opened and the warm Austin breezes floating through the house I finally started my spring cleaning this weekend.

Starting with the floor working my way up, I know I have a week of organizing drawers and cabinets ahead of me!  Clearing off horizontal spaces and putting out fresh spring linens is like stretching a clean white canvas. For a moment my house might resemble those shots of perfection in magazines (at least in my mind)!

Tables and dressers beckon for branches and blooms.

Dusting off and polishing up spring vases for beautiful spring flower arrangements inside.

Clear out old garden beds and turn the compost piles for spring bulbs popping up outside.

… do the flowers know it’s daylight savings time? More so than my sleepy head knew it this morning! The simple pleasures of spring rains and wildflowers popping up along the commute makes every day feel fresh and exciting, full of possibilities. Daylight savings means I get to wake up with the sun again too.

On the other side of these spring work days is time for afternoon tennis and evenings on the porch…

…cleaning and preparing the ceramic pots of last year’s transplants, putting up new supports for vines and checking on feeders and bird houses for guests.

With March showers in abundance the stepping stones and pathways get adjusted around the yard this time of year and cleaned up too. New flower beds get “designed” with favorite rocks, statues and blooms but have to be cleverly protected from those beloved dogs and deer!

Time to spring into action all around. Enjoy the buzz and hum of activity before it gets too hot!

All photos that were not taken by me are sourced on our TUMBLR BLOG