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Although this could very well be a picture of me finding a new treasure at a favorite nursery, it's actually an illustration by David Catrow for a children's book called Plantzilla.

Monday, December 14, 2015

In a Vase On Monday Advent 3

The third week of advent is also known as Gautete (Latin for "Rejoice") Sunday.  This "lighter" week of advent comes to us from a time when Advent was a 40 day fast in preparation for Christmas, similar to the penitent season of Lent which precedes Easter.  The day is marked by the lighting of the third advent candle which, if the others are traditional purple, would be a rose-colored candle. For more on this, check out the Wikipedia article here.

Hopefully, today's arrangement reflects a bit of light and warmth, a rejoicing that the darkness will soon flee as the light returns. The container I chose is not in a vase at all but in this new pot I found on sale at Wight's Home and Garden.



It was a busy day and I didn't have enough light to gather a lot from the garden so I cheated a bit and added some things that I had around, and a few that I bought for the season.

Gathering...


Challenging myself to stretch beyond my usual  red poinsettia thing.  Here is one whose name I forgot but that's o.k. because I didn't use it and the hard to capture the true color of  'Autumn Leaves.'

Rose hips and Holly. 

Some crotons, a pot of black mondo grass and one of an orange-leaved Libertia(both liberated from the garden,)

It's still autumn, the days continue to get shorter.  There is still dying and decay but even amidst that are stirrings of life and light.

In December Darkness by Ann Weems

The whole world waits in December darkness
     for a glimpse of the Light of God.
Even those who snarl "humbug!" 
     and chase away the carolers
     have been seen looking toward the skies.


The one who declared he never would forgive
     has forgiven,
   and those who left home
     have retruned,
   and even wars are halted,
     if briefly,
   as the whole world looks starward.


In the December darkness 
     we peer from our windows
       watching for an angel with rainbow wings
           to announce the Hope of the World.


  Now all I have to do is move it to dust the the tiles on the floor.  We seldom go in this room so things sort of  get overlooked until one sees them in photographs he's about to post on the interweb but isn't about to re-take.  Oops.

In a Vase on Monday is hosted by the inspirational goddess of floral arrangement, Cathy at Rambling in the Garden.  Check her blog for arrangements made by other participants in the floral party!

22 comments:

  1. Unusual colors but quite ingenious. I like the colors of the poinsettia, soft, and how you picked more intense ones, rose hips and persimmon, to surround them. Not so sure about the beautyberry, but it works. The contrasting color of the statues and the pot set the whole thing off. Did you have those dogs? lions? animals in mind when you bought the bowl? I didn't know about the advent candles and their colors and what they symbolize, am learning a lot by your Advent posts.

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    1. The peachy/orange tones of 'Autumn Leaves' is difficult to capture with my limited skills but they are quite lovely. The Chinese lion/Foo dogs have been kicking around for years. Having nowhere else to go, they live on either side of the fireplace. In my first go with this arrangement, the pot was completely hidden, I did it in a different location and completely forgot about the lions until I put the arrangement together again in the parlor.

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  2. That's a beauty (both the pot and the arrangement)! At first I thought "why did he put all of those plants on the rug!?" but then realized that it's a tiled hearth. :)

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    1. Thanks, Alan. It's been fun playing with poinsettias this season as I contemplate my entry in Loree's challenge.

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  3. That's JUST exactly what I would put together if I could! The poetry is almost as wonderful as the arrangement, by the way...

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    1. Thank you Rebecca! I think you might like a lot of Ann Weems' work. This poem comes from her book "Kneeling in Bethlehem," which I re read every year

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  4. Wait, you liberated a Libertia? Hahaha...

    This is just gorgeous Peter, a tropical riot of muted colors!

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    1. Sounds like a job for a Heronista (what they used to call workers at Heronswood.)

      Thanks, Loree.

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  5. It's an exuberant creation, Peter! Might this be your entry into Loree's poinsettia challenge?

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    1. Elements of this will part of my entry into Loree's challenge.

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  6. Oh I liked how you cleverly assembled this...a wonderful idea!

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  7. Wow !!! Love it...so different ! I used to get creative this time of year now all that's in front of my fireplace are old cd's that need to be thrown out. Never seen glass tile around a fireplace before...I'm liking it.

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    1. Glad you like it Patsi! I stopped being creative with plants and cut flowers inside a long time ago but the In a Vase on Monday meme has challenged me to start again. The tile on the fireplace is glazed ceramic and was all the rage on fireplaces when our house was built about a hundred and twenty years ago.

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  8. Now that is one extravagant creation!

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  9. I loved this poem, Peter and think your new blue vase goes well to blue lions. These light pink poinsettia are very pretty too.

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  10. I love your Advent theme and poetry, Peter! Some inspiration in all the hustle and bustle. The bowl goes so beautifully with the aqua lion/dogs, and I love the combination with the peach poinsettias, one of my favorites. The rose hips, Libertia, and black Mondo grass make for another of your grand arrangements!

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  11. As I was reading through this post I couldn't see how those elements were ever going to come together...shows what I know! You pulled it off with aplomb.

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  12. What a wonderful display!

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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I love to hear your thoughts.