pensive weeds

flowers for ballet recitals

2011-06-13T17:23:00.000-07:00

As the summer approaches and the school draws near its end, the little ones get busy with a flurry of activity to show off their newly acquired skills. Fidgety little girls have a hard time holding onto a bouquet or wristlet for longer than a few minutes, but put a flower (professionally wired and properly taped) in their hair and they will hold their head up and walk like the true little ballerinas they are.

Lasting beauty

2011-05-18T20:20:00.000-07:00

These Hearts roses, dendrobium orchids and Virginia peonies lasted three weeks in a low modern square vase - shades of soft pink offset by hot red roses... three distinct textures, each in dialogue with one another while existing on their own level. So simple, endlessly interesting - and you have 2 to 3 weeks to explore all the angles.

the extra touches

2011-05-18T20:11:00.000-07:00

Cymbidium orchids, wired and taped with a touch of seeded eucaliptus make a perfectly stunning and lasting decoration and can double as a party favor.

violets

2011-05-17T18:22:00.000-07:00

Happy Spring!

Tree Peony

2011-05-17T18:16:00.000-07:00

This year I thought I would document the way these awesome flowers bud and open. Unfortunately, the non-stop rain of the last few days beat the flowers down without any regard for my project, but I did walk away with a few pictures.

Then the sun shines and throughout the day the flower lives as intensely and carelessly as if time were its friend.

I did not take its final picture, will wait for lovely seedpods to appear. And now, again, time is our friend - faithfully bringing us closer to next spring every day as the tree peony prepares for the next 3 days of its yearly glory.

Landscaping - before and after

2011-05-17T17:33:00.000-07:00

A lot of planning, searching for just the right plants, careful placing and planting and the glorious rain to make it all that much more fun. The plants loved it: 40 boxwoods, pink Skimmia, siberian iris, amsonia and 500 little pachysandras. No matter how vivid the design is in my head, still I can never believe the before and after photos. What an amazing diffirence!

Before

After

What a great way to start the season.

signs of spring

2011-04-12T08:18:00.000-07:00

At Pensive Weeds we start calling out to spring in mid February, right after the floral tornado of Valentine's day. We plant seeds, cut back and prune in the greenhouse, bring glorious bulbs out of their slumber and make sure our signature Clivias (photos coming up) are happy and healthy and getting ready for their spectacular blooming season in late March-mid April.

We use clear plastic egg cartons (which we carefully rinse and put away all winter) to start our seeds to maintain our sustainability goals and re-use for years to come. The individual egg cups are perfect for little seed darlings and the other half serves wonderfully as an incubating, moister conserving cover.

Then just 3-4 short weeks later, as on the picture above, we have a promising greenhouse filled with strong seedlings of nasturtiums, green peas, decorative sweet peas, morning glories and on, and on, and on.

And occasionally we are rewarded for our unconditional love of plants and all things growing in nature and efforts in their nurture by an unexpected flower - as did this tillandsia, attached to burlap and wooden frame.

mostly reds

2011-01-18T09:09:00.000-08:00

A party in January with predominantly red tones: gerberas, snapdragons, roses, hypericum berries - available all year around and all stand in great complement to one another. Anemonies are a less obvious choice and more expensive, but add and unexpected touch and reward the hostess and guests with a lovely surprise once the flowers begin to unravel their petals and reveal their full glory. Tulips - never a miss this time of year. They love the cold. Cyclamen foliage - intricate, almost perfectly round, a great choice for hiding the stems inside the vase.

creative gifts

2010-12-14T21:01:00.000-08:00

Simply roses was H.'s solution to the many holiday something-somethings we have to come up with each year. For each school teacher, co-worker and lucky friend she created a beautiful and unique arrangement of roses in a vase. In just two hours her very creative hands transformed 325 roses in plastic buckets to 14 beautiful arrangements, stricking combinations, complete with gold ribbon. Notice the wonderful dozen and a half red freedoms in a tall fluted vase - wonderful accomplishment for someone starting out doing her own flower arranging.

the wow effect

2010-12-01T16:37:00.000-08:00

every once in a while a combination of flowers comes together that is simple and flawless, interesting and very real. this thanksgiving it was the way the 'mumbo' roses and the mini fuchsia callas opened simultaneously and in complement, the perfection and shine of the english ivy and the 'summer meadow' look of the wheat that gave this bouquet its exclusive, delicious and timeless look.

Thanksgiving centerpiece class

2010-11-30T09:31:00.000-08:00

I thank my very talented students for coming to share their time and original visions. We had a very productive evening with low clear glass containers, decorative kale and calla lilies, roses and snapdragons, mini gerbera daisies, lysianthus, wheat, thistle and solidago, even carrots, parsley, burlap and ivy.... A thanksgiving decor according to all our different personalities, traditions and tastes. Lovely combinations, great choices. The flowers lasted well. Some in my studio are going on two weeks. Great work, ladies.

Local is both beautiful and sustainable

2010-10-17T16:41:00.000-07:00

Hydragea, dhalia and a touch of grass - all from a local New Jersey farm in Bernardsville. A stricking, simple and lasting arrangement that just about anyone can put together. Vase life of flowers increases exponentially relative to distance reduction in travel. Dhalias will have to be disposed of but hydrangea and grasses can successfully move on to a dry arrangement and easily last through the winter in a vase, swag or wreath.

A glass square (my personal favourite) filled with blue ageratum (flossflower - also comes in purple and white), celosia (cock's comb) and helianthus -sunflower buds (which are much more subtle to design with than developed flowers). All from the Honey Brook Organic farm in Pennington. A perfect vibrant autumn centerpiece, a coffee table or mantle arrangement. Not only will it last for at least a week... if one is patient and refills the vase with fresh water, ageratum will root and successfully transplant into the garden after a few weeks.

flowers as a business gift

2010-10-02T07:46:00.000-07:00

To make a great first impression or to say thank you to a colleague, a client or a partner - a lasting and tasteful arrangement of tropical and seasonal flowers for a stunning effect. Cymbidium orchids in green, bi-color calla lilies, dhalias and blue thistle in a timeless white urn. Always classic choice - design in threes.

raspberries from the honeybrook organic farm

2010-09-18T17:54:00.000-07:00

we love our csa

speak easy wedding

2010-09-06T18:24:00.000-07:00

casa blanca lilies, white roses, white callas... a speak easy wedding at a secret location in Brooklyn with a password. it was dark so white flowers really stood out.

Featuring Wisteria

2010-05-23T18:37:00.000-07:00

There are many reasons to love this time of year - the new growth, the promise of the unknown, the freedom of warmth... This arrangement includes pink andromeda, mock orange (or european jasmine), wisteria and orange roses - i love the fact that it takes 4 minutes for these stems to make it from their plants to the vase. Vase life - 4/5 days, if you are ok with artistic petal drop by the wisteria.

2010-05-15T19:38:00.000-07:00

Plant and Bake sale at Crossroads featuring flowers from a local farm in Bernardsville NJ.

sending kind thoughts - flowers for a friend

2010-04-18T15:42:00.000-07:00

Here is an arrangement in pastel colors, snapdragons, ranunculus, hydrangea, lilac, flowering cherry and seeded eucaliptus. All wrapped and ready to go...

A dinner party

2010-04-11T05:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a perfect day to work with flowers and a busy one at that. These below were arrangements donated for a special French style evening of dining through the Art Council's benefit last year. Hyacinth, lilac, dusty lavender spray roses, frayed red parrot tulips, French double lilac, seeded eucaliptus...it looked lovely on the dinner table atop a hadnstitched tablecloth.

this was the coffee table piece, in complement to the centerpiece yet different and with its own sensibility; featuring burnt orange spray roses, white hydrangea and green viburnum, plus charming greenish orange inside perfectly round parrot tulips.Gentle and delicate plum blossoms don't really show on the photo, but they were wonderful to work with. This arrangement for the bar has hybrid translucent purple hydrangea, french parrot tulips, lilac, oncidium orchids and a touch of French lilac to tie it all together. Black river stone at the bottom of one of my favorite vases grounds nicely such a top-loaded arrangement in a tapered vase.

Floral design class

2010-04-11T05:26:00.000-07:00

We had a lovely class on a beautiful Saturday, featuring hybrid Holland hydrangea in mauve and violet, three different colors of snapdragons, spray roses, ranunculi in bold colors, parrot and frayed tulips, deep raspberry color dendrobium and yellow oncidium orchids, plum blossoms, viburnum and seeded eucaliptus.

The ladies opted for a presentation this time, which turned out very nice for me - it is easy to talk about design as you are working with an arrangement, explaining reasons for choices and illustrating different trics and techniques. Before everyone left, we talked about color combinations and personal preferences and sensibilities and everyone took home a bouquet.

white casablanca lilies

2010-03-22T17:57:00.000-07:00

Tom and I had a disagreement about these lilies. He thought they would not open, but I was optimistic. They sat on the counter of The Gramercy Park Flower Shop, then they almost ended up in a trash can, then they were on a train for 2 hours... but then they enjoyed a fresh cut and went into warm water, lovely vase and on top of my mantle... where the continued to open and be beautiful and fragrant for close to 2 weeks. I am forwarding this picture to Tom.

ranunculi and roses

2010-03-05T18:39:00.000-08:00

Can i will spring into being? Maybe. If anyone can, it should be a florist. Here are gorgeous magenta and pure white ranunculi with the their little baby buds still opening perfectly on the 5th day in the vase. Visually, they are a smaller, non-fragrant version of a rose or a peony.... oh so gentle cut down short - here with the backdrop of the blue stone floor in my studio. Easter and Passover will be here before you know it - order your holiday centerpieces early.

A small square vase with a bear grass ring inside for added effect and for anchoring the roses - a great way to use up little fallen angels of the rose. Just make sure that the water level in the vase is high so little darlings can drink up and open to their hearts' content. That they will do, as these tiny 'Limoncellos', shaken off by a lovely spray rose in transit.

The beginner floral design class at Princeton Adult School is going well so far. I'll have to post pictures after next and last session - we'll be making stylized arrangements in clay pots and bowls, and whatever other interesting containers the students come up with. Stay tuned.

Cyclamen & Cat

2010-01-24T18:39:00.000-08:00

Cyclamen or Alpine violet is a wonderful winter bloomer. The leaves are round with intricate bi-color leaves and often a fringe all around. The flowers, on the other hand are plentiful and will keep blooming well into the spring. I love how intimate this picture is.

2009-10-29T21:40:00.000-07:00

Napkin rings with fresh flowers inhance any sit down event.

Dining in style at the Arts' Council

2009-10-29T21:34:00.000-07:00

The Watershed benefit

2009-10-07T18:51:00.000-07:00

The Watershed Association's autumn benefit was this past Saturday October 3rd. I was happy to be a part of it. One of the organizers said something stricking to me, though - 'no one ever volunteers'. When it was all said and done, the place looked beautiful - a green grass carpet, hydrangea everywhere.... The flowers for the large arrangements came from the Honeybrook Organic Farm. A few of us put our shares together that day. Hydrangea is from people's gardens, including my own. I very much enjoyed making these vases full of autumn's bounty outside Watershed offices on a gorgeous Friday morning.

autumn flowers

2009-10-01T21:00:00.000-07:00

On the left - Teddy bear sunflower babies (it's their second week in a vase, if you can believe it). Picked fresh last week, they were closed tight - one thing about them, beautiful at every stage but always thirsty. Add and change water frequently. Below a few centerpieces - true autumn garden mix: bold color snapdragons, malticolor ageratum, mint and veronica, crocosmia... i love making these tight little centerpieces. The one all the way down is for a friend's dinner party. It is a small clear glass square vase that fits a surprising number of flowers - there are probably 40-50 stems in there, different groupings tied together with raffia for more of a modern effect. It's midnight, but i have hardly noticed. i love spending evenings working with freshly picked flowers.

2009-09-26T17:53:00.000-07:00

Roses, straw flowers and fern leaves. These were the three bouquets for the bride and grooms's sister and sisters-in-law.

wedding in Istanbul

2009-09-23T04:18:00.000-07:00

The wedding in Turkey was lovely. Jean and Vincent, both ancient near east scholars and archaeologists were excavating in Turkey and Syria prior to meeting in Istanbul to prepare for the wedding. I flew in just a few days before - they had already done all the floral research. The flower market is in Taxim square, where i took a taxi on the morning of the wedding, holding a hotel card with return address. It was hot there in the morning and afternoon, so i wanted to get to the market as early as possible before flowers started wilting. There are maybe 7-10 kiosks with men and women sitting behind rows of roses, chrysantemums, lysianthus.... and that is pretty much it. They were yelling 'madam' to me and trying to grab my hands to prevent me from visiting neighboring kiosks.Two of the ladies got into a fight over the flowers i was picking. I had to ask them to write down how much i owed. In the end i shoved back into a taxi with 4 bunches of lyshinathus, at least 150 stems of roses, 25 stems of casa blanca lilies, and an anthurium plant for Jean's bouquet. Jean's bouquet of white lysianthus and red anthurium turned out well, I thought. Certainly the tonn of ribbon I got for any eventuality came in handy.

2009-09-13T16:40:00.000-07:00

The summer is retreating (though today was a soft warm day), it is waining - it's in the air and i am back from the safety of travel to the promise of next year.

Here is Sonia's resting mat for school. I made it in August before we left. This little 20 minute bag was another quick project. It's perfect for a cell phone, a couple of bills and whatever other little nothings one has to bring along. I tested it out in Istanbul - it was a charm.

just one more

2009-08-03T08:20:00.001-07:00

night and day pictures

these little silver bout holders are very handy and tasteful. they pin on quite well, but i am still waiting to see how they handle hugging, bending and dancing... and those are the tamer party activities.

more boutonnierres

2009-08-03T08:04:00.000-07:00

just a few more - grasses, crocosmia hybrids, african violet blooms, hoya leaves - these will outlast the party.

bridal flowers

2009-08-03T07:56:00.001-07:00

i love the intricacies of personal flowers for bridal parties or any other formal event really. it takes a long time to make, but what you end up with is absolute perfection. these little bouquets in any style in which placement and color must be impeccable. and i especially appreciate that i can use up all the little baby buds, leaflets and bits that are so adorable but are only suitable for the minis of bridal work.

2009-08-01T17:26:00.000-07:00

it is that time of year again when i go off into the wild of the world to have a look-see, air myself out and to get ideas for my future projects. l'll be off the grid for about a month. in September, though, there should be photos of the Labor weekend wedding in Istanbul. cannot wait to see what flowers we'll find and how Jean's bouquet turns out. i feel like i have ribbon and bridal work supplies for any eventuality. now the challenge is in getting it there. i hope the flower market in Istanbul is vibrant and glorious with bold colors, lasting, interesting textures and i get to make for her exactly what she has been wishing for. and then there are all the other personals: handheld bouquets, boutonnieres, corsages and decorated favor sachets with Middle Eastern spices. stay tuned for how it all turned out and have a great rest of the summer everyone.these are some of the bouquets from the past.

the garden

2009-07-25T19:15:00.000-07:00

it took 3 years, but here we are. these flower beds are finally full.

sweet peas

2009-07-25T19:10:00.000-07:00

i started these from seed in February and they took a long time to get to this point, even still they are not as full as I would like them to be. but such as they are, they are stunningly fragrant, especially at dawn and dusk.

dessert

2009-07-25T19:05:00.000-07:00

peach and strawberry sorbet served in wedgwood cups, a berry mousse tart from Whole Foods and sweet sweet cherries. it's not a great picture, but is was oh so delicious.

summer dishes

2009-07-17T16:02:00.001-07:00

most everyone loves summer grilling and there is always pressure to have healthy dishes and get them to be ready at the right time. roasted portabello caps and zucchini rings can be done in advance and served warm or cool. they can go on the grill or stove-top with just some olive oil, garlic, salt and herbs. in the middle - a guacamole variation with lots of lemon and cilantro - impossible to resist. needless to say, flowers complete any platter presentation.

cherries

2009-07-12T20:04:00.000-07:00

this was a few weeks ago. the natural bounty is humbling.

travel pockets

2009-07-10T20:17:00.001-07:00

these are very quick to make. instant gratification - big fan when it comes to crafty projects. i use different fabric for the two sides and complementing ribbon long enough to go over the shoulder or tie around the waist. the pockets are great to go treasure hunting with or to take favorite little bunches of something-something on a long car trip or on an airplane. we have tried these out a few times now - they work great and the kids love how light, roomy and 'only mine' they are.

snapdragons and shells

2009-07-10T20:08:00.000-07:00

it must really be summer when these lasting annuals come out with their multitude of flowers, leaves and strong upright stems. they may not be fragrant, but the colors are ever so vibrant. in this square clear glass vase there is a tight bouquet wrapped with raffia, anchored by a large sea shell with hoya cuttings for added accent. simple, minimalist.... but such a lovely presence.

floral medley

2009-06-28T16:19:00.000-07:00

peonies, begonias, roses, baptisia, lady's mantle and the freshest field flowers from Honey Brook Organic Farm http://www.honeybrookorganicfarm.com

this bowl is kind of monochromatic with dominant peaches and yellows and just a touch of white and blue. it is simply summer. these were flower heads left over from plate decorations in a catering job with chef Anne-Renee (Contact Chef Anne-Renee 609 915 1119). they held up really well for another week and a half, in large part due to shortness of stems - they wasted no energy on maintaining the stems or on holding up the heads which tend to be heavy. simple, beautiful, fragrant.... and recycled once again.

passioflora

2009-06-28T16:05:00.000-07:00

This exotic and delicate flower is a perfect centerpiece. A margarita glass elevates it, supports the petals and provides a space at the bottom for water so that the little stem can reach it.

Words are inadequate to describe the scent of this one. It is akin to plumeria, jasmine .... but deeper, more serious and ancient. It does not have an extended vase life, but it will take your breath away every time you go past it while it is there.

Recycling ideas

2009-06-22T20:25:00.000-07:00

Tillandsias and phaelanopsis orchids - looking for a perfect project.... I made a triangular frame from odd plywood around the house, backed it with landscaper's fabric and wrapped with burlap to re-enforce, for aesthetic and natural color. Hot glue, cherry and peach pits, lichen and cedar bark - whatever could be found. The pits are helpful to anchor the orchids and heavier plants to the fabric, and to define hot glue seals in burlap. Cedar bark and lichen are mostly for decor. Quick and easy and so gratifying to make something new from things that have been around for a while or forever (like the cherry and peach pits, saved seemingly without a purpose). Keep this 'living painting' in bright but indirect light and mist every other day, or every few days if weather is humid.
Use it on the dinner table as a most original centerpiece for cocktails or a dinner party.

succulents

2009-06-19T07:24:00.001-07:00

2 varieties of sedum cuttings in a crystal bowl with roses and carnations. keep the water all the way up at the rim and it will last 2 weeks.

the bounty of the farm, calibri and tillandsia

2009-06-03T19:19:00.000-07:00

our local farm - Honey brook organic, cannot be overestimated. it makes a whole year worth living. every week we get to go out in the field and visit the earth that feeds us. in the most fundamental way for me personally, it is a grounding and sustaining experience. as my little people taste the soil on their teeth as the strawberry juice runs down their chin, they learn respect: for the seasons, for the soil that feeds us all, for the farmer labouring in the field, for the plants that dance to sunshine, for their mom who brings them there, for their dad who works all day to make it possible and for themselves while they experience pure harmonious joy.

calibri is a russian name for nightingale, which i did not realize until one flew into the sunroom. it was like being visited by a fairy. the clever darling knew right away that we were trying to help it get out and cautiously sat on the rim of the butterfly net while i carried it out.
these vibrant green indoor plants have no root systems and are known as air plants. they are a wonderful plant, flower or constant centerpiece for a modern or rustic setting alike - use a shell, a wooden or ceramic bowl or log or bark to display it with a complement to the rest of your decor.

The Garden

2009-05-26T19:50:00.000-07:00

use what you have - here pink rhododendron, blush mountain laurel and and white rose in a silver wine bucket - fragrant, fresh, fabulous.

jasmine or 'mock orange' - a sweeter scent is hard to fathom. so simple and delicious.let this light, narrow vase of gorgeous May blooms welcome your guests in a foyer or dining room.

chives, a long lasting, funky vase with a surprisingly gentle floral fragrance. they will keep opening and growing for days after you put them in a vase.

Something different

2009-05-24T18:33:00.000-07:00

For a classic simplicity of asian floral art - deep pink mini phaelanopsis orchids in a decorative ceramic container or timeless white calla lilies in a slate ikebana vase.... anniversary, birthday, wedding or just because - there are lots of variations on including flowers in your life.

Pensive Weeds at Pennington Day

2009-05-18T19:22:00.000-07:00

It turned out to be a nice day. Anne-Renee and I talked to a lot of people. She can be contacted at studiospruce@gmail.com for more information and to sign up for cooking classes. I gave away all of my business cards and now must start working on a new format. It was lovely to see so many people out. My booth with the hand sewn sign at the top and all the perennial garden plants was between a party hairspray booth, a bank table and a chachki booth with bugles and cars made across the seas.... the global warming champions. Across from me was an angry icecream man with a generator big enough to sustain a village. Now he had an unequivocally successful day. I had a great deal of fun, though and am looking forward to next year. Thank you to everyone who stopped by and thanks to Bryce and the kids for helping with set up and take down.

A birthday party

2009-05-18T19:00:00.001-07:00

Peach, white, lavender....touches of yellow - classy spring. It was a modern clean decor 40th birthday celebration for a charming lady with plenty of texture in her tastes. The flowers added just a little something extra. Hydrangea, freesia, tulips - all usual suspects, plus 'girlie folie' peach sweetheart roses to kick it up a notch. Peach is a great color to offset the overall scheme.

The 2 big arrangements have also white calla lilies and bridal wreath spirea for added trailing effect as they went up high, variegated hedera helix (english ivy - almost a must do, as a 4 year old would say).

Happy 40th!

2009-05-18T18:51:00.000-07:00

Here is a variation on those lavender roses with baby birch branches this time. I love the ruffled outer petal and the contrast of the chunky rose with the slender branch. The sparkle of misty water droplets adds an extra dimension.

Pennington Day - Saturday May 16th

2009-05-15T20:14:00.000-07:00

Come visit the Pensive Weeds booth on Main street at Pennington Day tomorrow May 16th from 10am to 4 pm. We'll have garden plants, flowering plants, floral arrangements, festive gift baskets and lots of handmade items - see you there.

a centerpiece

2009-05-09T21:06:00.000-07:00

a french tablecloth, dutch hydrangea, carolina peonies, lilac, white sweetheart roses - what's in a place....

special touches

2009-05-09T20:34:00.000-07:00

Anne-Renee had her Spring in Provence lunch today, which was wonderful - information on her classes can be found at http://www.princetonol.com/newsletter/pdf/studiospruce0509.pdf

these napkin rings are made with small wicker wreath and california leptospermum and lilac flowers. they do take a lot of time, but the way they transform any around the table event is simply priceless.
lilly of the valley in the powder room - the most perfect fragrance comes from an early spring flower.

happy mother's day

2009-05-09T20:30:00.000-07:00

lilly of the valley - true may flower, birch branches and translucent lavender roses, bear grass in a square clear glass vase - perfect for any occasion, but especially on mother's day.

Wisteria

2009-05-06T19:27:00.000-07:00

these gently lavender very fragrant blooms will not last in a vase for too long. but the days that they will, are filled with the glory of spring.

2009-04-30T20:06:00.000-07:00

Designing without a budget is highly recommended. This is not a $75 arrangement, though that will be its starting auction price tomorrow night at the Westin in Forrestal Village. Mini green cymbidium orchids, orange celosia, 3 different colors of ranunculus clusters, lavender hyacinth and galax leaves in a glass square. I love this job. Still working on the background for the photos.

garden is a magical place

2009-04-27T19:14:00.000-07:00

just spray roses

2009-04-26T18:38:00.001-07:00

'Ruby red' spray roses cut short for a rectangular curvy edge vase. The petals are contrasting on top and bottom sides and last a nice long while on a shorter stem.

bud vases

2009-04-26T18:27:00.000-07:00

i am frustrated with the quality of these photos, though as practice illustrates, white background improves them only marginally.

hard to over-rate these little islands of joy, inexpensive and glorious in their simplicity.

administrative assistants' day

2009-04-26T18:05:00.000-07:00

These pictures are quite late, but here they are. This time of the year tulips, snapdragons, flox, delphinium, narcissus, bupleurum, and most gorgeous and lush leptospermum.

it is spring, at least today

2009-04-16T10:28:00.000-07:00

lush and gorgeous flowering plants are finally emerging from the protection of greenhouses and are ready for our homes and gardens. these vibrant hydrangeas and roses will have to stay in for two-three weeks and then can be planted outside as any perennial. they were so beautiful this morning, i had to bring a few back. hydrangeas - just blue today, roses - yellow, lavender, red and pink. anyone needs a floral boost like that in their house - just give a call at 917 750 4403 or drop a line to pensive.weeds@gmail.com

Happy spring!

greens for Pat

2009-04-10T20:42:00.001-07:00

Springtime graces our gardens with muscari hyacinths - hard to think of a lovelier, more delicate flower. I have a special fondness for them and love to cluster little friendly bunches whenever there is a chance.

Pat often prefers a vase of greens such as eucaliptus, protea foliage and variegated pittasporum to a floral arrangement. The greens will last longer and some have a lovely healing scent (such as eucaliptus). As she is there and the greens were here, I made this vase for her just in case she visits the site. Happy Easter! Next, is a variation on a bud vase. A single Jade rose in a Fiasco striped green/white pitcher (very spring) with bear grass and eucaliptus... instantly brightens up a room and is an economical solution to the flower question (to buy or not to buy) in these tight financial times.

It is Passover - happy days to all.

2009-04-10T06:30:00.000-07:00

Two different vases with the same mix of flowers.
Here is traditional mixed round and modern - more architectural look in cream lysianthus, baby blue delphinium, jade roses, parrot tulips and mini protea. Vibrant and simple - both centerpieces for a passover table - they were such fun to make.

2009-04-06T18:13:00.000-07:00

Here is foccacia - another one of Anne-Renee's recipes with Lisa's herbs from a farm in Michigan. Even though the yeast was a little old and the dough did not rise the way it was supposed to, we ended up with a giant yet delicious cracker. We'll have to have another go at it.

2009-04-03T17:12:00.000-07:00

This photo does not seem to do justice to this little bowl of spring with clear jems, Crimson glory tender pink/white spray roses and matching leptospermum for accent. For a new mother and her sweet little baby boy, this was a perfect thing.

Olive bread

2009-03-28T16:26:00.000-07:00

This is one of Anne-Renee's recipes which we tried to recreate today. Needless to say - delicious. It is a meal on in itself, great crust, quite dense.... there is vermouth.

checking in

2009-03-24T17:01:00.000-07:00

a few days later - roses and irises have opened up, perfecting the lush rosebowl look.

this week at pensive weeds

2009-03-21T16:38:00.000-07:00

as yesterday was the first day of spring, marked by snow in the night and a white dusty garden in the morning, i used cooler tones for this weekend's arrangements. soft lavender roses and deep blue irises, seeded eucaliptus from california and bear grass....

i am an advocate of experimenting with containers, so here is a little beermug-vase (i delievered an arrangement in such rush and excitement yesterday and completely forgot to take a picture). so the beer mug will have to do for the moment. bear grass is rolled in the water to help ancor the stems. no matter how small an arrangement, simple flowers always gladden up surroundings.

irises and roses - a timeless garden combo - impossible to go wrong. two different ways to put the two together. love clusters of three almost indiscriminately, but here particularly. seeded eucaliptus and iris stalks are accents in the 7" footed classic bowl - give it a few days and watch roses fill in and irises open up to their new home. this vase is in memory of dear friend Vania Ivanchik who died yesterday. it was soooo good to see him in the summer, i'll remember his always ironic always warm smile and his very clever laughing eyes.

the butterflies

2009-03-21T16:18:00.000-07:00

There are many glorious art projects around princeton. Many of them are outside in nature for any to see. Johnson park has recently added a beautiful garden with benches, stone paths and a raised bed with a metal butterfly tree that is a simple and joyous presence. I had to take a few pictures. It adds this artistic element for which one is glad to make a special trip 'just to visit the butterflies' - which we did today.

the flower show

2009-03-08T16:55:00.001-07:00

what a treat it is to be within such proximity to both new york and philadelphia and have access to these inspirational vibrant cities. that said, 'bella italia' of this year was a little tame, but none the less wonderful to visit. these floral fashion displays are from the runways of Milan exhibit.

http://picasaweb.google.com/tgindilis/TheFlowerShowPhilly2009# - more pictures of the show

spring is in the vase

2009-03-05T19:05:00.001-08:00

These two recent arrangements had to be rather large because of were they were displayed, but whether the vase is large or small... curly willow, roses, delphinium, Dutch tulips and dendrobium orchids - all in peach, lavender hues - one cannot go wrong.

the cooking fairy

2009-02-04T10:59:00.000-08:00

recycling has been very important to me personally and a significant part of daily life. i believe in re-using things, finding purpose for things useless at first glance... because ultimately those things take place of potential new arrivals. i like to eliminate the need to acquire. the cooking fairy now occupies a nail in the kitchen which would otherwise call out for a painting, photo frame or some such thing currently on a shelf in some store. the fairy plum is a tutti frutti, a holiday ornament from Gramercy Park flower shop from many years ago. he holds a bowl, stirring batter. a glass dragonfly covers a missing foot and a glued back together ceramic half-plate serves as backdrop. the cooking fairy now oversees the kitchen and watches over the stove and all its pots. i love to see the glue in the broken edges - it emphasizes the second/third generation of purpose for the same thing. i don't want to let go and discard these witnesses of years past who have been intimate participants of our everyday.

the crown

2009-01-10T18:03:00.000-08:00

ever since the concept of the crest for the rooster costume manifested itself in a crocheted pattern which i would not be able to reproduce, i have been thinking about other ways to use up some of the yarn for play clothes which i in turn would also not be able to repeat....

snowmen family

2009-01-10T17:50:00.001-08:00

it's all in the pictures. the snow was excellent in quebec that day.

stockings

2009-01-10T17:32:00.000-08:00

much belated christmas stocking pattern: cut boot shape (i prefer small size) in red, white or green basic fleece. embellish with desired design on one side, snowman (2 white circles of varying sizes), pine tree (green, the more rustic the cut the better), lettering, a combination of the above, etc. i used blanket stitch on the those as well as all around. with some left over gems and beeds it is easy to make decorations: snowflakes, tree deco, etc. put on a loop at the top to hang - done. to make two of these in an evening is quite possible, i think. the hooks ended up having to be made as well. a damaged but favorite plate with some other ceramic bits and pieces, holiday deco balls, beeds, etc and basic hanging hooks.

Magog

2009-01-07T18:00:00.000-08:00

It is not a crazy idea to take a 4 year old and a 2 year old cross country skiing for a week. You just need a lot of adults to tend to all the little details. Just dressing and undressing can be a major challenge and take up to 40 min, especially if there is an unwilling party. Though once outside, very little grown-up participation is required. Snow and child are completely mutually fulfilling. I could never have guessed (although i might have remembered) that a 4 year old could spend 2-4 hours outside utterly pleased just falling through snow and trying to get out.
More to say, but i will leave it for tomorrow. Must finish Balzac, begin Wilde and read 3 tomes of Bell.

holiday centerpiece class

2008-11-10T18:19:00.000-08:00

after many seasons of talking about, i am offering a floral design class this december. in time for our holiday dinner tables, it will be a 3 hour centerpiece design class which will allow us to make our christmas/holiday floral arrangements and show them off to family on the day. sign up for a december 21st (sunday) 10am-1pm class in pennington. we'll have 10 spots, 9 are still available. it will cost $135 (cash or check) including the materials and you'll take a beautiful centerpiece home. we'll learn how to select, care for, clean and cut fresh flowers, how to prepare and green a container and how to make a natural look holiday centerpiece. we'll learn about vase life for different flowers and greens; how to make and use bows and other decorations in a floral arrangement, etc. all this right in time for the first day of hanukkah (monday the 22nd) and christmas is thursday the 25th.
bring your favorite low container or use one of ours. sign up here in comments or e-mail me at pensive.weeds@gmail.com with any questions. hope to see you there.

fun and games

2008-11-03T07:36:00.001-08:00

this rooster costume was requested a long time ago by Fedia and he stuck to his selection. so about a week before the princeton parade i started making it with absolutely no idea of how to accomplish the look. the crest, the hardest bit, worked out as so many things in our lives thanks to t.Ira. she left me some bright red yarn that turned out to be perfect for this project. it was thick enough. i chrocheted without a pattern adding on every stitch in the third row to achieve the right curve. i reinforced on either side to help it stand up, but in hind sight should have crocheted a wire right into the backing. as it is, the wire is threaded in, sewn at the bottom and the crest still kind of flops over. the feathers were easy. an old sweater, fabric glue....a long evening, though after having done it and seen how hard and shrinky the garment itself got, i should have sewn them individually. the tail was a lot of fun. large feathers from a craft store, wicker-srapped wire and red fleece to make shorts to attach the tail. cannot do anything without a glue gun. red rubbery fabric to wrap old rainboots in and we were done. he actually liked it. i thought he may not want to wear it, but we are even keeping it all for dress up.

sonia was a frog. we have used this costume for the 3rd year in a row. it was too small. i forgot that i got it for fedia's 12-18 months. next year we'll have two make two and i cannot wait.

the farm

2008-10-27T16:29:00.000-07:00

the farm, or as we call it 'ferma', is in all essence a member of the family. one would not be able to guess that it is the largest csa in the country, so understated in appearance, simple in operation and lovely in spirit the honey brook organic farm is. http://www.honeybrookorganicfarm.com/ we go once a week to pick our share in the farm stand and sometimes spend 2-3 hours in the field picking 'pick your own' crops. the kids love it and i cannot think of a better way to spend an afternoon. something so natural about a 4-year old recognizing different herbs, tomato and tomatillo plants, carefully pulling eggplant off the stalk and holding back his 2-year old sister from putting a hot pepper in her mouth. they both love to pick green beans and sample the different varieties, the dragons being the favorite, i suspect having much to do with the name. we have met at least two very large grasshoppers this summer, countless worms and caterpillars and have brought many a stink-bug home on the flower stems. at home we take the bounty out and sort. tomatoes stay on the table and sauce tomatoes sometimes get washed and cut right away for pasta sauce for the winter. one day this autumn fedia stood at the kitchen counter for over an hour, helping me cut plump plum tomatoes that he picked. and while the sauce turned out a little lumpy, it was nonetheless delicious.

spring crown wreath with ribbon streamers

2008-10-08T19:02:00.000-07:00

i've made a couple of these. the idea came from the yarn itself. the softest llama unspun roving from a farm in massachussets. this is
a handweave that one of my grandmothers' taught me. i use it for

belts, bracelets, necklaces, etc. it seemed the right thing to try a headband as halloween and costume time approaches. it worked out perfectly. takes 15 minutes and offers hours of delight and playtime. i added a few beads in the front, ribbons in the back and spring crown princess look was complete.

adding to our family of hats

2008-10-06T19:12:00.000-07:00

as the weather cools down my fingers crave once again for the crochet hook and the tender sweet yarns from the wooly lamb http://www.thewoolylamb.com/. i start these from the center with three-four stitches and work my way outward, deciding on the shape as i go along. someone might remember fedia's hat from last year in blue italian wool with the dr seuss accent at the
top - scroll down to may 25th to see. (he still loves it and has been wearing it these cool mornings and after the pool). hence i've been working on the girly ones. everything i make for sonia ends up selling before she gets a chance to wear it. this aqua one on the right went to fedia's friend mei. i cannot wait to get that picture. sonia is reluctantly modeling here. she happens to look serene, but i had to chase her before she ripped it off her head. the striped knitted sweater is paulina's brilliant present for sonia's birthday. it fits perfectly. and i think she is keeping the pink ribbon hat below.

a thought

2008-09-28T16:19:00.000-07:00

as i move about in my daily life noticing social changes, snapping bits of npr while a baby sleeps in the car, catching bits of news, holding on to interrupted thoughts, following yesterday's conversation, i attempt to construct a sound and logical argument. but then i stay up too late, lose track, procrastinate, get fired up and everything starts appearing related to everything else... so this will have to remain an entry in progress.

a lack of consistency is a big problem for me in the current republican doctrine. These people are self admittedly fervently christian, but they find it ok to despise, promote hatred, speak of the unforgivable whilst christianity is simply all about understanding and forgiveness. Sara Palin is unequivocally pro-life, no exceptions - but yet it's ok to walk around with a semi-automatic and shoot defenceless animals for kicks. They may not be human babies, but they were created by the same omnipotence according to their belief - how could it be ok to kill anything? As well as, to a staunch pro-lifer how could initiating a war be an acceptable policy... the same question troubled me with Mike Huckabee.
how can a conservative republican be in support of any of george bush's policies, such as patriot act and warrant-less wire tapping? if the conservative aim is to reduce the size of government and get it out of the private lives of the citizens, hasn't george bush's administration worked directly against those? by the same token, it's unclear how child bearing and rearing - this most private of matters for individuals and families, has ended up at the forefront of that party's agenda.

Brugmansia

2008-09-18T19:50:00.000-07:00

I bought a white bottom facing brugmansia a few years ago with the intention of wintering it over in the sunroom. Alas, I could not make it happy and it withered by late February. Never doing that again, thought I. However, in late spring its offspring popped up all over the garden and by late June giant plants flooded a rather tame mostly indigenous garden. Except the flowers this time around were facing up, plants themselves not too beautiful, obviously self seeded in less than optimal conditions. This year I tried transplanting the rogues to the front garden and leaving them to their own devices for a month while traveling.

Presentation - Презентация

2008-09-16T19:10:00.000-07:00

Viktor Gindilis in 1974 as filmed by E. Ananiev

A new book "Episodes from the Soviet era" by Viktor M. Gindilis was published by ОГИ in Moscow and presented in cafe Bilingua on August 27th 2008. Family, friends, colleagues and many others came to hear about the author and the publication of the book and share their memories. It was a heartfelt evening featuring many of those mentioned in the book. A worthy tribute to the author, collectively missed on that evening by all present.

many more photos from the presentation at
http://picasaweb.google.com/tgindilis/Presentation#

москва

2008-09-08T18:55:00.000-07:00

Никола Звонарь на Рождественке

the frog

2008-09-08T18:40:00.001-07:00

before the transfer

we found him on the shores of the lake in rosedale park and brought him home. fedia was told that it was his birthday present and he was happy. after the transfer by our pond.

summer ends

2008-09-08T18:02:00.000-07:00

inevitably it does and we are left with a glory of memories and experiences... and in my case close to 900 photos. we went to Moscow this summer and had a great great time. the kids loved it, though from wealth of experiences and impressions they got used to catching and snooze wherever possible. Moscow has morphed back into a self-aware, beautifully tended city of history, business and vibrant daily life. There are flowers, displays and restored gems everywhere. There are playgrounds for kids in every courtyard and there is a multitude of parks all over the city with imaginative floral displays and activities for the kids.park of the 50th anniversary of the victory in the 2nd world war. it's very close to our apartment but we took a tramway and metro to get there, which was also a tonn of fun.

Frogs

2008-08-03T15:30:00.000-07:00

Those who know us will not be surprised by this fabric painting. We love frogs. I saw this print in Pennington Quilt Works and walked out with it (did pay for it). It has water, frogs, dragonflies and waterlilies...

what else could one ask for? I have been wanting to make something for the kids' bathroom - both for decoration and with the purpose of an interest point on the wall as they do spend a while there. It was very easy. A desired piece of fabric sewn onto a heavier felt base, wooden plank glued at the top for a straight display and a matching ribbon strap at the top. Once I sat down it took me an hour, maybe.

the tree of knowledge

2008-07-13T18:04:00.000-07:00

I made three trees from different fabrics for the kids' room to create a flexible separation line and to give them a new game to play - magical forest (i thought it would be a good way to engage their soft toys that get neglected unfairly). i was very proud when they were actually finished and even resembled the original concept. though the kids asked to take them out of their room after a while - go figure. but it surprisingly looks good in our bedroom.

for Jess, who might just be the coolest visitor

2008-06-29T20:05:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago Jess came to visit from London. We loved it, the kids loved it, the cats loved it. It was a wonderful afternoon of chatting, cooking, eating and playing. Some drinking. It is both a marvel and a given that people born across oceans, raised in utterly incomparable circumstances and living on different continents can have similar experiences, almost shared memories, same palates. Thoroughly heartening. Jess was greeted by the waterlily, but the passion vine and stephanotis may have missed her just by a day.

The cherry tree was generous this year and we all had tart sweeties to our hearts' content. Even Tom Truelove stopped by and told a story about his father working on the railroad 50 years ago, before airconditioning; people riding with open windows, throwing pits and seeds out along the tracks; he would dig up young saplings coming up along the track and re-plant them in the garden; his mom used to make cherry pie, didn't even bother with sugar; what do you think about them apples (they had those too). We stopped at Cream King for icecream on the way home, Jess made a lovely salad, and we all had a nice dinner outside. Somehow there is no evidence of Jess actually taking part, but she was here, indeed. A few days later we went to get icecream with the kids and took pictures... simply because it is such a sight. We'll hope to see you soon, Jess, on one of these continents.

mr lincoln and other roses

2008-06-17T19:21:00.000-07:00

this heavenly flower one can almost smell just looking at a picture. it is perfect in every way, so much so that even common garden pests do not dare touch the flower (they'll eat everything else, though).
here is another beauty, a new addition this year. it is a marvel so many colors can be contained in one flower, changing and deepening as the petals open.

constant lily

2008-06-17T19:05:00.001-07:00

here is this same lily, possibly 4-5 years later. this winter i forgot to transfer it to the fish pond, which is deeper and water there never freezes completely. it did not seem to make a difference. this is the first smile it has given this season. i'll be counting.

business and life

2008-06-17T17:39:00.000-07:00

i have long found it impossible to separate business and personal in my life. things, thoughts, people become permanent actors on this stage. as things get made: bags, hats, landscape designs, floral arrangements, dry floral bouquets, i send them off to their new homes with a certain sadness, there is a part of me that wants to keep in touch... not only with that, which my time, love, creativity was put into, but also with that new person who is taking it home. genuine connections are not easily made, i find, and it takes immediate recognition, effort and depth to bring them out in our daily lives, personal or business.

as always, t.Ira was my constant teacher in practicing simplicity, openness and humble concern. when it comes to her yarns especially, i want to send them to a lovely home (when i knit, i think about what she would have made with it, where it would have gone). here is a hat for her great grandson Carl, who was just born to Anton and Fleur. i thought it would be lovely for him to have something she might have made. she stopped knitting in her last years, but she kept this yarn as she kept everything else for a reason - it might be just the right thing one day. and that is what i am working on. i would like to prove her right to the last little strand.

fedia's hat

2008-05-25T18:31:00.000-07:00

when one's children are exactly two years apart, it works out much like having twins. two of everything and much time must be devoted to teaching the basics of trading. so if i make a hat for one, i must produce a comparable item for the other. here is evidence of hat number two. it is not that easy, though, because they still want the item currently in the hands of the other child. here advanced trading skills, distraction techniques, (scolding does not work at all) and animal noises come in to play.

the night

2008-05-18T05:25:00.000-07:00

Fet, a Russian poet of the 19th century believed that it is at night time that the true essence of things is revealed. When our vision and understanding are not clouded by light and extraneous details. At night our most basic instincts are heightened and what truly matters takes prevalence. In the depth of night my winy, contrarian, disagreeable babies turn into wonderfully mature and considerate angels who whisper and say 'yes, mama', and accept my authority, if only for a few short sleepy hours in the day.

Violets and moss

2008-04-30T16:26:00.000-07:00

Violets are a state flower of New Jersey, which is ironic - they make me think of Paris and the 1930s. Though they are in abundance here. Really a perfect garden plant: a prolific ground cover that blooms and does not get in the way of other plants. I look forward to the day my garden is all violets and moss and the mower can be done away with.

The hat

2008-04-30T16:16:00.000-07:00

This hat just happened. It is made out of Italian kid mohair with some acrylic. It is multicolored and the brim, of course is a similar texture little doo-dad of dark aqua mistery yarn from t.Ira's

chest of wonders. I have found it hard to complete a project without

adding at least a little bit of her jems.
The kids love it. Predictably, I have to make a second one for Fedia. There is a threaded ribbon, it gives it a nice shape. The scarf is one of Pat's and it matches beautifully - could not have turned out better if I planned it.

Spring

2008-04-26T17:19:00.001-07:00

Slowly the outdoors catches up to what the sunroom has known
for a while - it is safe to come out and bloom your heart through.
The fish are glad of the warmth, mostly because it means they'll
be fed again. Every time the sunroom door opens the frog spastically drowns and the fish come up to the surface to look for signs of attention. All of the near water plants bathe their blooms in the sun as their roots take benefit in the moist mossy soil all around.

The skirt

2008-04-14T10:36:00.000-07:00

Making things with one's hands is a millenia old tradition, it connects me to the past, it fills my life with a tangible kind of substance, it leaves a mark, a memory and a thing for the future. Crafting connects me to my great grandmother who embroidered a teapot cozy simply and beautifully, it connects me to my peers who make things in wonderfully talented ways, it connects me to an old Sumerian man who made clay pots in his mud brick house, it connects me to my nanny t.Ira whose smile and voice I miss so vividly so daily. She died in July of 2006, my daughter was born in September. In the hospital with this tiny little girl, there was a phone call I could not make. Her manhattan phone number was still programed into my phone. I talked to my baby as if she were a concerned 81 year old, realizing how heart-breaking and comforting the idea of re-incarnation is. Her death was like an atomic attack, unexpected, inexorable, far-reaching. It was hot, calm, sleepy quiet around the 4th of July. I've had a phone call from Moscow that something happened in the depths of upsate New York, but the prospect was so outlandish - I simply could not believe it. I left messages as if she were going to come home and call me and explain everything, laugh about it and all would be well. But the cloud started coming down and settling in a systematically devastating way for everyone who knew her.

Her life was excavated, her things went to some of us who craved little bits and pieces to soften the loss - I got hundreds of little balls of rolled up yarn that could never have been used up by her in a lifetime. Everything has a use, it's just a matter of finding a perfect match for the article. I have all of her unfinished knitting - a mix of seeds, big and small ... there is no way to know what they would grow into in her tender hands. Yet I need them to be something in our daily lives so we can all see it, use it, talk about it, remember her. I know
this was not meant to be a skirt, but it came out fine. It is warm and Irisha loves it, as part of her name brings back t. Ira to us... and when she smiles or does something silly, and gives a hug with her entire little body.