Busy Times of Planning and Celebration

The past few weeks have flown by.

It all started with a big snow storm on MLK day that pretty much shut Seattle down for a week straight. Snow, snow, snow, and also quite a bit of ice, made the streets pretty treacherous, so we just nestled in, made lots of good food, luxuriated in having so much down time to just sit and look out the window at the magical Seattle snow, and eventually went a little stir crazy and were ready for it all to melt.

But in that time, things happened, oh yes they did.

First of all, drum roll, please....................... ELI AND I GOT ENGAGED!!!!!!!!!

It happened on that very same morning when all the snow started. Right after we woke up, groggy and cozy and nestled in our warm bed, Eli presented me with an engagement ring that used to belong to his grandmother (it's gorgeous!!!). Well of course I said yes (prepare for a bit of gushing......) Eli is without a doubt the man of my dreams, and I can't imagine spending my life with anyone else. Look at him, who could say no to this handsome face, warm smile, and bright eyes?

Not me!

I was over the moon with excitement! We went outside for a celebratory romp in the snow, found a gorgeous pine cone, and took some photos to commemorate the day.

Can you see the ring in there, sparkling with the snow???

And so, wedding planning has ensued. I have to admit that I love it. And the big question of course has been, "Are you going to do your own flowers?" Well there are at least twenty people trying to talk me out of this idea already, but I think it would be fun! On the other hand, two of my favorite floral designers happen to be located right here, and I can't imagine anything more exciting than the gorgeous designs of either Erin Benzakein or McKenzie Powell at our wedding..... so, we'll see.

Right after the ice storm started to melt, we took a trip to Vashon Island to check out a potential wedding venue (GORGEOUS farm with incredible orchards, a very dreamy place). Driving back to the ferry, something on the side of the road caught my eye: A HUGE TRUNK OF PUSSY WILLOW had cracked off a tree from all the ice, and was just lying there, fuzzy and silver, on the side of the road!!!!!

This could not go to waste.

"Wait!" I shouted as we drove past. "Go back!"

Eli backed up, I pointed to the booty with wide, drooling eyes, and he said, "Yeah! Load up!" (Gotta love a man who is nearly as excited about finding pussy willow on the side of the road as you are!)

We collected as many branches as we could fit in the old Subaru and headed back to Seattle.

Since then, I have been busy creating and re-creating the plan for next year's cutting garden, trying to figure out where I am going to plant the zillions of seeds that I ordered. I am so excited about it! I can't wait for spring, when the barren, muddy backyard turns into a blooming paradise!