It’s hard to believe it’s already   Friday.  This past week was super busy but at the same time very rewarding.  I went to California to shoot my nephew’s wedding and decided to stay for a few more days to spend some much needed time with extended family.  I wish I could have stay longer and visited more family but I would probably need a whole month to do that.  I am very fortunate to have the big family that I have.

When I arrived back from my trip, the first thing I noticed was how much my garden had grown in one week.  Some of my plants were at their peak.  As I walked through my garden I couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming appreciation for life, family, and friends.  You see I have a beautiful garden thanks to hard labor and amazing family and friends who in some way have left their hand prints not only in my garden but also in my life.  From our friends that helped install our sprinkler system, help build our garden shed, or gave me starters from their garden to start my own, they have become not only part of my garden but also part of our family.

I have always wanted a Japanese snowball in my garden and in 2000 the Wellette family gave me starter that was only about six inches tall.  I was not sure that the starter was going to make but it did! And I have truly enjoyed watching my six inch starter grow into this beautiful tree (well the master gardeners might argue that it’s a shrub not a tree…but I say it’s a tree!).  The tree is a metaphor of our friendship with the Wellette’s.  As this little starter grew over the years and produce beautiful blossoms so has our friendship with the Wellette’s.  Over the years we have made wonderful memories  that will last a lifetime.  We are extremely blessed to have Ed and Tim Wellette in our lives. They are not only our dear friends but have become part of our family!

Family, friends, and fresh flowers make for a brighter Friday.