Winter Bouquet
It was a family tradition that happened every fall: Mom, Dan and Laura, and I took a drive in the country to gather dead weeds. Then we drove back home to make winter bouquets.
I think it happened for the first time in Norfolk, when I was in Brownies. Mom was the leader of our group; Dan and Laura always came along to Brownies, too. I don't remember if the whole Brownie troop went along to gather the weeds, or if Mom brought them to our meeting for the girls to make into bouquets. Whatever the case, we all had such a good time assembling winter bouquets that it became a family tradition that lasted for years, until I was in high school.
I'm not sure why we called them "winter" bouquets, because we made them and used them in the fall. The process was simple. On a chilly Sunday afternoon in late October or early November, we gathered an assortment of beautiful dried weeds from the ditch next to some gravel road out in the country. We always searched hard to find milkweed pods and cattails, as well as many more common weeds and grasses. When the back of the station wagon was full, we took the weeds back home. In Fairbury, we assembled the bouquets in the Mary-Etta's huge kitchen. First, we sorted the weeds and cut them into manageable, decorative pieces. Then, we filled several coffee cans with sand, and arranged the weeds in the cans to make eye-pleasing arrangements. The last step is a bit puzzling to me now: we painted each arrangement, including the sand-filled coffee can, with silver or gold spray paint. (It must have been a 1960's thing.) When the paint was dry, the winter bouquets were finished.
A winter bouquet graced our kitchen table every fall for many years. We probably gave arrangements to our grandparents and other friends and relatives, too. Winter bouquets also became inexpensive centerpieces for many autumn meetings and parties at the hotel.
I haven't thought about winter bouquets in years, but they provided so much family fun that I'm tempted to take Levi and Victoria for a trek into the countryside next weekend to search for beautiful weeds. I might even invite Meagan to come along, if she will promise not to laugh too hard at her mother's idiosyncrasies. One thing is certain, though: I won't be using any metallic spray paint this time. Clear acrylic spray will preserve the bouquets beautifully and naturally.
I love the magnificent, ever-changing colors and patterns of autumn. What beauty God has created in each of our seasons! In the fall, even the weeds are intriguingly beautiful.
All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful, The Lord God made them all.
He gave us eyes to see them, And lips that we might tell
How great is God Almighty, Who has made all things well.
(Cecil Frances Alexander, 1823-1895)
I think it happened for the first time in Norfolk, when I was in Brownies. Mom was the leader of our group; Dan and Laura always came along to Brownies, too. I don't remember if the whole Brownie troop went along to gather the weeds, or if Mom brought them to our meeting for the girls to make into bouquets. Whatever the case, we all had such a good time assembling winter bouquets that it became a family tradition that lasted for years, until I was in high school.
I'm not sure why we called them "winter" bouquets, because we made them and used them in the fall. The process was simple. On a chilly Sunday afternoon in late October or early November, we gathered an assortment of beautiful dried weeds from the ditch next to some gravel road out in the country. We always searched hard to find milkweed pods and cattails, as well as many more common weeds and grasses. When the back of the station wagon was full, we took the weeds back home. In Fairbury, we assembled the bouquets in the Mary-Etta's huge kitchen. First, we sorted the weeds and cut them into manageable, decorative pieces. Then, we filled several coffee cans with sand, and arranged the weeds in the cans to make eye-pleasing arrangements. The last step is a bit puzzling to me now: we painted each arrangement, including the sand-filled coffee can, with silver or gold spray paint. (It must have been a 1960's thing.) When the paint was dry, the winter bouquets were finished.
A winter bouquet graced our kitchen table every fall for many years. We probably gave arrangements to our grandparents and other friends and relatives, too. Winter bouquets also became inexpensive centerpieces for many autumn meetings and parties at the hotel.
I haven't thought about winter bouquets in years, but they provided so much family fun that I'm tempted to take Levi and Victoria for a trek into the countryside next weekend to search for beautiful weeds. I might even invite Meagan to come along, if she will promise not to laugh too hard at her mother's idiosyncrasies. One thing is certain, though: I won't be using any metallic spray paint this time. Clear acrylic spray will preserve the bouquets beautifully and naturally.
I love the magnificent, ever-changing colors and patterns of autumn. What beauty God has created in each of our seasons! In the fall, even the weeds are intriguingly beautiful.
All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful, The Lord God made them all.
He gave us eyes to see them, And lips that we might tell
How great is God Almighty, Who has made all things well.
(Cecil Frances Alexander, 1823-1895)
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