Even with the obstacle of stepping on a nail (which went through his shoe and perferated his foot), Chris was done in about 20 minutes.

I absolutely love my dad’s hydrangeas…  This one was pink last year, but has grown in a beautiful blue this year.  The flowers are beautiful, but the buds are so intricate they just amaze me.

These next few photos are of flowers at my dad’s.  The first is of the pink hydrangea beginning to bloom (planted last year), the next is a daisy (planted 3 years ago), and the last is a yellow Asiatic lily (also planted 3 years ago.)  I’ve had such trouble finding plants that will flourish in the South flower bed, but the Asiatic lilies do extremely well!

Today started out in the red for many reasons…  With Friday quickly approaching, however, we will be moving quickly back to the black.  Or maybe the gray, I think that’s a better description – at least for now.

Believe it or not, it can’t hurt to try – right?

I found this quote online today and it struck me, how true are those words! My “beauty” of the day starts with my garden… How amazing our creator is. Each living thing provides us with something different – nourishment, flavor, or just pure viewing pleasure.

It’s simple to enjoy the beauty of things we’ve been trained to consider “beautiful.”  However, what about those things that we’ve learned to swat, run away from and fear?  Where’s the beauty in that?  For a little better understanding of “bees” and their role in our society, I went to:  www.knowledgenews.net  The following is an excerpt from an article entitled “We need our bees” by Steve Sampson.

“Bees are the worldwide workhorses of managed pollination. In the United States alone, bees play a vital role in the production of more than 100 commercially grown crops, pollinating everything from apples, blueberries, and cherries to almonds and zucchini. They also pollinate crops like clover and alfalfa, used to feed the animals we eat.”

Though this photo doesn’t depict the happy little honeybees we normally associate with pollination, I was lucky enough to find this guy sitting on the outside of our “closet” window this morning.  He sat still for nearly 20 minutes while I snapped away.

I wonder if this is how movie character and costume creators come up with their ideas.  I’m just amazed by the details of his color patterns and the designs on his wings.

Drivers in West Bloomfield have new lane restrictions to avoid on a stretch of Orchard Lake Road after crews began fixes to the crumbling roadway this morning.

The Road Commission for Oakland County said it is repairing deteriorating concrete on Orchard Lake between 14 Mile and Maple roads. The project will close the center left turn lane and the adjacent lanes in each direction in quarter mile segments that started today at Maple and will move south as the work progresses.

The work, expected to take about a month, comes in advance of a major resurfacing of that stretch of Orchard Lake set to begin by middle or late August, said road commission spokesman Craig Bryson.

Access to businesses and side streets will be maintained, the commission said.

Bryson said an exact cost for the work wasn’t available, but it’s expected to run in the tens of thousands of dollars. The road commission and West Bloomfield are splitting the cost.

A previous plan to rebuild that stretch has been put off until funding is found. Bryson said it could be three or four years before the money for the reconstruction is available.

Contact MATT HELMS: driving@freepress.com.

(Just FYI for anyone in the area, this will be a disaster for my work commute.   -Amy)

Monday – First day of the “normal” work week. 
Tuesday – ??? 
Wednesday – “Hump day”, it’s half way over! 
Thursday – The day before the weekend begins. 
Friday – Finish things up and call it quit for weekend!

However, today is a special Tuesday.  I was able to see Chris after he spent Sunday afternoon through this morning in Milwaukee.  I know, I know – he wasn’t gone for long.  But still, we missed him!  The Madison Heights fireworks were Sunday night and the neighborhood was in rare form.  Many of our neighbors had parties with cars that spangled the streets.  Others sat quietly on their porches or front lawns with their loved ones waiting for the sun to go down and the show to begin.  To be honest, I was feeling a little lonely… so I watched a movie with the dogs in the basement while the fireworks burst overhead.  Anyways, he’s home now so I’m smiling and today is very special!

This may seem a little silly to some, but in light of the recent Hollywood deaths I’d like to remind everyone – be thankful for each day given to you, it is a gift.  Show those important to you how much you love them.  You never know what tomorrow will bring.

PS – The color of the day is PURPLE!!!!!!!!!!!

(This photo was taken last fall, obviously pre-engagement.)

We love the rain.  We love the rain.  Just keep saying it, we love the rain.  Did that make you feel better?  Did it perk you up on this dark and dreary day?

Here’s sunny photo of our cute cowboy boots planter to offset the gloomy weather.  Don’t forget, without the rain there would be no flowers!

This morning started off hot, very hot.  Then came the rain!!!  After flash floods and hail (mostly on the east side), we’ve cooled down to somewhere around 73 degrees (according to my car.)  The A/C is still kickin’ at home, can’t let the doggies get hot!

PS – Anyone notice the little ladybug tagging along for the photo op? 

“This is West Bloomfield… The only place in the world where the sun revolves around the people.”

What’s left to do…EVERYTHING ELSE! Lol! Fortunately, I’m not stressed out about any of it so far. My next step is to find my dress, which I’ve been working on – but I’m going to hit three more places next Saturday, May 30th to see if I find anything I absolutely LOVE. While shopping, we’re going to check out bridesmaid dresses also. Once those two things are out of the way, Chris and I will be able to pick out tuxedos for the groomsmen and ring bearers, and dresses for the flower girl. Oh, and let’s not forget the special attire for Gino, Frankie, Pete & Lilly! That pretty much sums up the attire portion of the wedding (minus the details.)

We’ve already met with a photographer whom we really liked, but we’re still checking out a couple more – as we want to make sure we know our options. Flowers are another to do item, but not a stressful one. I’m fortunate enough to have a true gardener as a co-worker, so we’re going to work together to see what flower options we can come up with for the wedding. I’d like to keep it pretty natural, and maybe even get the flowers from Eastern Market in Detroit, MI. As far as other decorations are concerned, we like simple elegance and plan to have the wedding reflect that.

The guest list is pretty set, although there are still additions and adjustments here and there. We do have a lot of space at this venue, which is nice, but we’re trying not to let it get out of hand. I do need to get “Save the Dates” out in the mail within the next three months I’m thinking, and invitations after that – but nothing is set yet. I do have some good ideas everything though, so that’s exciting.

That reminds me, I need to call and schedule a taste testing for sometime soon so we can set the menu! Which brings me to the cake…this is not an important item for me. I’m not sure why, but I just don’t see why the cake is such a big deal. If it was up to me, I’d have a nice little pretty cake that we could cut (tradition) and then have Costco sheet cakes in the back to serve. I’m wondering if people actually eat the cake at weddings anyways?

And the DJ is next. We haven’t even touched on this one yet. Chris’ cousin is a DJ, so we will have good referrals and I’ve seen a few advertising at the bridal boutiques – but no plans, interviews, etc. have been made as far as “entertainment” is concerned.

I think this basically covers the basics, besides the marriage license and honeymoon. Thank goodness we have so many friends that are willing to help! If you have any suggestions or referrals, please let me know – I’d be happy to hear them!

I’m thinking about picking up the book “Eat This, Not That!” Has anyone actually read this? I’ve only heard about it on the radio, and seen exerpts online. If anyone is interested in being my “Healthy Eating Buddy” let me know, I think it would be fun to share receipes, etc.

PS – Tonight is the Billy Joel and Elton John concert at the Palace of Auburn Hills at 7:30pm. Chris is thrilled! He actually planned on leaving work EARLY to get ready for the concert. Based on our brief conversation a few moments ago, I’m not sure if that is going to end up happening – but hey, it’s worth a try!