For Pet Owners

If you have animals in your home and you love to have fresh flowers and plants in your home, please take the time to review a listing of toxic {and non-toxic} plants identified by the ASPCA as having systematic effects on animals and/or intense effects on the gastrointestinal tract. It's not an all-inclusive list, but when in doubt, do your research.

Save the Honey Bee

Bees and I don't get along. My husband tells me to stand there and let it do it's thing and that it's not interested in me. That is when I usually take off running. My fear stems from summer camp when I was a kid. I went blueberry picking and the boy next to me stepped on a bee hive. As all the others were yelling BEES!!! and running down the path to safety, there I stood, content in picking my berries...and covered in bees from head to toe. When I caught up to the others, the camp counselor was nice enough to pick up a very long stick off the ground and brush them off. {Yes, I was stung. Many times. All over.}

However, with that being said, the little buggers are in danger and I feel like I should throw up the white flag and surrender to my fear. Read more about the crisis below, but first enjoy this pretty picture of wildflowers.

There is a crisis underway, but few people know about it. An estimated 40-60% of honey bees in the United States died or were severely weakened in 2005. California has the largest beekeeping industry and lost 50% of their honeybees in 2005. Our most important crops: fruits, nuts, seeds, and many vegetables are the mainstay of our economy and provide the basics of a healthy human diet. Looking at it from another perspective: about a third of human food requires pollination and plants simply cannot grow without it.

Do a small part and purchase honey bee wildflower seed mix here.

Hello. My name is _________

{Hello. My name is Leigh Anne. It's so nice to meet you.}

Photograph by Jackie Wonders

Let them eat cake!

My husband and I chose not to do a cake for our wedding. It was a tough pill to swallow for the parents until we mentioned the idea of a cold stone creamery station. My dad's eyes lit up and immediately was sold on the idea. After all, everyone loves ice cream!

I do, however, come across a creatively designed cake every now and again. This is one of them. Super cute cake topper too!

Photography by Kristin Spencer

Cake by Mark Soliday of Confectionary Designs

Welcome 2010

This is my favorite arrangement to date and it was delivered today to the winning bidder from the Animal House 2009 Event to benefit the Rancho Coastal Humane Society. Enjoy!

Check out the Rancho Coastal Humane Society's website. Adopt a pet, volunteer your time, or make a donation if and when you can. Every little bit helps!