Whether you’re looking to congratulate, console, or just say, “I’m thinking of you,” it’s hard to go wrong with a bouquet of fresh flowers. Flowers, flowering plants, and flower-related gifts are perfect for almost any occasion and for every person in your life. With online flower delivery services available throughout the country, there are literally thousands of choices for special-occasion bouquets and gifts. So don’t just wait for Valentine’s Day to send flowers! Surprise that special someone for Mother’s Day (or Father’s Day!), graduation, a big promotion, or with a thoughtful gift for her—just because. We guarantee fresh flowers will put a smile on the recipient’s face.
Getty Images, via ftd.com
Best overall: FTD
Things have come a long way since 1910, when FTD telegraphed floral orders from city to city—that “T” once stood for “telegraph,” now it’s “transworld.” Depending on the product ordered, FTD.com guarantees same-day online flower delivery to most areas of the country. Bouquets and plants start at around $40, and there are options galore—choose your occasion, color scheme, price point, or type of flower, or shop for combinations grouped by color and season, like this cheerful Sunlit Meadows Bouquet. For reliability, consistent quality, and fast delivery, they’re a sure bet as a gift for your wife any day of the year.
T-L Photo/SHELLEY HANSON STANLEY GDULA, Martins Ferry Knights of Columbus member, stands with a table full of Easter flowers on sale outside of the Ferry Hardware store, 6 S. Zane Highway.
MARTINS FERRY — The Knights of Columbus annual Easter flower sale is underway outside of the Ferry Hardware store, 6 S. Zane Highway, Martins Ferry.
K of C member Stanley Gdula, who has organized the sale for the past 15 years, said the sale is one of the organization’s biggest fundraisers, along with its fish frys.
The flower sale did not happen last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is happening from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. today and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
The fish frys are expected to restart sometime in May. Sales from both the flower sale and fish frys help support the organization’s expenses and give it the cash needed to make donations to community groups.
The Knights also give donations to St. Mary Church, which is located across the street from its headquarters on Fourth Street.
“That’s where we all go,” K of C member Bruce Tratar said of attending church services. “This is a Catholic organization.”
The K of C also annually donates to the city Fourth of July fireworks display, which is typically put on by the Martins Ferry Chamber of Commerce. They also donate money to the Coats for Kids program at Christmastime.
Gdula said the K of C ordered about 270 pots of perennial flowers including tulips, lilies, hyacinths and daffodils.
“Hyacinths are the most popular,” he said.
The Knights’ flower sale got somewhat of a late start on Wednesday. It was supposed to begin at noon, but the flowers did not arrive from the grower until about 1:30 p.m. The grower’s truck was stuck in traffic on Interstate 70 caused by a vehicle accident.
The bold, healthy-looking flowers were grown by Strader’s Garden Center of Grove City, Ohio.
“I order them in February. They have a huge greenhouse,” Gdula said, adding the Knights can take cash or a check at the sale.
The Knights of Columbus, which has councils across the country, was founded in 1882 by the Rev. Michael McGivney in Connecticut.
“Late-19th century Connecticut was marked by the growing fraternal benefit societies, anti-Catholic prejudice and dangerous factory working conditions that left many families fatherless. Recognizing a need in his community, Father Michael J. McGivney, the 29-year-old assistant pastor of St. Mary’s Church in New Haven, Conn., gathered a group of men at his parish on Oct. 2, 1881. He proposed establishing a lay organization to prevent Catholic men from entering secret societies antithetical to Church teaching, uniting Catholic men and helping families of deceased members,” according to the Knights’ website, www.kofc.org.
“To demonstrate their loyalty to their country as well as their faith, these men took Christopher Columbus — recognized as a Catholic and celebrated as the discoverer of America – as their patron. The Knights of Columbus elected officers in February 1882 and assumed corporate status on March 29.”
MCKINNEY - Down goes Frazier...or something like that.
In a matchup of state-ranked teams, No. 6 Flower Mound pulled off a comeback, 3-1 overtime win over the state's No. 1-ranked 6A team and undefeated Prosper to advance in the UIL girls soccer playoffs.
Despite controlling the ball for the majority of the first half, Flower Mound just could not get past the Prosper backers and make any headway toward the goals.
The first 30 minutes of the game, possession control was strongly in Flower Mound's favor, but with 10 minutes remaining until halftime, Prosper broke through with a solid strike from the right side by Kaitlyn Giametta from about 25 yards out.
It was only one of three first half shots on goal for Prosper while Flower Mound tallied five, with just two being strong shots at Prosper keeper Jordyn Gunnarson.
Still, being down 1-0 at the break, essentially dominating ball possession and creating a number of opportunities but with nothing to show for it, head coach Misail Tsapos felt like his team was the better team on the night the entire match.
"Maybe tomorrow night we're not [the better team], but tonight we were," Tsapos said.
His inclination was right, because in the 70th minute, Flower Mound's persistence paid off as Sydney Becerra knotted the score at 1 with a free kick from 20 yards out that froze the Prosper goalie.
From there it was a whole new game as the game shifted into overtime. With the late equalizer, Flower Mound took that momentum and quickly turned it into points.
One minute into the first overtime frame, Riley Baker, who's been a force for Flower Mound all season and had four shots on goal earlier in the game, took a nice ball from freshman forward Emma Hoang and put the ball into the back of the net for the 2-1 lead.
In the second overtime period, senior foward Tatum Beck put the nail in to coffin in the 91st minute to seal the win.
"We just wanted it with everything we had," Baker said after the game. And asked about seemingly playing a better game but still trailing for most of the second half, Baker said Tsapos and the rest of the team was not worried about 1-0 hole.
So in knocking off the No. 1 team in the state, according to MaxPreps.com and the Texas Girls Coaches Association, Flower Mound will take on the winner of Southlake Carroll and Northwest Eaton in the 6A Region Semifinals
"We came out as the underdogs in this match, and we're pretty excited for the next round," Beck said after the game.
Southern Denton County residents will head to the polls this spring to decide a plethora of municipal and school board contests.
The Cross Timbers Gazette asked each candidate in a contested race to answer a brief questionnaire to help voters make an informed decision at the polls this May. Election Day is Saturday, May 1, with early voting April 19-27.
The 2021 Flower Mound Town Council general election is for mayor and Place 4, each for a term of three years. The current mayor, Steve Dixon, chose to not seek reelection, and five residents filed to run to succeed him: Stephanie Bell, Derek France, Itamar Gelbman, Cheryl Moore and Jehangir Raja. In Place 4 on Town Council, incumbent Jim Engel is seeking reelection unopposed (Ani Umoh filed, but quickly withdrew from the race).
The candidates for mayor of Flower Mound are listed in alphabetic order below:
Mayor (3-year-term)
Flower Mound mayoral candidate Stephanie Bell.
Stephanie Bell, 37
Occupation: Business strategist
Education: Like the great Steve Jobs, Michael Dell and Bill Gates, I left school to start my own successful company. I am now an executive with a software company in Corporate America, where I oversee our marketing efforts.
Public service: I’ve volunteered with the North Texas Food Bank and Habitat for Humanity. I’m also the elected President of our local toastmasters chapter. I help train and develop folks around DFW in leadership, communication and negotiation skills.
What motivated you to run for this position, and why are you the best choice? I’m dedicated to being a Mayor for all of Flower Mound, not just for the folks who vote for me. I am community-based and need all residents to know that they have a voice. I am here to hear you out, your thoughts matter. We recently lost a town manager; thank goodness we have the talented Debra at the helm in the interim. My first goal in being Mayor is to ensure that we attract and hire the brightest and best talent, starting with our next Town Manager. Our future Town Manager must be respectful, ethical, and trustworthy. Active listening skills are key to communicating with me, the Council, residents, and town staff at all levels. We will look forward to fresh faces, with no history of infighting, who do not view public leadership positions as stepping stones. We will move forward together, as a town, with stewards who truly care.
What is your mission statement? Representation is vital and simply not voting or complaining hasn’t gotten me, or us, far. I have a two -year old son and I care about where I raise my son. Integrity matters. I am dedicated and committed to you, my neighbor, and I’m committed to Flower Mound.
Occupation: President/CEO at Cross Timbers Consulting Group
Education: Degree studies in Homeland Security & Emergency Management, Central Texas College
Certificate of Law Enforcement Technology, Rio Salado College
Public service: I am passionate about giving back to our community through philanthropy and volunteering. I currently serve as an active member on the Town’s Veterans Liaison Board and Animal Services Board and have also volunteered my time and expertise to the Lewisville ISD Education Foundation (LEF) on an ongoing basis, and an active member/volunteer of the Flower Mound Chamber of Commerce. I am also an Eagle Scout and have previously served as an Assistant Scoutmaster.
What motivated you to run for this position, and why are you the best choice? I’m running because I want to take an active role in focusing on the issues and prosperity in Flower Mound through principled, innovative leadership. I will work together with the Town Council and Staff to review our past successes and short comings and then create a path that enables actions to correct them that include advancing limited government, managed spending, lower taxes, and individual liberty, while ensuring balance and respecting community differences and cultures. I am the best choice because I have the most direct and diverse experience related to being a leader and champion for our Town. I am a proven leader and astute in business acumen, with over 20 years of Government Service. My experience in Program Management, Financial Operations, Business Development, and Training Services all have direct applications to Town government and being a strong Mayor.
What is your mission statement? Vision: We strive to be the best community in America to live, work, and play. Mission: Provide fiscally conservative leadership, focused priorities for action, and leadership at the Town Council meetings, while preserving our small-town atmosphere and quality of life.
What motivated you to run for this position, and why are you the best choice? My motivation is my four kids. I want them to grow in a safe community with great schools, beautiful parks, trails, and open spaces. I want them to call Flower Mound home even after they start their own families. I am the clear choice for the Mayor. I have a proven track record of community participation and for putting residents above all others. During my council tenure, I fought for transparency and fiscal accountability against eminent domain and high density, including apartment buildings. As a community leader, I have donated and helped raise tens of thousands to feed local families who lost their jobs during COVID19, pay rent for single moms, raise funds for a Flower Mound firefighter who lost his house, pay the bills of a local teacher who lost her husband, and helped facilitate the donation of a specially adapted smart home to a double amputee Purple Heart recipient
What is your mission statement? Putting Resident’s First. I am the only candidate with a track record of being either active or proactive in Flower Mound. As a resident, I helped others feed their families during COVID19. During my tenure on council, I voted against eminent domain and apartment buildings and uphold our Smart Growth and Master Plans.
Education: Bachelors of Science and Physical Therapy from the University of Oklahoma
Public service: I was HOA President for Chaucer Estates, where I still reside today. I was the concessions team leader for Marcus High School, in support of Marquette’s and the Marcus Band. I routinely lead patient and family support groups for Brain Injury, Lymphedema, Wheelchair and return home assistance programs. I was the troop leader for Boy Scouts. I coached GLASA girls’ soccer for 2 seasons. I was the backstage crew leader for Ballet Conservatory, and a crew member for Ballet Ensemble of Texas.
What motivated you to run for this position, and why are you the best choice? I wanted to aid in the recovery of our business community, after COVID has impacted so many. I also see a lot of empty buildings and feel that empty space can be utilized, without having to build new. I want to maintain the open green spaces we currently have and prevent our town from being becoming a concrete jungle. I do not believe the town wants overcrowding, traffic congestion and delays, further infrastructure issues due to rapid growth. My collaborative skills will support the Town Council. I want economic growth benefiting our residents, not just developers. I’m the best choice because of my fresh perspective, diverse background, my collaboration skills, my interest in smart economic growth benefitting residents too, my understanding of the medical community (a big part of Flower Mound now), and my ability to bring people together.
What is your mission statement? To work collaboratively with the Town Council, to see the smart and stable economic growth for the Town. I want Flower Mound businesses to grow and achieve, while also benefitting our residents. I want to bring people together, further enhancing our sense of community. And I want to maintain financial stability of the Town.
What motivated you to run for this position, and why are you the best choice? The vision for our home town. The town deserves to be the number one town to live in whole world. An Icon for living and doing business in. Town needs to have upscale commercial developments with an upgrade of life style for the residents. Town needs to have increased revenue especially from C to B infrastructure development and smart growth. Setting up the incubators for the innovative start ups. Maximum ROI for the town per square feet of the land in town. Above average pay for all our workers and a life style that residents will enjoy. Provide pure inspiration to all our residents to achieve the maximum potential from work and living. Ideal socially responsible residential and commercial developments with a fraction of a cost and maximum ROI.
What is your mission statement? Focus-Forward-Flower Mound. Smart Innovative Growth with a focus on efficient utilization of our resources and efficient returns on our assets.
The unidentified flower man can be seen walking out of a building and down a lightly decorated aisle. While he sashays to Frankie Beverly and Maze’s 1981 hit "Before I Let Go," the "flower man" reaches into his vest pockets and rhythmically spreads the petals.
He also threw in a few twirls before he took his place as the third groomsman at the end of the aisle.
Other users noticed the wedding’s attendees and staff were socially distanced and wearing masks, which suggests the event took place at some point in the last year.
"Hell of a performance, PLUS masks and some good social distancing for the attendees," one Reddit user commented. "A-plusses all around!"
The "flower man" trend, meanwhile, has picked up in the last year, according to videos shared on YouTube. Couples are also opting to have grandparents and other adult guests take on this traditional role.
If you’ve never grown your own transplants for your garden, perhaps this is the year to do it. It’s economical, it allows you to grow varieties you might not be able to buy as transplants, it’s satisfying and it’s easy.
If you’re new to the transplant game, start with a flower or vegetable that’s relatively easy to raise from seed. Zinnia, calendula and cosmos are some of the easiest. Among vegetables, choose from among lettuce, kale, cabbage and — that most widely grown vegetable of all — tomato.
There are some vegetables which shouldn’t be grown as transplants. Beans, peas and okra fall into that category because the yield is small from each plant. Outdoors, in the garden, you sow these plants in a furrow with seeds only a few inches apart. That would take a lot of transplants! For some other vegetables, such as carrots and parsnips, the roots don’t take kindly to being transplanted.
Better to hone your transplant-raising skills with a plant that really does need to be grown this way, such as tomatoes. In much of the country, we need to start tomatoes indoors so the plants have enough time to ripen a decent yield out in the garden.
GERMINATION
To get started with transplants, you’ll need a suitable container and soil. The container need not — should not — be too big, but does need to be 2 to 4 inches deep. Plastic yogurt containers are good, even egg cartons (for “jumbo” eggs), and, of course, those cell packs in which your purchased transplants once lived. Perhaps you still have some lying around.
Most important is that any container have one or more holes in the bottom, so excess water can drain out.
Garden soil, even good garden soil, is not suitable because it doesn’t drain quickly enough in the confines of a container. Drainage of a “potting mix” (“potting soil”) is enhanced by the inclusion of some coarse material such as perlite, vermiculite or sand. If you have little experience raising transplants, buy a potting mix. It will already have the drainage material mixed in.
Fill the containers with the potting mix and firm it down. Not too much, though.
Then sow seeds, 3 or 4 per container or cell, as insurance. Do this by poking a hole a few times the thickness of a seed into the mix, and drop in the seed. Smooth over the potting mix to cover the seeds, and firm it again.
Water the container by standing it in a pan with water reaching about half as high as the height of the container. After a few hours, lift the container up out of the water.
Seeds need warmth to germinate, the amount varying with the kind of seed. A good average for just about all seeds is about 75° F. Beyond their optimum germination temperatures, seeds will still germinate, but more slowly.
Most seeds don’t need light to germinate. So a suitable place is almost anywhere in your home. Some refrigerators are warm on top; that could be a suitable place. Same for near a radiator. A thermostatically controlled seed mat offers more control.
To keep moisture from evaporating from your container, cover it with a pane of clear glass or plastic, or enclose the container in a plastic bag.
EXCITEMENT BEGINS
Now for the exciting part, waiting to see little, green sprouts. Remove all but the sturdiest sprout from each container or cell, being careful not to disturb the roots of the sprout that remains.
Your goal now is to grow sturdy, stocky transplants that can tolerate a move to the great outdoors. For this, you need abundant light and cooler temperatures. Even tomatoes, a summer vegetable, grow best as transplants with temperatures in the 60s.
Don’t worry if you can’t achieve ideal growing conditions; what’s possible in a commercial greenhouse often isn’t feasible in a home.
A sunny, south-facing window works well, especially if it’s in a cool room. Rotate the plants daily so they grow uniformly, rather than one side always bending towards the light.
Another option for light is a grow-light, either fluorescent or LED. Although these lights look bright, they don’t compare with good ol’ sunshine. Light intensity falls off rapidly with distance from a light, so keep the light just a few inches above the plants. Or combine a sunny window and a grow-light.
April 01, 2021 at 07:00PM
https://www.huntingdondailynews.com/ap/lifestyles/time-to-try-growing-some-vegetable-or-flower-transplants/article_c5c424db-d381-5732-a003-9282d47978ec.html
Time to try growing some vegetable or flower transplants - huntingdondailynews.com
According to Mark Moss, an allergist at UW Health in Madison, Wis., people commonly mistake irritation from flowers as a pollen allergy. But the two aren’t actually related. An allergic reaction requires a trigger — in this case, pollen — to land in and irritate a person’s nose, eyes or lungs. “Pollen from flowers is too heavy to blow in the air, so it doesn’t end up depositing in those places, unlike tree pollen, grasses and weeds, all of which release microscopic pollen grains in the air,” Moss says.
What’s actually irritating you is probably the flower’s fragrance, which Moss says is made up of small airborne particles released from the flower. These microscopic compounds can cause allergy-adjacent symptoms, including sneezing, runny nose, congestion, headache, trouble concentrating and exacerbated asthma symptoms. The response is called nonallergic vasomotor rhinitis, and you’re more likely to experience it with floral fragrance if you’re also sensitive to other smells, such as perfumes, detergents or candles.
The most irritating flowers
Emily Pinon, an event planner and creative director for florist Ode à La Rose, says fragrance comes up commonly in planning events and weddings. Hosts consult with her to avoid causing widespread sneezing. “Not all flowers are created equal,” she says. “The ones with the stronger odors are usually the ones that cause symptoms.”
Lilies are among the worst offenders. Pinon says Stargazer and Casablanca lilies, along with lily of the valley, can be especially irritating, given their strong, perfume-like scent. Christina Stembel, founder and chief executive of Farmgirl Flowers, suggests Asiatic or Oriental lilies as a replacement. They won’t last as long, and they’re about a third of the size, but they’re less likely to trigger symptoms.
Other perfumey flowers, including hyacinth, jasmine, gardenia, tuberose, paperwhite and lilac, are also more likely to irritate sensitive noses. As for roses, people often think they’re reacting to them, but Stembel says it’s usually baby’s breath — a common filler in rose bouquets — that causes rhinitis. Pinon says she steers clear of dahlias, daisies and asters for fragrance-sensitive people, too.
And a flower doesn’t have to smell good to bother you. “Many just smell like grass or earth, but they still have the particles that could irritate you,” Stembel says. For example, chamomile smells earthy, but it’s one of the most common irritants; carnations smell more musky, but they can also cause problems for sensitive individuals.
The safest options are flowers that don’t smell much at all. Stembel suggests tulips, hydrangeas and orchids. Irises don’t generally cause rhinitis symptoms, either; for a special touch, Stembel recommends rarer varieties of bearded irises. And although bright yellow flowers typically come with a strong scent just by coincidence, she says daffodils are a safe bet.
Flowers in the house
If you’re already experiencing a runny nose or sneezing from fresh flowers, Moss suggests trying an over-the-counter nasal spray, such as Flonase or Rhinocort; antihistamines, such as Benadryl, won’t work when an allergic response isn’t at play. “Allergy medication ads often show flowers blooming, which is visually eye-catching but not scientifically sound,” he says.
Stembel also has a few tricks for preventing symptoms. First, avoid placing flowers in small, unventilated rooms, and don’t keep them in your bedroom. If you want to display flowers that have a strong odor, try popping them in the refrigerator for a few hours first; Stembel says the cold air can neutralize irritating odors.
Also, although it’s fun to pick flowers from your yard, some flowers are better bought commercially.
“Many flowers have been bred so much for size instead of smell,” Stembel says. For example, roses have much larger heads than they once did, but they don’t smell as strong, making store-bought stems a safer choice for fragrance-sensitive people. The same is true for peonies: They may be irritating from your backyard bush, but probably not from the store.
And if you’ve received a mixed bouquet, it’s as simple as knowing which flowers irritate you. Take the bothersome stems out and put them in a compost bin outside your house, or, better yet, give them to a neighbor. “Your neighbor will love you for it, and you’ll get to enjoy your bouquet without irritation,” Stembel says.
Ashley Abramson is a freelance writer in Wisconsin.
April 01, 2021 at 06:00PM
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/home/fresh-flowers-allergy-symptoms/2021/03/30/4141fc6a-88c8-11eb-82bc-e58213caa38e_story.html
How to enjoy fresh flowers at home, without the sneezing and wheezing - The Washington Post
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