Red Dirt Farm and Studio

I wanted to be an official ambassador for the program Growing Kindness, but sadly I missed the deadline.

So why not start my own local project.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I took my second silver soldering class last weekend.  It was the same class, both times.  Sometimes it takes two lessons to figure it out.  There on the table to the left of the pink Primrose, a round hammered copper pendant I made.  I’m thinking of incorporating it into another piece of work…

Seeds that I have ordered for this growing season have started to come in.  Oh, my happy happy heart. Specialty flowers from Floret which I have wanted to grow for a while and seeds by the pound from American Meadow, my go-to wildflower seed source. I have such big dreams for this season.  I ordered cards to be attached to the bouquets, they too came in this week.  What do you think? In the past I’ve always printed my own labels, it somehow feels all grown up to see them professionally done.  I also have for the first time flower shares available for purchase at the farm stand.  Squeal and more squeals of delight, my flowers will be available for purchase on Fridays at Sweet Art Emporium in Palmyra.  Fresh flower Friday it will be!  WOOP WOOP!

I studied photos from last year’s gardens for inspiration.  Seeing the colors, the bees and the butterflies were comforting on those grey days.

All those little hand stitches done over a hundred years ago by my great grandmother.

I filled my week making little art pieces.

Why oh why does WordPress continue to haunt me?  I can’t log in to like or comment on your posts!  I’ve read your posts, I like them. I can’t log in though so you’ll just have to take my word or feel the vibes I’m sending you.  If you know what the problem is please let me know.

A farm stand customer donated a box of china for my repurposed china birdfeeders that I am making; that was beyond awesome of her to do that and it really made me happy. We have never met, she was just being kind to a stranger.

This brings me to the real point of this week’s post.

Happiness.

Good deeds.

Kindness and giving to strangers.

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The last time I was with my mother before her passing, I took her a bouquet of flowers from my garden, her mind cloudy from morphine and Alzeheimer’s lit up with a beautiful smile when she saw the flowers.

For over 20 years, maybe closer to thirty, I dreamed of having a roadside stand where I sold flower bouquets.   After my mom’s passing a few years ago; while helping my dad sort through mom’s accumulations I found a letter that I had written to her.  In that letter, I told her I had found a house for sale that had a greenhouse on the property and that it would be the perfect set-up for growing and selling flowers.  She supported my dream and we were going to be a mother-daughter team of growers and sellers.  I didn’t purchase that property and mom got sick with Alzheimer’s and passed before we could ever try a go at it.

Finding that letter motivated me to work on that dream.  Coping with the loss of my mother as well as dealing with several other major life events all at one time had me in a very overwhelmed place.  I opened my little farm stand and presented my first bouquets of flowers.  They didn’t sell.  The next year I tried again.  I spent countless hours in the garden tending my flowers.  Crying mostly.  Talking to myself, the chickens the cats and the dogs.  I talked to the spirit of my mother and my maker.  I prayed for someone to love my lovers and buy them.

I worked on healing myself with each seed I planted and all those bouquets of flowers that I made. The gardens were my healing happy place.  So many unsold bouquets of flowers, though.  I think it was the year before last I came up with the idea of giving away my flowers to people that needed a pick me up.  Flowers bring me so much joy and comfort and happiness, I thought I could bring someone else a bit of happiness through a bouquet.  It was a bit like a full-circle moment last year when I gave a bouquet to a woman with Alzheimer’s.

Then I heard about the Growing Kindness project and I had the feeling that I had found just the right fit. The purpose of that project is to grow flowers and give them away to someone that needs a little kindness.  I didn’t make it into that program this year, I was too late registering.  So I’m making my own project.

The growing season is a bit down the road, but it is time to plant the seeds of kindness now.

It’s my birth month and I’m giving myself the gift of happiness and giving my community the chance to give someone they know, a little happy.

The Happiness Flower Project.

Maybe you know someone that has been sick, or is going through a really difficult time.  Maybe they are grieving or fighting an addiction, perhaps they are a caregiver, the hardest job ever.  Do you know someone that donates their time and care to help the community animal shelter or women’s shelter, a driver for Meals on Wheels, or other good cause? Perhaps your elderly neighbor, or the cashier at your local store, a favorite teacher – are in need of some extra happy.  They, (we) all need some happiness especially when it seems the world has gone amuck.

Here’s how it will work.  I grow the flowers and make the bouquets.  You pick a deserving person, and I will donate a bouquet.  Yes, this is for my local community.  But, I’m going to let you decide what local means because if you want to make the drive out to Fluvanna for someone you care about, that’s ok by me.

I need your participation.

What  I need you to do is this – go to the Red Dirt Farm Stand Facebook page.  Like the page.  Then comment on this blog link on Facebook or future posts I make on Facebook mentioning The Happiness Flower Project – “I’m in.”  That’s it.  You do not have to tell me who you have chosen.  I will pick a winner each month of the growing season.  I will announce your name as the winner on Facebook – you come to the farm and pick the flowers up and deliver them to your recipient.  If you want to participate but you don’t do Facebook – comment here on the blog – “I’m in. ” Then contact me by the email link over there in the sidebar and let me know you want to participate.

Together, lets spread a little happiness.  I need your help getting the word out, so please share this post anyway you can.

Thank you.

Until next time,

xo, Kim

#thehappinessflowerproject