The Bud of Growth
“Your career is like a garden.
It can hold an assortment of life’s energy that yields a bounty to you.
You do not need to grow just one thing in your garden…”
As the buds begin to set along the stems of our Belle Flower Farm winter garden, beginning their new cycle of growth, we welcome the new year. Looking back to look forward—I am reminded of my own growth. My “garden” consists of many blooms—wife, mother, volunteer, gardener, artist, friend & daughter. Not all of these buds set, bloomed or have even shown signs of emerging at the same time. But as I reflect at the different stages of growth I see multiple climbing branches. Sometimes branches wild like an Akebia vine, sometimes sweet like the fragrance of the Honeysuckle, weaving my growth.
Palatables was a catering business I started with my life long friend in Corvallis, where I was managing a clothing store after college. When we both settled back into the Portland/Vancouver area we renamed our business—Birds of a Feather. Clients with weddings, rehearsals & showers began to ask for florals as well. With an art background, floral & gardening interests—floral design became a service that increasingly grew.
I also hosted my first women’s market in our tiny bungalow in Rose Village. Looking back I see the bud, that all these years later, has bloomed with local women makers & artists. During this time I also worked for Laura Ashley in addition to freelance display & merchandising work. When my friend moved from the area, I rebranded again as Culinary Hearts, where my focus increasingly was centered around the floral work.
As I looked through my folder of keepsakes, I am delighted by the notes I had made some 30+ years ago.
“Culinary Hearts
Unique Floral Designs
Wedding ~ Special Occasions
lace, shells, antique bottles, framed photos, teacups, gift baskets
Suggest the person include part of their personality”
“White washed garage, curtains, shelving, refrigeration, business license, floor cushion, maps of the city, white embossed cards”
As our family grew—catering & floral designs for weddings & charitable events became a creative outlet. Saying “Yes” to new challenges created new branches all it’s own, a lesson I still try to live by. Developing the Art Adventure programs for local elementary schools created a vine I wasn’t expecting. Researching and creating monthly lesson plans for our team of volunteers along with annual art nights with hands-on activities for the kiddos was a sweet blossom. And resulted with bright eyes exclaiming “Hey, you’re that art lady!” From those early program days, I dreamed that Art Adventure could be the basis of creative classes for women. Our BFF Art Adventure workshops create a current version of “Gathering around the kitchen table.”
I couldn’t believe it. Without realizing it, I have taken all of the little snippets of experiences along with me as a continue to grow. In 2019, I began the preparation of launching Belle Flower Farm, with a “garden” magical & intensional. In the footsteps of my great grandmother Laura Belle, a Vancouver florist in the 1950’s, I know this is where I am suppose to be. For all of the buds, blooms & seed pods in my “garden” I share a sense of gratitude for those whom I love, learned from, challenged by & created with. Cheers to a moment to look back to look forward.
“Most people want to hear or tell a good story. But they don’t realize they can and should be the good story.”