Brrrr! It’s snowing here in Connecticut and my Californian friends are bragging that their roses are blooming. Grrr. Not only can you garden in flip-flops year-round in the temperate coastal climates of Southern California, you can enjoy blooms like bird of paradise and roses in December.

No no, I’m not jealous. They will be pulling out the pruners soon. It’s nearly time to trim up their never-dormant babies and I hope they prick there hands. Okay, that sounds a teensy bit spiteful, really, I’m happy for them and they do not rub it in. In fact, they are sympathetic. My dear childhood friend RoseAnn sent me a little surprise sunshine in the mail. Last night I opened a package from her filled with bright cheerful blooms. She constructed a dozen paper roses out of coffee filters and hand-painted them with watercolors.

Now, I am quite the flower snob and please – don’t even mention artificial. But seriously, these hand-made beauties are a work of art! I would even go-so-far as to say wedding bouquet worthy.

So, while RoseAnn is strolling around her rose garden in December, I’m smiling at my ever cheerful bouquet. It makes frozen fingers in the morning and wearing a beanie to bed almost bearable.