Joy of Flowers

I have had a bouquet of flowers on my kitchen table for almost two weeks now. I love it. There is something about seeing them and being reminded of nature and the spring/summer yet to come, while it's snowy and cold outside.

I love getting flowers from my Wayne too. He is really good at this....he brings them home for celebrations and just because.

FLOWERS are WONDERFUL!!

I found this piece on the internet and found it so enlightening. I just wanted to share it. Maybe I'll even pick up those Costco flower bunches more often.

“The morning blahs, it turns out, is a real phenomenon, with positive moods – happiness, friendliness and warmth, for example – manifesting much later in the day,”

That's what lead researcher Nancy Etcoff, Ph.D. from Harvard University has found to be true. She went on to say,

“Interestingly, when we placed a small bouquet of flowers into their morning routines, people perked up.”

Dr. Etcoff is referencing the fact that participants in the study responded to the flowers, which had been placed in rooms they frequented in the morning. Overall, the participants reported they liked to look at the blooms first thing in the morning, particularly in the Kitchen.

The final study results demonstrate that flowers impact people emotionally at home, causing them to feel less anxious and more compassionate. They even reported a boost of energy that lasted through their day.

“What I find interesting is that by starting the day in a more positive mood, you are likely to transfer those happier feelings to others – it’s what is called mood contagion,” says Etcoff. “And, the kitchen is the place where families tend to gather in the morning – imagine how big a difference a better morning mood can make.”

New York City floral and garden designer Rebecca Cole, (I also have a niece named this-- but this is not her-- I just thought I would clarify) host of Discovery Channel’s Surprise by Design, is not surprised by these findings.

“I grew up with a kitchen often decorated with flowers,” says Cole. “My family knew instinctively that flowers brought joy to the people who came in contact with them – and now there is scientific proof."

Flowers are a great pick me up when we still have winter all around us. More snow all this week--blast that ground hog!