I’m living with a florist — Amanda Bee’s Floral Design, shameless plug for my bff — right now. I thought I’d do a dedicated flower post because why not? Also, I’m lacking inspiration, and her backyard is full of flowers, which makes taking pictures much, much easier.
I love gardens filled with flowers, but I have no desire to work in a garden or do anything to tend to them. Someday, I hope to have enough money to pay someone to come do it all for me. Or marry a younger Monty Don.
Narcissus = Daffodils I was two-days-ago years old when I made that connection.
The puppies have done some serious damage to Amanda’s flower beds. Will be purchasing dirt and flowers to replace in the near future.
Best way to keep your flowers fresh: put new water in the vase daily and wash off the stems.
I’m allergic to everything under the sun, but flower pollen doesn’t bother me that much.
Cut roses back in the spring to encourage growth… unless they’re rambling roses, then do it in the fall.
I have a real love for watching any and all Monty Don shows.
Magnolias are one of the oldest flowering trees in the world. Fossilized versions have been found dating back to 20 million years ago, but the family has been around for at least 95 million years. They were around before bees, so they relied on beetles to pollinate them. Woah.
A mud head will be built in my backyard someday.
Phytotelmata holds water for insects to use as a reservoir. A heliconia is an example.
I went to the largest garden and flower show in the world in 2012: The Chelsea Flower Show. It was amazing. I really want to go back.
Posing with the puppies in Amanda’s backyard in our matching Bee Kind shirts. | Floral Shorts |
I met Amanda because of my blog. She is a florist and business owner — of Amanda Bee’s Floral Design, the best florist in town and probably the country — in Houston. Almost two years ago, she reached out to me because she wanted to do a collaboration. A few days after corresponding by email, she showed up on my doorstep with a big bouquet of flowers. We chatted for five minutes, and in that time frame, she said “We’re going to be friends.” I found out she only lived eight minutes away from me, a happy coincidence. A week later, we went out for lunch. That evening, I ended up in an alley, changing into wedding dresses for a really fun photo shoot to showcase her floral designs. We’ve been inseparable ever since. Amanda has become more than a friend over the last two years; she’s family. We’ve spent holidays together, gone on vacation, hosted game nights, baked, learned from each other, helped, vented, met each other’s families, and a plethora of other very weird and oddly specific things. We have made her husband and my boyfriend become friends because they don’t have any other option. She is Beau’s godmother and has done innumerable things to help take care of Beau when I’ve been out of town or just need a backyard to get the zoomies out. Houston would not be the place it is without her. I have come to depend on her in so many ways. She even helped bring the puppies into this world because I was unable to. I am a better person because she is in my life. We can adventure together or sit on the couch and do nothing together. I have started referring to Amanda as my personal Patron Saint. She shows up even when I don’t know I need her. She stayed with Tess while we were waiting for the puppies to arrive. Not only did she help bring all thirteen puppies into the world, she has opened up her home to all of us. I live in an apartment. The apartment has a two pets per home policy… I am, currently, thirteen over that limit. My parents offered to let me, Tess, and all the puppies stay with them in Iowa. The problem: That’s a sixteen hour drive (nonstop) with THIRTEEN very, very, very young puppies. Oh, and I’d have to drive them all those sixteen hours back to Houston. Amanda and Andrew, her husband, opened up their home to me, Tess, and the puppies. She cleared out an entire room for the puppies to stay in and one for me. It’s not even for a short amount of time. We’re here for a LONG time during a pandemic and quarantine. I can’t imagine how inconvenient it is to have fourteen dogs and an extra person around 24/7. They offered without hesitation or provocation. They have been an absolute blessing. I truly do not know what I would do without their kindness. It’s an immense gift they’ve given me, and I will be baking them yum-yums forever and in the after life. Anyways. Here are eleven reasons Amanda is one of my closest friends and an incredible human being.
She always shows up with a smile and a helping hand.
Flowers. So many flowers. Having a florist friend is amazing, and she’s so talented.
Her sense of humor is perfectly matched to my own. We’re always laughing.
She loves board games as much as I do. Maybe more.
We can adventure together.
She’s smart. So, so smart. She has Bachelor of Arts in Horticulture with an emphasis in Floral Design and Event Planning and aMinor in Entomology. (She will kill all the bugs for me and plant my garden. No joke. It happens.) She has a wealth of knowledge on the natural world. It’s so fun listening to her talk about her job and gardening and plants and even bugs. If I want to know what a flower or plant is, I send her a picture, and she texts me the answer within seconds. She has taught me about slugs and butterflies and lots of other things I’ve blocked out of my bug-hating mind. I have my very own natural dictionary.
It drives me bonkers how humble she is. She is absolutely incredible, smart, fascinating, and more, but she has no idea!
Her sense of style and aesthetic is incredible. Honestly, I want to show everyone her house, and I have brought many people over. I always want to show people how amazing she is and what she can do; her house is such a pure reflection of everything she is.
Kindness is at the heart of everything she does. There are few people who possess a similar depth of kindness, altruism, and understanding. It’s unending and radiant. Being around Amanda is calming and invigorating because she makes you feel like you’re the most important person.
You would be hard pressed to find a better cheerleader.
She’s effortlessly cool in her own unique brand of unapologetically and perfectly weird.
*Bonus* She’s proud of who she is and stands up for what she believes in. I may not agree with all of her beliefs, but I respect her, which is far more important and much harder to earn.
I could write a much longer list than eleven (twelve) things about all the reasons Amanda is wonderful. I think it’s impossible for anyone to dislike her, but I might be biased, and if you do dislike her, what did you do to deserve her wrath? Even if this blog disappeared tomorrow, I would be forever grateful it brought us together. She was a blessing two years ago and has continued to be one every day, ever since. I don’t know if it was luck or fate, but whatever it was, I feel lucky she knocked on my door and told me we would be friends. I am proud to call her a friend. I am honored to call her family.
bisous und обьятий, RaeAnna
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I actually met and fell in platonic love with my Houston bestie because of Instagram. She’s a local florist and reached out to me about a collaboration. Over a year ago, Amanda walked into my living room with an arm full of flowers, told me we should be friends, and now, she can’t get rid of me. There are a few perks to having a florist for a bestie…. There are more than a few perks, but here are eleven I can think of.
By the way, she’s Amanda owner and creative genius behind Amanda Bee’s Floral Design. Click here to find her website. Or give her a follow on Instagram or Twitter or Pinterest or Facebook too. She’s the best. I’m not just saying that because I’m staring at a gorgeous and underpriced bouquet; she really is completely talented.
Flowers For some odd reason, florists have flowers lying around, and Amanda’s house smells like a greenhouse on steroids.
CreativityTo be a floral designer takes a lot of creativity. It’s such an interesting perspective, and she brings it into every part of her life and now mine.
KnowledgeI like to know things. Plants and flowers are everywhere, and I don’t know very much about them. I can always text Amanda a picture of a plant or flower, and she’ll have the answer. It’s like having my own personal plant dictionary at my disposal.
WholesaleIf you’ve never been to a wholesale flowers, you should. It’s magical.
DirtyPeople think florists are soft and fragile, but they’re willing to get their hands dirty. Taking care of flowers, making them pretty, dethorning them, and all that crap is hard work, and it’s dirty. Amanda is never afraid to get her hands dirty and get to work doing stuff.
BeautyFlowers are dirty and a pain, but they’re pretty. Amanda always brings small and beautiful elements to just about everything in her life.
TeacherAmanda is full of knowledge, and she’s always teaching me new things, like how to know if a flower is healthy, when to dry them, pressing techniques, and so much more.
FlowersSometimes when there are leftovers, I get some fun flowers. It’s a solid perk. I also get a genius arranging flowers I buy because I am genuinely not good at creating interesting arrangements.
FirmI always functioned under the idea: flowers are fragile. They are, but they’re not. You can use a firm hand to get them to do what you want them to do sometimes.
IngenuityI’m not saying she forages, but I’m not saying she doesn’t. Floral design isn’t just flowers; it’s about creating beautiful floral arrangements for spaces and people. Branches and fruit and feathers and more can go into arrangements to create depth, movement, and texture. Watching a truly creative designer do what they’re good at is fascinating.
FlowersHave a mentioned being surrounded by flowers and a literal flower girl is just plain good for the soul?
bisous und обьятий, RaeAnna
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Taking a bow after being after being a weirdo.Stopping to smell the flowers at Wildseed Farms in Fredericksburg, Texas.Queen of the mountain… rock… batholith!
Early in the summer, I was telling my bestie, Amanda from Amanda Bee’s Floral Design, how I’ve lived in Houston for almost three years and haven’t seen or done much in Texas outside of the city and Galveston. She decided to fulfill my lifelong dream of planning a weekend trip to Fredericksburg for me. Did I mention she’s amazing?
A few weeks ago, we loaded into the car and picked up our friend, Judd, in Austin on our way for a three day galavant to Texas wine country, I mean hill country. Fredericksburg has become a destination for girls’ weekends, bachelorette trips, and couples’ getaways. It’s a picturesque little town an hour outside of Austin full of shops, wineries, restaurants, history, and outdoor activities.
Watching the bats go out to hunt.
Where I Stayed Peach Tree Inn & Suites is cute and within walking distance of downtown. It’s not like a hotel, it’s more like a bunch of teeny apartments with bathrooms, kitchenettes, and seating areas. The three of us stayed there very comfortably. It’s also pet friendly, but we didn’t bring Beau.
Getting into the fall spirit surrounded by pumpkins at Wildseed Farms in Fredericksburg, Texas.
What To Do Enchanted Rock is pretty awesome. It’s a granite, dome batholith. It’s definitely worth the $7 entrance fee and the climb. The view is terrific. I mean, it’s amazing. You can see for miles. You’re also in Texas hill country, so the hike is a little bit of an adventure. Old Tunnel State Park is home to bats. Twenty minutes outside of Fredericksburg is an old railway tunnel inhabited by a gazillion bats. At sunset, they fly out to go hunting. You can watch this amazing, natural spectacle from a high platform for free or from a closer perspective for $5 admission fee. The bats are worth the trip, but the view is also worth it. You can also hike and enjoy the outdoor activities. Shopping abundance will greet you in downtown. From pet stores, candy shops, restaurants, kitchen stores, home decor, jewelry, artisans, and more. You can find just about anything. Wildseed Farms is great if you love plants or you’re looking for a really cute and unique Instagram spot. This nursery is huge and has tons of flowers, seeds, decor, and a butterfly garden. There’s even a vineyard on site. I was traveling with florists, so we spent a good amount of time here. Not that I minded. Wineries I’m not a drinker, and we didn’t hit any up this trip. But most people don’t visit Fredericksburg without getting their wine on. Vineyards are truly everywhere. You can find one without trying. Promise.
Practicing my jumping skills on top of Enchanted Rock.
Where To Eat Fredericksburg Brewing Company has all the brews you could want and a menu full of authentic German food. It’s pretty delicious and has huge portions. Pasta Bella makes their own pasta, and I loved it. We all got different things, and I definitely had a fork full of each. The back room is decorated with old bicycles, which was cute and unique. Old German Bakery & Restaurant will definitely have a waiting list for breakfast, so I suggest getting there early. They don’t have a ton of authentic German breakfast options, but you can find German pancakes. Sunset Grill has a great American brunch menu. We went there right after climbing Enchanted Rock, and we were starving. The inside is cute, but we comfortably sat on the shaded outdoor patio without dying of heat. Java Ranch Espresso Bar & Cafe carries their ranch theme throughout their decor. They have decent coffee and a relaxing atmosphere if you need to put your feet up after a hard day of shopping….
So many gorgeous nooks to Fredericksburg.
Known For German Heritage Fredericksburg was settled by Germans, and their influence is noticeable from the architecture to the names to the German bakeries. Pecans You can find pecans and pecan paraphernalia all over the place. I honestly have no idea why other than they’re a Southern and Texas thing. But I’m not complaining because I am obsessed with pecans and always have been. Peaches I’m not a peach person. I love the way they smell, but I don’t like eating them. If you’re into more than just the emoji, this is the place to be during peach season. They’re everywhere. Dedicated peach stores line the roads, no joke. Wine There are a ridiculous amount of wineries and vineyards here. You can find automotive, German, Tuscany, horse, and more themed vineyards. I don’t drink, but I wish I did.
bisous und обьятий, RaeAnna
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This trifecta means my office is my safe place. I love my office. There are a few things I would change. Like a bigger, comfier chair. Or adding a funky lamp. If I’m not binge watching TV or cooking, I’m in my office.
I like my home to be as comfortable and cozy as it is light and airy. For me it’s a combination of dark and bright, heavy and light, fluffy and stark, cute and functional. Everything serves a purpose. Sometimes that purpose is bringing a smile to my face. I don’t want my office to just be comfortable for me; it has to be a place Beau enjoys being. Wherever I am, she also is.
I have a desk away from the wall but far from being in the middle. A papasan is nestled into a bay window. I used to have Beau’s Serta dog bed in the bay window, but she refused to sleep in it there. I like to keep the floor as open as possible so Beau can run in and out and play with her toys on the floor while I work without me getting in her way or vice versa. I ended up moving her dog bed next to my chair, up against the bookshelves because she could touch me and see out the window at the same time.
The other day, my friend brought me flowers. I put them in my office because I love how much life they bring to the room. She gave me the best compliment: It’s so calm. Ugh. Yes. That’s my aesthetic. Calm. Probably not. Between my high energy and Beau’s energy, calm is not the immediate aesthetic of my home, but when I walk into my office, I do feel calm. Beau doesn’t, but it is truly our safe space.
bisous und обьятий, Beau and RaeAnna
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