life after 50, baby boomer women, boomer women“We would like to offer you free flowers and have you join our ambassador program,” said A, the nice representative from The Bouqs Company, an online flower shop. I quickly went on the website to check out the bouquets. One was prettier than the next. Beautiful flowers always brighten my day, so I said absolutely “yes, yes, yes” to the offer.

Simple to order, I chose the Dawn collection which retails for $40. According to thebouqs.com, these “orange premium roses are a magical sight when fully bloomed. Grown on a Volcano and cut-to-order, this flower bunch will blow you away like a breathtaking sunrise.” The flowers were shipped straight from their eco-friendly, sustainable farms on the Volcano to my door, with free delivery! What could be easier?

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I was so excited when the FedEx lady rang my doorbell this morning. “Flowers for you,” she said as she handed me a long black box. “So glad you’re home.” I couldn’t wait to open it. Inside were 14 perfect orange roses. (They gave me two extra – how lucky is that?)

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I read the pictorial instructions and did exactly as was shown. I carefully opened the packaging as not to damage any of the flowers. I cut the stems on a diagonal so the water will penetrate better. Then I added the flower food to the water and put the flowers in my Waterford vase. I had two extras for my small bud vase.

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Ooh, ooh, ooh, such pretty roses on my dining room table. Ooh, ooh, ooh, and there are two roses sitting right next to my computer on my desk in my office. I can look at these flowers all day long. How cool is that?

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A Bouqs Bouquet For You
With more than 75 colorful bouquets to choose from, thebouqs.com offers a wide array of choices for all flower-giving occasions. I better let my boyfriend L know about this website. Or perhaps, I’ll just treat myself to a bouquet when I think I deserve one. Guess it is better than buying dark chocolate – no calories! (Okay, I deserve dark chocolate and flowers too during my life after 50.)

So, boomergirls, if you’re feeling low and want a perk, send some flowers to yourself. Or if you want to give a nice gift to a favorite friend, send some flowers. (Or tell your hubby or boyfriend about this site.)  If you click on thebouqs.com links in this post (or on my sidebar on my blog) and order flowers, I do receive a small compensation. These funds support my blogging. Please know that I only affiliate with high-quality products I love and that I hope you’ll love too.


Keeping Your Flowers Fresh
Did I ever tell you that one of my dreams is to work in a flower shop? Maybe I will become a florist during my life after 50. (Note to self: Explore flower arranging school in the future.) Meantime, thebouqs.com provided these helpful tips for keeping your flowers fresh:

♥ Heat/Cool the water – If you’d like to open flowers faster use hot (not boiling) water. The heat allows for faster absorption of the H2O through the stems, causing the bloom to open faster. It’s kind of like taking a warm bath, your muscles relax. Once open, use cool water (or simply add some ice cubes to the vase) in order to keep the blooms lasting longer. Though water still absorbs into the stem, colder water slows any decay, bacteria or mold from breaking down the organic matter. (Interesting information.)

♥ Change water regularly – Clean, fresh water not only guarantees bacteria and mold do not build in the water, but also allows you the opportunity to feed the flowers regularly. For the longest lasting blooms change the water everyday, but every few days is also fine.  (I promise to nourish my flowers with water. I will. I will.)

♥ Add Pennies or Soda – It seems strange, but adding a few pennies and a teaspoon of sugar to the water in the vase increases the pH of the water slightly. This will prevent any small bacteria or microbes from growing in the water and deteriorating the flowers. Similarly, soda can do the same thing. The sugar in clear sodas such as Sprite or 7Up nourishes the plants and keeps blooms bright and lasting longer. Add no more than a quarter cup to the water in the vase. (Good thing I’m saving my pennies now that I’m retired from my full-time corporate job.)

♥ Trim the stems ¼ inch per day – Simple and regular trimming allows for absorption and hydration. Always cut stems at an angle, and trimming a quarter inch off each stem per day will keep the blooms strong, nourished and beautiful. (I want to keep my roses looking good for a long time.)

A little bunny nibbled on the pink flowers on my outdoor patio last week. He was so cute that I forgave him and told him not to do it again. Yesterday, when I went to water my plants I noticed that half of the plant and many of the pink flowers were missing. I think my little bunny must have brought his entire family for a July 4th bbq flower bash. Good thing I’m keeping my rose bouquet inside. No rose petals for you little bunny, these flowers are all mine.

Judi