Written by Alex | November 13, 2012 | 2012 NewslettersNewsletter Tags: flowers, Gardening, jokes, recipies, stories
There’s always room for one more!
Newsletter 37 – Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Youll love your garden … Its our promise!
Weve saved a space just for you (and you and you!)
Our Holiday Porch Pot and Wreath Workshop is this weekend!
Saturday and Sunday, November 17th and 18th
Ongoing throughout the day between 9am and 3pm
Join us for a fun time at the greenhouse this weekend! Our holiday workshops are filled with music, cookies, coffee, hot apple cider and door prizes. Well have fresh greens, a wide assortment of both pre-bundled artificial picks and stems or individual stems to choose from. Bring your container from home or choose from our large selection. After we fill each container with FREE sand youll be ready to create a porch, deck or patio container that will knock even Santas socks off!
Or decorate a fresh wreath this weekend. Wreaths are available in several sizes and are freshly made by our staff at our florist shop in Edgerton. You can select from an assortment of decorations to create your own individually decorated wreath.
Our experienced design staff will be on hand to assist with your design and arrangement. Finished prices depend on how large or how full and dramatic you want your container and or wreath to be.
Just call or email us and well get you signed up!
Pre-register for any or ALL of our workshop events by sending Marty an email at abfrobbins@yahoo.com or call us at 608-222-2269. All of our workshops are ongoing throughout the day between 9am to 3pm, so there is no need to sign up for a particular time slot, just the date. We want to have plenty of supplies for you to create your masterpieces, so pre-registration is important, however, walk-ins are always welcome.
Poinsettias are here

Poinsettias
Several different colors are available. If you cant decide on which color…why not buy one of each! There are no limitations!
Fresh and Natural
- BOXED AMARYLLIS: Boxed gift set complete with bulb, soil and container, choice of 4 colors. (One box shopping!)
- PETITE LUCKY BAMBOO: Small bamboo stakes in colorful assortment of ceramic containers. (These are nothing less than adorable!)
- GRAB & GO DECORATED PORCH POTS: choice of 3, poinsettia, ruscus, or dogwood. (Ideal for cemetery decorations as well.)
- Decorated and undecorated fresh wreaths made at our own floral shop in Edgerton. (Yes, America’s Best Flowers is in Edgerton now, too!)
- Roping, 25 and 50′ lengths (Perfect for your holiday decorating.)
- Bundled greens, assorted greens in 2.5 pound bundles. (More freshness for your holiday decorating.)
- Cyclamen, Christmas Cactus and Norfolk Island Pine trees in small and medium sizes. (A gift of nature for the holidays.)
- Frazier balsam mix trees (Available weekend after Thanksgiving!)
Decorated Holiday Mesh Ribbon Wreaths
These wreaths are perfect for indoor or outdoor decorating. Made by the talented staff at America’s Best Flowers!
Holiday Gift Giving Ideas
Americas Best Flowers gift cards are the perfect holiday gift and are available in any denomination of $10.00 or more. Youre bound to forget somebody during the holiday season, so why not have a few extra gift cards, just in case. Holidays and entertaining go together! Rather than giving the customary bottle of wine to your host and hostess why not give an Americas Best Flowers gift card?
We would be happy to take your gift card orders over the phone and mail the cards for you with a personal message for the recipient.
More America’s Best Flowers gift ideas!
- CORINTHIAN BELLS: chimes made in the USA with soft rich musical tones that blend together in harmony (limited quantities) (The perfect gift for ANY wind chime lover.)
- DRAMM WATER TIMER: Timers for hoses, waters up to 2 hours and then shuts off automatically. (Removes the Oh, oh, I forgot to turn the water off issue.)
- HERB GARDEN KITS: everything you need to start a winter indoor herb garden, seeds and soil discs included with containers in 3 colors.
- (Spring, year round…how wonderful!)
- WISCONSIN MADE METAL YARD ART: Dragonflies and butterfly. Quality made in West Bend WI. (limited quantities) (Does it get any better than Made in Wisconsin?)
- CERAMIC POTTERY: A wonderful assortment of pottery. (From simple to elegant and everything in between.)
You dont have to wait for spring to show these off! Theyll make great additions to your house plants.
- GARDEN TOADSTOOLS: Whimsical ceramic garden toadstools in a wide variety of colors. They are available in 2 sizes.
- METALLIC MUSHROOMS: A boxed set of 3 shiny copper garden stakes.
- DANCING DAISIES: Shiny copper metallic garden stake flowers. They are available in 2 sizes.
What does a shark eat with his peanut butter?
Jellyfish
Mini-Art in the Garden
Saturday and Sunday, November 17th and 18th
We invite you to stop in and shop at our greenhouse and our mini-Art in the Garden. Check out the following vendors that will be joining us.
Stay nice and cozy warm this winter!
Tom and Ginny Olson, Fevolden Farm Alpacas, will be here with their popular alpaca products. Over Forty Huacaya Alpacas make up the herd at the family farm in rural Black River Falls. Available for purchase will be socks, scarves, hats and gloves, sweaters and shawls, blankets and throws and even several sizes of teddy bears all made of alpaca fiber. Alpaca is one of softest, warmest fibers on the planet and as it has no lanolin, there is little or no allergic reaction unlike other natural fibers. Come watch as Ginny spins alpaca yarn during the two-day event.
Stylish Jewelry
If you enjoy making a bold fashion statement with one-of-a-kind jewelry, be sure to check out the organic wood, leather and iron creations of Mary Beth Goddard.
This is incredible jewelry!
What is that Scentsy?
Deb Coulthard will be here with her Scentsy Wickless Candles and Scents. This is a flame, smoke and soot free way of introducing the most amazing fragrances into your home. How? The Scentsy warmers use a low-watt bulb to slowly melt their specially formulated wax. The Scentsy warmers come in many different designs and styles. Deb is pretty sure youll find the perfect style and scent for your household.
Birds of a feather…
These birdhouses are not only functional, but they are a work of art. Many of them have copper roofs! Several different floor plans are available. Youll be the talk of the bird condo association!
Poinsettia Painting Workshop
Saturday, November 24th
Ongoing throughout the day between 9am to 3pm
Poinsettia painting is an opportunity to color (paint) a creamy white poinsettia with a custom color. We will have several custom colors available that you will spray onto the poinsettia to create your own decorator color. It is best to bring along an old LONG SLEEVED shirt or smock to wear while painting.
Holiday Centerpiece Workshop
Sunday, December 9th
Ongoing throughout the day between 9am to 3pm
Create your very own personal holiday table centerpiece this year. Start with an assortment of fresh greens and build your own base using florist’s foam. Then add assorted picks and ornaments that we have available or even add a candle or glass hurricane. And let the bragging begin.
The nights are getting colder…but not for Lucy!
Why not for Lucy, you ask? Well, Ill tell you. Lucy is snuggled right BETWEEN hubby and me. I know, I know, we spoil her. But were not alone now, are we?
What do you do to spoil your pet?
Send your pet spoiling story to me at abfscimino@yahoo.com.
`til next week,
~ Shirley
I came up with the flu and wanted my husband to do some of the housecleaning. I wasnt sure how to tell him, so I tried reverse pshychology.
Honey, Im sorry Im leaving you with such a mess, I said between sniffles. the laundry needs to be done, the dishes washed, the floors cleaned.
Dont you worry, he said sympathetically. It can all wait until you feel up to it.
Readers Digest, May 2012
Upcoming Events
Sat, Nov 17 – Sun, Nov 18 | Porch Pot & Wreath Workshop 9am – 3pm Pre-registration required |
Sat, Nov 17 – Sun, Nov 18 | Mini Art in the Garden 9am – 3pm We invite you to stop in and pick up your fresh winter decorating items and, to shop at our mini-Art in the Garden. We are planning on six local vendors joining us for the weekend. |
Sat, Nov 24 | Painting Poinsettias 9am – 3pm Pre-registration required |
Sun, Dec 9 | Holiday Centerpiece Workshop 9am – 3pm Pre-registration required |
Our Kitchen
Thanksgiving dinner theres nothing like it. The same meal fixed any other day of the year just isnt the same. Start with turkey, dressing, and gravy; add mashed potatoes, green bean casserole and apple salad, and finish with three kinds of pie. Aaahhh!!
If you are very brave, you might want to vary it up just a bit. I dont recall where I found the following recipe, so I cant give credit where it belongs, but, in a clear casserole, it would be a beautiful replacement for the traditional bowl of mashed potatoes on your table this year.
Layered Potato Casserole
- 4 large white potatoes, peeled and cooked
- 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cooked
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened, divided
- ½ c sour cream, divided
- ¼ t salt
- ¼ t pepper
- onion salt to taste
- ¼ c shredded parmesan cheese, divided
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Directions
Combine half the cream cheese and half the sour cream in a mixing bowl. Add white potatoes and mash together. Season with salt, pepper and onion salt. Add 2 T parmesan cheese and mix well.
In another mixing bowl, combine the remaining cream cheese and sour cream. Add sweet potatoes and mash together. Add seasonings and ¼ c cheddar cheese. Mix well.
Layer half the white potato mixture in a clear glass casserole dish, then half the sweet potato mixture. Repeat layers. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes (if potatoes are really warm) or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses and continue baking until cheese melts. About 5 more minutes.
Can be assembled in advance and refrigerated. Allow extra baking time. Makes about 10 servings. Recipe can be doubled. I used a large clear Pyrex bowl to bake the casserole.

Edward Knapton says Keep on Smiling!
Sec – Treasurer Berry Hill Farms, Inc.
DBA Americas Best Flowers Garden Center
4311 Vilas Hope Road
Cottage Grove, WI 53527
608-222-2269 Fax 608-222-1234 Cell 608-698-5627