Sometimes the best Destinations are right at hand. On a gloomy day in Michigan, there’s nothing I like better than curling up with a good book.  Surprisingly, recently I was transported far away from the unseasonably grayness, not by a juicy novel, but a stunning book on flower arranging.

Oh, my, snore….snore.  I hear snickers.

You are right.  I’d rather be heading off to a great museum or sidewalk cafe in Paris.  But I’m not and can’t right now, so on a day when I need to create my own sunshine,   “Simply Elegant Flowers” with Michael George is my DesignDestination .

For most of my married life, which amazingly racks up to 2/3rds of my years on earth, I have always tried to have fresh flowers on the counter, kitchen table or someplace where we could enjoy them. I purchased them at farmer’s markets, the grocery store or plucked them from whatever our suburban garden could produce. Knowing my passion, sometimes my husband showed up grasping a parcel of posies.

In fact, I do hope that when I die and my kids reminisce, they’ll talk about the fact that they grew up with a bit of natural beauty. If I could write the script it might read,   “Mom wasn’t the best cook in the world and sometimes she got crabby about our messy rooms, but she always had fresh flowers on the table or in the house.”

My hope: They noticed the bouquet of freesia in the center of the table as they downed their Kraft Mac and Cheese or fish sticks.

I read some place that a secret to a happy life is giving oneself continuous small treats.  That’s what flowers are to me. Unfortunately I have no clue what to do with them or time to learn. I plunk my treasures into a vase and live with them until the blossoms wilt and need to be thrown out.

“Simply Elegant Flowers” is the answer.  Great photos of easy arrangements for people like me to copy.

Michael George created the flower arrangements for Calvin Klein, high-end hotels and fancy magazines. His style is minimalist, simple and elegant.

For the most part he simply puts a bunch of all the same color or same type of flower in a simple vase, often square, and, ta da, he’s done.

And so am I!