Books in Bloom

The Gustavus Library Associates held the 3rd Annual Books in Bloom event at the Gustavus library this weekend. The gist of the fund raiser is that a donor gives some money to the GLA to have someone create a floral interpretation of a piece of literature of the donor's choice. The floral designer, amateur or professional, volunteers time and materials, and the results are put on display in the library. It is set up on a Friday. On Saturday the event is punctuated with hoopla, fanfare, speeches, and dignitaries. On Sunday, those of us who don't dress as nicely (I'm speaking on behalf of myself only) show up to look around and enjoy the flowers, the books, and the creativity.

Miles and Westy happened to be in town to have lunch and some fun with Grandpa Dave and Grandma Doreen on Sunday. They stopped at our house for a quick visit on their way to D and D's, and I mentioned to Annie that I was going to the library to see Books in Bloom in the afternoon. She rounded up the rest of her family and also D and D, and got a jump start on the tour of flowers before I could get up to campus. When I finally arrived, I found Westy admiring our friend Margie's interpretation of The Night Circus. 

Miles was enthralled by a fairy garden created to depict the settling of the American West. No fairies to be found, but lots of miniature vegetation and artifacts that were a treat to look at. I wish you could see all the incredible details in this arrangement.

The highlight of Books in Bloom was learning that we had an expert among us. And here he is, closely examining an interpretation of Faith Sullivan's book, Gardenias. He immediately discovered that the red flowers are carnations, not gardenias, and would have reported the designer to the flower police, had one been nearby at the time. Instead, he attributed the discrepancy to poetic license.

Tanner was interviewed by reporter who was covering Books in Bloom for the Free Press. Considering the fact that Tanner had made the trek to St. Peter to get away from Owatonna snow and to shoot some golf balls at Shoreland, we could only wonder what quotes would be attributed to him in Monday's newspaper. I'll wait until Monday to post this, and you can click on this link to find out.

Miles was happy to get a book mark to take home. He decided it looked nice tucked into his shoe, apparently to help him keep track of where he's walking. 

The Grimmius group departed, since they'd gotten a head start, and I continued on to see what was on the main floor. The one jaw-dropper among the displays was this incredible dragon, representing The Hobbit. Chuck Eggert's artistic talents are quite amazing. The pictures don't do it justice.

Books for kids and young adults were represented as well. The Hunger Games had a lovely arrangement, but no explanation as to why the colors and flowers were chosen, and I'm not enough of an abstract thinker to be able to give an interpretation. Maybe the red and orange flowers represent the "girl on fire"? The author used many plant names for people -- Katniss, Primrose, Rue -- and plants played a prominent role in the story, whether poisonous or medicinal.  I took a quick look online and found this great website with photos and descriptions that the floral designer could have used for ideas. Where was I when she needed me??

A Mankato garden center was the designer for Lois Ehlert's book, Planting a Rainbow. At first I was irritated that they didn't have a more elegant container for their presentation instead of a plain old black plastic plant starter container. But, after thinking about it a bit, I realized they were showing how these plants were now started (like in the book) and would be planted into a garden. So pretty. I do have to mention that it took all my will power not to turn the container around so it would "read" ROY G. BIV from left to right instead of from right to left...

The most fun display of the entire event was this one, representing Because of Winn-Dixie, by Kate DiCamillo. I have a warm spot in my heart for that story for its sweetness and innocence, and also because Teresa and I met DiCamillo when she was still an unknown in the literary world. Many years ago she was the last minute replacement for a keynote speaker at a writing conference where Teresa and I presented. We sat down next to her before the conference started and introduced ourselves. She'd never heard of us and we'd never heard of her. She still hasn't heard of us, but she's gone on to write many more books, some wonderful and some too commercial. But that's for another discussion, and since neither Teresa nor I have gone on to fame and fortune or to best-seller lists, I won't go on.

Here's cute little Winn-Dixie, riding in a grocery cart at the (where else?) Winn-Dixie grocery store.

The sun is shining and the air is warming up at last. No more snow? I hope not. It's time for more than books to bloom around here!!