'My Kate Parker Wedding' Vendor Spotlight!

 

We are really excited to be a part of the "My Kate Parker Weddings" family of wedding professionals.  Kate is a class act and we were honored to be recently highlighted in one of her vendor spotlights!  Thanks Kate!! : )


Check it out:

My Kate Parker Wedding Vendor Spotlight 

 

Goodbye Momma and Papa

I've been avoiding this post---I suppose for the same reason one avoids the dentist--if you don't go you fool yourself into thinking that avoidance is better,  so you uncomfortably live a little longer in the realm of denial...but, really that's just stupid....

We at Apotheca are so blessed to have regular customers who have become like extended members of my already extended family!  Many know, but to those who don't know, or have not yet formally heard, my parents and youngest bro have moved back to the homeland--aka Minnesota.  Or in the words of  Garrison Keillor  to "where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average."  actually that was Lake Wobegon, specifically, but, whatever.  


It's my fault really.  I was the mastermind behind the plan of familial congregation.  I am from a family of 9 children (yes, dad is the Mack) and a little togetherness was quite over-due.  ( no this pix is NOT my family, but let lemme tellya, at Christmas with all the kids and grandkids, it kinda feels like it!).


It was wonderful for a long while, and I don't regret one moment of our close geographic proximity  The memories we've been left with are far too goodl!...but as is the case with very good things-- like dark belgian chocolate-- it soon melts completely in your mouth and slithers down your throat and before long your left with nothing more than subtly flavored saliva-  which does linger quite nicely.  (Sorry, I'm in a really weird mood...speaking of chocolate Mom, we haven't ordered any in a long time!  Maybe we should look into Cafe Tasse again?...)

In the time that I have been dawdling -- I've decided that the written offering should be more of a commemoration to the Burney clan's contribution to Apotheca rather than a good-bye, so....


In the month of December, 2005 
I was scared out of mind and sense and cracked the egg on a crazy plan I had to start a business.  I pitched it to a few close friends and, of course, my fabulous family.  

It is first necessary for you to understand that I come from a bloodline of dreamers and risk takers and mild idiots.  They have all lived life to the fullest---not always made choices that benefited the bank account, but choices that left them with family, good friends, and tales of adventure.  So it shouldn't have surprised me one bit when they hopped on the saddle and said, "alright, hon, go for it.  Here's 5k.  Pay us back when you can..."  but it did surprise me... to tears, actually.

Once the decision was made, I took a step forward and didn't look back.  One of my first business relationships was established with Marshall Malone of Portsmouth Tea Company.  My Mom came with me.  I didn't know what the heck I was doing--neither did she--but we were both a little braver having the other by our side.  I was negotiating with Marshall to sell and serve his tea.  At the time Portsmouth Tea Company was in virgin flight itself!  I remember Marshall asking me what I was going to do if it didn't work.  I said, "if what didn't work?"   "the business." he replied.  The question took me a bit off guard.  "It has to work.  It will work. There really isn't another option".  My Mom then went into a monologue about my business sense and stubborn determination and creative eye for detail and design.  If I could just believe and be everything she thought I was, I knew I'd be just fine : )  Marshall took a chance on me, I'm so grateful for that!  Thanks Marshall. (pix of Mom in the old shop)

 Mom's role evolved from cheerleader and co-brainstormer, to being those things plus my full-out office manger, taking care of payroll, billing, and designing and maintaining our website--most of which she is still doing from Minnesota BTW!  (Mom at her home office, Brynne 'helping' with paperwork.)


Dad's just as much a dreamer--but even more the facilitator.  I grew up hearing Mom say, " So Russ, I was thinking...what if we...."  Dad would usually interject with an "Oh boy, here it comes....." but he loved it : )  When they lived in Cantwell, Alaska, he started the 'Cantwell Spring Rendezvous'.  People come from all over to gather in an otherwise obsolete town for a small scale version of the winter games--Alaska style.  Trapsetting, Barefoot Races on the Ice, Dog Sled Racing, Shooting Contests, etc.   Dad made it happen years ago and it's still celebrated there today! I have a feeling a connection to one of Mom's hairbrained schemes could be found somewhere in that!

So, when Apotheca was ready to expand in the Spring of '08, my dad (retired AirForce, Vietnam Vet, Business Owner, Furniture Salesman, Carpenter--known to most of the shop family as 'Papa') spent the better part of every waking moment for 3 months helping me bring my "vision for the space" into a workable reality.  How blessed am I?!?

That period of time will forever be at the top of cherished memories for me!  The kiddos making forts and running about the construction site, me bouncing ideas off of Mom, my little bros and Matt bringing me back to earth with what I really could do and couldn't do, Caleb and Ben and Mij building our "shed" (flower cooler), Matt masterminding the espresso bar and Dad bringing it all together. 

I remember cringing as we waited for our Certificate of Occupancy, and feeling the love pour in when a whole slew of customers showed up and volunteered their time to help us move in! 
 Dad's role morphed from facilitator and babysitter to gopher man and cheer committee.  Working his Charisma to it's fullest extent, he picked up paperwork, bagels, made loose-end deliveries and our Sam's run; of course making friends and brightening everyone's day at each locale--not to mention giving Apotheca a plug whenever he could!  By the way, Dad, you're chair 's a little lonely without you, Kristin misses making your Carmel Lattes, Kim from Panera says hi (again), and Brynne is still hoping her birthday wish comes true.....

So, a lot of our customers have asked , "why in the world did they move!?!"  My response is usually, " I have no idea, they are crazy."  I have a confession though.  Deep down, I get it.  The sky was calling their name.  You know, at least those who have traveled West...you know.  The open space?  Flight?  Something New...Yet familiar.  They supressed it for as long as they could.  I miss them, so much some days that the ache gets all balled up in my throat --but I get it.

The Open Road Leading to Open Sky

Late Sunset at The Cornfield

Dad on his tractor : )

So, late on the night before we officially opened in the new space at our beloved train station in July of last year, I crossed the street with a stool and just sat, watching my family bustling inside.  I took some pictures of our beautifully lit space, and marveled at how we all worked to bring it together.   I caught a glimpse of my feet...  I remember wondering, "so,size 10's, where are you gonna be next year?"  I snapped a picture.  

Here I am.  

  You never know exactly where the path leads, and you're always going to have your ups and your downs.  But man, life is a gift.  I am so grateful for the people that love me, and that I love with all my heart.  Thanks Mom and Dad and Kim, Lisa, Jeff, Tim, Josh, Ben, Caleb, Jeremiah, Matt, and my Noah and Brynne.  And thank you to the incredible people I work with everyday, and thank you to the customers that support, encourage, and keep us going.  
And, God, You are one rockin' Dude.  : )  Thank you.

"The freedom and simple beauty is too good to pass up..."

                                               --Christopher McCandless

"Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time."  ~John Lubbock

 Our Late Summer Palette Pops with hot yellows, blues, corals, and herbs.

Gorgeous Kiero Roses

Local Coral Zinnias

You can catch a glimpse in this shot of the Artemesia, Scented Geranium, Mint, and Sage

  We have a great selection of old world style boxes and cement containers

We love these primitive-meets-contemporary clear cubes.  

They are topped with a metal lid with various holes for fresh blooms.

New tins in 3 different shapes and sizes and 3 different hues, fawn grey, light celery, and soft yellow.

Great Cement Containers

August's flower of the month is the Gladiolus

                                {half price all month!}

The language of flowers developed during the highly conservative period of the Victorian era. The Victorians were strongly restricted by the rules of etiquette when it was considered totally inappropriate to express feelings of love or affection. The "Language of Flowers" therefore evolved when a message was assigned to specific flower such as the Gladiolus. A lover could then send flowers which conveyed a hidden romantic meaning.

The meaning of the August Birth Flower, the Gladiolus

is sincerity & symbolizes strength of character.

The hidden message of the Birth Flower, the Gladiolus, so favored during the Victorian era was  "Love at first sight".*

*courtesy of www.birthstones.org

Shaker Village Photo Shoot

These are some flowers we prepared for a small photo shoot at the Cantebury Shaker Village.  It is an amazing 694 acre wonderland, filled with history and charm....Diane Sage of Sage Studios and her team did a great job and we were thrilled to be a part of it!

A Dianthus holds his own rather well.  It's amazing what 

a puffed up 'do' can do.

This was solely a leaf bouquet with a composite 

flower made of cymbidium orchid petals in the middle.

This is one of the headpieces sold at the shop designed 

by our own Patti Tuttle of linnett studios!

George Welch

We are excited to feature the fine photography of George Welch for July and August!! Artist Reception on June 25th from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. Come and join us to meet the artist and get a first look at his work!

Oh Oscar

"The artist is the creator of beautiful things.  To reveal art and conceal the artist is art's aim.  The critic is he who can translate into another manner or a new material his impression of beautiful things.  The highest, as the lowest, form of criticism is a mode of autobiography. 

Those who find ugly meanings in beautiful things are corrupt without being charming.  This is a fault.  Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated.  For these there is hope.  They are the elect to whom beautiful things mean only Beauty.  There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book.  Books are well written, or badly written.  That is all.

The moral life of man forms part of the subject-matter of the artist, but the morality of art consists in the perfect use of an imperfect medium.  

No artist desires to prove anything.  Even things that are true can be proved.   

No artist has ethical sympathies.  An ethical sympathy in an artist is an unpardonable mannerism of style.

No artist is ever morbid.  The artist can express everything.

Thought and language are to the artist instruments of an art.

Vice and Virtue are to the artist materials for an art.

From the point of view of form, the type of all the arts is the art of the musician.  From the point of view of feeling, the actor's craft is the type.

All art is at once surface and symbol.

Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril.

Those who read the symbol do so at their peril.

It is the spectator, and not the life, that art really mirrors.

Diversity of opinion about a work of art shows that the work is new, complex, and vital.

When critics disagree the artist is in accord with himself. 

We can forgive a man for making a useful things as long as he does not admire it.  The only excuse for making a useless thing is that one admires it intensely.

All art is quite useless."

--Oscar Wilde

Ocean Bouquet

We opted for a deconstructed loose and free feel for this 

oceanside bouquet.

We gave a sophisticated feel to the chaos by clustering different design elements together such as thistle, hydrangea, lilac and lisianthus.

The coral was a fun textural and structural element!