Creating Through Life: Poinsettia Show

In August I wrote a post about my visit to Lauritzen Gardens and the contrast between Juan Kaneko sculptures and the natural setting. I was excited when I found out they put on a spectacular poinsettia show during the Christmas season. We decided to go on a free day fully expecting it to be crowed we just didn't realize how crowded.

They begin preparing for the show in July where they grow over 5,600 poinsettia plants in the greenhouses. The details that were put into this exhibit were incredible. The same model trains that I saw outside in August were moved indoors and weaved their way in and out of decorated trees and endless varieties of poinsettias. There was even a 20 foot tall tree made entirely out of poinsettias.

Even though there were people shoulder to shoulder and a line I still managed to get some great pictures. It was a great day until the unthinkable happened. I was off in my own little wonderland starting to focus in on the next picture when a lady asked if I could take her families' photo. You see I am an approachable person. I'm one of those people that others come up to in grocery stores and ask questions. I'm not sure why I guess I just look friendly and apparently like someone who might take a good family photo. This is not the first time I've been asked to take pictures for people and usually all goes well. So the husband hands me their camera and it all started with me pushing the wrong button accidentally. Then he takes it back and puts it on the correct screen and I prepare for the photo. Did I mention the line of shoulder to shoulder people are stopped at this point all waiting for the wonderful family and the nice girl to finish with the picture? Well I finished and started to hand it back to the family while looking at the screen preview to see if at least one of the pictures turned out. Next thing I know the camera is slowly crashing to the ground and everything is beginning to move in slow motion and according to my husbands detailed recollection the families' camera proceed to bounce not once, not twice, but at least three times before finally coming to a halt.

My heart literally jumped out of my chest I've never felt so embarrassed or terrible. I apologized repeatedly and I think they said it was okay. Everything else blurred together at that point because I felt so badly. The camera was in one piece and I pray that it works wonderfully for as long as they would like for it to. Or maybe Santa will bring them a new camera and they will forget all about their old one that was dropped at a poinsettia show by a "nice" looking girl. Our day of fun ended early at that point and I felt like I was in mourning the rest of the afternoon. I'm not sure how that camera fell out of my hand but my husband seems to think it might have been bumped out.

Did I learn anything from this unfortunate event? YES I did! From now on if people ask me to take their picture or handle anything that belongs to them I will politely decline and if they persist I will say that I'm clumsy and it comes with a risk. Truth be told I've dropped my camera quite a few times and I've gotten countless amounts of butter, melted chocolate, flour and other random spatterings all over it. Has anything like this ever happened to you? Please tell me I'm not the only one. It's official I now have a new most embarrassing moment that trumps the others. To end on a happy note I hope you will enjoy the pictures I took of the day before it took a turn for the worst. I would love to know if you have a favorite.