At Last, We Meet

 Today was filled with church (Ash Wednesday) and seeing some of Marie's friends. Oh, and we walked about 2 miles at the mall because it was cold and raining outside.

One of the parts of the Philadelphia Flower Show that I enjoy most is the various categories of Standard Flower Show competitions. This year, the theme for the table settings was "At Last, We Meet." The entries were to pair two famous people and set a table where they would meet for the first time.

There were four entries, and I'm going to show you the one that too last place, first, partly because I love it! OK... the judges said some of the plant material was wilted, but I thought it deserved a better showing just on creativity alone.

Title was "Of Gods and Monsters." It paired H.P. Lovecraft with Mary Shelly. The entry intent contrasted the primal fear and base instincts derived from Cthulhu, tentacled monster of the South Pacific, with Shelly's potential for good despite the creation of Frankenstein's monster.

Third place went to "Gift of a Golden Legacy" which paired Jane Pepper (longtime president of the Philadelphia Horticultural Society) with Lady Bird Johnson. Their intent said they "would meet to design a ribbon of gold to promote urban beautification."

The judges liked the concept, but they didn't think the arch was done well enough to score better.

"Poe and Pac" took second place. This is Edgar Allen Poe and the rapper Tupac. The intent stated, "Artistic souls collide, sharing visions of struggles and mortality."

The judges said it was brilliant and amusing, but didn't have enough variety in plant materials.

First place went to a rather conventional table setting. Ho hum. It's very nice, but I liked the ones that were a little more on the edge. This is "Crown Jewels," pairing Princesses Diana and Catherine. Intent: "The heartfelt connection of the two Princesses of Wales is evident."

The judges called it charming and bold and they also liked the miniature arrangements in the bookcase. (It's hiding behind the potted plant in my picture- I guess I missed their charm.) I wasn't even impressed enough to take two pictures.

There were some of the other categories where I did agree with the judges, maybe even more than most years. But the awards in this category don't work for me. It's not that I disliked the Princesses, but it seemed very uninspired to me.

Miles hiked in 2025: 31.3

See The Empress' Closet See Table Settings at 2015 Flower Show