#1241 thorns

I love fresh flowers, and almost always have a bouquet on my kitchen counter.  I buy them at the farmer's market or at the grocery store; nothing fancy, but they make me smile.

Over Labor Day, the whole display of flowers at Walmart was decrepit.  I figured that someone forgot to water them over the holiday weekend and didn't think much of it.  But then it happened again, and again for a third weekend.  The flowers on prime display -- what you see when you first walk in -- were a carousel of d.e.a.d. blooms.

Obviously Walmart's procedures didn't evolve to accommodate a product that requires more attention than the stocking of tissues or garbage bags. There are times when it is wiser to stick with a narrow offering and do what you do well.  This was one of those times.  

The next time you are tempted to expand into areas that require a different type of expertise than what you currently master, head into the garden with caution.  Roses have blooms, but they also have thorns -- which live much longer than the blossoms do.

-- beth triplett
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