This week at Seashore Flower Farm in Cape May, NJ, we’re on Hughie duty.

Our sweet little mini-dachshund grand-dog is staying with us while my son Stephen and his girlfriend Addison are away, which means we’ve been gifted (yes, gifted) a full week with this tiny, long-bodied bundle of emotion.

If you’re not familiar with dachshunds, they’re often called “Velcro dogs.”

And that is not an exaggeration.

They follow you everywhere.

Bathroom? Yes.
Kitchen? Obviously.
Another room for no real reason? Absolutely.

And if, heaven forbid, you leave the house?

Emotional devastation.

Drop-Off Day: A Study in Attachment

Drop-off day is always… an experience.

Stephen heads for the door and I’m basically in a gentle-but-firm strangle-hold with Hughie, trying to keep him from launching himself after his dad.

Once Stephen is gone, Hughie begins the search.

Room to room.
Couch to doorway.
A full house sweep, just in case his dad is hiding somewhere.

When reality finally sets in, the sadness arrives.

He plants himself on the couch, far away from me or Steve, and just exists there.

Dogs barking outside? Nothing.
Dogs barking on TV? Normally he’d join right in, but now? Silence.

He eats his meals (let’s not get carried away, he’s still a dachshund), but with noticeably less enthusiasm.

This mood lasts the entire day.

And then…

The Next Morning, Everything Changes

It’s like a switch flips.

Hughie is back.

Perky.
Happy.
Fully present.

And this is where dogs quietly teach us something important.

They don’t dwell.
They don’t replay yesterday.
They don’t borrow worry from tomorrow.

Yesterday is gone.
Today is new.
Snacks are available.
Life is good.

Why Growing Local Flowers Is About Living in the Present

And honestly? That’s a big part of why I grow flowers here on our small flower farm in Cape May.

Flowers ask us to show up now.

To notice what’s blooming.
To pay attention to what’s changing.
To find comfort and beauty in the present moment, even when the season feels long.

As a Cape May flower farmer, I see it every year:

Winter feels endless.
The fields are quiet.
The wind is sharp.

And then, almost suddenly, something shifts.

The first daffodils open.
Light changes.
Color returns.

Local, seasonal flowers are powerful that way. They remind us that things turn. That joy shows up again. That what feels dormant is often just preparing for what’s next.

That’s the deeper promise behind every bouquet we grow — whether it’s a spring flower subscription, a mason jar bouquet from our Cape May flower stand, or flowers for a small wedding by the shore.

It’s not just about the flowers.

It’s about the feeling.

Farm Update: Spring Flowers Are Closer Than You Think

On the farm front, I’m still hopeful we’ll get seedlings planted in the field by Valentine’s Day.

Temperatures have been warming, and I’m crossing my fingers that most of the snow continues to melt.

My seed room is starting to feel tight — which, in flower-farmer language, is excellent news. It means warm-season sowing is right around the corner, including seedlings for our Cut Flower Growing Kit members.

And knowing that flowers will start blooming in about six weeks — beginning with our fancy daffodils — honestly warms my heart.

For anyone searching for:

  • Cape May flower farm updates

  • When do daffodils bloom in New Jersey?

  • Spring flower subscriptions in Cape May

  • Locally grown flowers near me

Here’s your answer: we’re almost there.

Spring is coming.

Hughie agrees. 🐾