Tulips at TJ's

Tulips abound in the Willamette Valley. There are Tulip Festivals happening right now from Woodburn to Sauvie Island where you can go and pick armloads of these happy flowers. But if you're like me and just can't seem to carve out the time in your weekend to drive for an hour to get there, there's a way to get just as many for not much more money.

Truthfully, I wait anxiously every year till the tulips bloom at my neighborhood Trader Joe's. For only $5.99 you get ten tulips that are just ready to open (I usually get two bunches at a time) and they last from a week to two weeks in a vase. And if you believe the very nice older lady who seems to be an employee but mostly walks around giving friendly advice to shoppers at my TJ's, if you put a penny in the vase each day they'll last longer and not get all slimy. Must be the copper that inhibits bacterial growth, though, according to the Wiki there's only 2.5% copper in our pennies these days. Just so you know.