Ellen Howrigan Paradee

One of my favorite things is having fresh flowers in my house.  I also love to garden.  Gardening is peaceful and rewarding and I especially love growing flowers!  Flowers make people smile, provide comfort, help us express our feelings and show people we care.  Cutting fresh flower bouquets for the table all summer is one of the many ways I make my house a home.
 

I work full time, am a Mom of four adult children and they are my greatest blessings.  I am the youngest of 5 and a farmgirl.  Some of my best memories are of riding our horses bareback all over the farm through the sugar woods and fields. There was always something that needed to be done on the farm.  I helped Mom with the bookkeeping, baking, gardening or whatever else, and worked with Dad and my brothers on the farm, milking cows, learning to drive on tractors and driving the teams of horses and gathering sap during sugaring. Sugaring remains a favorite time of year and drinking fresh, hot maple syrup from a tin cup at the sugarhouse is a much loved tradition.  My parents, Harold and Anne (Rowley) Howrigan, instilled in us the love of family, faith and our Irish heritage.  A strong work ethic was naturally born from their positive attitude and the example they lived, working together as a team, tirelessly through all of life’s challenges.
 

Gardening has been a favorite hobby of mine for years. Having my hands in the soil is therapeutic and provides great stress relief. I am grateful for all the support from my family and friends who have encouraged me to delve into this new venture. Turning a hobby into a small business is taking it to the next level.  I am nervous and excited about all of it. There are lots of possibilities and I hope to bring joy to your home.  I am looking forward to spring and all the growth that begins when things warm up, and in case you know me as Ellen, I’m Ellie too!