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Hawkeye fans help build Rose Parade floats

Sherman told The Gazette. “We were so excited Iowa was going to be here.” Although Sherman and Iowa City Hy-Vee employee Laurel Hollopeter, 55, of Victor, are the only Iowa residents working for Fiesta — among the largest builders of floats for the parade — others with Iowa ties have their hands involved in the intricate and elaborate floral arrangements on some of the 40-plus parade floats. And, Sherman said, they all stand out this year. “Everyone is noticing the Iowa people,” she said. This is the eighth year Hollopeter has headed west to help prepare floats for the parade, but this will be just his second game. And he bought the tickets months ago on a hunch. “When we purchased our tickets back in September, Iowa was doing well and I had this feeling,” he said. “I had an inkling they would be going.” Hollopeter, a floral manager for Hy-Vee, said his love affair with flowers blossomed decades ago — he began working in the field in 1979 and attended Kirkwood Community College for horticulture. Helping with floral float arrangements was an outgrowth of his passion. “It was just something I always wanted to do,” he said. Hollopeter does parade work only once a year — for the Rose Parade — and every float he’s worked on has won some type of prize, including the grand prize sweepstakes. This year, Hollopeter is working on the Fiesta-backed Dole Packaged Foods float that has chosen the theme “soaring in paradise” in conjunction with the larger parade theme of “Find Your Adventure.” The detailed floral work involves tropical flowers decorated in a sort of jungle motif, with elephants, lions, leopards, and snakes mixed in, Hollopeter said. According to Rose Parade officials, float preparations actually begin almost immediately after the previous year’s parade ends. The process involves planning, developing a frame of steel... http://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/hawkeye-fans-help-build-rose-parade-floats-20151230

Deck the halls with plants aplenty

Norfolk pine trees and Christmas cactuses. The connection of others, like paperwhites, laurel and rosemary, to the Christmas holiday is less known, but no less established. advertisement Which plants are a danger to pets? Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima)Its sap can irritate pets' mouths and stomachs, sometime causing vomiting, but its toxicity has been generally overrated.AmaryllisToxic to dogs and cats. Can cause vomiting, depression, diarrhea, abdominal pain, hyper-salivation, anorexia and tremors.Paperwhites (Narcissus)Toxic to dogs and cats. Can cause vomiting, salivation and diarrhea. Large ingestions cause convulsions, low blood pressure, tremors and cardiac arrhythmias. The bulbs are the most poisonous part.Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii)Nontoxic to dogs and cats.Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis)Toxic to dogs and cats. Can cause vomiting and diarrhea. Large ingestion of whole leaves can cause obstruction.Rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis)Nontoxic to dogs and cats.Courtesy of the Chicago Botanic Garden and the ASPCA. Kathie Hayden, manager of the Chicago Botanic Garden's Plant Information Service, says maintenance of these holiday-related plants after the holidays can be tricky and virtually none of them do well in Chicago's tough climate, so they must live out their lives in pots inside the house. Some, however, will enjoy living on porches, patios or decks during the summer months. Poinsettias These are the most common of holiday plants and they come in deep, vibrant red, as well as pink, white, speckled and even marble... http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20151215/entlife/151219986/

Florist leads project that sent 4300 yellow roses to Hawkeyes

It ended up there were over 200 pieces of arrangements that went over the the football facility," Laurel Hollopeter said. Hollopeter, the floral manager at the HyVee on S. First Avenue in Iowa City, got the call he was chosen to lead a project sending 4,300 roses to the Hawkeye football team and athletic staff in under 24 hours, he knew it would be no problem. "I never say never," he said. "You know, you give me a task, I'll make sure it's always done, and done the right way." Hollopeter says this is the biggest project he's ever done under such a short deadline. Because he has an eye for design, Hollopeter has also been invited to the Rose Bowl to work on the Rose Parade's Fiesta Dole Food Company float. While this is the first time Hollopeter has led a project like this, this won't be his first time at the Rose Bowl. In fact, it will be his 8th time there. "The first year I volunteered, and then I actually called Fiesta to get some information for the newspaper at home," he said. "and they said, well we actually wanted to call you because we want you to come back the next year, and we're gonna pay you to be on our design team." This year, however, will hold a special place in Hollopeter's heart. "I've lived a lifetime dream," he said. "and now this year... http://www.kwwl.com/story/30699990/2015/12/08/florist-leads-project-that-sent-4300-yellow-roses-to-hawkeyes