Secret Gardens

Thank you everyone for all of your well wishes for my dear friend Dan in the UK.  Taking this weekend off to relax and concentrate on those I love and the things that matter most to me was wonderful!  

On Saturday Mr. Tide and I went for a nice long paddle in the kayaks, complete with a walk along the beach in search of sea glass and a beautiful sunset.  When we reached our creek from the river it was under the light of a full moon undergoing a lunar eclipse.  So by the soft reddish pink of the moon we headed home where we roasted marshmallows in 90 degree heat with our son on our new fire pit!  It seemed silly to have a fire going in the hot, humid weather but it helped me to just slow down a bit and to enjoy the simple things life has to offer!

While I was sitting enjoying the evening, eating slightly scorched marshmallows and watching the lightning bugs flit about, I remembered that I had some great photos of gardens I had taken last weekend while doing scouting shots at two beautiful homes.  So I thought I would share these pretty gardens with all of you!

The garden above is just as charming as the house to which it belongs!

There are whimsical elements like this rusted rabbit holding a pot of colorful marigolds!  Don't you love that pink rake?!

And the potting shed with it's rustic charm and white picket fence could be straight out of a fairytale!

The owners of this beautiful home and garden are hospitable, kind, and humble.  And their garden mimics those qualities, creating beauty in a quiet unassuming manner that makes you want to stay and linger as you wander from one lovely spot to the next!

Vibrant overflowing flower boxes add to the cottage feel and hint at the lovely decor inside.

Lush plantings in the foreground are like an accessory to the stunning backdrop beyond!

The gardens are full of color and feel as though they were effortlessly created for a Victorian cottage by the sea!

A cottage filled with romance, or perhaps one owned by a famous writer who drew inspiration from her surroundings!

And although there are no gardeners or Victorian ladies to tend to this tranquil yard, just hardworking homeowners, it is a place where at every turn you are inspired to think, reflect, or maybe even pen that famous novel!

This huge Ash tree resides at the second gorgeous home I was lucky enough to photograph!  I can't even imagine how old this grand dame of a tree must be, but I know that it has seen a season or two in its time to be this massive!

This stately farm has a few other things to look at besides trees and flowers.  Beautiful horses grace this 60 acre spread, and when you drive down the long lane you feel like you're on a movie set from Gone With The Wind!

This 1800's farmhouse boasts plenty of beautiful landscaping to welcome family and friends.

And the owners, friends I've known for years now, love to entertain and share their gracious home with others!  They can even ring the dinner bell when it's time to come inside and pick a bushel of crabs!

Like the first home and garden I showed you, if I had a home like one of these I would want to share them with everyone too!

Like every historic farmhouse should, this home has gardens that are not too fussy, but still beautiful to look at!

And like the owners, there is a sense of whimsy and fun found all around the property!  They love nothing more than to have their two sweet granddaughters over to swim in the pool or go for a pony ride!

I think a garden can tell you a lot about the people who created it.  Those who like formal gardens tend to be very orderly, wonderfully methodical, and they thrive on the precision of everything neatly in it's place.   Those with a cottage style garden are often more artistic,  romantic, and introspective.  While farmhouse gardens are often created by free spirits, where a few weeds or spent blooms don't seem to matter so long as everyone is happy, and where a little mud tracked in from the garden is never a big deal!

I'm not quite sure where I fall into those generalizations.  I think I have a bit of all 3 of them in me!  How about you, what is your secret garden style?!

Slow Down You Move Too Fast

First of all I wanted to thank everyone for all of the wonderful comments about Doug and Ms. M's flowers, I know they really appreciate it!  And I also wanted to remind those of you who haven't already entered that there's still time to enter my latest Giveaway...just click HERE to find out more!

Remember that old song by Simon and Garfunkel with the lyrics Slow Down You Move Too Fast?  Well that song pretty much personifies my life these days...moving way too fast and not being able to "make the morning last!"  Or the afternoon, or evening for that matter!

Yesterday I got up bright and early and drove 3 hours to a wonderful B&B on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, pictured above.  The house was charming and the owners were more than gracious, serving me wonderful mint tea, letting me invade their space, snap a bunch of photos, and ask a million questions!  I'll be featuring this wonderful B&B in a post next week, along with a giveaway of a book written by Carol, one of the owners, so be sure to check back to see much more of this wonderful getaway!

In case you are wondering if I decided to try some new action or texture on the photos of this beautiful old home, the answer would be no!  It was actually 95 degrees outside when I arrived at the B&B with a heat index of over 100 degrees, and after a 3 hour car ride in cooled comfort, my camera lens decided to revolt against the oppressive heat and humidity and fog up!  I promise the rest of the photos I'll be showing you will be crisp and clear, but I kind of liked the ethereal look of some of the shots I took...they had a dream like quality to them.  And because the story behind this house and its current owners is a bit of a dream come true, I thought they were fitting!

After spending several hours with the delightful owners of the B&B, it was time to start the 3 hour journey back home.  As I was driving down the rural road towards home, I spied this...Oak Creek Sales.

And across the street was this...also run by Oak Creek Sales!

I was tired, bedraggled by the heat, and ready to just head home to my nice comfy house, but when I see "stuff" stacked, propped, and stuffed in an old shed or storefront, well let's just say that it's like a moth to a flame for me!  I find it irresistible, so of course I pulled in to take a look around!

To say that owner Chuck Kilmon has a few things for sale is kind of like saying that the Sahara has a few grains of sand!

Thankfully, Mr. Tide wasn't with me, this is not his kind of store, so I was free to wander at will and take it all in!

This beautiful piece of Calico Burleighware caught my eye immediately, it matches my platter and those plates I bought a while back!  Can't you just see this filled with red geraniums for the 4th of July!  This is one of those things you pass up and later kick yourself over...*kicks self*!

There were sections of of old iron fencing, slabs of marble, beautiful planters, and other statuary with just the perfect amount of  rust and patina on them!

Antique rockers and old weather worn wicker just begging for a porch to sit on once more!

And items that gave a nod to the shop's location, just a stone's throw away from the water.

Chuck has an eye for the unusual like this heart shaped iron piece with a cherub motif.  Some of his finds have even made their way into the movies.  He's been called on more than once to provide props for various films!

And these mermaids didn't seem to mind the searing heat yesterday, I wish I could say that I looked this glamorous after being out in the afternoon sun!  

Even the Antiques sign was decorated with antiques!  And I didn't even dare to take my camera inside, where you'll find china, crystal, and a myriad of other wonderful items!  The lighting was low inside and I would have needed my tripod...which is why I only took pictures of the exterior.  The inside is jam packed, with no room to spare for big bulky camera equipment, but it's definitely worth a gander...just be sure to go around 3 or 4 times to make sure you see everything!

After chatting with Chuck from Oak Creek Sales (who couldn't have been any nicer) and resisting temptation by leaving behind the blue Burleighware *sigh*, I spied this wonderful little restaurant right next door called Bella Luna Italian Market, which Chuck highly recommended!

It was now almost 3:00 pm and when I stuck my head inside it was clear that they were done serving lunch and they were preparing for the dinner crowd to arrive later that evening.  When I asked if they were still serving, the two super friendly girls up front, Michele and Katelyn, nicely offered to ask the chef if he could make me up a little something!

Maybe it was because I looked like a drowned rat, a wet noodle, or maybe even a little bit like a crazy woman...trust me heat and humidity do not make my hair look very stellar, but the chef agreed, and as the only customer in the place, I was treated to one of the best sandwiches I've ever had!  Thanks guys!

It was on the most delicious crusty bread with turkey, provolone, lettuce and fresh pesto!  And served with a side of homemade pasta salad with fresh tomatoes, greens, and yummy feta cheese!  It was all I could do to eat half of the sandwich and most of the pasta salad and I even treated myself to a coke, something I don't normally do!

After I finished my very late lunch I headed back towards home, driving through an amazing thunderstorm as I crossed the Bay Bridge (nothing like high winds and rain when you're at the top of a very tall bridge!), and then making one last stop before getting home almost exactly 12 hours later!  I had hoped to meet up with my dear friend and old college roomie, Diane, but time just didn't permit it this trip.  So now I have an excuse to head back over to Royal Oak, Maryland sometime, and I know that along with seeing Di, I'll also be dining at Bella Luna and nosing around Oak Creek Sales once again!

And as far as slowing down, I've decided to take the weekend off.  I need a little breather and some time to reflect on the news that one of my dearest friends in the world is losing his battle with cancer.   

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and I'll see you next week!

The Art of Flowers

You know how some people have a secret desire to be a famous movie star, professional athlete, or a rock star?  Well I secretly would love to be an artist, not a wonderful painter but an artist who creates art through flowers!

Years ago I would have said that if I could be anything I would want to be a professional tennis player, but now that my joints say otherwise, it's floral designing that tugs at my heart strings.  Recently I was able to watch two very talented designers at work preparing arrangements for a huge engagement party.  

You've heard me talk about my mother's dear friend (The Devine Ms. M as I call her) who has created so many of the wonderful flower arrangements my family has enjoyed over the years, including my wedding, but this time she wasn't working alone!  With so many flowers needed for this particular event she called on her dear friend and fellow florist, Doug Vogel.

I have heard so many wonderful things about Doug Vogel, he's worked together with Ms. M for years, so it was great fun to finally meet him and to watch the two of them work together!  The shop was full of flowers, commotion, and most of all beautiful, artistic masterpieces created by these two talented artists!

The homeowner hosting the party brought them this stunning vase to fill.  It's a beautiful piece of art in and of itself...

But it becomes breathtaking when artfully filled with orchids and greenery!

Just look at these Cymbidium orchids!

And these beautifully delicate Oncidium orchids!

If I were to try and put something like this together it would not look so effortless and jaw dropping, even with that amazing container to work with!  

Having the imagination and ability to take flowers, or even fruit, and turn them in to a work of art is a talent and one that I jealously covet!

Being able to take single blossoms, such as this perfect yellow rose...

And turn it in to this is a skill that can't be taught.  Just as with any art form, you can hone your skills, train under masters, but you must first and foremost have the ability to create and have that innate vision!

And you have to be willing to think outside the box and grow as an artist, something that both Ms. M and Doug clearly do very, very well!  I love the combination of the bright red peppers and those fresh yellow lemons!

And just look at this stunning arrangement!

Each one of these rose, lily, carnation, and calla lily filled arrangements sat atop a large glass vase as you saw in the photo above this one.  

And each of the large glass vases which served as bases were then filled with fresh mint, lemons, and more of those tasty red peppers.  Here is Doug working on one for the engagement party which was held outside beneath tents.  There were 28 table arrangements alone, and that didn't include food tables, flowers for inside the house, etc.!!

Each floral work of art was created with the most lovely and nearly perfect blossoms.

Like this beautiful white Fuji mum!

Or my personal favorite, this simple yellow Gerber Daisy!

Every which way you turned there were beautiful flowers, which were even more beautifully styled!

I love this photo because it really gives you an idea of how large these floral arrangements were!  It took 2 floral designs several days to create all of this, and 3 people to set everything up!  

Pictured above are two arrangements packed up and ready for delivery.  It was really something to watch as they gently packaged everything up and got it ready to be taken to the location of the party!  Matthew, a young man who works part time for Ms. M, helped pack, transport, load, and unload all of these along with Doug Vogel and Ms. M...phew can you imagine?!  Those vases get very heavy when filled with flowers, and water soaked oasis!

As much as I would love to be able to create beautiful works of art with flowers, the realist in me knows that it's not always sunshine and roses in this line of work.  Sometimes you can't get the flowers you need, or they aren't open (Ms. M had to put these yellow lilies outside to try and force them to open...which thankfully they did!), sometimes the flowers don't arrive at all or look half dead, or are the wrong color!  And when you are a floral designer your weekends are never your own.  Every Saturday and Sunday you're busy creating and delivering flowers for weddings, birthdays, funerals, church... you name it!  And forget ever having another peaceful Mother's Day, Easter, Christmas....the list goes on and on!

So I think I'll stick to writing, taking pictures, and blogging.  By comparison, my job is a walk in the park!  But I'm so very happy for people like Ms. M and Doug Vogel who have made it their passion to make the world a more beautiful place through the art of flowers!

Be sure to visit Doug Vogel's blog, by clicking HERE, where you can find out more about Doug, his amazing floral creations, and how you can learn to create beautiful flower arrangements through the great classes he offers!