Freeform Friday: Feed Your Soul Replay

This Time Last Year

 It's fun to go back and see what I was doing a year ago.  Come to find out, my mother and I had taken a day to enjoy the beauty of Fuller Gardens. Trust me, you don't want to miss these flowers and the beauty of the gardens. I do remember this........it was hotter than hell. Just shy of 100 degrees. And we even went through the greenhouse! What are we nuts? Check out our visit here. 

Lately, I've been feeding my soul by painting with watercolors. Not enough in the last couple of weeks, but I did paint something for my niece's baby shower last weekend. Something for the nursery which will soon welcome her and her husband's first baby. 

It's something I say, usually as an inscription in a book for baby, when a new little one arrives. This one for my great niece-to-be, Olivia.

I wish I'd taken a picture of it in the frame, because it looked very nice.

It's always nice to give something you made to someone you love for a special occasion, don't you think? What's the last thing you made for someone?


Freeform Friday

I've never heard of Xavier Rudd, but my friend down under- Andrea of Strong Southerly was kind enough to introduce us. This song is beautiful..........and the video has some incredible nature imagery. It makes me feel good. Enjoy. Click here if you're reading via email.





No big plans this weekend other than getting ourselves ready for our big annual Independence Day Lobster Bake! Oh and pool time for sure.

Be well my friends and have a great weekend.

Ciao for now,

Feed Your Soul: Fuller Gardens/Part 3

 

Never Ending Roses

 

A couple of weeks ago, my mother and I visited Fuller Gardens, a local turn of the century estate garden. The Fullers created a beautiful garden that they have shared with the public for many, many years.

 

It's a beautiful place and we were lucky to go when the roses are in full bloom. If you missed the other posts, you can start your Fuller Gardens tour with us here and then here.

 

Today we leave the conservatory, back into the side rose garden and the dahlia garden. 

 

 

Oh my, that lilac rose. Heavenly.

A view back across the side rose garden to the conservatory.

I wish there was something to give you better scale of this yellow dahlia. It was nearly as big as a child's head. I've not idea how the stem even held it up.

Next time, we'll be heading into the Japanese Garden and the Front Rose Garden.

So much lovliness to feed the soul.


Today is my sister Gloria's (far right) birthday.  Happy birthday Glo!  Oh yes, us Dignam girl's new how to rock 80s perms, no doubt about it. Personally, I like the black plastic plant pot background, and our official photo shoot matching shirts, but that's just me.

Make it a great day, won't you? It's a great day to have.

Ciao for now,

Feed Your Soul: Fuller Gardens Part II

 

The Conservatory

Just a quick reminder......the day my mother and I went to Fuller Gardens, it was wicked, wicked hot and humid. It was Wicked Witch , 'I'm melting' kind of weather. That said, there isn't anything we wouldn't do for you followers (OK, do not call me out on that, it's a bold face lie.....like I am NOT bungee jumping for you guys or eating bugs on a dare...not doing it), so despite the oppressive heat, we made our way from the rose garden into the conservatory.

Yes, it was even hotter in there, but it was worth it. It was a whole other world.

Check out that fern! Yup. It's a fern. A staghorn fern and it was massive and totally funky.

Just like the rose garden, there was so much pretty going on it was hard to know which way to look. Lush and green with occasional pops of color.

My mother Marge is putting on a good front, don't you think? You'd never know it was 96 degrees with high humidity, and triple digits in the conservatory.

Did you catch Cousin It? And the tomato horn worm look alike? Crazy Cacti.

Did you get a chance to feed your soul this weekend?

Our was filled with getting ready for the big 4th of July Lobster Bake and attending our neighbor/friend Joan's retirement party. Woot woot woot....three cheers for retirement! Such a fun time. We even had a bit of a sing song out under the tent. Good thing all the neighbors were invited.

We just had an absolutely drenching downpour roll through. Could be more because we are still in the midst of high humidity. It's supposed to break just in time for the 4th.

If you didn't hear the news that google reader/gfc is gone, kaput, stick a fork in it - it's done....that's the scoop. If you're looking for a new way to read Mercantile Muse, you can go the really easy route and subscribe via email in the righthand side bar. You can also add Mercantile Muse to another reader like Bloglovin'.  See my post here for more info.

Have a super Monday. Make it a great start to your week.

Ciao for now,

Feed Your Soul

 

Fuller Gardens Part 1: Rose Garden

 

After reading my first Feed Your Soul post, my mother sent me an email saying she knew what I could do for the next one. She'd seen a special for locals they were offering at Fuller Gardens - a turn of the century estate garden open to the public. Having not been to Fuller Gardens in eons, I told her I was in.

 

It happened to be this past Monday, which was hotter than all get out.

 

I picked up my mother, and in the late afternoon we braved the still roasting sun and humidity to enjoy the gardens in full and glorious bloom.

 

We were welcomed by Rex Begonias and a view of rows and rows of roses just beyond the garden gate.

 

 

There were too many beautiful roses to pick a favorite.

 

 

What a sight.  Roses of every variety and color. You had to stop to smell the flowers often at Fuller Gardens. It would have been rude not to.

 

  

Isn't she lovely?

Heavenly really.

I'll share more of our Feed Your Soul excursion to the gardens. There are two other gardens and a conservatory in addition to the rose garden. Each beautiful in their own right.

Have you fed your soul lately?


Google Reader Is Going Away

Do you read Mercantile Muse via Google Reader? If you do, you need to be aware that Google Reader will cease to exist on July 1st. That's this coming Monday! But don't worry, there are other reader options. I've been using Bloglovin' for quite awhile now and love it for it's ease and the way the blogs I follow are displayed.

So, if you've been via Google Reader, I want you to continue to follow Mercantile Muse and bloglovin' is a great way to do it. You just have to sign up and then search for your for your favorite blogs in the search bar and add them to your reading list. Honestly, it's that easy. 

I hope you'll keep following.  Of course, there is always the option of subscribing to posts and then they'll be delivered directly to your inbox on a daily basis.  You'll find that option, as well as bloglovin' over in the righthand sidebar. 

I really appreciate you following Mercantile Muse and would hate to lose you, so go explore bloglovin' now and make the switch before Monday!


Enjoy the day and don't forget to take time to smell the flowers.

Ciao for now,

25 Years Ago Today

Going To The Chapel

I know, I know. You didn't even think I was old enough to have champagne, but you were wrong.

In fact, you were really wrong.

Twenty five years ago today, Garrett and I were here at the Fuller Chapel.....

.....saying our "I Dos".

And yes, I unashamedly tell you, in case you aren't good at math and can't figure it out by my hair and pouffy sleeves....it was the 80s.

But check me out..........I had them alter my dress to have an asymetrical hem. Damn if I wasn't ahead of my time. But I digress. OK, let me digress one more time....see that hat my maid of honor and bridesmaid wore? I spray painted them to match their dresses. Get down with my nasty crafty self. Nobody even knew....well, until now.

Back to me and the Gman. 

We both look like babies. Mainly because, we were. OK, maybe not babies but 22 and 23.

 

Neither of us have regretted it for a minute. If you meet anyone who knows us in '3D life', they'll tell you we are perfectly suited for one another. They aren't lying.

 

There is no one either one of us would rather spend time with.....still.

 

 

 

I don't know how I lucked out finding this transplanted Dubliner one night all because my friend asked me if I wanted to go see Rocky Horror Picture Show with her and some friends, but I am sure glad I said yes.

 

To both the Rocky Horror Picture Show and Gar.

 

Happy Anniversary Babe. Wouldn't want to go through life with anyone else.

 

 

 

Hey, did you see the beautiful gardens in the picture of the chapel? My mother and I went to Fuller Gardens yesterday. Thousands of roses in full bloom. What a sight. I'll be sharing pics with you in the coming days. It was hotter than Hades, but it was worth it to see the roses in their full glory.

 

Hope you all have a wonderful day.

 

Ciao for now,