Tag Archives: gardens

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Garden fluff.

June 25, 2020 Rivergirl 26 Comments

Since our spring was so late and cool, things have been blooming a bit more slowly this year.

But no matter when it blooms, if there’s any better smell than fresh lilacs?

I’ve yet to find it.

Though honeysuckle comes in a close second.

This one doesn’t look like much from far away…

But up close it’s pretty sweet.

These Mallow I planted a few weeks ago have quickly become my favorite new bloomer.

Naturally when I went back to the nursery for more they were sold out.

Boo to that.

June in Maine means rhododendrons…..

As well as Lupine.

And I love these purple beauties!

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Elizabethan Gardens… Manteo, Outer Banks North Carolina

February 13, 2020 Rivergirl 28 Comments

Next up on our Outer Banks day trip? The Elizabethan Gardens in Manteo.

But first?

Some rocks…

You’re welcome.

From Nags Head to Manteo?

Scenery.

Scenery from a bridge.

More scenery.

How’s that for detailed description?

The Gardens were recommended to us as a must stop… so we did. Even though it was off season and very little was blooming.

Gardens without flowers? Let’s go!

It was a pretty spot… with lots of different areas to explore.

They were in the middle of their annual Christmas light show….

So of course we went in the middle of the day when the sun was shining.

There was an impressive set of gates.

Neatly trimmed boxwoods…

And Queen Elizabeth I.

There were paths with balls…

And paths with statues.

And some extremely large butterflies.

Funky Christmas lights were everywhere.

And I’m sure it would have been quite pretty….

Had we been there at night.

Okaaaay.

Not sure what that was all about, but I don’t like peas either….. so, huzzah!

There was a lonely ruin of something.

And a man shivering in the cold wind.

Oh, wait. That’s the husband…. I didn’t recognize him from the front.

There were fountains.

And ass ends of statues.

Surrounded by tightly trimmed bushes.

Stop snickering…. I know where your mind went.

There were creepy garden gnomes.

And an indoor butterfly garden…

With no butterflies.

But plenty of fluffy gnomes.

Garden path U turns…

And yay!

Finally something was blooming.

There were also the type of Christmas decorations you only see down south.

Wouldn’t be much point of laying these on the ground up my way.

But there was an impressive old tree.

And yes, I do mean old.

Now that’s a senior citizen!

More paths…

More decorations….

A courtyard….

A gift shop….

And a fellow with a wilder hairdo than me after the windy pier.

By this time we’d looped back around to the beginning.

But not before we learned a few things…

About bees.

In case you’re wondering, Maine’s state insect is also the honeybee. Although we designated it as such in 1975.

Long live the bee!

And plagiarism apparently.

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Cape Cod Day 7… Highfield Hall, some twigs and the last supper.

January 19, 2020 Rivergirl 23 Comments

Since we were in the area we thought we’d check it out.

The Hall however, had other ideas and was locked up tight.

But there were twigs.

Lots and lots….

Of twigs.

Cleverly wound twigs.

Twigs you could walk through.

Big twigs.

Really big twigs.

Respect the twigs.

Got it.

There was also a sunken garden….

That was mostly dead since it was the middle of November.

But it had whimsical birds on a polka dot tree in the middle, so that more than made up for it.

Photo of the rear of the house we couldn’t get in.

Yes, it was a banner visit.

Good thing there were twigs so it wasn’t a complete waste of time.

Blah, blah, blah… I know, you’re getting bored and are silently screaming for food.

Our last meal in Cape Cod ended up being at the Stomping Grounds Grille in Buzzards Bay.

And while buzzards aren’t usually the best dinner companions…

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This place looked promising.

It was basically a lovely old home…

Retro fitted to a restaurant/bar.

And while I was walking around…

I discovered a theme.

A rock and roll theme….

And when I saw Jerry Garcia on the shelf?

I felt right at home.

See? My kind of place…

The cocktail list made me smile and order a few.

As we chatted with the very personable bartender who told me there was a turntable in the back room with an album collection…. and we could play anything we liked.

We were having such a good time I almost forgot to take pictures of the food, but here’s their stellar broccoli cheese soup. Soooo good.

Secret ingredient? Nutmeg.

I’m afraid I don’t even remember what the husband had…. but here’s my crab cake burger with side spinach salad and cole slaw.

Yum.

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Polar Caves Part 2… rocks, trees and more rocks.

November 18, 2019 Rivergirl 31 Comments

Walking along a lovely path past a duck pond….

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We found the covered bridge.

And kissed.

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Continuing along the walkways…

We read the park’s history.

And decided what to do first.

Remember when I said this series would have a lot of rocks?

The rocks start now.

Matter of fact, this section was called the Rock Garden.

So clearly I’m not the only enthusiast.

I loved it.

It was like a moss covered fairy village with fabulously crafted wooden boardwalks.

Meticulously cut around the rocks.

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I could have happily wandered there all day.

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Rocks!

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Some seriously big rocks.

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Did I mention this was a rock garden….

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And it was full of rocks?

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I was loving it.

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Though I admit getting a little tired from all the steps.

But the rocks….

They rocked.

As did the funky lichen, ferns and moss.

The steps?

My thighs said, not so much.

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But we kept walking.

Through some seriously old rocks…

A veritable maze of old rocks.

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Fern covered rocks!

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And then we discovered the caves we’d come to see…

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Were way up there.

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I’m in love…. with a moth.

September 23, 2019 Rivergirl 28 Comments

I know, it’s a little odd.

But if he was visiting your flowers? You’d love him too.

Meet Herman.

My hummingbird moth.

He’s been visiting everyday and I’m smitten.

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Herman is special, and not often seen in these parts.

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I know our love is doomed.

Interspecies relationships rarely work out….

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But for now, I’ll enjoy every moment we share.

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I admit, it made me look.

August 17, 2019 Rivergirl 30 Comments

I walked by my window the other day and had to do a double take.

Across the road on our neighbor’s organic vegetable farm, the seasonal workers were weeding a garden patch. Most summers there are Mexican field hands, but because of the new immigration policies of He Who Will Remain Nameless… this year the workers are Jamaican.