Paradise at the Garden Center

 

My kids and hubby always tease me about my penchant for garden centers. To me, a well-curated garden center, with its wondrous variety of plants, pots, bird baths, statuary and other garden goodies represents a little slice of heaven on earth.

I'm famous in my family for coming back with way too many plants to handle comfortably, and my husband has all but banned me from purchasing more.

I did not let that stop me, however, when my friend Jenn invited me to join her on a trek to MacDonald's Garden Center in Virginia Beach. She has really gotten the gardening bug lately, so now I have a partner in crime.

Jenn at the Garden Center

 Jenn chose this gorgeous purple clematis for her new side garden.  

Cute little houses planted with herbs and other greenery make for fun mixed garden pots.

Managed to get some good shots of this honeybee without disturbing the little guy (and possibly getting stung!)

I love these sculpted trees.

Jenn checks the prices - too bad we can't just buy everything!!

I want this - so serene.  But I resist...

Jenn succumbs.  Okay, really, so do I, bringing home a lovely fatsia japonica and two pink honeysuckle plants. 

It's getting late, we have to go grocery shopping and make dinner, so we make our purchases and head home. Once there, we celebrate our new garden family members by toasting with a cool wine spritzer (soda water, a nice white wine, and a strawberry slice that later turns the drink a sweet shade of pink).

Cheers!

Old Friends Make the Best Friends!

My youngest daughter Emily, to this day still talks about her daycare and pre-school friends. She misses many of them terribly, particularly two very special girls, Annaka and Lucy. When the three of them got together, they became their very own triple-threat version of the Three Musketeers.

We were able to reunite Emily recently with one of the Musketeers, Annaka (we're still hoping to connect soon with the third Mustketeer, Lucy).

Emily had a wonderful weekend with Annaka, enjoying a sleepover, movies at home with popcorn, and fun time the next day bouncing at Jumping Jelly Beans.

Personally, I had great fun photographing Annaka, who with her sparkly blue eyes, fluffy-pink freckled cheeks, and good humor accommodated me graciously when I stuck my camera in her face!

Gotta love those good old friends!