Garden Visitor

When my father was visiting the other day, he noticed this beautiful visitor to my garden...thank goodness my camera was right inside the door (and that my daddy has an eye for detail)! Isn't he pretty?

I hope that you're enjoying a pretty Spring where you live, and are having a great weekend.

Walkways, Dixon Gardens

Walkways at Dixon are one of the most important elements in the gardens. Not only do they make walking easier around the perimeter of the South Lawn (especially in inclement weather), but they also beckon you to each separate garden room and little hidden places featuring seasonal plantings, an antique bench, or statuary. Some walks are curved and some are straight, and usually are constructed of brick or pea gravel.

Above and below are the terraced brick walkways joining the first garden room I showed you, and the one I will share after this. In the photo above you can see the restored, 19th century cast iron fountain that is the focal point in the distance (please enlarge this photo for a better view).

I hope that you are enjoying a nice weekend. We are spending time with my father today, and then I'm looking forward to catching up with each of you.

Dixon Gardens, South Lawn

This is the first view of the expansive South Lawn of the gardens that you see after you first enter the gardens from the main entrance. My father says that it reminds him of Augusta National Golf Club during the Masters Tournament.

Formal Garden Room, Dixon Gardens (100th Post)

Yesterday, my father took me to Dixon Gallery and Gardens in celebration of my birthday (you can also read more about Dixon here).. You know how some days are just "perfect", and you know that you will remember that day as special forever? Yesterday was one of those days. It was a mild day, perfectly clear and sunny, and probably the prettiest Spring day in Memphis this year. My father and I walked the entire perimeter of the 17 acres of garden area, and it was breathtaking, and fun to just spend an afternoon with my father.

Of course, I took too many photos (don't we all?), and have chosen my favorites to share with you over the next several days. I hope that you will come to love this special place as I do. It is truly wonderful any time of year, either for its blooms, lush grounds, or well-designed architectural beauty. But, during the first through third weeks in April, it will take your breath away. You may enjoy seeing the larger version of this photo...just click on the photo and then click on "all sizes" and choose the larger size.

This is one of the formal garden rooms, fashioned after French and Italian formal gardens, on the east side of the museum building. This area is planted in clipped boxwood, pink azaleas, an ivy border, and white dogwoods. It is this lush in color in person, and it was lovely sitting on that bench and just taking it in.

Today is my 100th post, and it is hard to believe how quickly that time has passed. Participating in this community is a highlight of each day, and I hope to have many more "anniversaries".

Pink Azalea

I thought you might enjoy seeing a pretty pink azalea after the pink dogwood yesterday....click to change the size to a larger photo to see even more detail (by clicking on "all sizes" and then choosing the larger size) . We found this beauty at Dixon Gallery & Gardens last weekend. I'm hoping that the azaleas may be fully-blossomed this weekend.

The past few days have been long workdays, and I'm looking forward to catching up with everyone tonight and tomorrow!

Pink Dogwood

I took this photo in our garden yesterday. When you really study them, dogwood flowers look almost like delicate sculpture, don't they?

Can you see the little fellow on the back of one of the petals? I didn't notice him until I viewed the photo on the largest size on Flickr. Feel free to click on the photo and view it in the larger size in my Flickr account if you would like a closer view.

Are you having a good week so far? This weekend is supposed to be sunny and in the 60s after some stormy weather tomorrow...perfect photo weather, don't you think? What are your weekend plans?

Sunny Yellow Tulips...

At the Botanic Garden, I couldn't look at these without smiling! I hope that they bring a smile to your face, too!

Happy Spring!

Cherry Trees In All Their Glory

The cherry trees in full blossom just outside of the Memphis Botanic Garden...it doesn't get much prettier than this! (Be sure to click on this one to see the entire width of the photo).

More Tulips

These tulips at the Memphis Botanic Garden were almost done, but I thought this color combination was especially pretty. I know that a lot of you north of me are still seeing some wintry weather, but I will certainly be enjoying your pretty Spring when it's already hot, hot, hot here in the South. My mother and grandmother used to say "it's as hot as blue blazes" during the summer; have you ever heard that phrase?

Cherry Blossoms...

I'm so glad that you're enjoying the spring blooms in Memphis with me. Our Spring is usually about two weeks, with an almost direct jump from Winter to Summer, and the season is seeming particularly nice and leisurely this year.

The Cherry blossoms are almost at peak, and should be just gorgeous by this weekend. We are supposed to have rain during the next few days, so I hope that the blossoms will weather that well (if not, I have a great photo of the trees at peak from last Spring). These trees line the public drive along Audubon Golf Course in front of the Botanic Garden, so if you are in Memphis and want to see them in person, you can just drive through...but the Botanic Garden is a great place to visit if you have time.

A Little More Spring...

Thanks to all of you for such a warm welcome back! I really did miss all of you while I was away...you meet some of the nicest people blogging.

I promise that I won't be posting flower photos ad nauseam all Spring...but these purple tulips at the Botanic Garden posted yesterday were just too pretty to keep to myself. I discovered the macro setting on my point-n-shoot camera while in Florida, and I'm still learning to play with it. Having a perfectly clear, sunlit day doesn't hurt either, does it?

My younger son is using the computer for his term paper tonight, so I'm posting while he's taking a break. I hope to do some blog-visiting either later tonight or tomorrow evening. I hope that your week is going well so far!

Spring Is Here!

We just returned to Memphis from Florida, and found that Spring had officially arrived in Memphis, too! Today was gorgeous, so we stopped at the Memphis Botanic Garden and took a few photos around the front grounds (the rest is even more amazing). When we have more time soon, we'll take a photo tour of the entire grounds. I thought that you might enjoy seeing this happy, Spring-y tulip mix today. This time period---now through May---is my favorite time in Memphis.

We had a great trip, spending most of our time in Jupiter and West Palm Beach, FL. We saw five Spring Training baseball games (mostly Cardinals games), including the final Dodgers game in Dodgertown, Vero Beach, FL. It was also Tommy LaSorda's final time at that facility, and it was a very poignant, bittersweet moment. We took lots of photos and I hope to have them all in order to share soon.

I missed all of you, and I know that I missed lots of great photos...I can't wait to catch up!

Spring's Almost Here...

Here is a sure sign of Spring in Memphis...Redbud trees in bloom, as seen here in the Belle Meade neighborhood.

I wish it were that pretty today in Memphis. We are currently experiencing thunderstorms (and have already lost power once), with colder weather and a chance to see a few snowflakes tomorrow. I hope that you're enjoying nicer weather where you are!

All colored bold script should provide a clickable link for more information. Please click on the photo to see an enlarged version.

A First Bouquet of Spring...For You...

I wanted to share these as a "thank you" for your kind wishes for my father today...it meant so much to me. His surgery went very well, and he's comfortable at home tonight--my sister is visiting with him this evening. His doctor said that "he's a very sweet gentleman who's also very strong inside", but my father said he's just a "tough old Marine." :)

While spending time with my father at his home late this afternoon, I noticed that the daffodils were blooming all along his fence line. He and my DH were watching something on TV, so I went out and gathered a bunch for my father, and one for our home. There are still a lot to enjoy in his garden. It is amazing how quickly they multiply; they were only planted a few years ago, and there are so many of them now. I wish that you could smell them...they have that lemony, clean aroma that fills the air as you walk by them. Spring can't be far behind!


I hope that you are having a good week so far. Thank you again for your thoughtfulness~

A Little Bit of Green...

There are still no big signs of Spring here (although we probably have only a few weeks at most before we see our first blooms), but some things do still stay green in Memphis, even through the cold of winter. This pretty fern at Dixon Gardens (which I first posted about here) seems to be a perennial harbinger of the good, green things soon to come. I also am in love with that vintage iron planter!

South Lawn, Dixon Gallery & Gardens

This is the view of the bridge and statuary at the rear of the South Lawn at the Dixon (to the rear of the original house and museum). To give you an idea of just how large the entire rear lawn area is, the photo below was taken from the walkway just behind the house (in the same direction as the first photo), and the one below that was taken looking the other way, toward the rear of the house and museum. The statue shown is my favorite on the property. It was raining steadily when I took this photo; on my next visit I will take a more detailed photo of the statue itself.

The rear/South lawn is where the very popular Dixon outdoor concert series is held each spring and summer. Past entertainers have included Bruce Hornsby, Wynonna Judd, Michael McDonald, Al Jarreau, and Hootie and the Blowfish.

Winter Garden

Memphis has some beautiful gardens, but there isn't much blooming here this time of year. The big "show" of Spring is only a few months away (Memphis is absolutely breathtaking in April), but the flowering cabbage and kale have been particularly colorful and lovely this winter. I found these at Dixon Gallery and Gardens.

Brick Path, Dixon Gallery & Gardens

I apologize for being away this weekend; we had some unexpected obligations that kept me away from the computer. I missed visiting with all of you!

Jim tagged me for the New Year's Resolutions tag, so here goes. :) As explained on Chris' blog (she tagged Jim...is this getting hard to follow?), most people fall into one of four categories when it comes to New Year’s Resolutions: 1) quite serious about them, 2) flippant about them, 3) pressured to do them, or 4) do not do them. When it comes to resolutions, I seem to fall between #1 and #2...I'm not very, very serious about them, but I do like to take time to evaluate life in general, and change direction a bit if I feel the need.

The photo above is one of my favorite places, and representative of my main resolution this year...it is one of the extensive garden pathways at Dixon Gardens in Memphis. I find peace and quiet there, and walking the grounds and brick paths often gives me time to observe nature, and to think or just have quiet, undistracted time. This year, I hope to take a little more time to recharge when I need to, and also to live a bit more "in the moment."

I tend to be a "planner", and that can be a good thing, to a point. But, often the greatest joys can be found in the little things that we miss while planning our next step...the little things that can be found if we slow down enough to take in the view as we travel along life's path. I hope to be doing a bit more of that this year.

I usually pass on fun tags like this one, but it seems that just about everyone I've met here so far has already been tagged. If you haven't participated in this one yet and it sounds like fun, please consider yourself tagged! I hope that you're having a good start to your week...

Dixon Gallery and Gardens

Statue in rear garden, Dixon Gallery and Gardens.

The Dixon is one of my favorite spots in Memphis, whether for the exquisite art in the gallery, or the lovely gardens and extensive winding pathways outside. Dixon has a permanent collection of paintings by French and American Impressionists, and also wonderful collections on loan, including the upcoming exhibit of the works of David Macaulay. They also have a very popular outdoor concert series on the expansive rear lawn each spring and summer.

Photo of the Year, 2007...and a Happy 2008 to You!!

I have been blogging with this community for only the past 10 days or so, so I chose my favorite personal photo from the past year.

It is my favorite because of the way it came about. I would admire some of the photos my online friends in Europe would post on their blogs, including the lovely sunflower fields that are found there. I sometimes would show my husband the photos, and we would discuss how we one day look forward to visiting abroad, perhaps after we've gotten our sons through college.

One day in late August, my husband picked me up from work, my camera in his hand. He said that he "had someplace great to show" me, and drove about 15 minutes outside of Memphis (quite a distance from work, and home). There we found huge sunflower fields, beautiful ones...breathtaking. He had brought me to this special place, just so that I could see the beauty of them, and take photos. It was spontaneous, and wonderful.

Now, I am new to photography, with no training and a fairly run-of-the-mill digital camera. The photos I took that day came out better than I ever could have hoped, making the day even more memorable.

There are 118 wonderful blogs participating in this Photo of the Year Theme Day...how fun, being able to visit places all over the world and see the best of their best, for free! Please visit each of these wonderful sites, and Happy New Year to you!!:

Paris, France - London, England - Hyde, UK - West Sacramento (CA), USA - Grenoble, France - Stockholm, Sweden - Riga, Latvia - Saint Paul (MN), USA - Manila, Philippines - Silver Spring (MD), USA - Weston (FL), USA - Prague, Czech Republic - New Orleans (LA), USA - Wichita (KS), USA - Cleveland (OH), USA - San Francisco (CA), USA - Hobart (Tasmania), Australia - Greenville (SC), USA - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Menton, France - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Mainz, Germany - Melbourne, Australia - Portland (OR), USA - Albuquerque (NM), USA - Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Toulouse, France - Naples (FL), USA - Jakarta, Indonesia - Brussels, Belgium - Stayton (OR), USA - Selma (AL), USA - Mexico City, Mexico - Ocean Township (NJ), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Port Angeles (WA), USA - Toruń, Poland - Fort Lauderdale (FL), USA - Budapest, Hungary - Baziège, France - Nashville (TN), USA - Saint Louis (MO), USA - Cottage Grove (MN), USA - Chicago (IL), USA - Prescott (AZ), USA - Bellefonte (PA), USA - Nottingham, UK - Moscow, Russia - Philadelphia (PA), USA - Evry, France - Trujillo, Peru - Arlington (VA), USA - Denpasar, Indonesia - American Fork (UT), USA - Seattle (WA), USA - Chandler (AZ), USA - Coral Gables (FL), USA - Montpellier, France - Joplin (MO), USA - Pilisvörösvár, Hungary - Crystal Lake (IL), USA - Bucaramanga (Santander), Colombia - Boston (MA), USA - Torun, Poland - New York City (NY), USA - Dunedin (FL), USA - Quincy (MA), USA - Stavanger, Norway - Chateaubriant, France - Maple Ridge (BC), Canada - Jackson (MS), USA - Wailea (HI), USA - Port Elizabeth, South Africa - Budapest, Hungary - Austin (TX), USA - Montréal (QC), Canada - Cypress (TX), USA - Bicheno, Australia - Wrocław, Poland - Brookville (OH), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Nelson, New Zealand - Cheltenham, UK - Wellington, New Zealand - Rabaul, Papua New Guinea - Mumbai (Maharashtra), India - London, UK - Haninge, Sweden - Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation - Arradon, France - Jefferson City (MO), USA - Orlando (FL), USA - Mumbai, India - Terrell (TX), USA - Bogor, Indonesia - Delta (CO), USA - Radonvilliers, France - Saigon, Vietnam - San Diego (CA), USA - Adelaide (SA), Australia - Belgrade, Serbia - Auckland, New Zealand - Seguin (TX), USA - Inverness (IL), USA - Oslo, Norway - Singapore, Singapore - Las Vegas (NV), USA - New York City (NY), USA - Anderson (SC), USA - Torino, Italy - Susanville (CA), USA - San Diego (CA), USA - Sharon (CT), USA - Melbourne, Australia - Port Vila, Vanuatu - Memphis (Tennessee), USA