A Secret Garden

Since most of the flowers and plants in my yard are not blogworthy due to the lack of rain and brutal heat that has been inflicted upon them going on three months now, I chose to take a few pictures of the grounds at my office.    There we have a professional landscaping crew who nurture them and manage to keep them alive despite the weather conditions.

My favorite spot is a secret garden nestled between two buildings.     When the weather is pleasant, I love to go to there on my lunch break and read.

Beyond the arbor is the entrance to the secluded secret garden.

My favorite place to sit and read and reflect is on the swing to the right of the fountain where the only sound I hear is the soothing trickling of the water.

Knock out roses are in abundance in the secret garden.

My only companions in the secret garden are butterflies and squirrels.   The squirrels refused to pose for me.

Alas, the clock is about to strike one which means my lunch hour is over and I must leave the secret garden and return to the reality of the office where there are no butterflies, just pests.

Thanks for visiting today and joining me in the secret garden.

Marlee

I am linking to Outdoor Wednesday @ A Southern Daydreamer.

Pitcher Plant Bog

My honey and I took a quick weekend trip down to southern Alabama this past weekend and while there visited the Weeks Bay Pitcher Plant Bog.

It was my first experience in a bog and my first time to see a pitcher plant.     I didn’t have my camera with me so I took these pictures with my phone.    If you click on them, they will enlarge.

I discovered when reading the sign that bogs are becoming an endangered habitat and that pitcher plants are carnivorous.

Right behind the entrance sign is a boardwalk that  winds throughout the bog.

This picture does not capture the true beauty of the pitcher plants.

These pitcher plants are more colorful than the ones in the picture right above.

The purple plant in the center of the picture is a blazing star.

Lush ferns surrounded the boardwalk.

Thankfully I didn’t see any of these while in the bog.    I am deathly afraid of snakes and have always said I could probably win the Olympics if there was a snake behind me.

Thank you for visiting and accompanying me on my journey through the pitcher plant bog.

Take care,

Marlee

I am linking to Outdoor Wednesday @ A Southern Daydreamer.

Free Fiesta!

I mentioned to a coworker the other day that I had started a collection of white pitchers and the very next day she brought me a white fiesta pitcher she said she no longer used.     I knew right where I was going to place it… on the kitchen shelf along with the rest of my small collection.

It is right at home with the small white pitcher with painted fruit on it that was a garage sale find years ago….paid about a quarter for it if I remember correctly.    The white pitcher with embossed grapes was purchased at a garage sale for 50 cents or a dollar earlier this summer and the white pitcher with the scalloped rope like  top was a Ross dept. store find for $3.00.     And did I mention that the fiesta pitcher was free?

I will be linking to these fabulous parties:

Thrifty Treasures @ Rhoda’s  Southern Hospitality blog

Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays @ Linda’s Coastal Charm blog

Have a fabulous week!    Happy Thrifting!!

Marlee

The Gardens of Seaside

My Florida vacation is over and reality has returned with a vengeance but it hasn’t stopped me from dreaming of white sandy beaches and aqua colored water.

We were staying in Sandestin and one day took a trip to Seaside.   It was HOT HOT HOT but we managed to find a shady area near the town center where we discovered quaint little gardens.

  A pink dragonfly graced the center of this well manicured garden.

This garden was outside a shop called A Paris Apartment.    It may be difficult to see because of the glare, but the statue in front of the demilune table is the Bird Girl statue made famous by the book and movie of the same title “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” set in Savannah, Georgia.     If you haven’t read the book or seen the movie, I highly recommend you check it out.

I fell madly in love with this display of pottery under the rusted chandelier.

I will close with this Escape Artist sign….hilarious!

Thank you for visiting today and taking a trip with me to Seaside, Florida.   Enjoy the rest of your week and stay cool!

Marlee

I am joining the fun at the Outdoor Wednesday party @ A Southern Day Dreamer.