My hometown Gem

The town/suburb I grew up in has some hidden gems.

There is this beautiful old house, I only recently discovered.

It is hidden behind a newer building.

 

It is from 1689

 

The details

 

Beautifully done with carvings and tiles.

 

 

 

Look at those detailed tiles.

I lived there for 23 years and only discovered this now.

Well, at least now I walk around with my eyes open 🙂

 

Kew Gardens 9th Smile

Kew – not always blossoms …

What a great tree!

 

I love the wide and colourful variety

of grasses bending in the wind.

 

…and some lovely house leek,

and very old Bonsai Trees.

All photos taken by me at Kew Gardens.

 

Kew Gardens 8th Smile

Kew – a destination always worth it.

When ever you go,

it is exciting.

Every time there are different plants blooming,

there are more plants to discover and

I can practice and take pictures with my new phone camera.

You can never get tired of this beautiful Garden.

Some close ups

Rose

Waterlily

Lotus

Kew

Kew

Kew

This red ….

In the Alpine house

‘Stroh Blume’

Kew

‘Stroh Blume’

Kew

Fruit

Please click on the individual photo to enlarge,

All photos taken by me at Kew Gardens.

 

 

Kew Gardens 7th Smile

On a beautiful day another visit to Kew Gardens.

There is currently

an exhibition of Dale Chihuly‘s Glass Art in the midst of all plants.

It was a brilliant day with so much to see.

It started off with this amazing glass art sculpture.

While you walk around with me

you see his radiant colours of those glass art pieces

in the midst of plants in Kew.

They fit in so well.

Please click on the individual photo to enlarge,

All photos taken by me at Kew Gardens.

 

Garden changes

Inspired by Sally’s Blog – My beautiful things,

I really wanted to do my own Boody Garden.

I bought plants which should last a while and added my broken pottery.

 

As it looks now

 

I had some remaining bits

and I had to move my Parsley,

so I planted them into my old drawer.

Hopefully the Parsley comes again like last year.

 

It was so pleasant outside.

Sitting in the garden

listening to the  birds

is a wonderful recharge!

Today is …. #17

…. a day in nature

Go and see nature at its’ best.

 

A rainy day is the perfect time for a walk in the woods – Rachel Carsen

 

Rain leaves beautiful ‘diamonds’ on leaves.

 

 

“I like people

who are smiling when it’s raining!”

 

 

Pictures taken in my mum’s garden by me.

Beautiful Rain

It is recently sunny and we all love sunshine.

However rain can be beautiful too.

It makes everything fresh,

gives life

and rain drops look amazing

hanging on plant leaves.

 

Sunshine is delicious,

rain is refreshing,

wind braces us up,

snow is exhilarating:

there is really no such thing as bad weather,

only different kinds of good weather.

John Ruskin

Kew Gardens 6th Smile – Orchid Festival

‘He has made everything beautiful in it’s time.’

Ecclesiastes 3,11

 

and to bring the beauty from all over the world,

Kew Gardens is celebrating the Orchid Festival until March 10th.

It really is a festival of colours, sounds and beauty.

This year there are Orchids

from the world’s most biodiverse county: Colombia.

Breathtaking displays of orchids,

a sweet smell,

accompanied with Colombian music,

even the cacti have hats on….

 

Let me take you through with this donkey:

 

Animals made include a toucan,  a swimming turtle…..

A sloth

 

and a life sized Jaguar

 

There are 1000’s species of orchids,

different colours, different sizes.

Enjoy the show:

 

 

Please click on the individual photo to enlarge.

All photos taken by me at Kew Gardens.

 

 

Today is…. #2

another day… to focus

not on technology

but the beauty around you.

Look at life with different eyes,

find the positive

find beauty,

find kindness.

Look at life with your heart!

It is BEAUTIFUL !

 

 

 

 

Picture from Karen Salmansohn on notsalmon.com

Today’s Inspiration – Aristotle

 

Good habits formed at youth make all the difference.

Aristotle