St. Charles Missouri was a lovely stop on our way to Kentucky. Give me old buildings, cobblestones, trees in bloom, enticing windows, statues, walking paths, a river, and finally a spot to stop for dinner and a drink.
It's hard to beat this combination of things to look at on an evening stroll.
The Lawrenceburg Bed & Breakfast was our home base in Kentucky, accommodations so special that you must hear about them. In case you have a trip anywhere in the vicinity.
The home is beautiful, the furnishings perfect, it is immaculately clean, and the beds just right for restful sleeps.
A front porch, with comfortable seating for bird watching, bourbon sipping, and easy conversation should be a requirement for all vacations.
Quiet spaces for reading, writing, or stitching in solitude are in each of the two large bedrooms upstairs.
This dining room table was where we thoroughly enjoyed starting each day with china, candles, and fresh flowers. Followed by eggs, waffles, bacon, French toast, quiche, fruit, pastries, coffee, juices, oh my. We felt like royalty.
The proprietors, Ron and Marlene, are the epitome of what hosts at a B&B should be. Marlene is the perfect combination of a southern cook and a trained professional chef. Ron, is the head electrician/plumber/remodeler who also happens to be a charming conversationalist. They have both perfected the art of being present if needed, while making you feel completely comfortable in their home.
I have not yet mentioned that each night, in a shared space upstairs, Marlene laid out freshly made dessert. Things like iced lemon pound cake, bourbon pecan blondies, peach crumble with a caramel drizzle, and chocolate truffle brownies. Which for a serious sweets lover like myself is a treat beyond compare.
On the drive to Kentucky this past week, our first stop was in Fulton Missouri. Where, on a tree lined street, in a charming area, we stopped at 1canoe2 paperie.
You will find many practical, colorful, whimsical items that will make you smile.
In the immediate vicinity there were several sitings that warranted further investigation, but alas there was no time to indulge. On this trip.
I have begun a list of other reasons to head back to Fulton in the future. It seems quite reasonable that an annual trip to restock my card drawer will be needed. At a minimum. Plus, I purposefully did not buy those Bavarian Gnome crayons. Knowing full well that I need them. For something.
Kentucky stories to follow in the days ahead. For now let me say that the people we met have been friendly, the accommodations sumptuous, the food outstanding, the bourbon smooth, and of course there was watching Tiger win the masters today.... with brother, Chris, and Cheryl Jean, while we ate pimento cheese on cucumber slices and discussed all the subtle nuances of the game.
In other words, a perfect time has been had by all.
Now that we have concluded show and tell on the magnolia trees and the forsythia bushes, lets move along to the cherry trees shall we?
These are not the showy specimens that can be found in some parts at this time of year, but I'll take 'em. Because they are right here, where I can appreciate them in person.
All the photos above were from a park in downtown Lawrence. But below, well that's a special tree.
Because it lives in our front yard.
And I happen to be partial to it.
You who garden understand this concept.
The feeling that you have somehow played a role in the development of such beauty, through your care and tending.
Things going on around these parts, that might loosely be called "Easter-ish", include tulips, white ceramic bunnies, and cute tins.
We are also trying cookies on for size. To be sure they are just right and don't clash with the jelly beans. I might have messed up the frosting in my haste to get this soft, generously frosted, liberally sprinkled, sugar cookie out of the bag. But that did nothing to spoil the taste.
Which was quite good. But the tasting continues. You simply can not stop a tasting at #1.
Cuttings are being rooted. Even though there really is no need. Those ground covers will spring up anywhere you thrown them. But still... mini vases on the kitchen window sill make me happy.
That bunny got tossed on the carrots on the front porch.
Lastly, I present a photo of cookie tasting #2, a large, soft, slightly underdone in the middle (in a GOOD way), cinnamon and sugar coated, snickerdoodle. When my teeth sank into it my whole mouth went weak. Which is to say that we may have a winner, but it seems wrong not to try one more cookie. A tie-breaker if you will.
In the wild, or by a fence
carefully pruned, or wild and shaggy
planted singly or in a grouping
nothing screams spring like the forsythia.
I tried to plant one when we moved into Tall Tales Headquarters. That was before I really knew the best spot for one and it did not thrive. In fact, it died. Too wet I think.
It may be time to give it another whirl.
No sense in not trying, when the payoff is all this wonderful yellow.
Tonight I present a garden update, with photos taken during the first weekend of serious bed clean up. Cutting down, picking up, uncovering, trimming. You get the idea.
Vinca's are blooming and clematis is leaping.
Ground covers are greening up and baptisia is busting through the mulch.
Candytuft is going from green to white while buds are forming on the dianthus.
Oriental poppies are looking healthy and the ever faithful oak leaf hydrangea is leafing out. It got a good hair cut.
This lavender, was almost dug up, until I peaked right down to the bottom and spied some green. It will get a trimming, but not until that new growth has more time to come back on the old wood.
I had to smile when I walked by this plastic pot, that sat out all winter, in the cold and the snow, totally unprotected, and saw this ground cover popping up. The magic of Spring, it never ceases to amaze me.
Last week the magnolia trees around Lawrence started to bloom. On a cloudy day, they were sweetly beautiful.
Three days later, with a bit of sun and blue skies, they became more showy. In a "hey look at me!" kind of way.
I circled them, surveying from all angles
When across the street, I spotted some pink.
As in pink magnolias.
In front of a yellow house with a porch swing.
Simply sublime. The end.
