Birdy Day video

It's a Birdy Day

Snowing?

Chopin, Scherzo No. 2, Martha Argerich 1966

For Today - everyone needs to listen to this Chopin!

December At Rivercrest

The roses are all dormant now - leaves green and some with blackspot or something that looks a lot like it!  My husband assures me it's Fall and they are supposed to die and fall off.  They are "supposed" to look like that!  OK - I will hope they don't need spraying .....

Here are a few arrangements I made with what is blooming and growing around our yard right now.  Camellias and Nandina with some holly in between.

Happy Holidays everyone!  I hope you have some snow where you are - it will not happen here!

A new Swiss Cow creamer I recently purchased at one of my favorite antique shops , Vignette - at the Antique shops at Susannahs - in Raleigh, NC.  Everyone should visit this many buildings that used to be a car mechanic's shops - now antique village.

Nandina and camellias in my red vase from Seagrove, NC - home of many pottery studios/kilns.  This time of year the potters will have open house in their home studios - I used to make pots - I have a ceramics minor from East Carolina University.

Romeo on the left and Coco on the right - their nap spot when they think I'm going out somewhere.

vintage Roses bud vase with a camellia

It's Been Awhile - Pictures from Europe!

Hello friends of my blog!
I've been traveling in Central Europe- Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary for a few weeks and have some gardening pictures to share with you all.
My own roses are still not producing too many blooms - probably due to the hurricane that was in the beginning of October and the neglect afterward.  They are now all cleaned up and cut down a little and hopefully will bloom at least once more before we have a frost.  It is sunny and warm here - still like summer in a way.  Indian Summer!
Here are a few pics from my trip - hope you will enjoy!

Budapest, Hungary Parliament from the Danube river

Parliament, Budapest from the Danube

Budapest, Hungary
Vajdahunyad Castle 

Vajdahunyad Castle, Budapest finished 1896

The Iron Curtain sculpture at The International Terror Museum, Budapest, located in the building that housed the notorious AVO and Arrow Cross during the Cold War, and torture chambers, jails.

Szechenzy Thermal Baths - yes, we went to one of the many outdoor pools and it was wonderful!

My daughter, Melissa walking along one of the sidewalks surrounding Parliament - a huge area

a side street in Budapest

another view of the Szechinyi Thermal baths

Church at The castle in the park, Budapest

famous Budapest Train Station - we arrived here from Vienna, Austria

the huge market in central Budapest

The Jewish Synagogue - oldest and largest

The Tree of Life memorial to Holocaust victims -each leaf has names of those memorialized

our hotel lobby - Astoria

Hungarian coffee bar pride

poppy seed layers between pastry layers dessert

Beach Day Trip Excursion - warning - no roses!!

It's been awhile.....Hello!

Hello again everyone!  I've been watching my rose garden closely, but not too many blooms on the vines to report - therefore - very little picture taking!  Don't fret - there are enough to make a few bouquets (scant) for the house on a rotating basis - but just not flushes like the spring and June brought.

I thought I would report on our weekend day trip to Nags Head and Kitty Hawk, NC beaches and our great dinner at Ocean Boulevard restaurant in Kitty Hawk - overlooking the ocean peaking through the cottages beachfront.

Nags Head - Whalebone Junction - where the road to the beach forks- is only 2 hours from our house in Greenville, NC.  Living in Eastern NC does have a few perks!  Getting to Asheville is a little more driving time!  Day trips are a great way to get away, enjoy a walk on the beach and then have a great meal of local seafood at the many restaurants on the causeway or the beach roads.

Mike had a whole fish with shrimp, sautéed vegetables and some amazing sauce, pickled ginger on top

Mine is Red Snapper with vegetables, shrimp and an aioli sauce

Ocean Boulevard has been there for many years but is NOT your typical beach style fish house restaurant - it's gourmet!  Interesting homemade dishes with fish from local catches - and homemade desserts like the one we had (and I forgot to take a picture of!).  It was amazing!  Ice Cream with triangles of a cookie style shortcake with a tangy sweet lemon buttercream filling between the piled up triangles- wow!

Beach view of Ocean Boulevard Restaurant

Let's walk - sunset

More Beach Pictures?  Here ya go!

Surf's Up!!