Tomato Happening!

If you're like me, one of the best things about summer is looking forward to juicy tomatoes plucked fresh from the vine. Tomato salad with basil, tomato sandwiches, tomato pie...um, my mouth is watering.

Well, tomato lovers, on Saturday, August 21st, head on down to Terrain at Styers in Glen Mills (for a little taste of heaven) for their 3rd Annual Heirloom Tomato Festival.

There's live music, crafts, drinks, food tasting and of course, luscious mouth-watering heirloom tomato samples of Black Krim and more. And, if that doesn't satisfy your tomato-loving craving, the six tomato-based salsas should be to die for.

Happy nibbling!!

For more info check at http://www.terrainathome.com/

Enjoy! ~ Lynne

Read more ...

France Is More Than Champagne

France is famous for many things: wine, cheese, the Eiffel Tower . . . and gardens.

My husband Fred & I spent our summer vacation touring this gorgeous country. He’s a great travel planner and always finds the most interesting places to visit and stay.

In his planning he discovered the renowned landscape architects of the 19th century Denis and Eugene Buhler. According to our guide books, the brothers are credited with creating the “open landscape” – a radical departure from the traditional formal French style of straight lines and clipped boxwoods.

So we had to see an example and visited the Parc du Thabor in Rennes. Built in 1865 on 10 acres right in the heart of the town, it is one of France's oldest municipal parks. The day we visited - a weekday – we were surprised to see it packed with families and hundreds of students enjoying the sunshine.

We live and work 5 minutes from Longwood Gardens, so I must admit, I’m a bit spoiled, so I can understand why Thabor still is considered one of the most beautiful gardens and parks in France. It's well worth a visit.

Suzi

Garden Media Group

Read more ...

Happy Birthday Smithsonian!

Today is the Smithsonian's 164th birthday! It's hard to believe that the world's largest museum complex has been around for so long. With over 19 free museums to enjoy, you'll never get tired of visiting this must-see DC attraction.

In honor of the Smithsonian's birthday, I put together a few fun facts that you may or may not know about this popular destination:

*The Smithsonian's first building, commonly known as the Castle, was designed by architect James Renwick Jr, whose other works include St. Patrick's Cathedral in NYC.

*The founding father, James Smithson, was a British Scientist who left his entire estate to the United States to establish the Smithsonian Institution. For an interesting article on Smithson, click here.

*The total number of objects, works of art and specimens at the Smithsonian is estimated at nearly 137 million, including more than 126 million specimens and artifacts at the National Museum of Natural History.

*There were more than 30 million visitors to the museums and the National Zoo in 2009.

I highly recommend visiting this wonderful institution next time you're in Washington, D.C.

-Stacey

GMG

Read more ...

Going to the Market!

Fridays in Kennett Square means a quick jog to the Kennett Square Farmers Market that's packed with exotic sights and smells.

Last Friday, after a brisk walk, I was ready to sample the yummy cheeses and sip teas and coffee blends that would cause the fussiest of foodies to pause and linger.

I also indulged in a very cool mix of Chai tea- and scarfed up some mango goat cheese. (alas, all gone now.) Along with bags of just plucked veggies and fruit, I meandered around tables sporting an array of hard-to-find jams and honey as well as cool crafts.

(Check out the recipe for eggplant on the ksqfarmersmarket blog.)

Adding to the joy- joy of Kennett's open-air market, there's music, crafts and demonstrations from 2-6 PM.

So if you're in the area visiting Longwood Gardens or Wintertur or any of the lovely parks in the area, definitely stop at the Kennett Square Farmers Market! You'll be glad you did! (And by the way... thanks Mairi for these great pictures! )

~Lynne

GMG

Read more ...

Friday the 13th...hmmmmm....

Today is the infamous Friday the 13th! Made famous by many movies (which I have never seen), loads of urban legends (which I am a sucker for) and also the day prior to my birthday (OK, so maybe that last one is not so famous!)

One of my best friends children was born on August 13th...We were both hoping she could hold out just one more day to rid herself (and him) of the dreaded occurrence of his birthday falling on that specific date! (But you can't stop Mother Nature.)

But is being born on the 13th such a bad thing? He gets LOTS of attention due to the fact that he is a 'Friday the 13th' birthday. He sees it in the positive light...more attention to him and his special day.

On the way to work this morning I spoke to my mom about her fears that I might have been born on the 13th...her response, "I just wanted you to be healthy...the date had nothing to do with it...it is only a number!" Plus, being that I was a week early probably put her mind greatly at ease!

My Grandmother used to rise every morning and sing "Oh what a beautiful morning! Oh what a beautiful day!" Whether it was raining, sunny or foggy had nothing to do with how she was going to experience that day. Maybe we can all take a lesson from mom-mom and believe that '13' is just a number and Friday the 13th is just another day...or is it? So have some fun with it, wait it out and soon it will be the 14th...and now you all know what special day THAT IS!!! Thanks Mom!

-Karen
GMG

Read more ...

Dog Days of Summer

Ever wonder where the term 'dog days of summer' originated? Well, since most of the country has been withering under punishing, steamy heat these past few months, it's not just our furry companions- dogs- that have been seeking refuge from relentless heat and humidity.

Wikipedia references 'dog days' from the ancient Roman belief that the star Sirius, (Dog Star) was considered the brightest star in the heavens (next to our sun) and positioned in the constellation Canis Major (Large Dog). Since Sirius was in close proximity to our sun, voila! - the "Dog Star" had to be the sultry weather culprit.

The Romans believed the 'Dog Days' commenced around July 24th through August 24th, but this summer is feeling like their oracles sure got it wrong.

Well, one of our our doggie mascots, Nigel, (Karen's handsome Cavalier King Charles and brother to Godiva, a gorgeous Chocolate Lab) is sniffing out the problem and taking charge of weather prognostications. When his ears rise in unison, the weather is gonna be just fine (but oh- that also happens when I feed him cereal with berries!) Hmm.

Hey! Nigel is defending all dogs that have taken a bad rap for thousands of years. The gauntlet (or tail, in his case) is down... no more "dog days of summer." Let's call these scorching days, the "scorpion days of summer!" Works for Nigel! ~ Lynne

GMG

Read more ...

Inspired by James Doyle Design Associates

My garden is a work in progress (isn't this true for a lot of us!) But over the years, I have been able to focus what I like and what I don't like. I now know that I like more structure in a garden, and less rambling. The work of James Doyle really strikes a chord with me. Kathleen

Photo Credit:Neil Landino

Read more ...