Mosaic Monday: More from Cross Estate Gardens

As promised, here are a few more images from my recent family photo session at Cross Estate Gardens in Bernardsville, New Jersey.  As you can see, there are some beautiful peonies in bloom right now, along with iris, clematis and columbine.

Any gardeners out there growing columbine regularly?  I'm wondering if deer find them tasty.  I would love to try some, but don't want to get my hopes up if they will just be eaten unceremoniously...  ;)

I'm very busy these days editing several family portrait sessions.  I shot a First Communion earlier in the month, which was so much fun.  When I get a chance, I will post some images on my professional blog.

If you are in the United States, I wish you a very happy Memorial Day weekend!  xoxo

Here are the instructions to join today's post:
1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post. The post may be about any subject you wish. The only stipulation is that it include a collage, or mosaic of photos.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.

That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline.net

And a quick reminder: if you would like to join Mosaic Monday but don't know quite where to start, there is a tutorial on mosaic-making on my sidebar. Just scroll down, and click on the small blue mosaic.

Mosaic Monday: Feeling Blue

I spent a very busy week moving my daughter home from college, and getting her set to go to China for a two-week course.  So I didn't really use my hand too much, and it feels a lot better!  We will see this week if it stays OK.  If not, I promise to go to the doctor.  Seriously.  ;)

My favorite color -- blue -- is bursting forth in the garden this week.  Siberian iris and veronica make up this little bouquet, along with some yellow dandelions and buttercups.  I love this little blue bottle, too.  My father was a heavy equipment operator, and was always digging up bottles and bits of dishes.  This little blue bottle just glows in the sunlight!

I'm almost done with filling all the pots on the deck, and I went back to the Cross Estate Gardens this week for a family photo session, so I hope to have some new photos for you later this week.  Happy Spring, dear bloggers!

Here are the instructions to join today's post:
1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post. The post may be about any subject you wish. The only stipulation is that it include a collage, or mosaic of photos.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.

That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline.net

And a quick reminder: if you would like to join Mosaic Monday but don't know quite where to start, there is a tutorial on mosaic-making on my sidebar. Just scroll down, and click on the small blue mosaic.

Mosaic Monday: Happy Mother's Day

These ranunculus are actually from a few weeks back.  My aching hand has been seriously curtailing both photo editing and blogging.  As I type now, it's reminding me to not overdo it.  This whole thing is getting extremely boring!  I think I may hove to break down and see the doctor (something I really don't like doing...).  :(

So if you don't mind, I'm just going to leave you with these Mother's Day wishes --  may you have a beautiful day, filled with warmth and laughter, and surrounded by those you love best!  xoxo

Here are the instructions to join today's post:
1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post. The post may be about any subject you wish. The only stipulation is that it include a collage, or mosaic of photos.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.

That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline.net

And a quick reminder: if you would like to join Mosaic Monday but don't know quite where to start, there is a tutorial on mosaic-making on my sidebar. Just scroll down, and click on the small blue mosaic.

Mosaic Monday: Lilac Time

It's lilac time here in New Jersey, and their sweet perfume is everywhere!  In fact, as my husband and I go on our daily walks, the air is thick with several different scents -- lilac, sweet olive, honeysuckle and lily of the valley.

I love May!

I'm trying out a new mosaic template today.  You will have to tell me how you like it.  For those of you who use Photoshop, this template and others like it are available from EW Couture.  You can find them here.  (Just a note:  this is merely a link because I like the product.  I am not connected in any way with EW Couture, and I'm not being remunerated for this link.)

Also for Photoshoppers, I used an action called Waiting on these photos.  I think it was part of a giveaway from Wish Photography.  You can find their Facebook page here.

I'm still having problems with my hand, so I have been an absent blogger for the entire week.  :(  I'm hoping that some more rest will help.  In the meantime, I'm enjoying the beautiful month of May!

Here are the instructions to join today's post:
1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post. The post may be about any subject you wish. The only stipulation is that it include a collage, or mosaic of photos.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.

That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline.net

And a quick reminder: if you would like to join Mosaic Monday but don't know quite where to start, there is a tutorial on mosaic-making on my sidebar. Just scroll down, and click on the small blue mosaic.

Mosaic Monday: Cross Gardens, Part II

Please forgive me for posting some photos and running, but my right hand is still giving me trouble, and I find that I can't really type too long before it starts to ache.  So here are some more photos from the Cross Estate Gardens, near my home in New Jersey.  Enjoy!

Here are the instructions to join today's post:
1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post. The post may be about any subject you wish. The only stipulation is that it include a collage, or mosaic of photos.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.

That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline.net

And a quick reminder: if you would like to join Mosaic Monday but don't know quite where to start, there is a tutorial on mosaic-making on my sidebar. Just scroll down, and click on the small blue mosaic.

Mosaic Monday: Cross Gardens

It's a rainy, rainy day here in New Jersey, and I'm not complaining in the least.  We need the rain badly.   On Friday it was beautiful and sunny, and I paid a visit to one of my favorite area gardens -- the Cross Estate Gardens in nearby Bernardsville.  The gardens are now a part of the National Park Service, and administered in conjunction with the New Jersey Historical Garden Foundation.  Included are a wisteria covered pergola, a formal walled garden and a native plant garden.  The estate began life as part of the "Mountain Colony" of grand summer retreats for wealthy tycoons looking to escape the heat of New York City.

The house was originally built in 1905 by John A. Hensel, and was called Queen Anne Farm.  In addition to the house, there was a carriage house, a gatehouse and a stone water tower.  In 1929 it was purchased by Redmond Cross, whose wife, Julia Newbold Cross, was a member of the Royal Horticultural Society.  Together with Clarence Fowler, a noted landscape architect, Mrs. Cross made extensive improvements to the garden.

Today I am showing you just a few photos from the native plant garden.  The approach to the garden is through a tunnel of green mountain laurel, and when you open the gate, you are faced with the colorful contrast of a purple redbud tree surrounded by a sea of bright yellow leopard's bane.  It is nothing short of stunning.  The purple and yellow theme is continued by a great sweep of mountain phlox punctuated by yellow marsh marigolds.  Deep green mayapples provide a visual rest from all that color.

I have many more photos to share later in the week.  Wait till you see the formal garden.  ;)  I have to stop typing (and photo-editing) now, though, because my right hand is killing me.  Arthritis, I guess.  :(

Here are the instructions to join today's post:
1. Publish your Mosaic Monday post. The post may be about any subject you wish. The only stipulation is that it include a collage, or mosaic of photos.
2. Once it is published, click on the title of the post. This will lead you to the static link for your post. The static link is the page with only that post on it. Copy the url from your browser at the top of the page.
3. Paste the url into the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
4. Type your name in the appropriate inlinkz box in this post.
5. Click on "Enter."
6. Please link back to this Mosaic Monday post so that your readers can find other wonderful mosaics.

That's all there is to it! It's always a good idea to then check and see if your link is working. If you have any questions, feel free to email me: mrcarroll(at)optonline.net

And a quick reminder: if you would like to join Mosaic Monday but don't know quite where to start, there is a tutorial on mosaic-making on my sidebar. Just scroll down, and click on the small blue mosaic.

Mutability

First of all, I apologize with all my heart. As if you hadn't already had enough books, enough flowers, enough ranunculi, enough red... (That's the plural of ranunculus, I swear to God.)

But truly, these flowers have gotten under my skin, carved out a place in my heart and captured my soul.

(How corny is that?!) I do love them, though.

And secondly, I apologize for the length of this post. Well, for the amount of photos anyway. I went a little crazy shooting these beauties. I know because I've been photographing them for the better part of two weeks.

(How's that for getting your money's worth from a supermarket bouquet?)

Try as I might, I just couldn't bring myself to throw them out as they started to fade. And I think that they are just as beautiful now, with their crushed silken petals falling, as when they first graced my vase.

I've already confessed a weakness for old books, and for poetry too. I found this book of English poetry in a thrift store a few years back. It was missing it's cover, but I loved the title page and the crumbling leather binding. And I have a soft spot for the Romantic poets, especially Keats, Byron and Shelley.

"The flower that smiles today

Tomorrow dies;

All that we wish to stay,

Tempts and then flies..."

In a strange and totally unplanned way, I guess that mutability or change is the deeper subject of these images. Despite having been an English major, I'm not good with words; certainly I cannot craft a sentence that could rival Shelley's. But I'm at a time in my life when I often feel as though everything I have known for as long as I can remember has suddenly changed.

And that can be a crazy, scary feeling.

Like everyone else from my generation, I guess I'm feeling old, like a well-worn book or a flower that's losing petals.

But these things teach us that there is a certain beauty and dignity in age. After all, with age comes wisdom. (At least one hopes it does.)

And I am truly grateful to be living a life of contentment, with the ones I love most in all the world.

Do you see the little heart in the last photo? I ♥ books and flowers, my children, my husband, and you, my dear friends.

Long may we see the beauty in everything around us.

xoxo