Christine's Home and Travel Adventures: June 2016

Friday, June 24, 2016

My Small Garden in Florida

We have a small yard in Florida as compared to what we have in Natchez. I run out of places to plant but the advantage is that I have a smaller area to maintain.

We moved all these iron pieces from Natchez and I am happy that I have a place to have tea parties with my grandkids and have a place to sit and rest when I have to.

I want to eventually lay my brick tiles underneath this set so that my son in law Scott, my free lawn guy, do not have to mow this area, but again, they have not been moved from Natchez yet.

I planted some tropical fruit trees. This is a mango. It is a carrie tree. It had so many blooms but they all fell. We were told all carrie mango trees did that this year so now, I don't feel too bad.

This one's a lychee and I cannot wait for it to start bearing fruits.

And this is my other mango tree, a nom doc mai, and it is giving me a lot of fruits. Can't wait till they are ready to pick.

I started a little flower bed here because I bought a sampaguita, a Philippine jasmine. I would like to put maybe a bird bath or a small fountain here but I want to wait until I move everything from our garden in Natchez. This is a ongoing working project.

A sampaguita, the flowers smell wonderful!

I wish the plants would grown taller and more lush to conceal all that pool equipment.

My garden helper, Reese, our neighbor and my granddaughter.

Reese's and my latest garden project. We are still waiting for more accessories that I found from Ebay.

View from our bedroom

and when I am blogging from the bedside.

Share it One More Time

http://designthusiasm.com

Anything Goes" Pink Saturday

http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com

Sandi's No Place Like Home

http://sandimyyellowdoor.blogspot.com

Christine's Dishing It and Diggingi It

http://www.rustic-refined.com

Susan's Metamorphosis Monday
http://betweennapsontheporch.net

Cindy's Amaze me Monday

http://www.dwellings-theheartofyourhome.com

Jeanne's Blue Monday

http://backyardneighbor.typepad.com

Kathryn's Make it Pretty Mondayhttp://www.thededicatedhouse.com

Chloe's Celebrate it Monday

http://celebrateanddecorate.com/

Stacey's Garden Party
http://www.poofingthepillows.com/

Bernideen's Tea Time, Cottage and Garden Blog Party!

http://blog.bernideens.com/

Tweak it Tuesday

http://www.cozylittlehouse.com

Julie's Talk of the Town Tuesday

https://lovemysimplehome.blogspot.com

Tuesday's The Scoop

http://confessionsofaplateaddict.blogspot.com/

Marty's Inspire Me Tuesday

http://www.astrollthrulife.net/

Maria Elena's Tuesdays at Our Home

http://mariaelenasdecor.blogspot.com/

Show and Share

http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com

Sarah's Classical Homemaking party

http://www.hopeineveryseason.com/

Home Matters

http://lifewithlorelai.com/

Thoughts of Home Thursday

http://www.athomewithjemma.com/

Kathy's Home and Garden Thursday

http://adelightsomelife.com

Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop

http://peoniesandorangeblossoms.blogspot.com/

Kathryn's Anything Blue Friday

http://www.thededicatedhouse.com

Kate's Flaunt it Friday

http://chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com/

Courtney's Feathered Nest Friday

http://www.frenchcountrycottage.net/

Foodie Fri and Everything Else

http://designsbygollum.blogspot.com/

Friday, June 17, 2016

Tea Time with Grandkids in the Garden

My daughter Tina, who lives next door to us said she has a shooting (she is a photographer) the following day so could I watch her kids. I asked the kids what they would want to do while at our house and they all responded "TEA PARTY!!! in unison.

And so tea party it is! I had told Reese one time to wear a nice dress with a hat the next time we have a tea party. And she remembered! She really takes our tea parties seriously.

The boys are on vacation so they were invited too.

The kids helped me set up the table. Right away, Reese said we need a cover for the table. She sure is learning fast, lol. She was also the one who picked which teapot we would use and she chose the Fitz & Floyd with a coccatiel finial.

I had a full size tea cup but I took out smaller ones for the kids but they kept asking for refills. I might as well have used full sized ones for them too.

It was kinda hot cause the sun was on us but we all had fun.

We also had macarons, little ones that I brought all the way from our last trip in Marseilles some oreo cookies and merengue drops.

My tea cup has a lily of the valley pattern

"Indian Tree" demitasse cups for the grands.

Thank you so much for stopping by and to the hostesses

for hosting these fun parties.

Tea in the Garden

http://blog.bernideens.com

Share it One More Time

http://designthusiasm.com

Anything Goes" Pink Saturday

http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/

Sandi's No Place Like Home

http://sandimyyellowdoor.blogspot.com

Christine's Dishing It and Diggingi It

http://rustic-refined.com

Cindy's Amaze me Monday

http://dwellingsin-heartofyourhome.com

Chloe's Celebrate it Monday

http://celebrateanddecorate.com/

Bernideen's Tea Time, Cottage and Garden Blog Party!

http://blog.bernideens.com

Ruth's Tuesday Cuppa Tea

http://www.antiquesandteacups.info

Tweak it Tuesday

http://www.cozylittlehouse.com

Julie's Talk of the Town Tuesday

https://lovemysimplehome.blogspot.com

Tuesday's The Scoop

http://confessionsofaplateaddict.blogspot.com

Show and Share

http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com

Sarah's Classical Homemaking party

http://www.hopeineveryseason.com

Tablescape Thursday

http://betweennapsontheporch.net

Home Matters

http://lifewithlorelai.com

Thoughts of Home Thursday

http://www.athomewithjemma.com

Kathy's Home and Garden Thursday

http://adelightsomelife.com

Tablescape Thursday

http://betweennapsontheporch.net

Share your Style Thursday

http://www.thevintagenestblog.com

Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop

http://peoniesandorangeblossoms.blogspot.com/

Kate's Flaunt it Friday

http://chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com/

Courtney's Feathered Nest Friday

http://www.frenchcountrycottage.net/

Foodie Fri and Everything Else

http://designsbygollum.blogspot.com/

Sunday, June 12, 2016

It's Summertime!....Shells!

It's been summer for quite some time in Florida. It's time to go to the beach! Somehow, when you live here, the beach is taken for granted. But we should go more often. I thought I would set up a table with a beachy theme so I can get excited about going.

I could not find some of my clear aqua plates so I mixed them up with some shell plates Yes, I am still organizing my boxes in the garage but I have made lots of progress.

I started with my blue and coral tablecloth with shells, sand dollars and starfish.

I borrowed this grassy pot with shells from the bathroom.

Actually, most of the pieces I used in my centerpiece are from our master bath surrounding the jacuzzi, except for the coral candelabra. I just got it out of the box in the garage and it broke but I was able to glue it together.

The plate chargers are capiz I bought from Pier 1 many years ago. I think this is the first time I ever used them.

I have so many different beach themed napkin rings but I chose these 2 alternatively, coral made out of pearls and a fan shaped ceramic with shells. I also used 2 types of goblets because I could not find one of the aqua fleur de lis stems. Only 7 would fit in the box when I packed so one was packed with others. Who knows when I will ever get to it. Notice how I used a fishing net for a runner? I think I bought it from the Key West. You will also find some fish S & P shakers in the mosaic below.

I have a pair of shell shaped French Serves with ormolu compotes. I thought I'd show them since they go with my theme. They are on the buffet near the window.