Henry Staycation II

You may remember the first semi annual Henry Staycation of 2009.  Considering the state of our weekend the past four months, we scheduled (yes, we're ashamed to admit it, but we literally had to block it off on the calendar a month or so ago) a staycation for this past Saturday.  We enjoyed a morning of yard sales in Green Hills, and an afternoon of art and gardens at Cheekwood in Belle Meade.  Wonderful, sweet time together!

Us with our new friend Marilyn.  We happened upon her estate sale via craigslist and bought tools and retro kitchen items.  As we were leaving Jeff mentioned her beautiful backyard garden and she invted us to come back later to look at plants to dig and take home.  When we came back she took us on a guided garden tour and talked about her plants as her friends.  You could tell how passionate she was about gardening and how sad she was to move away from her house.  I told her about my Granny and her love of flowers and how were are trying to return our yard to the former glory she once cultivated it to be.  Marilyn was so sweet she told us she could tell we loved flowers, and let us dig whatever we wanted as a gift!  We have now added varigated vincas, a velvet ruffled hosta, heleborres, columbine, a star of jerusalem and an anabelle hydrangea to our home... and have a new friend :)

our yard sale bounty ( the plants are inadvertently disguising the real goods- don't want anyone to be jealous :)

Cheekwood.  There were frames sprinkled around the grounds.  They were swivel mounted on poles so you could turn it and find the perfect painting, just like the Impressionists in the Garden exhibit on display now.

Jeff in the Japanese Garden doing a yoga tree pose.  One second later he was falling to the ground :)

wouldn't this be cool on our patio?  Jeff is drawing up plans in his head... :) for a few years from now... maybe... :)

some of our favorite things in the gardens: