{We at least got SOME Magnolia Blossoms}

So pleased with the turnout of SOME Magnolia Blossoms on our Magnolia x soulangeana!

Tuesday, February 23, was such a lovely and even warm day when we got these photos made.

Don't you love to see an almost blue sky and such huge magnolia blossoms?!

The previous days were rather dark, not good for photos.

On Monday, February 22, Pieter took this photo where we still had more blossoms on this tree but no sunshine, just a dreary day...

Luckily, this 2nd Magnolia tree was not blooming yet on December 30, so it had a lot less frost damage later in January.
You can find the links below this post from December 30, and also from spring 2011, when we had PERFECT MAGNOLIA BLOSSOMS!

Love the house when the sun is out; things look so happy even with the dead winter grass.
Yes, Centipede grass dies completely back during winter!
Do you notice that the shadow of our live oak tree on the wall looks like another tree?

Sadly our Italian cypress trees are brown...
Not looking too happy and we lost already one of the total three.
Again, looking like two live oak trees with the strong shadow on the wall!
Also in the photo below, that shadow remains.

Husband Pieter took those last three photos.
Taken from behind the pond with the gazebo visible too.
One of our kitties is walking past the wall.
The sunshine makes that wall look almost white; which is not the case as you see in the above photo.
Love the reflection in the water.
Spring is in the air and I'm happy because of it!

Related links:

{Magnolia Blossoms on December 30} | previous post by me

{SPRING 2011 IS GRADUATING!} | previous post by me showing PERFECT MAGNOLIA BLOSSOMS

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{Happy Weekend from Our Pond Area}

Wishing you all a cozy and happy weekend! 
Photo is taken on August 12, from our Pond Area.

This shows still the low hanging branches of the huge oak tree, hanging deep over the pond...

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{Dad Told us Stories About Bunnies on Bikes & Mopeds}

As little children we loved to listen to Dad's stories, during lunch time (our hot meal of the day) after coming home from school. Dad had worked on the field and he always fashioned exciting stories about bunnies on bikes and mopeds as they tore through the corn- and pole beans... Dad told these stories with such a vigor that we really BELIEVED him! Too bad, we all had to walk back to school as Dad again could encounter his furry friends once he returned to the fields. These stories are forever in my memory and low and behold, this year's Easter Catalog from +Gump's, did show Mr. & Mrs Bunny on their Penny Farthings or High Wheeler. I just could not resist ordering them...

Here they are, cycling in our garden amongst the mosses and the white violets...

Are those not lovely?!

Now on top of our picnic table with bench near the pond with the Japanese Somei Yoshino cherry as backdrop.

Don't worry, they will not drive into each other's wheels. Mrs. Bunny just tries to avoid some bird poop on the table...

This couple of fun bunnies did bring back to life those exciting stories told by Dad!

Even though we in our garden have no rows of corn, nor pole beans...

This is cute enough for reliving my childhood imagination! 

Mrs Bunny already did get her bike straight so she will not clash with Mr. Bunny.

+Gump's San Francisco offered them.

Easter 2014 will get celebrated different with those fond childhood memories!

Hope you enjoy a lovely Easter Season.

Time is moving so fast...

Related links:

{Daffodils Bunnies & Hearts} | previous post by me

{Happy Second Easter Day} | previous post by me showing my handmade Easter Egg Ribbons

{HAPPY EASTER to all my readers in 190 countries!} | previous post by me with our Pelargonium
{Easter Table Setting} | previous post by me with another cute Bunny with Baby-Bunny
{CIRCLE Vase with Candles for Easter} | previous post by me
{Hand Made Easter Egg Gift by Friend Ellie} | previous post by me
{Daffodils in CIRCLE Vase & Leonardo Figurine Bunny SPEEDY} | previous post by me
{Challenge Accepted + Easter Photos} | previous post by me
{HAPPY EASTER to all my readers in 163 countries!} | previous post by me with more info about the Chateauhotels/Kruisherenhotel
{Our Organdy Beribboned, Porcelain and Brass Easter Eggs} | previous post by me showing the hand made ribbons by me
{Happy Easter with Our Pelargonium 'Rosebud'} | previous post by me with more Pelargonium info
{Who can locate these EASTER EGGS for me?} | previous post by me
{¡HAPPY EASTER WEEKEND!} | previous post by me
{Easter Season} | previous post by me showing the brass window decorations with link

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{Look What is Blooming NOW in Our Garden}

• Besides our white and pink Camellias, we have also some yellow in our garden. Our Leatherleaf Mahonia Berberidaceae is blooming right now. 
• Look what a beauty in our garden, on the edge where the creek streams. 
• Also the Wintersweet - Chimonanthus praecox (Calycanthus p.) (C. fragrans) is blooming mid winter, see further below... 

• Blooms of the Leatherleaf Mahonia Berberidaceae (barberry Family)

• This shrub grows on the edge of our garden, alongside the creek where we also planted mondo grass to prevent it from erosion.

• You can see the water from the creek...

• The fragrant flowers of our Wintersweet - Chimonanthus praecox (Calycanthus p.) (C. fragrans)

• This shrub is planted next to our gazebo.

• Stepping a bit further back so you also can see our home...

• This is the view on the pond side...
• Do you have anything blooming right now?

Related link:
{Our Leatherleaf Mahonia Berberidaceae (barberry Family)} | previous post by me
{Our Wintersweet - Chimonanthus praecox} | previous post by me

Mariette on Google+

{My Burda Pattern Silk Skirt - Bow Tie & Scarf Creation}

Thanks for the many well wishes in your comments. In about a week I will feel my old self I guess. The inflammation is going down, now only I deal with the side affects of the medications.

♥

Traveling the world as international consultants always gave me access to several world city shopping malls, like Plaza Indonesia in Jakarta. It was there, where I did buy some nice Gucci silk for sewing a skirt  to go with the leather waist coat that was made for me by Pond's (India) Ltd. leather factory in Chennai (Madras). For both I used a Burda Pattern. The silk skirt is silk lined, using the smooth Japanese Kinkame silk 50 weight thread, which is incomparable. I even did make a silk scarf with hand rolled edges to go with it. For husband Pieter a silk bow tie as well as one for me. Having lived and worked in Indonesia I always had access to the most pretty silk hair bow barrettes with snood. Now, living back in the USA, I at least managed to make one myself, to match the skirt. Learn from Mariette as you look at the pictures below... Shopping information for the Kinkame silk thread and silk lining you will find below. Have any of you made a hand rolled silk scarf? Or a silk hair bow? Or maybe a silk bow tie for your significant other? Let me know as I definately want to hear about it!

Scarf, bow tie and hair bow is shown towards the end in more detail.

Voilà, my Burda pattern self sewn silk Gucci skirt...

Photo taken on Pieter's birthday, below you find a link where husband Pieter is wearing his silk bow tie.

Doing a 'tournesol' for showing you the different angels of the skirt.

It overlaps in the front and is inspired by a kind of sarong style.

It is not a wrap sarong though, in the back is a blind zipper...

By the way, do you like this leather waist coat?

That's the back with the blind zipper...

Pond's (India) Ltd. did a great job with the top stitching on this leather waist coat!

We both worked for Pond's and they did this for me as a courtesy. 

I'll treasure this as long as it fits and that's not a big risk as I'm the same size since I was 15.

With this overlapping double layer you have lots of freedom to move, or even RUN...

The part that I lift up here is NOT lined, the rest of the skirt is fully lined.

The waist coat has snap closure and also 2 welted pockets with a zipper. 

A notch collar and top stitching all over.

I've turned the blouse's notch collar over the leather one...

Now let's go to the matching accessories...

My favorite Japanese silk thread! Below you find the link for it...

Also shown here is the solid black silk lining of the skirt.

At the top: hand rolled silk scarf for which the smooth Japanese silk thread works great!

Below the scarf are the two matching bow ties with their hook and eye slide (see link below).

Silk hair bow with snood that I love to wear at times. 

Detail of the hand rolled silk scarf. Below you find a video of how to do this.

Easily done with this perfect Japanese Kinkame silk thread.

My silk hair bow barrette with snood...

Here you also clearly see the black dots that are woven into the silk.

Just love this quality fabric and love to run my fingers through, while at the store...

If you got the bow tie hook and eye slide, these are relatively easy to make!

Now I like to hear from you what you've made for yourself or a loved one.

Links of interest:
Britex Fabrics where I got my silk lining
Britex Notions Kinkame Japanese 50 weight Silk Thread
Learn from Mariette A Stich in Time Wardrobe Care
Mariette's Back to Basics
How to Hand Roll a Scarf video
Pieter is wearing HIS silk bow tie here: {Unique Accordion LOVE Story}
Bow tie hook and eye slide

{Our TURTLE KINDERGARTEN}

These fun photos, taken in mid March by my husband Pieter, show you our TURTLE KINDERGARTEN in the pond! Are they not precious? The way they  all line up on a piece of wood that is left in there where once was the fountain on an island. It got too often clogged up and we had to row to it in a boat for cleaning it up. 

Here are at least four KINDERGARTEN TURTLES and some bigger ones with a larger teenager.

But as soon as you show up, they dive into the pond...

Taking a photo was so tricky!

In the pond are the new leaves of the waterlilies as well as old leaves and catkins from the huge semi evergreen oak tree.

Can you see them? To the right of that tall tree's shade in the water...

From a different angle. 

Life as a Turtle is good...

Below are two links from previous posts where you can see the mama turtle digging in the eggs.

Do you have turtles in your pond or garden?

Have you ever seen baby turtles grow up?

Related articles
{TURTLE} | previous post by me
{White Waterlily Nymphaea odorata in our Pond} | previous post by me

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{Our Cedrus Deodara or Cedar Rose Tree...}

Last year on March 26, I fell in love with a post by Rosabella la vie en rose ←(click it), about pine cones in the shape of a ROSE! After some research about this Himlayan Cedar I did find its botanical name: Cedrus Deodara. When their cones are mature, they disintegrate and the tops of the cones get pushed off and they resemble a rose. Look at images of: cedrus deodara rose cones ←(click it.

Pieter and I were over joyed when on Sunday, March 11 we found this very tree at the County Farm Plant Co, Inc. in Baxley, GA ←(click it). Our best friend took us along and we hauled this tree back home with us. Those of you, lucky enough to live near our area, can get it there as well. They have excellent plants, shrubs and trees. Let's show you our new Cedrus Deodara...

It stands behind our pond, as it can become a HUGE tree with quite a diameter.

Here it is! My husband Pieter dug out a deep hole and filled it with potting soil and good top soil that he got at Home Depot. That is the best investment one can give any plant, shrub or tree. Our local soil is not very rich and has poor water holding capacity. 

Looking forward to the time that we will grow our first Cedar Roses...

Does any of you have Cedar Roses in the garden? Please tell me all about them.

Related link:

Sandrina- Nicht perfekt, aber "unique" | look how pretty those rose cones can be!

Mariette on Google+

{Ducks in Our Pond}

Already in December, the wild ducks were coming to our pond for mating. We had a neighbor that raised a couple of dozen white ducks. They did mingle with the wild ducks and together they were on our pond, playing around on December 30. Still they are coming daily to our pond and having a blast! Spring must be in the air... It is fun watching all our garden critters exist on our estate.

Our semi-evergreen oak near the pond; it is so lovely for having still some 'green' in winter...

Grooming on the ledge of the wooden island we used to have.

They certainly are making some waves!

Are you having any ducks or other water birds near home?

Mariette on Google+

{Our Papyrus Plant}

On May 3rd Pieter did plant his Papyrus plant alongside our pond. It was a gift from dear friends. This is THE Papyrus plant that also grew alongside the river Nile in Egypt, in the third millennium BC. But with the drought we were facing this summer and extremely hot weather, the plant does not look as happy as in May... Have a look.

This is on May 3, just planted and happy!

Here you see the Papyrus plant on October 12. Our pond held water all summer, due to an underground spring, but it has been in that scorching heat for a couple of months.

Let's hope it will look healthy again, come spring...

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{Gardenia by Royal Albert and our Garden Gardenias}

This time I will take you to our pond area underneath the huge semi-evergreen oak tree, where Pieter put a pick nick table and bench. It is a perfect spot for a tea or for just a break from garden work. So peaceful and tranquil. Let's have a look... A nice spot to have your tea and cake after a Garden Tour.

A tea towel as table cloth with Royal Albert Gardenia china and some Baccarat crystal vases and candle holder which was available at my Zen Cart powered on line boutique: Mariette's Back to Basics.

This is actually a vintage Baccarat Shalimar perfume bottle but it is perfect for holding a Gardenia.

These are the heavenly Aimee Yoshida Gardenias, like I showed you last year in my post: {Heavenly Gardenia Jasminoides 'Aimee Yoshida'}. Sometimes it is referred to as Aimee Yoshioka. In the hyperlink above you find more info.

Costco does sell these yummy Cashew Clusters with almonds and pumpkin seeds; good source of protein and fiber and gluten free. The Royal Albert China you also can see in my post: {May 22 Gardenia by Royal Albert and blooming Gardenias in Baccarat vase} 

Baccarat crystal candle holder, which is actually an egg cup holder...

Sorry ALL six are sold out...

The pond is a very nice spot for observing tiny turtles that swim by and waterlilies, fish, bull frogs.

Lots of mosses grow between the thick roots. Plenty of shade and the only negative of this huge oak tree is that where its shade covers the pond, no waterlilies grow.

Lots of pot plants across the pond, near the greenhouse.

Here you can view the greenhouse too.

Where those trees are there is the creek, the back of our property.

Royal Albert Gardenia cup & saucer with Bridal Rose from Alvin spoon.

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