Monet’s House & Garden

Monet's House and Garden Two surprises awaited me when I visited Claude Monet's house and gardens in Giverny, France. One, his house was much bigger than I thought it would be -- a mansion for the times he lived, and two, his gardens were less formal than imagined. Mid summer was the perfect time to …

Solitude

Solitude A boy's version of a man cave is a tree house. When I was a kid, a neighbor and I used some scrap lumber and built a tree house in his elm tree. It was more like a platform spread across two sturdy limbs with no walls or any cover. Nothing fancy, but it …

Opportunity

A seven foot high brick wall surrounded the property.  No roof or evidence of any building rose above the wall, only a few trees.  A curved brick walkway led to a gate, the only break in the brick wall.  Entry was denied by a heavy solid wooden door, locked with a sturdy gate latch.  The …

Odd Ball

Have you ever felt like a fifth wheel?  ... or odd man out?  ... or the last one picked when sides are chosen on the playground?   ... or you were swimming upstream?   ... or you were the only kid not sitting at the lunchroom "cool table"?   ... or you were sittting in the back seat …

Master Gardener

Annually, there is a charity fundraising event that allows you to walk through the gardens of several local gardeners, serious gardeners.  These are a few shots taken at a local medical doctor's residence -- five acres of gorgeous plantings, tasteful yard art, and just plain relaxing beauty. Yes, this piece of Americana is the doctor's …