Yesterday, I had afternoon tea with my friends Noble and Tina. They live in a neighboring town in a very old house from the 1700s. Tina had surgery recently and I wanted to see how she was doing and give her a gift. Yes, one of the Guy Wolff pots was for her. She’s smart, that Tina; when she read my post about the pots where I mentioned one of them was a gift for a friend, she quickly figured out it was intended for her!
Tea was served at a little table on the lawn and the three of us had a lovely time together. Oh, I should say ‘four’ of us. Petey, my favorite little dog, was there.
Here he is after having taken over the cushion that Tina uses to elevate her feet. He assumed it was the perfect dog bed. And it was.
I want to share their garden with you. Noble does the gardening and it is simply beautiful. It’s a shade garden. Noble has a green thumb and a sense of design that is impeccable.
Meandering paths, benches tucked into the landscape, beautifully aged garden ornaments.
Now, that’s a gorgeous hosta!
Those are McCoy pots, by the way.
Isn’t it lovely? I feel like Noble’s garden is the adult garden and mine is…well…the teenager’s garden. This is when I envy a flat plot of land. Our slope is a pain in the tush and I confess, I haven’t tried to work around it except for the big garden bed. But I have plans.
I find Noble’s work to be inspiring, which is why I took a lot of photos yesterday.
Tina, who shouldn’t have, gave me a gift as well.
This little doggie who reminded her of Scoutie. And this book, a source of comfort for anyone who has lost a beloved pet. I haven’t read it yet. I’m saving that for later today.
I’m happy to report that Tina is mending nicely.
All in all, a lovely day in our little slice of heaven – the Hudson Valley.
Today? Rain.
Saying Happy Memorial Day never seems quite right when we are memorializing those who lost their lives in service to this country. So I’ll close with my usual:
Happy Monday.
I love this post! Noble and Tina’s garden calls to me to come with a good book and sit awhile. I now believe I need another garden ornament. And your post about Guy Wolff’s pottery, nearly sent me over the edge. Pots are one of my favorite things in the summer and I have quite a collection, but none like those. It’s raining in Jersey today, so I am off to my knitting and a new mystery book. Hope you enjoy a relaxing day.
I need several garden ornaments! Raining here, too, so I’m going to clean the bathroom!
Dearest Claudia, how chuffed we are to see our garden through your artist’s eye. You make our yard look magazine worthy! As always, we have the best time with you. I feel yesterday’s visit hastened my healing greatly. Home bound for two weeks, it was bracing to sit among the trees, the quiet interrupted only by natures song. Sitting back with feet up, sipping tea and talking into dusk with a treasured friend. Petey has totally coopted my foot rest. But I have to admit, it does look exactly like a dog bed. Here’s to many more lazy days, with good friends, made even better when Don returns to join us. Thanks so much for my extraordinary pot and , more important, your friendship.
I want to come back and take more photos with my big girl camera. Maybe sometime later this week? It was a lovely afternoon. You and Noble are the perfect hosts and I thank you so much for your hospitality and the great conversation. Much love to you both!
That is a truly stunning garden. But that window causes me some serious window envy! And I just love the meandering paths. Sounds like a lovely day for all of you.
I know! I love that window, too. It’s so charming.
Lovely gardens! I would enjoy a bit of tea and conversation there myself. How wonderful to visit a good friend and have some time together. The Guy Wolff pot was perfect for her. I must say I love a shade garden so very much. Maybe one day I’ll have a cottage and yard of my own. Until then my sweet container garden will make me happy. Enjoy your day. It’s sunny this morning but more rain is expected soon. Hugs!
This is certainly a lovely shade garden, Linda! Lots of rain here today!
Oh my….Tina and Noble’s garden is gorgeous…and so lush. My garden can only hope to grow up to be half as lovely! Thank you for the tour. I think I need more garden ornaments…and placed just so….that’s an art. Glad to hear Tina is recovering…I’m sure having such a beautiful outdoor space helps with that! ;)
It does. Listening to the birds, looking at the scenery – it all helps.
What a lovely shade garden! I can envision enjoying a hot day under a tree, reading and sipping a cool drink. Thank you and your friends for sharing their garden! Peter is cute.
It was lovely and it was a nicely coolish day, which was even better!
What a beautiful garden, mine is shade too. Hoping my neighbors do not cut down their white pine. Awful trees in the city but it is now the only shade we get over garden. Neighbor on other side cut down big tree! The house looks like it must be wonderful too. I can say it to you but I get annoyed when people think this is a day to remember everyone who has died! This is for those who died fighting in a war, Veteran ‘s day is to remember all veterans living and those who died after their war years. I know, but gee really their is a difference. Also remember Decoration Day was to remember all Americans who died ( North and South). There I go stepping up on the soapbox again! Take care.
Oh, I feel the same way! It’s to remember all those who died for their country. I find it annoying, as well!
Beautiful garden! Little Petey is just too cute! I’m glad you had such a lovely time. The Guy Wolff pot seems like the perfect gift for those with such a lovely garden! We were sitting in the swing on the back porch this morning when we heard a mourning dove. So sweet and peaceful and I thought of you, Claudia. Hope you enjoy the rest of your day!
Ah, thank you for thinking of me, Dottie!
Lovely gardens, but yours are lovely too! The soil in Illinois is like hard clay, nothing like the soil in NY state; so, I have a small garden and I grow a lot of things in containers. Enjoy the day!
We have very, very rocky soil. I can’t dig an inch without encountering rocks!
What a serene and beautiful garden! Such an inspiration.
Judy
It is, Judy! It’s making me rethink things around here!
Those garden photos look as if they jumped right out of Fine Gardening magazine! Stunning! Your visit to Guy Wolff Pottery got me to thinking that I must find a spot for one or two. I saw them in a catalog years ago and sort of forgot about them. I’m wondering when the “Happy Memorial Day” expression came into usage. Perhaps when the Memorial Day Sales began to be advertised? Here’s hoping you have lots of sunshine this week. Annette in Northern Ca
Probably – and picnics and all the beginning of summer hoopla that is now associated with Memorial Day.
Unfortunately, we won’t be having lots of sunshine this week. Sob.
Claudia, your friends garden is so lovely. I’ll draw inspiration from it as well since our back yard is very shady. I love Petey – what a cutie! That book looks intriguing. Having loved and lost many good dogs in my life, I may have to read that. Another wonderful book if you haven’t already read it is “Good Dog. Stay.” by Anna Quindlen. You will laugh and cry your way through it, I’m sure, just as I did. Have a great week, Claudia!
Thanks, Donna! By the way, I follow Amanda on Instagram and I love seeing her cats and the occasional photo of you!!
What beautiful gardens your friends have! Everything looks so peaceful and pretty. And how sweet of Tina to give you those lovely gifts.
It was – especially since the afternoon was about her! She’s sneaky that way.
What a wonderful day with friends…Tina and Noble’s garden is the one I have dreamed of for here…with a sweet meandering path leading to a bench by the Willow tree I planted shortly after we moved here…I also love that window…it looks like it belongs in a fairytale house!
Isn’t that window incredible? So charming!