MOTHER GOOSE'S LESSON FOR THE DAY

No, not that Mother Goose...

(Sharing a photo from my Archives)

A FAVORITE FLOWER

The common name for this pretty flower is the Obedient Plant.  Its scientific name is Physostegia virginia 'Vivid' and is part of the mint family.

This flower has always been one of my favorites, ever since I first saw it at Meadowlark Gardens.  It was in their native plants area, just like this one which I discovered at Green Spring Gardens.

It is called the Obedient Plant because each one can be curved in any direction, so it is great for flower arrangements when you need a little tweaking.

A little visitor can be seen in this cropped version.  It also attracts hummingbirds, butterflies, bumble bees, bees and sphinx moths, and other pollinators and beneficial insects.  It is also seldom eaten by deer or small mammals.

More can be learned here.

VISITING ANOTHER RESTAURANT

This was a recommendation from our son and we decided to take a ride out there yesterday.  He and daughter-in-law had gone a couple of times and really enjoyed it.  The reviews online were mediocre but our family's  positive comments spurred us on.  Besides, we never really pay attention to reviews and would rather make our own minds up by first hand experience.

District Dumplings, as you can see from their website, offers a variety of Asian-style dumplings, steamed or fried.  Gregg also said he would like to try their fried version, potstickers I suppose those would be.  Next time we go, and there will be a next time, I will also order a cup of Edamame.  There were condiments - soy, siracha and hoisin sauce - to dip them in.  These can also be used for the dumplings.  When we asked our son what they ordered, he said we should try the soup dumplings (they reminded me of mini volcanoes) and also a mix and match plate.  We did the same and were not disappointed.  They were delicious!

For a drink I had Celery, Lime and Ginger juice.  Very refreshing, something I had never had before but wouldn't hesitate to again.  I am going to have a go at using this combination at home, as I enjoy smoothies for breakfast.  The only time I have tried anything different is to add an avocado to the fruit.  Anyhow, it was a very nice experience going to District Dumplings.

This area is called The Mosaic District.  There are numerous shops and restaurants.  I also read about their farmers market every Sunday.  Another place to visit as they go on through to December 30th.

Flowers were everywhere and they certainly made their surroundings look cheerful, a real pleasure to walk around.  We did a lot of looking in windows and looking at buildings.

I don't know much about architecture but we liked what we saw.

A lot of the shops had brightly colored facades. The one below - Cheesetique - was another restaurant right next to the one we had just been to. Gregg popped his head in the door and noticed they had lobster mac and cheese on the menu.  I know where we will be going next time.  I also noticed water bowls next to the tables outside several restaurants, for any customers with dogs.

And how about this place where you can not only get a cup of tea but an ice-cream treat?  Ice-Cream and Tea has Thai-style ice-cream, mixed and rolled on a flat plate while you wait.  We tried one in California where you could choose various additions to mix in, but I am not sure what that store was called.  It was very popular I remember, with lines out the door.  We will need to go back here and have dessert.  It also advertises classic milk tea, fruit tea and green milk tea.

Nando's Peri-Peri is a chain we have tried before.  These restaurants are very popular and there is at least one I know of in another shopping area, the one we tried.  There are others all around the world. It has its roots in South Africa, is decorated with South Africa art and its cuisine is Portuguese, famous for its chicken dishes and I believe there are other meats available, also vegetarian.  Check out their menu.  I remember the food was very good, some spicy but you can order milder versions. Peri-peri, also known from the Swahili word "pili-pili' (pepper-pepper) describes the African bird's eye chili.

The Mosaic District is new to us but thanks to our son and daughter-in-law, we have another area to explore.

We could also play a game of chess, or checkers.

I made a collage from the windows to another restaurant.  Always love these quotes I find, and the pretty artwork on the glass.

Here's one on its own, shown above.

There were more pretty flowers in planters.

These were beautiful, I loved their color.

Celosia.  I wasn't sure of the particular type but I came across the name 'Asian Garden'.  It could also be Flamingo Feather.  The shades are a little different though.  There are an abundance of photos at this link.

We passed by apartment buildings on our way back to the car, and there were crepe myrtle trees out front.  Not blooming at this time of the year but I liked their bright leaves and berries.

It was a very pleasant trip out and we look forward to going back sometime in the not too distant future.

Thank you for stopping by and leaving comments.  If I am a bit slow in replying I have been having trouble with blogger.  I read a couple of blogging friends who had the same issues when they downloaded the update.  When I replied to them saying I had no problems I jinxed myself!  I also downloaded the new update for my iPad before I saw their comments.  Up to that point I had been replying on my laptop (a non-Apple product) and am thankful that I have no issues with it, except that the laptop had to go into the repair shop when the screen went blank.  If I have been slow in replying to your comments, this is the reason why.  As for my iPad I am still trying to fix the situation.

Enjoy your day and have a great weekend everyone.  

NOW THAT WE ARE OFFICIALLY INTO THE AUTUMN....

I am sharing a farmer's market shop owned by Whitehall Farm, link here.  We were there two weeks ago.

It is not exactly around the corner, otherwise we would be there all the time.  On the way we passed these cyclists enjoying the sunshine.

A great day for a bike ride.

Twenty minutes or so later we were pulling into the parking lot.  We started out very early and it was during the week.  No other cars. It is closed Monday and Tuesday, and it crossed my mind that it was closed when we arrived.  But it was just very quiet.

They have a Fall Festival and I believe this is one of the hayride wagons.

Inside the store it had a light and cheery air.  I liked the fall decorations and enjoyed browsing over all the items we could purchase.

We bought fresh tomatoes, a bag of onions, a baguette, bread and butter pickles which was Gregg's choice, a jar of honey, my choice, and dark chocolate covered coffee beans, also my choice.  Quite a varied collection.

I first discovered how much I liked chocolate covered coffee beans at a coffee shop in one of our strip malls ages ago.  They always placed three on the side of my coffee cup, but stopped the practice several months ago.  "What?", I said, "No more chocolate covered coffee beans?"  Now whenever I come across them it is a special treat.  I do the same as the coffee shop, and eat two or three beans with my morning cup of coffee.  Zips me right through the day!

Time to go back and get more!

There were many things that interested us in this shop, the olive oil for instance.  They had all kinds of different flavors.

I asked if I could take a few photos and they readily agreed.  The decorations were very festive.

It's beginning to feel like Fall.

What are your favorite Autumn things? Here are some of mine.

Sweater weather and Homemade soup

Hot Apple Cider and Hot Chocolate

Sitting by the fire

That feeling of drawing in 

your breath on a crisp day

Walks in the evenings and

smelling wood smoke from

the neighbors' chimneys

Walking on crunchy leaves

while walking through the woods

Seeing all the pumpkins

Carved pumpkins too

The first Fall Mums on sale

To name a few...

 and wishing all my friends

PRICKLY AND BEAUTIFUL

"There is something of the marvelous in all things of nature."

~Aristotle~

OLD PHOTOS

I found a few old photos taken in the late 1970s.  We were playing a game of baseball with family and friends, the first time ever playing baseball for me, and the last truth be told.  Gregg is third from the right.  I am the first person you see on the right (above photo).

In the photo below I am standing in front of a house we almost bought.  I had to be talked into it as looking around the garden, when I peered over the waist high fence, I spotted a small family graveyard with four headstones.  It was very overgrown, not touched in a long time.  It wasn't someone else's garden yet, quite a large plot and the land was for sale.  I think my eyes may have gone wide as I leaned over the fence.  They dated back to the mid 1800s.  

If this situation had happened now I wouldn't have had as much angst about them.  The camera would have come out, and then I would have tidied up the plot and taken care of them before the new owners bought the land.  As it turned out fate intervened.  We were in the process of buying the house when the navy sent Gregg to the west coast.  He had already been told he would be stationed on the east coast for the next two years.  And now here I am standing in front of what would have been our new home if we had stayed, hearing Gregg say "Smile!", and worried about what was over the fence.  I was young, what else is there to say?  I hadn't entered my phase of life where I feel totally at peace in cemeteries.

This is me with the son of good friends of the family. He was 13 and is now a married man with a sweet, beautiful wife and two beautiful children, the nicest people you could ever wish to meet.

Good memories!