“The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just on the body, but the soul.” Alfred Austin, Victorian Poet
The flower beds in my yard are still kind of a mess but I continue working on them as time allows. It’s a true work in progress and there’s no end in sight.
Since I was forced to move and split many perennials just before they bloomed, some aren’t blooming while others just look a little sad. Luckily, I can imagine what they will look like next year and that’s keeping me going. The prospect of fuller, richer flower beds in the coming years is enough to keep me going back for more.
It has been great therapy and good exercise. Someday, it will pay off and I will be glad that I dedicated the time and sweat equity. Meanwhile, I enjoy the fruits of other people’s gardening labors. This picture is from Kingwood Garden Center in Mansfield. Go visit them and appreciate the gorgeous gardens if you get a chance.
Last month I visited Kingwood Center Gardens and showed you pictures of the house and gardens. Today, I want to revisit that trip to show you more of the Lego sculptures currently on display.
This hummingbird and flower seem to defy the law of gravity.
This birdbath is quite realistic
The peacock was one of my favorite pieces. It’s comprised of 68,827 Lego bricks and it took about 625 hours to build. I cannot fathom the patience and time needed to make this piece.
I also really liked the tortoise with a bird perched on its back. It looks incredibly realistic.
The flowers were the draw for me to visit Kingwood but I appreciated the Legos along the way. For other people, the opposite was true. They went for the Legos but, hopefully, enjoyed the flowers and the time in nature along the way.
Yesterday I told you about Kingwood Center Garden. In addition to the 47 acres of grounds and gardens, there’s a house you can tour.
Here are a few images of my favorite things including the library.
The view through these ornate doors.
This wallpaper!
The staircase is magnificent!
The butler’s pantry. What I wouldn’t give for so much storage!
The natural light in this kitchen made my heart swell. The appliances were state-of-the-art including the pictured fridge and the stove and incinerator that aren’t pictured.
Why don’t modern kitchen faucets come with a built in soap dish?
The view into the kitchen from the breakfast room is inviting. Again, the light was beautiful.
This mantle is lovely.
There are so many beautiful things to see throughout this home, be sure to take your time on your self guided tour to appreciate the small things.
This weekend took me to a new favorite place. Kingwood Garden Center is a 47 acre estate in Mansfield, Ohio. It’s the former home and historic estate of Charles Kelley King. A native of Maine, King was hired as the first electrical engineer at Ohio Brass in 1893. He rose within the company, eventually becoming president and chairman of the board. King had the house and grounds built in 1926 and lived here until his death in 1952.
He had a library, an office and a reading room! They were equally fabulous.
Married and divorced twice with no children, King understood the value of his home and commissioned a study to determine the best future use for his estate after his death. The result was the creation of a foundation that opened the gardens to the public in 1953.
Today you can explore the home, gardens and greenhouse for just $8 admission.
This place is fabulous and surpasses Franklin Park Conservatory as my favorite place to stroll through a garden.
They currently have a Lego exhibit that integrates Lego sculptures into the estate. I really liked this Monarch Butterfly which is comprised of 39,708 bricks. It took 425 hours to build!
There are so many nooks and crannies to explore, benches to rest on and lovely flowers to enjoy.
Plus, they have a greenhouse, a cafe and gift shop. You are also welcome to bring in your own picnic food if you wish. Want to visit? Get all the information from their website!
I learned something about myself this weekend and I’m not sure what to make of it.
It seems that I have lost my ability to just sit down and relax.
Life has been busy. Since I have been feeling better, I feel driven to do as much as possible. Life has taken me out on adventures but I’m also working in my yard, attempting to reclaim poison ivy laden flower beds, cut down some brush, and make the place look a little more presentable.
I won’t bore you with all the other big and small projects keeping me busy but the point is that lunch breaks have been almost nonexistent and my evenings and weekends are full. Most evenings I head straight to the shower at dusk, hungry and covered in pollen and dirt. I can go for days without sitting in my comfy chair or without turning on the tv.
I’m often tired and sore by bedtime. Could I knock off whatever I’m doing a little earlier? Yeah, but the thought of quitting isn’t appealing at all.
On Sunday, I bought myself a fun snack, intending to sit in my chair and watch a movie. So I sat in my favorite chair, munching on Planter’s Cheese Balls while the tv played and I stared mournfully out the window.
My attempt at relaxation was stressing me out so I finally put on old clothes and headed outside to plant a few things and cut some brush.
On the one hand, I’m grateful for the newfound energy and for the gumption to deal with the hard stuff. On the other hand, it would be nice to give my body a break and rest for a while. Yet, the yard work is therapeutic. It has been good for my mental health to dig and pull and strike things with a hoe.
For now, I’m going to keep powering through and be grateful that my body allows me to do so. It is such a shocking difference from this time last year that I’m struggling to see my inability to sit still as a bad thing.
What about you? Do you know how to be still or are you always on the move? I would love to hear your stories.
The above pictures is not my yard. It’s at Kingwood Garden Center in Mansfield, Ohio this weekend. The gardens here are amazing so I will show you more pictures tomorrow.
Anytime I visit a town, I have a short list of everyday places to seek out. Courthouses, old churches, covered bridges, Carnegie libraries, neon signs, old theaters, murals and drive-in movies always make the list.
That’s why I looked up this drive-in at Mansfield when I was in town this weekend.
It dates to 1950 and remains in operation today. The colors and font are pretty amazing.
Want to take in a flick there sometime? Check out their website!
