Monday

I can never come up with a more clever subject for the Monday post.  

Rick and I took a much needed break from the heat and smoky air this weekend and headed for the coast for the day on Saturday.  I cannot even begin to say how grateful I am that we live in a location where the ocean is 75 minutes one direction, the wine country about 90 minutes away in another and the mountains are about two and half hours in another direction.  If we need a quick change of scenery we can have it at a moment's notice.

We didn't have much of a plan except drive south and see where we landed.  We had an errand for my mother in law who wanted a couple of plant hooks from a particular nursery in Carmel Valley.  We have a few favorite nurseries and Griggs Nursery is at the top of the list.  Before we went in we looked at each other and solemnly swore we would grab the hooks and not even look at any plants.  HAHA!!  We left with the hooks, an Arabian jasmine, some gardening tools and, as evidenced by the ride home, an ant colony (residing in the jasmine).  It took Rick an hour after we got home to vacuum out all the ants in the car.  

I have coveted one of these house plants since forever.  They aren't your typical Home Depot/Lowe's offering but you can find them at the occasional higher end nursery.  And you will pay the inflated price for them.  These were in four inch pots and they wanted $25 for them.  That seems exorbitant to me.  I want one but with my spotty record with keeping houseplants alive I need a lower price point before I'll take the plunge.  

After leaving the nursery we headed back north and had lunch overlooking the ocean in Seascape.  Summers on the Monterey Bay are typically a bit on the foggy side but will eventually wear off.  The beach photo is taken from the restaurant and the fog was just thinking about burning off.  

Of course if I'm in the vicinity I have to stop at my happy place which is Wisteria Antiques and Garden in Soquel (first photo in this post is from there).

If I had to say there was one place that has totally influenced our gardening style it would be Wisteria.  It has a very European/New Orleans kind of vibe to it.  There are actually two businesses here – the antiques which are displayed in the original house on the property along with several outer buildings; and the garden area which features plants, outdoor furniture, statues, fountains, bird houses and the like for sale.  The antiques side of the business is what I think of as French Country.  We have been going there for, gosh, going on 20 years or so and each time we go there it is just a treat.

I bought a tin urn (new, made to look old) that I intend to use as an umbrella stand.  I've been looking for something for years and the urn was just perfect.  Lots of chippy green and cream paint.  

It was a lovely day – one of those semi-spontaneous days where you have no set agenda but know your destination will pull through and give you the distraction and relaxation you need.