Is This How You Imagined Shangri-La?

We all know Shangri-La is a fictional place*, yet it brings to mind a blissful, mysterious, locale. One man, however, had a more specific vision of Shangri-La and spent years turning that vision into reality.

The man was Henry L. Warren, a tobacco farmer from Prospect Hill, NC and the result of his vision can be enjoyed by travelers to this day. His Shangri-La was created from local stone and found objects and the 'town' grew to include 27 buildings - each featuring a unique design.

I first saw Shangri-La about twenty years ago and when a recent trip took me past it, I stopped to take photos to share with you. If you're ever traveling between Hillsborough, NC and Danville, VA you can stop and experience it for yourself!

You'll be amazed at Mr. Warren's ingenuity and dedication. He died in the late 1970s and, yet, his work lives on in this magical little town.


If you visit, don't miss the walkways embedded with arrowheads - hundreds of them, in varying patterns.

This quote from Sam Walter Foss' famous poem sums up this little Shangri-La . . . and I'd say Henry Warren embodied it!

*We're not counting Camp David, which was originally named Shangri-La by FDR

Dust Off Those Tap Shoes - Today's a Holiday!

That's right, all you Fred & Ginger wannabes - today is National Tap Dance Day! It's no coincidence that today is also the birthday of Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson who was born in Richmond, Virginia in 1878. Bojangles is often credited with changing the style of tap dancing - from a flat-footed shuffle to an on-the-toes precision. He's also remembered for coining the phrase "everything's copacetic" . . . which is probably how his audience felt while watching his performances!

As a girl I took tap and ballet lessons and have taken tap again as an adult. Luckily, I never had aspirations of being a professional (if you saw me dance, you'd know just how lucky!), but I still love to tap. Perhaps tap dancing will emerge again as a popular entertainment . . . there must be lots of movie-goers who would prefer to see a rousing Gene Kelly number over another teen-age haunted house flick.


So, who's your favorite tap dancer? How about your favorite dance movie? I can't really choose a favorite, but am especially fond of all the Fred & Ginger films. In honor of National Tap Dance Day - here's a great clip from Swing Time.



Happy Tapping~~~~~ shuffle, ball, change~~~~~~shuffle, ball, change~~~~~~~ remember, everything's copacetic when you're dancing!

On this day in 1819. . .

. . . a Queen was born. If you're not sure which Queen, here's a hint: a British Queen. That really narrows it down as the 19th century saw the same person on the throne from 1837 through the end of the century. Yes, the Queen in question is Victoria. She may be primarily remembered for two things - her long reign (63 years!) and her decades-long mourning for Prince Albert, but there's so much more to appreciate about Queen Victoria.

And while Hollywood isn't usually the first place to look for historical accuracy, I think you wouldn't go wrong starting with The Young Victoria and perhaps ending with Mrs. Brown. (Okay, I know there are questions about the accuracy of MB, but it's a great movie. If you're not convinced, here's another fact - it stars Judi Dench!) And The Young Victoria leads me to think of the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, who teamed up with Martin Scorsese to create the movie. I recently saw the Duchess of York at a fundraising luncheon and she spoke about the movie, primarily in the context of keeping dreams alive and working towards them - even if it takes 17 years before they come to fruition (as it did for the movie).

And on the subject of Sarah Ferguson, recent news stories aside, she is an engaging speaker. She was warm and funny and forthcoming about her mistakes without indulging in the usual tell-all. If you have an opportunity to see her, my advice is to go - you don't need to be a Royal Watcher to appreciate her message - or share her affection for Queen Victoria.

And if you're still not convinced about The Young Victoria, I have one more surprise up my sleeve. The screenplay was written by Julian Fellowes who wrote Gosford Park, which is one of my favorite movies. (Monarch of the Glen fans also know Fellowes for his portrayal of Kilwillie, famous for his Gentleman's Relish and deep pockets.)

So, my tribute to Queen Victoria has rambled quite a bit, proof that English teachers are right - you need an outline before writing. For a different sort of tribute that doesn't ramble at all, check out the special tea honoring Queen Victoria's birthday at Eastlake Victorian. You'll want to sit down and enjoy the fare . . .

The Rabbit Has a Charming Face, but . . .

The rabbit has a charming face,

Its private life is a disgrace.
I really dare not name to you
The awful things that rabbits do.

The Rabbit (1925), Anonymous

Isn't this a charming little poem? Although it's unclear to this modern reader how the rabbit disgraces himself, or herself, as the case may be. What comes promptly to mind, though, is the way rabbits hop around at dusk and nibble their way through the tastiest young leaves. Disgraceful! Did you know that rabbits eat up to one pound of greens each day?


What I'd like to find is a civilized rabbit like Br'er Rabbit or the White Rabbit - one dressed in formal wear who has more pressing issues than sneaking around mooching our plants.

What we actually have, though, is a pretty smart rabbit - one might even say he's no Dumb Bunny! This year he's only eating plants we don't want - like this volunteer violet. Do you have a problem with violets? They pop up in one little corner of our yard, both in the grass and in the beds - and even though some might not consider them a weed, they are a weed to me. (Doesn't that have a bit of a Godfather sound? Kind of like "you're dead to me", except that "you're a weed to me" isn't quite as ominous - or is it if you're the violet? If someone said that to you, would that make you shrink?)

So here's hoping our bunny sticks to the violets and hollyhocks (also volunteers, but that's an interesting story for another day)! This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship . . . and I might even re-write The Rabbit poem:

Our bunny has a charming face
He hops around with joy and grace.
You won't believe what he can do,
The weeds are gone when he is through.

Sundials . . . !!

Remember the clocks made of flowers that we discussed earlier this week? Well, let's continue that theme with a brief chat about sundials. We all know a few basic sundial facts: sundials tell time using the sun, they're often seen in gardens, and they're a really old technology (in fact, Wikipedia tells us they've been used since 700BC). But, what I wanted to share is the work of an incredibly talented British dialist - David Harber.

I've been a fan of David Harber's amazing sundials, armillaries, and fountains since seeing his work in a garden magazine five or six years ago. Periodically I visit his website to drool over the sundials and see what fabulous new items he has created.

How lovely to be able to envision and make sundials and statuary that are so beautiful, traditional, and yet innovative? Perhaps in my next life I can be an artistic dialist like David Harber.

Or perhaps I will awake one morning to find one of these in my garden - perhaps an armillary like the one above that can be customized for an anniversary or other special occasion.

Or perhaps a moondial like the one below. I could sit beside it on summer nights and read appropriate books - for some reason The Hound of the Baskervilles comes to mind!

I hope you like David Harber's work as much as I do. These few photos are just the tip of the gnomon* so rush over to his website and prepare to be dazzled!


*The gnomon is the straight edge that creates the shadow

Going Down the Wrong Path . . .

Wouldn't you love to be on this path - even if it turned out to be the wrong path? Well, tonight I'm on a different path and so must make this very brief. I started a new work project today which is great, but I underestimated how quickly it would gather steam . . . so hopefully a better post tomorrow when I have time to really chat about sun dials.

Until then, check out some other dreamy garden paths at Veranda (just because the magazine's gone doesn't mean we can't still enjoy it online!).

Does Your Garden Have a Clock?

Most gardens do not have clocks - in fact, that may be one of the best things about gardens. How can you relax and enjoy the flowers and butterflies and birds if you're watching the clock? But, alas, we aren't always at leisure to spend all day lollygagging, so if you're thinking of adding a timepiece to your garden to keep you on schedule, you'll find some inspiration below!

The most famous floral clock is likely the one in Geneva (above & below) - no surprise there, as Swiss watches are the best it follows that the best floral timepiece would also be Swiss. The plantings are routinely changed as these photos show. I love the varying heights and the giant hands. The second hand is the largest in the world at 2.5 meters (for the metrically-impaired, like myself, that's over 8 feet)!

Melbourne, Australia also boasts a stunning floral clock in the Queen Victoria Gardens. Interestingly, the clock was donated to the city by a group of Swiss watchmakers in 1966.

The floral clock in Canada's Niagara Parks is (according to the Park website) photographed almost as often as the Falls! Plantings are changed twice a year and the background design is altered as well.

Finally, if you're interested in growing your own clock, the Missouri Botanical Garden gives you an inside look at how theirs was created.

I love the plants on the hands. Check out their Behind the Scenes site for step-by-step photos.

If an 8-12' clock doesn't fit into your garden plans, stop by tomorrow and we'll look at some fabulous sun dials! I'm off to wind my watch . . .

The Grasshopper Dreams of the Wright House

Remember the fable of the Ant and the Grasshopper? Well, this weekend I was the grasshopper! We've just returned from a weekend away; it was one of those spur-of-the-moment trips that was really fun, but because we had not planned ahead there are now lots of things to do to prepare for the week ahead. Meanwhile, those of you who didn't play all weekend are ready for Monday and will start the week rested, with an empty laundry basket and a full larder. Oh well . . . spontaneity often has a price and tomorrow I'll tell you if this weekend was worth the price!

The next time you decide to take a mini-holiday you might consider getting away to an architectural masterpiece. The May issue of Town & Country has an article about the Frank Lloyd Wright homes that are now open for overnight guests. Here are some highlights:

The Seth Peterson Cottage (above) is a dreamy Wright creation that overlooks Mirror Lake in Wisconsin. For around $300 per night, the whole 880 sq. ft. house can be yours. The house is also open for tours and special events. The Palmer House in Ann Arbor (below) is much larger and sleeps six. It can be rented from $400 per night or by the week (this includes the separate Tea House!).

Imagine spending a cozy Saturday with friends in the room above. And, you're not limited to these two, check out these Frank Lloyd Wright rentals as well:

The Bernard Schwartz House in Two Rivers, WI
The Penfield House in Willoughby Hills, OH

I'm off to unpack and dream of the Seth Peterson Cottage on Mirror Lake - I just hope my dream doesn't include pesky, hard-working ants . . .

Care to Join Me in Celebrating National Etiquette Week?

That's right, this is National Etiquette Week . . . and, yes, there apparently is a week for everything! In addition to being National Better Hearing & Speech Month and National Salad Month and National Salsa Month (I guess that's a double celebration if you're having a taco salad), May also includes the following week-long celebrations (this list is far from inclusive):

• Bread Pudding Recipe Exchange Week (which proves fact is stranger than fiction)
• National Wildflower Week
• Salute to Mom's 35+ Week (I'm guessing only young looking 45ish moms participate in this)
• National Safe Boating Week
• Nursing / Tourism / Stay at Home Moms / Drinking Water / International Whistler's / etc. Week!

So, I have mixed feelings about National Etiquette Week because there are so many 'weeks' that there is little significance. And, mainly, having a designated week implies that etiquette will not be in the forefront of our lives the remaining 51 weeks. And what should one do if N.E.W. overlaps a special daily celebration? For instance, did you celebrate Robert's Rules of Order Day May 3 - I think that should fall during N.E.W. - after all Robert is all about politeness.

However, since this is the official week to celebrate Etiquette (that's right, with a capital E), I wanted to share a few thoughts. My etiquette credentials are from the Emily Post Institute and I have a soft spot for Emily. Although she passed away more than 40 years ago, her work lives on. Today the Emily Post Institute authors etiquette guides for children, adults, weddings, golf, and other aspects of modern life and you will breeze through every situation politely with the standard, blue etiquette book (now in its 17th edition . . . which says it all).

I love the poster below; it's a London Underground message from 1918 and really captures the essence of etiquette with the last sentence and the word selfish. It's so simple - etiquette is not being selfish. Putting the feelings or needs of others before your own - common courtesies sometimes, bigger sacrifices other times. Regardless, the message hasn't changed - don't be selfish!
I like these transport posters because being in crowded public spaces often brings out the rudester in us all . . . as this 1944 poster reveals:

And there's something oddly reassuring when you discover that rude behavior isn't new - rude people are like the poor, always with us. The goal for us, therefore, is to rise above the unmannered fray and keep our polite cool in even the most trying times!

So that's my message about etiquette this week. You all know the rules and we can talk about nuances another day. For now, enjoy these etiquette words of wisdom from the witty, pithy, clever Miss Manners.

Accepting discomfort cheerfully is the basic rule of picnic behavior. If one is unalterably opposed to being bitten, sunburnt, and having sand mixed with one's food, one should not go picnicking.

In response to a query regarding the proper way to address wedding gifts:
The custom is to address all prewedding presents to the bride-to-be, and those sent after the marriage to the couple. Nowadays some people may take offense at this, as a sign of inequality. Nowadays some people will take offense at anything. However, sending people presents goes a long way toward mitigating any offense.

People who boast that they "never apologize, never explain" or who claim that "love is never having to say you're sorry" ought to be ashamed of themselves and admit it and ask forgiveness.

Achoo! Why is my blog post so brief today?

No, it's not a cold . . . but I did sneeze over and over again today. Here's a hint at how I whiled away ten hours:

Cleaning the porches! If you live in an area without large amounts of pollen, this may not seem like an all day job. But, by mid-May our porches are covered with the sticky, dirty, grayish-yellow menace and the best way we've found to remove it is to clear everything off and mop the floors, then hose and scrub all the furniture . . . and boy is it a job!

Half the furniture is from the upstairs porch and my husband devised a great method for lowering it down with ropes. So that's a big chore for him, but when everything is clean it's really fun to watch the rockers and sofa rise to the second story. And that's just what I'm going to do myself - I'm clean and I'm going up to bed while I can still move!

Stop by tomorrow for a little etiquette chat . . .

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It has become that time of evening when people sit on their porches, rocking gently and talking gently and watching the street and the standing up into their sphere of possession of the trees, of bird hung havens, hangars. - James Agee, A Death in the Family

Don't Let Your Newspaper Melt!

It's that time of year again - warm weather is on the way and your days will be filled with picnics, cookouts (aka barbecues, for our friends north of the Mason-Dixon), and grocery shopping in the sweltering sun. In other words, it's Cooler Season! And when you get your favorite cooler out of the garage, basement, or attic it may need a little TLC. You're on your own for the cleaning, but here's a great tip if your cooler smells, well, less than fresh:

Put a few sheets of newspaper in it and close it for a few days - the ink will absorb the smells and your cooler will be as good as new! (This works for any plastic item - go ahead, try it!) And for bag coolers like the one seen above, it's a great thing to leave newspaper in the cooler when it isn't in use as small amounts of water often hide in the corners and the paper will take care of that, too!

And if you're in the market for a more exotic cooler - check out the selection at Hammacher Schlemmer. They offer this model that's can be controlled remotely:


Think how great this would be at your next family picnic - no more serving drinks on a tray, simply grab the remote and send the cooler over instead! The drawback is that your guests must be within forty feet of the remote control. Not to worry though, if you and your beverages need to travel longer distances. There's a cooler that will let you ride into the sunset with plenty of ice and several bottles of pop:

That's right - it's a cooler vehicle! Imagine a car lot full of these beauties - each one with a 13 m.p.h sign on the handle bars . . . and to paraphrase Henry Ford, you can have any color you like as long as it's red. So don't take your cooler for granted this summer - it doesn't have to be boring and it certainly doesn't have to be stuffy . . .

Must run, I'm off to snag some papers from the recycling bin - oh, I just had a thought, maybe I can convert our recycling bin into a remote controlled bin. What do you think?

Big C, Little C, What Begins With C?

Yesterday during a local college graduation, I heard one woman's story with 'C' words. In her case, the words were Cancer and Cookies - words that make us cringe and smile. You may wonder, as her audience did, what message connects pediatric cancer with baking and how, or indeed if, that translates to a take-away for the Class of 2010. But, the two things are connected and the connection is germane to the graduates. And it's a message I think you'll appreciate as well.

The speaker was Gretchen Holt who founded a charity to raise money for pediatric cancer research after her son was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma. She discovered the secret of cancer economics - new and better treatments will only be discovered if more money is spent on research. And from this sobering truth an idea was born for a giant bake sale - 96,000 cookies baked and sold in a few weeks. This raised over $400,000 and the idea for a more permanent method of raising funds and awareness was born.

Today Cookies for Kids' Cancer is a well-known charity. Like many brilliant ideas it's simple: hold local bake sales and pool the proceeds. You can get involved by hosting your own bake sale or purchasing cookies (gift packages are available): www.cookiesforkidscancer.org.

So what was Gretchen's message for the graduates? That we can't know what our future will hold, but the skills we develop along the way can stand us in good stead when we face life's inevitable crises. She specifically spoke to the skills learned in four years at a small college - researching a situation/problem at the onset, finding mentors who will offer their expertise and support, giving 100%, and approaching problems creatively. Gretchen's message was much more eloquent, but I hope I've conveyed a bit of its spirit.

On the Road with the Duchess

So, the Duchess in question is Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York and we're not really on the road together . . . you may have guessed that! But, I am on the road for a few days and so is the Duchess and I did have a close encounter with her at a wonderful fundraising event in Greenville, NC a few days ago. And she is visiting five other cities while in the US and I'm visiting my mom so more about Fergie when I return home.

Meanwhile I thought you might like to know that today (May 7) is not only my mother's birthday, but also the day that Joan of Arc ended the Siege of Orleans in 1429 by leading the French Army to victory during the Hundred Years' War. Saint Joan remains an inspirational figure centuries later - perhaps because she is proof that one small person can make a difference.

And you don't have to be a martyr who is burned at the stake to do it. Although I'd almost be willing to go that far to be immortalized by Rossetti as Joan was (above).


And one final word about my mother (did I mention it's her birthday?) and Joan of Arc - my mother's wedding silver is the Joan of Arc pattern seen above - isn't it lovely? It's a great pattern that debuted in 1940 and is still in production - it has lots of great serving pieces and is always available on eBay! Keep it in mind if you're looking for a new sterling pattern to collect.

Happy Friday!

First, Do No Harm

First, Do No Harm - this sums up Garden Etiquette, don't you think? When you visit a garden, whether public or private, you simply need to observe common courtesies and common sense. So here's my quick list of Etiquette Guidelines for garden tours, public gardens, and the garden down the street.

• In public gardens, follow the rules. These may include walking on paths rather than grass, no sports (this is a garden, after all, and not a park - and just imagine what a soccer ball in the irises will do!), no littering (obviously!), no fishing/feeding wildlife (again, not a park), and no food. Each public garden has its own rules so check at the visitor center or watch for posted signs.
  
  

• Do NOT walk in the flower beds - this applies to any garden. This applies to children and pets, too! Gardeners work hard for that loamy, perfect soil and don't want it trampled and compacted.
  
  
• Do NOT pick flowers or take cuttings unless invited. This seems to be a common complaint during garden tours. A friend found a visitor to her garden scooping up a plant with a plastic spork during a garden tour a few years back . . . can you imagine? The Spork Lady even had a pocketful of sandwich bags to transport her booty . . .
  
  
• Watch your children, just as you would if visiting someone's home - they shouldn't pick or tear or eat (and I add that from personal experience with a pansy-loving 3-year old) flowers/foliage, throw mulch (a favorite activity of some toddlers we know) or walk through the beds. Many public gardens have areas just for children with flowers they can touch and smell . . . check it out! My advice to garden tour hosts - have an area for children - maybe a small container of water with floating toys or bottles of bubbles in a grassy area where they can play, or some cut flowers that they can smell and touch. After all, you could be cultivating a new generation of gardeners!
  
  
• And for garden tour hosts - don't be offended by visitors who make negative comments or who are not interested in your prized roses. It's not personal. Also, if you're participating in a large tour anticipate the problems - for instance, someone will probably ask to use your restroom or peek inside your house. A former co-worker who's an old pro at this tells visitors that their insurance doesn't allow tour visitors inside the house . . . it probably doesn't fool the guests, but it does work. Also, if the weather is warm (as it often is during garden tour season), a nice touch is to have water or lemonade for guests . . . your thoughtfulness may inspire the Spork Lady to sheath her spork!
  
  

I hope you enjoy the spring gardening season. I'd love to hear your thoughts about Garden Etiquette . . . or your war stories!

Gardens pictured: Biltmore and Sarah P. Duke

The British are coming, the British are coming . . . on PBS!

You're probably thinking that the British are always on PBS, so what's the big deal. But, let me tell you why I'm so excited! Foyle's War is back . . . yes, tonight on Mystery! another series of Foyle's War begins. I don't normally blog about television - in the first place, most shows are not 'must watch' for me or even 'can watch if bored' and, in the second place, there are countless sites that feature amateur critiques and discussions. Having said that, I just had to chat about FW.

It's hands-down my favorite show (even Mad Men pales in comparison). And I'm not the only one who loves this show - The Wall Street Journal called it "a triumph from start to finish." And that's just the point, we thought it was finished when Series 5 was broadcast last year. And now it's back!!

For those unfamiliar with FW, here's why it's a triumph - it combines the best British mystery with a realistic, and very human, look at World War II Britain. It's not just a period piece - although it is meticulously researched and beautifully filmed. The plots are clever and interesting and the characters aren't simply stereotypes - evil villains & Nazis, tough cops, and patriotic war-time citizens. Oh yeah, and I should mention the show's creator (and writer of many episodes) is the very talented Anthony Horowitz - famous for his Alex Ryder books as well as creating another popular British mystery show, Midsomer Murders based on the novels of Caroline Graham.

So set aside a few hours tonight to enjoy this most enjoyable show. Or, add the earlier series to your Netflix list - or, better yet, do both! And if you really get hooked on Foyle, I highly recommend the soundtrack . . . it's as addictive as the show!