coastal maine botanical gardens

July 4, 2025

Today, I have another garden to share with you.

Giant troll Roskva. He represents the trunks. He is the heaviest, hardest, and strongest of the trolls.

Like Chanticleer in my last post, The Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (CMBG) is a garden I’ve been following on Instagram for years. It was so exciting for me to finally make a visit! And, even better, with one of my besties who is also a garden lover!

Giant troll Birk represents the roots. He is the wisest and most mysterious of the trolls.

This garden did not disappoint!

Located in Boothbay, Maine, this gem consists of more than 300 acres of gardens and natural spaces. In addition to the gardens themselves, every part of the experience – gift shop, cafe, restrooms – is aesthetically beautiful and meticulously maintained.

Giant troll Soren represents the branches. He is a very curious troll.

Taking a general tour in the morning, with a knowledgeable staff member, gave us a great overview of CMBG.

Visitors can enjoy walking through a butterfly garden.

I couldn’t wait to see the giant trolls constructed of recycled materials by Danish artist Thomas Dambo hidden throughout the natural wooded areas of the CMBG. Taking a guided hike and walking along the trail system through the gardens’ woods and along the waterfront was a fabulous way to discover each troll. Dambo created a theme with the trolls – each one of the five representing a part of the trees – the trunks, the scent of the flowers, the roots, the branches, and the leaves. Each troll is constructed of recycled wood.

Giant troll Gro represents the leaves. He is the wanderer.

Giant troll Lilja represents the scent of the flowers. She is the youngest of the trolls – still just a child.

I hope you have enjoyed checking out some of the highlights of my Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens visit. You can probably tell the giant trolls were my favorite part! The third garden on my bucket list, that I have been following on Instagram, is in Texas! Living in Connecticut, it may be a while before that visit happens!

The artist’s original sketch/design of the giant trolls.

Thank you for stopping by!

Have a fabulous holiday weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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a dinosaur on the high line

December 13, 2024

Any day I spend in New York City usually includes a walk on The High Line.

My last visit to the city, planned as a day to enjoy the holiday festivities, was no exception.

I hadn’t been on The High Line since a particular piece of art, titled Dinosaur, was installed last October on the Plinth located above 10^th Avenue and 30^th Street. This celebrated spot is part of a contemporary art program that has been displaying sculptures in the heart of the city since 2019.

The piece called Dinosaur is a 2,000-pound, nearly 16-foot-tall cast aluminum sculpture of a pigeon created by Paris-based Colombian artist Ivan Argote. Argote’s pitch was selected from a group of 80 artists in 2020.

The sculpture’s foundation was laid in Mexico, and it was hand painted in New Jersey. It took a crane and a lane closure of 10th Avenue to position the pigeon on its perch (the concrete plinth).

Why is it named Dinosaur? Apparently, the sculpture is an ode to the pigeon’s distant past as the birds descended from dinosaurs. Who knew?

Anyway, my daughter and I really wanted to see the hyper-realistic bird in person and we hadn’t been on The High Line since before last October, so we used our recent visit as a chance to get an up-close view. I am so glad we did – despite the bitter cold!

The pigeon has to be one of my favorite sculptures I have seen on the High Line. (The two tons of Legos dumped on The High Line is still my very favorite installation! Click here to see.)

I feel lucky to live close enough to New York City to visit on a whim! And the holidays are always an extra special time to visit.

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a fabulous weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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brunch at the mayflower

July 12, 2024

Summer is such a fabulous season in Connecticut. There are so many great spots to explore – many that take on an aesthetic excellence during the summer months.

One of these spots is The Mayflower Inn and Spa in Washington, Connecticut. The Mayflower is a luxury country retreat set on 58 private acres of beautifully landscaped gardens and woodland in Litchfield County. The Mayflower always exudes distinguished luxury, but the spectacular grounds make a summer visit extraordinary.

Cacio y pepe beignets served at The Garden Room at The Mayflower Inn and Spa in Washington, Connecticut.

My recent visit to The Mayflower Inn was for brunch in The Garden Room – a beautiful light-filled dining space overlooking the Shakespeare Garden. Though the menu showcases the finest in seasonal and local ingredients, the views were the star of the brunch for me. Two fabulous views: 1. the view of the indoor décor and 2. the view of the outdoor grounds.

From the painted gardens scenes on the walls…

…to the fresh flowers…

the décor provides the perfect garden ambiance – right down to the perfect bathroom wallcovering!

While dining, the outdoor view of the Shakespeare Garden prompts a walk outdoors to visit and appreciate all its nuances!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you are inspired to explore a spot near you!

Have a fabulous weekend!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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driftwood whale love

March 24, 2023

I have been wanting an Andy Teran whale for quite some time. What is an Andy Teran whale? A whale made by Andy Teran from driftwood collected from Connecticut shores!

Recently, I found myself near Andy’s Clinton, CT workshop and, of course, had to stop by! The fabulous thing about Andy’s creations – besides being created from driftwood found on Connecticut shores – is that they can be made in any size! I told Andy the exact size I wanted for my whale and he created it! Because I had a particular spot in mind near my back entrance to hang my creation, I had an exact measurement I wanted for my whale…and, I got it!

The piece of driftwood my piece was created from came from Branford – Stony Creek.

You can see by my photos of Andy’s workshop that he has many whales already created and he is constantly creating more. He harvests driftwood all year long!

I was excited to finally get my own piece and my guy will be hanging outside soon – once my Easter wreath comes down!

I hope you enjoyed this little glimpse into Andy’s workshop!

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a great weekend. Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

P.S. If you want to see more of Andy’s designs, check out his Instagram @andy.teran8

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sea oat planting in amelia island

June 10, 2022

It is always enjoyable to do a little bit of a good deed. Sometimes it is incredibly educational as well. This was the case with my recent morning planting of sea oats!

On a visit to Amelia Island, Florida, I was privileged to have the opportunity to plan a community service project with a small group. Working with the naturalist at the Ritz-Carlton, we planted sea oats in the sand.

You may wonder what sea oats are and why we would plant them in the sand?

Sea oats or seaside oats is a tall subtropical grass that is an important component of coastal sand dune and beach plant communities.

Its massive root system is capable of holding soil and sand in place during extreme weather events such as hurricanes and tropical storms. This plant’s habitat puts it at the forefront of shoreline protection.

And because Amelia Island sand is the breeding ground for sea turtles, planting the sea oats is benefiting them!

Sea oats are so important in Florida that they are protected under regulations of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection! The plants cannot even be cut back or removed!

Planting the oats was a pretty simple project, but so enjoyable! Especially knowing we were also helping out the turtles!

Commemorating the activity, I gifted each participant a key chain – (beautifully handmade by Ralph & Martha of Connecticut)!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you are inspired to serve your own community in some small way!

Have a great weekend and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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chihuly in the desert

February 11, 2022

Chihuly in the Desert showcases Dale Chihuly’s stunning, large scale glass installations. The pieces created by this amazing glass artist are currently nestled among the collection of desert plants at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona (see more on the Botanical Garden here).

Chihuly’s work features installations throughout the garden’s trails in addition to pieces displayed in an indoor gallery exhibit.

Yes – cleaning is required! Pieces are cleaned by garden staff regularly to ensure the brilliance of the glass.

If you follow this blog, you have probably seen photos of the artist’s 2017 collection (click to see) displayed at the New York Botanical Garden.

I was so lucky to have the opportunity to view Chihuly’s work again – in 2022. And, it was so wonderful to do so in the beautiful February climate of Arizona when, back home in Connecticut, snow was covering the ground!

I hope you enjoyed seeing some of Chihuly in the Desert. I recommend never passing up an opportunity to see Dale Chihuly’s work! (Tip: If you visit the Desert Botanical Garden, try to see the exhibit at the end of the day when the bright sun is not as distracting to the works. Chihuly in the Desert continues through June.)

Thanks for stopping by!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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not your grandma’s pumpkins

October 29, 2021

If you’ve shopped for pumpkins recently, you know the pumpkins available today are not your grandmother’s pumpkins!

The basic round orange pumpkins I knew as a kid have been replaced with endless varieties of pumpkins and squash. A trip to a local farm stand can be as aesthetically stimulating as a visit to a museum!

With the weather in Connecticut starting to get crisp, I spent part of a recent day off checking out such a museum – a local farm! I wasn’t planning on buying anything – just checking out what was on display!

I’m sharing some of what I saw on my visit – probably my last farm stop of the season – though I may make a stop at the one that serves apple cider slushies!

I hope you are enjoying some of what fall has to offer near where you live.

Thanks for stopping by! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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art in unexpected places

June 11, 2021

For any serious shopper, no trip to Miami is complete without a stop at Aventura Mall. Aventura Mall is one of the top shopping centers in the U.S. Anchored by Nordstrom and Bloomingdales, the center is highlighted by a mix of over 300 luxury boutiques and shopper favorites. It also features over 50 dining options.

But, on my last trip to Miami, it wasn’t the stores at Aventura Mall that I was visiting…it was the artwork! Aventura showcases over 20 museum-caliber pieces in a range of mediums by world-renowned artists installed on multiple levels of the mall.

I love this happy guy by Ugo Rondmone!

I am giving you a little taste of some of the pieces in today’s post. Enjoy!

If you are ever in the Miami area, be sure to plan some time to visit the Aventura Mall! Click here to see one of the more exciting pieces! You can see some of the interactive pieces on my Instagram stories.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a fabulous weekend!

Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

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desert botanical garden

May 21, 2021

I became a cactus fan long before succulents were ‘in.’ I made my first visit to Arizona when I was in junior high school and I instantly became mesmerized by the unusual and glorious plants called cacti.

When I got home from my trip, I signed up for a subscription to Arizona Highways magazine so I could regularly see beautiful, artistic photographs of Arizona plants in their native habitat.

This background of cactus love made it extra special for me to have the opportunity recently to visit the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix. I had never been.

The garden is like a living museum, home to more than 4,400 species and 27,000 plants.

Today, I share a few of my favorite views from my visit.

Thanks for stopping by.

Have a fabulous weekend! Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

P.S. Look at my last post for more from the Desert Botanical Garden.

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anything but yellow

May 14, 2021

On a quick trip to Scottsdale, I had the wonderful opportunity to visit the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix with some great people. During the visit, I was intrigued by a comment made by our tour guide – that most flowers in a desert garden are yellow. Of course, after hearing that, I needed to find some color beyond the yellow as I toured the space!

Today I am sharing a few of these non-yellow finds. I will share some more photos of the garden in a future post because there were plenty of amazing succulents to admire!

My first amazing find at the garden is a little bit of a cheat…they are not live plants! They are blown glass pieces by the amazing American glass sculptor, Dale Chihuly. It was such a nice surprise to discover the three pieces of large-scale sculptures gracing the entrance to the garden!

You may remember from a previous post, that I visited a large Chihuly collection when it was installed at the New York Botanical Garden. (Click here to see the post.)