Two girls, New England and the "right time of the year"

I just returned from a trip to New England.  So, no I haven’t worked in my garden or cooked very much.  I did, however, visit some beautiful gardens while I was there and made it in time to see the fall foliage.  I went to the Massachusetts Horticultural Society Children's Garden.  It is a beautifully organized garden designed to allow children to run through it exploring it's nooks and crannies.  This prominent structure is artfully designed and kids can actually climb up into it!

This is what it looks like from the bottom of the ladder heading up

One of the reasons why I like to garden is because it is fun to organize... and it stays organized longer than my home and my kitchen!  Rocks and stepping stones stay where I put them... most of the time.  Pathways are fun to design in gardens.  This meandering pathway was lined with these posts and each post was topped with a simple birdhouse. Simple and sweet!

It seemed that everywhere we went mums had been planted or placed in pots, window boxes and urns.  They were colorful and delightful to see.

 I like how simple stepping stones invite little feet!

I love garden benches, trellis', and interesting fences and gates.  Here are some that we came upon:

When I left this garden, I looked back and this is what I saw:

While I was out for a run one morning, I came upon this little tree:

BEAUTIFUL!!!

We came upon this shark that was placed in a garden near a restaurant called "Finz" .  It is a seafood and grill near the wharf where we took a harbor cruise.  Isn't he cute?

It was a perfect vacation.  I was with my favorite little girl who is not really that little anymore.  She was a great travel companion.  The boys held down the fort at home beautifully without us.  We got lucky to visit during the best time of the year for seeing the fall foliage.  The weather was perfect too.  Fall is my favorite time of year and to be able to visit a "real fall" was absolutely a dream come true!

You just can't go to Rockport, MA without enjoying real lobster cooked up by real fishermen eaten out on the docks.

My favorite season and my favorite time of day with my favorite "little" girl!