"HEARTH and HOME" Theme ---Biltmore House and Garden Candlelight Christmas 2016

Welcome to a BILTMORE ESTATE CHRISTMAS 2016

George and I celebrated Christmas on 12/14/16 at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC.  And the best news for us was that we (everyone) could now take pictures inside the home (as long as we did not use the flash).   We had not been inside the big home for several years (mainly because they didn't allow photos to be taken)--- SO it was like a brand-new experience for us...  Oh My HEART.... Did we have a great time!!!!!!!! WOW..... 

The theme this year is "Hearth and Home" ---so their decorations paid special attention to the many fireplaces in the house.... Did you know that there were at least 70 elaborate, hand decorated trees in that mansion? Unbelievable!!!!  (I'll show pictures of some of the many trees soon.) There was live music (choirs, instrumentalists, etc.) throughout each area --so just being there with all of that colorful beauty and the sounds of Christmas music all around made me feel as if I was truly in heaven on earth... Thanks to George for this wonderful Christmas present!!!!! THAT is what Christmas is all about to me...

Today,  I'll share just a few pictures of some of the gorgeous HEARTHS in the home... Hope you enjoy seeing these pictures of SUCH an amazingly beautiful home...   You can click on them for enlargements.

I'll close with a picture of the Winter Garden area inside the house... (The first and last pictures are NOT mine.  I got them from the Biltmore site since their pictures turned out MUCH better than mine.)  IF you want to read/see more info about the Biltmore Christmas,  click HERE.    We highly recommend a trip to Biltmore --especially at Christmas.  

Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Hugs,

Welcome December

Poinsettia Tree at Biltmore (11/20/16)

Dear Friends,  I thought I'd stop by and say HELLO... George and I are doing fine --and just came home from visiting George's son and family in Florida for Thanksgiving..

On the road to Florida,  we stopped by the Biltmore House and Gardens in Asheville,  North Carolina,  to take some Christmas pictures.    I wanted some new pictures for my December headers for my blogs,  for Google+ and for Facebook...

We enjoyed walking through the Conservatory ---and I really enjoyed seeing all kinds of different  sizes and shapes and colors of POINSETTIAS.  My header (above) is  a picture of some of the brightest hot pink Poinsettias I have ever seen.

Today,  I'll share with you a few more pictures taken on that day (11/20/16) at Biltmore.  You can click on the pictures for enlargements.

Light Pink Poinsettias at Biltmore (11/20/16)

Some Red and White Poinsettias  at Biltmore  (11/20/16)

A beautiful Multi-Colored Poinsettia at Biltmore  (11/20/16)

Have you done your Christmas Decorating yet?  Many of my friends have --but I'm just getting started with mine...    Do you like Poinsettias?  I do ---and a good friend sends us a gorgeous Poinsettia for our home each December..

Hope all of you will have a blessed December.

Hugs,

FLOWERS from BILTMORE, August 4, 2016 (Need Help with Identification)

1.  My Facebook Friends (Thanks to YOU) identified this one as Chenille --with several names,  the most common being "Love Lies Bleeding";  The 'official' name is Amaranthus.

Since George and I have season's passes to the Biltmore House and Gardens in Asheville,  North Carolina,  we like to visit there 3-4 times a year during different seasons to check out all of the gardens to see what is blooming.  August is a great time to visit (except for the hot temperatures) since we love seeing not only the Walled Garden (which is always gorgeous) but especially the Water Lilies and lily pads at the Italian Gardens.

I will have an upcoming blog showing the Lilies and Lily Pads--but TODAY,  I'm showing you some of the 'different' flowers we saw blooming this month.   The flower above is one I love --but had no idea its name until some  friends on Facebook told me.

SO---since many of you KNOW the names of flowers,  hopefully you can help me with their names...  I'll number the pictures --so that you can name them by the number for easy reference.   BUT--even if you (like me) don't know all of the names,  I hope you will just enjoy seeing the beauty.

2.   This little fuzzy yellow one was from a plant growing in the water.  Another picture of this one is below. Name? 

Pretty little yellow flowers in the water in the Italian Gardens.  (See close-up above);  Name?

3.  Such a pretty border along the path in the Walled Garden;   IMPATIENS  (I think);  I used to plant Impatiens in Summer --but rabbits kept eating it... Impatiens and Vinca are both such pretty annuals.

4.  Such a pretty bush;  Love the leafy colors;  Name?

5.  Another pretty purple flower --also growing in water in the Italian Gardens;  Name?

6. Such a pretty and happy RED flower;  Name?????

7. This is not a very good picture of this purple flowered plant...  BUT--the purple (from a distance)  added to the garden.  Name?

8. I couldn't get a close-up of this tiny white flower --growing in water at the Italian Gardens.  BUT--it was so tiny --yet so full of beauty.   Name?

9.  I love this one....   And the foliage was also beautiful.  Name?

10.   Wonder if you have any idea what this cute little one is?????????   Looks like a flying bird of some kind!!!!! ha ha .... TRULY,  it's a kind of ORCHID.... Amazing, huh?

11. I know this one since I used to have the multi-colored COLEUS on the right.  BUT--have you ever seen the scarlet red COLEUS?????   It's so pretty in one's garden or yard...

12.  Another beauty I have no idea what its name is....  Do you know?

13. I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this one... Isn't it gorgeous?  Bet this one will make you smile for sure!!!!!   NAME?

Well  my Friends... Hopefully,  some of you who know flowers can help name some of these.  I love flowers --but know so little about SO many of them...

Even if you don't know the names,  I hope some of these made you smile today.  As you can imagine,  I will have many more pictures from our 8/4/16 trip to Biltmore to share...

Have a wonderful day/week.

Hugs,