Still Catching Up

Thanks everyone who commented with "happy birthday" wishes, and sent texts and emails. A birthday is sure a great reason to connect with friends!

Saturday morning's "Quilter's Closet and Notions Sale" (AKA garage sale) went really well! Two big bins of my stuff filled a table, and was bargain-priced.

The turn-out was great! I'm happy to say that I sold more than half of my things. Sure tickled to empty a storage shelf, and have some play money. 

Now if I may, I'd like to return to a review of Di's and my travels...

After spending one day in Daytona Beach at the AQS show, the next nine days were spent attending local activities and making day trips.

Friday, March 3, Di and I visited three places:

• Charles Hosmer Morse Museum, Winter Park
• Henry P. Leu Gardens, Winter Park
• Universal Studios, Blue Man Group, Orlando

The Morse Museum is where you'll find the largest collection of Louis Comfort Tiffany works and stained glass. I feel really fortunate to live only an hour away, and happy to have visited for the second time. I'm still fascinated.

The museum was started by Jeannette and Hugh McKean of Winter Park, who were the former-New Yorkers. They salvaged parts from Mr. Tiffany's burned New York home, Laurelton Hall, and also tracked down and obtained sold-off bits of other Tiffany works.

This 1893 chapel has been restored in the museum. One can sit for a very long time studying the intricate and detailed mosaic tiles and glass designs.

Other glass pieces...

This one is right inside the entrance to the museum. 

Tiffany lamps are world-renown.

These geared pair of color wheels were originally installed to make water change colors in an indoor fountain in Laurelton Hall. Pretty innovative for the period.

If you ever visit the museum, be sure to take along a sweater or jacket. The building is kept at a 50-something temperature to preserve the glass. Also, if you're interested in Tiffany's story, be sure to read "Clara and Mr. Tiffany" by Susan Vreeland. It's an interesting account from Clara Driscoll's journals of her time as the head of Tiffany Studios Women's Glass Cutting Department. She designed the famous dragonfly lamp.

After the museum we headed to Leu Gardens. One can see all types of trees, bushes, plants and flowers. I was especially interested in the Palm Garden.

I appreciated signage like this...

... and then seeing the actual palm. It was wonderful.

I have to share info about the Bismarck Palm in particular because it's the palm we have planted in our front yard.

Our Bismarck Palm is growing, and getting big, but it's not as big as this one. Yep, that's Di at the base of the palm! Oh my goodness! Might this be in our front yard someday?! I don't think I'll be around to see it though.

This huge Bismarck has seeds too. Our doesn't... yet.

It was educational for me when Di pointed out flora that grows in Australia too. And I liked seeing Di avidly taking pictures. 😀 Of everything.

By early evening we were at Universal CityWalk where we hung out until the 7 pm Blue Man Group show. CityWalk was hopping - a national high school dance squad competition going on in the Hard Rock Café, and these kids participating in Sing America. It looks like so much fun!

No pictures from the Blue Man Group because photography isn't allowed, but it's a not-to-be-missed show. Difficult to describe (no words are ever spoken), but definitely entertaining for all ages. What a way to end the day, with lots of laughs. The whole day was a very, very good day. Linda
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