The week that was!

This past week went well despite ongoing heat and no rain at all. Dragging out the garden hoses helped the shrubs a little . . . . . . . but obviously didn't help with my shoulder and back issues. Thankfully Bob took over when I'd done my bit!

We did take a side trip over to the North Carolina Museum of Art after picking up the laptop from the certified Apple dealer. Luckily we thought to throw hats in the car having planned to walk through the gardens and park area, but not go inside the buildings. Being so hot, 91F, we didn't stay too long but did enjoy a walk and a rest along the way. As Noel Coward wrote eons ago, only "Mad dogs and Englishmen (and in my case, women) go out in the midday sun", and yes we were almost alone which made it quiet and peaceful. It was hard to resist dipping toes into the pool in the Rodin Garden, and lovely to see waterlilies surviving the heat.

Should have taken a chilled drink with us!

The Mirror Maze

North Carolina Museum of Art

Raleigh

Auguste Rodin

French 1840-1917

The Three Shades

I did turn on the oven to bake one thing this week - another apple and
 plum galette - but kept meals to salads mostly.

This salad was quick and easy to make and is really good. 

My dear friend Ruth in Wiltshire, England shared it this week

 and I made it, along with grilled salmon on a bed of kale quinoa,

for supper in the gazebo last evening.

Haricots verts steamed for a few minutes until still a little crunchy.

Drain well and, while still warm, add small tomatoes cut in half, some

 chopped red onion and a garlic clove. Toss with a simple dressing of

 one part red wine vinegar, two parts good olive oil, and freshly ground

 pepper - we have cut back on salt so left that out and didn't miss it at all!

As for the flowers, the addition of two beautiful elephant ears (gifted to me by

 my hair stylist on Friday when getting my hair cut) really took them to another level. 

Note I added my sweet leather elephant to the table . . . . . seemed appropriate.

Hope you are enjoying the Labor Day weekend.

Here's to another good week ahead.

A perfect place for tea time and sunset -

On that lovely late fall afternoon last week, this is where

 we went for a little outdoor tea time with a sunset view.

The North Carolina Museum of Art.

Named one of the top 25 museums in the country, it's a

great place to visit.

All photos taken with iPhone 11 Pro.

Just a ten minute drive from home, these lovely outdoor open

 spaces are now seeing more people enjoying art without even

 stepping inside the buildings. 

There are timed tickets available to view exhibitions inside, with

 COVID restrictions in place, but I felt safer just enjoying walking

through the outdoor areas prior to pouring a cup of tea and

watching the sun paint the sky.

We will be be doing this more often now the cooler weather 

has arrived.  Winter jackets, hats and boots. . . . . . . and perhaps

hot chocolate next time!

My last pre-COVID inside visit to the NC Museum of Art.

Meet me at the museum. . . . . . . . . .

I purchased timed tickets in advance to take granddaughter Jasmin to view

 two fabulous exhibitions at the North Carolina Museum of Art yesterday

 afternoon. The museum was extremely busy and lines were lengthy -

it was good to be able to walk right in.

 Drawn from "The Museum Set," M A S T E R W O R K S features 48 photographs

 curated by Ansel Adams to serve as a succinct representation of what he

 deemed the best work of his career. These stunning black and white photographs

 reveal the importance Adams placed on the awe-inspiring power and beauty of

 the natural world.

In a career that spanned more than five decades, 1902-1984 - (his first photo

 was taken at age 14 with the gift of a Kodak Brownie box camera) - Ansel Adams

 became one of America's most renowned and beloved photographers.

Included in this exhibition are Ansel Adams' most iconic images of

 majestic American landscapes such as El Capitan and the Half Dome in

 Yosemite National Park, The Golden Gate (before the bridge was built!) in

 San Francisco, and the Snake River in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.

Ticketed with the Ansel Adams exhibition was Glory of Venice - 
Renaissance Paintings 1470-1520
I'll share this beautiful art in another post soon.

Askew by Roxy Paine

North Carolina Museum of Art - my photo from yesterday, a windy, chilly Sunday afternoon.

Yes, the tree is silver metal and is shown being installed HERE. It really is lovely.

Photography was not permitted inside the Ansel Adams exhibition gallery.

A thrilling Sunday at the museum made even more enjoyable with Jasmin,

 a budding photographer also, sharing it with me.

Do you enjoy visiting art museums?

Hoping you have one nearby.