Quality Time

Going out with our friends we always have a good time. It was B's birthday a week before so we went out to dinner to celebrate. We always try to find somewhere new. This time it was up on a hill over looking the city. The food and company was really nice.

Cheesecake was their choice of b'day desert, which was great because that's B's favorite! 

Look how special they made the plate look!

After a wonderful dinner we were able to take coffee on the patio around one of their fire pits.

Not that we needed the fire really as it was a nice warm evening. But it added to the atmosphere.

 Usually after dinner we are looking for somewhere to go sit and have coffee, as none of us want to go home too early, but this evening before we knew it 4 hours had passed by so quickly we were surprised when we looked at the time. 

We will definitely be going back to visit this restaurant again.

Look at the lights below, funny how this picture turned out, but I kinda like it.

 It has an artistic feel about it, which is exactly how I meant it to look right?!?! I wishhhhh! :-)

The next day we went to Huntington Library and gardens, to spend some quality time with Miss R before she leaves for the UK to live, and so she could see some of the art they have there. 

It's a really nice and relaxing place to go. 

I just love wandering around the gardens looking at all the plants. I must say I prefer that to all the art hanging in the libraries!

Beautiful Cosmos, they were quite tall and seem to be thriving in their little patch, much better than those I planted this year in the pots outside my kitchen window.

 The Chinese garden is relatively new, especially to us as we haven't been there in quite some time.

It was a very pretty place with a lovely eating place serving delicious authentic chinese food. 

I was expecting to see more color among the plants, but maybe all the spring flowers 

had already bloomed.

Our sitting area where we ate lunch! We couldn't have picked a more perfect spot.

I was inspired by their creativity with their paths, as I've been looking to do something with small stones and patterns on the street in front of our house. Right now we have ornamental strawberry plants and lots of weeds. It needs lots of work, but maybe thats a job for the cooler weather.

There were very large koi fish swimming to their hearts content among the lillie pads.

 On to the Japanese garden. Its always soooo relaxing there.

Miss R and Miss A posing for a photo!

 I love the bridge, but it's not open to the public!

Rose's, Rose's and more Rose's!

I love Rose's! 

When we first moved into our home, we had a beautiful rose bush but had to cut it down to make room for the new gate on the driveway. I tried to save it but it didn't survive. I recently came across a photo of it, so with that in mind I spent some time wandering around the rose garden looking at all the roses, trying to find my long lost rose bush.... Who knew there could be sooo many peachy, pinky roses!

While I was wandering, B and the girls took a nap in the shade of a beautiful tree.

 So many beautiful roses! How will I ever find one like mine?

I'm hoping that our local nursery will be able to identify it, 

that is as soon as I remember to print a picture to take with me.

On our way out we had to stop and take a photo of all the statues. It wouldn't be Huntington Library without stopping to say hello!

What a beautiful afternoon we had, which was finished off nicely at our Daughter and Son in Law's home with a BBQ!