WELCOME to FILOLI!!!
Would YOU BELIEVE this is the DOOR TO THE GARDENS?
Note the DOOR KNOCKER!!
This is what YOU SEE upon entering THE GARDENS in WOODSIDE, CALIFORNIA!
A LITTLE GRASS RESTORATION IN PROGRESS!
I definitely NEED These FLOWERS are these a type of DAHLIA?
I am OFF to MY NURSERY to find OUT and I have a GIFT CERTIFICATE burning a HOLE in my HAND BASKET!!!!!
I FOUND OUT!
They are Zinnias!
Too late for planting NOW!
This was STUNNING in PERSON………….how many 4″ pots do you think it took to plant this area?!
They were on both sides of me this is only ONE SIDE!
MY NEXT HOUSE!
If I have to MOVE into smaller quarters this is IT!
One ROOM with CHARM and FRENCH DOORS and LIGHT!
THIS WILL DO!
ARE YOU READING MISTER ITALIANO?
You SEE I DO STOP to SMELL the ROSES!
With MY BIRTHDAY HAT and a FRENCH BASKETEER PINK BASKET!
Do YOU know why I was HERE?
BECAUSE OF THIS GRAND DAME!
YOU SEE I have known PAT since moving to our town 23 years ago.
MY ITALIAN was HER daughters SOCCER COACH!
They were leaving for FLORENCE to live for a few months as her husband had a job awaiting HIM!
HE IS ONE SMART COOKIE and SO IS SHE!
PAT MATCHING THE GARDEN!
Her GARDENS have been on The CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT GARDEN TOUR A FEW TIMES!
I WAS THE GREETER!
OH, there is my FATHER and MOTHER’s DOUBLE CHIN coming into SIGHT!
THANK YOU PARENTS AS MOM ALWAYS SAID, “A LITTLE FAT MAKES YOU LOOK YOUNGER!”
I match the FLOWER STALK can’t think of the name but it is a BEAUTIFUL COLOR and who knew I would DRESS in the same color!!!!
Looks like they are preparing to plant for FALL!
I find this just BEAUTIFUL!
SO, PAT calls me one day as I am driving down the FREEWAY and asked me if I want to see THE EX- HEAD GARDENER from SISSINGHURST SPEAK at FILOLI?
(ALEXIS DATTA ~ HEAD GARDENER AT SISSINGHURST from 2004-2013 although she had been working there since 1991 the year I MOVED TO ITALY!)
DID YOU HEAR MY REPLY!!!!!!!!!!!!YES~ YES ~ YES!!!!!!AS I have just been there in MAY!
THIS WAS HER BIRTHDAY GIFT TO ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DOES PAT KNOW ME OR WHAT!!!!!!!
SHE GETS ME!
THANK YOU PAT!
There are TWO HUMMING BIRDS can you SEE them?
There were FIVE in TOTAL but this was my BEST ATTEMPT!
How GORGEOUS to watch them fly in and out for a sip of WATER!
Again there were FIVE DEER!
I could only capture these LADIES!
The OAKES surrounding FILOLI are massive we were guessing 300 years old at least!
THE MANSION AT FILOLI GARDENS.
Looks like they are doing a GREAT DIXTER THING here with the POTS outside the FRONT DOOR!
This was the house used in the opening TV SHOW for DYNASTY in the 1980’s!
Do you remember the CARRINGTON’s and ALL THAT went on THERE?!!
I remember going to a DYNASTY PARTY and dressing as ALEXIS……….BIG BLACK HAT,etc!
How FUNNY the HEAD GARDENER’s name is ALEXIS!
PAT’s hair matches the Spanish MOSS clinging to the tree!
She has GORGEOUS HAIR!
Good thing my BASKET was not a bit BIGGER!!!!!!!
Because I was alone with this CHILD and puppy for awhile!
ALL PORTRAIT SHOTS TAKEN ARE FOR MY INSTAGRAM BUDDY IN ENGLAND NICK OF PERIODPORTRAITS on INSTAGRAM!
FOLLOW HIM IF YOU LOVE THE OLD AND ANCIENT!
I was ZOOMING in on the CHANDELIERS but this room was painted a mint green and had painted SCENES on the walls.
A REAL BALLROOM!
Now, I have been LUSTING for a FIREPLACE like this for YEARS!
We actually had one this size when we lived in FLORENCE!
Let me SHOW YOU THE SIZE WITH ME IN THE PHOTO!
GOD, MY BIRTHDAY HAT EVEN MATCHES THE DECOR HERE!!!!!!!!
I have been LUSTING after these plant stands TOO ever since I saw them at VERSAILLES with my SONS at the PETITE TRIANON!
I would have a problem with placement as I have THAT ADORABLE PIGGY BANKSY who lives inside the CASA and likes to RUB his BODY from time to TIME on my FURNITURE!
I wouldNOT be HAPPY nor would HE as HE would have the FRIGHT OF HIS LIFE!
Have I told YOU he is SCARRED of his own SHADOW??!!!!!!
DEN AREA………….THAT PAINTING!
I think A LOT of us would LIKE to be REMEMBERED THIS WAY!
I know PAT would and I AGREE!
CAN ANY Of YOU paint like this?
IS the PAINTING CROOKED OR IS IT ME!!!!!!
One of the LADIES of FILOLI!
They had the light shinning on HER hair and it was EXQUISITE!
JUST LIKE PATS!
HERE
you were to SEE the HYDRANGEA’s NOT US………..WE covered them UP!
SORRY ABOUT THAT!
They were REALLY TALL and SPECTACULAR!
I THINK I NEED A BIGGER CELL PHONE TO CAPTURE THE BEAUTY BEYOND ME!!!!!!
I have the BIG one NOW and LOVE it but I hear the NEW phones are costing ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS!
What do you think about THAT?
AS MY DEAR FRIEND PAT SAID,”What do they DO?Make my dinner for me!!!!!!!”
Now, I would NOT share this photo except it has a funny STORY and I love HER SMILE at ME!
I asked her for her photo with me and said,” PLEASE DONOT SPEAK as she was losing her voice speaking!”I told her I was just at SISSINGHURST in MAY and LOVED IT!She said to me weren’t you wearing a hat when you arrived?!!!I said YES!I guess I better put it ON and she liked the IDEA!I had taken it off so the people behind me could SEE!I LOVED THAT SHE SPIED ME UPON ENTERING THE GARDEN A FEW HOURS EARLIER!There you GO the CONTESSA was SPOTTED AGAIN!As you can see PAT SNAPPED THIS when I was SO SURPRISED she had seen me in my GREEN HAT!!!!!!!NOT THE BEST OF ME!
BUT I wanted to SHARE ALEXIS with YOU GARDENER’s OUT THERE!
THIS IS A BIT BETTER!
Our shirts a bit wrinkled and mine turned up trying to cover that BELLY!
Rena this photo goes up TOP under LA CONTESSA & FRIENDS!
HAVE YOU READERS EVER CRUISED THAT?
GO to HOME PAGE LOOK UP TOP!
YOU CAN ALSO SEE ME AT THE LOUVRE in PARIS WITH MY GORGEOUS SONS and a few CHICKENS under LA CONTESSA!
GOT THAT!
XX
Well, This picture I ADORE THANK YOU PAT for being my PAPARAZZI and TAKING me TO this WONDERFUL TALK ON SISSINGHURST!
DO NOTE the DIRT MARKS ON MY PANTS!THAT IS A LOVE SMACK FROM BANKSY my GRAND piggy before departing!
I did receive MANY COMPLIMENTS on MY BIRTHDAY HAT so THANK YOU PATRICIA………………..a different PAT!!!!
Better known in MY WORLD as AGENT 43!
SHE was married to a CIA AGENT years AGO and did not even KNOW IT!
SHHHHHHHHHHH*********
DON’T ASK it is A wonderful STORY but I should STOP here!
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