There are some things I never imagined I’d be blogging about―the annual Met Gala, celebrities and Formula One racing are three of them.  But this unlikely combo made me realize brooches are making a comeback.  Yes, brooches!―those old-timey pieces of jewelry we tend to associate with matching sweater sets, eyeglass chains and lavender perfume.

It’s garden tour season here in the US Southeast.  Gardening clubs and charity organizations host local garden tours to raise funds and awareness.  Typically, these self-guided tours include a series of personal gardens which the owners have generously agreed to open to the public for a day or a weekend.  A program describing the participating gardens, along with a recommended driving route, is provided to participants when they purchase their tickets.  Garden visitors drive themselves from garden to garden where they can stroll through gorgeous private paradises and revel in the beauty of landscaped nature.