An ode to basil

I'm so glad that summer is finally here.  The grocery stores and farmer's market have an abundance of affordable and delicious fresh produce.  Last night I paid an homage to one of my favorite herbs:  basil.

Classic margarita pizza

Roasted corn on the cob with basil butter

Summery deliciousness!

The gardens (pt 2)

After visiting the desert and the tropics, we ventured into the children's park.

I used the children's entrance and felt like Alice in Wonderland.

A large mouse greeted me with a kiss!

Hubby tried to reenact this pose with Charlie when we got home.  Charlie was not pleased.

These beautiful tulips reminded us of the Queen of Hearts' garden.

We also awoke a large sleeping dragon.  Lucky for us, he was quite friendly and showed us the way to the airport.

It was such a magical way to end a week with a good friend.

The gardens (pt 1)

Yesterday was Kim's last day with us.  We ended her visit with a trip to Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park.  Below are some photos from our trip.  (I'm so pleased with how they turned out. Thanks hubby for showing me how to properly use our camera and thanks Tito Ric for showing me the magical 'rule of thirds.')

First, we saw plants that lived in arid climates.

These cacti look like living rocks or elephant trunks.

Doesn't this cactus look like a baseball or an Easter egg?

Then we visited the tropics.  Hello orchids!

This orchid looks like it's about the cast a spell.  "You shall not pass!"

There were huge leaves everywhere!

Tomorrow- photos of the children's park...