Thankfulness: Day 2

Today, my son, Ethan, my daughter, Megan, and I went to Syracuse to visit my freshman-in-college daughter, Emily.  We traveled back and forth safely, had a good visit to an exotic pet store, to CiCi's Pizza, and then to Five Below.  I returned home to a rested and happy hubby.

In one day alone, I thought of so many things I am thankful to my Lord for.  I already mentioned love, but I have to reiterate that I love my family!  We had a good time together and that's a wonderful thing.

But here's the rest of the list:

A car to travel in and safety in travel

The comfortable, safe apartment my daughter is living in, with a nice roommate.

The amazing array of life of the animal kingdom, from anemone to zebra!

Bargains

Warm clothes

A husband and two dogs to come home to and who are happy to see me.

Computers

As soon as I publish this, I'm sure I will remember other things that I wished I would have shared, but if it inspires you to be thankful for what we consider ordinary things, then it's enough.

What would you like to add?

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Again, my November 20% off special applies, and I will be posting a Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale.  Just scroll down for November.

Summer fun

What kind of fun are you having this summer? I hope you get to do all of the things that you longed to do during the winter months. Summer has finally arrived here, so I'm doing some of the things that I enjoy.

Friday, my two girls and I went to Genesee Country Village & Museum, a 19th century living historical museum, nestled in Mumford, NY. We have visited this museum many times through the years, but each time brings something new to learn and discover. The highlight of Friday's trip, for me, was visiting the Shaker House and Gardens. A docent was there to give us a tour and to explain the Shakers' interests, primarily in growing and using herbs.

The Shakers were very industrious people, with many inventions to their credit, and they used herbs extensively for healing. In the Shaker house, rosewater was infusing, calendula petals were drying, and boxes were filled with herb and seed for sale. It's probably my favorite place in the museum.

I wanted to pick the brain of the docent of the pioneer log cabin about soap, but they were very busy readying the cabin for guests, so I decided that was best left for another visit.

The flower gardens were proudly displaying themselves to best affect for visitors to enjoy, and were particularly noteworthy because they were heirloom flowers.

On Sunday, the Henrietta Garden Club went to the Canandaigua Wine & Culinary Center and then to Sonnenberg Gardens. I doubted that we could do them both justice in one day, but we really did.

CW&CC is devoted to showing off what NY has to offer in wine and produce. For those who don't know, NY is a leading apple producer, has many wineries in the Niagara, Finger Lakes, and Hudson areas, as well as other growing crops. At the center, cooking classes are offered, including food and wine pairings, and there is a fine restaurant offering NY dishes.

One may simply tour the facility and visit the gift shop, nevertheless, and catch a beautiful view of Canandaigua Lake from the balcony of the top floor.

Our second stop, Sonnenberg Gardens, is a tour of a mansion and its grounds. The Thompson family, wealthy NY bankers, built it as their summer home, one of five residences, and had gardens created in various styles. We visited the Japanese Garden, the Roman Bath, the Rose Garden, the Perennial Garden, and the Italian Garden, as well as the greenhouses. It had been years since I was there last, and they've done an immense amount of work in restoring the house and grounds to its former glory. It was all amazing, and we enjoyed ourselves, despite the intense heat.

Pictures will follow as soon as I can coax my camera to upload them. :-)

Remember our August special!

What's on special? Everything! Take 10% off of your order. Everything on the site or below is included, no minimum purchase. If that's not enough, I'll add a free bar of soap with any $25 purchase! Patchouli is excluded. Just put 10% in the comments section or email me at beth@soapandgarden.com.

Not on my site are:

Herbal Bath Teas: Oatmeal, Milk, & Honey, Purely Herbal Blend, Four Milk Blend, and Relaxation Blend - $2/ea.
Liquid shower gel: All natural. 2 oz. for $4; 4 oz. $6.00
Lotion: Hand and body lotion - 4 oz, $7
Foaming Soap: Comes in scents listed on site. Just $7/bottle for 6 fl. oz.

Thanks for reading, and have a great week!