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Beautiful gardens are in abundance during the summer. This garden was featured during last Saturday’s Westchester Garden Walk. (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)
Well worth it
Sometimes you make the right call. My decision to step back from The Weekly Opine for a few weeks, to concentrate on my duties as chair of the Marketing and Publicity Committee for our local garden walk, was spot on.
The Westchester Garden Walk, the third annual walk produced by the Grassroots Garden Group, was a resounding success! We raised a record-setting amount of money for the Westchester Food Pantry, easily surpassing our inaugural, in-person 2019 garden walk (2020 was virtual due to the pandemic).
Taking a break from blogging allowed me to focus on garden walk duties and enjoy various activities in the western suburbs. And I won raffle prizes at two separate events. First, at the local food pantry Grand Opening, I won dinner for 10 at an artisan olive oil retailer that prepares meals for private events. Next, at the garden walk, I won a prize consisting of garden tools, grilling tools, and a fun cooler for use at outdoor concerts.
Other adventures the last few weeks involved food (of course!), jazz, and a nearby suburb’s annual summer festival replete with fun-looking carnival rides and a car show featuring a boatload of super hot wheels.
Take a look at the photos below that highlight what I’ve been up to since my last post.
This view shows only about one-third of a garden that evokes paradise. (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)
Lovely coneflowers add pizazz to the corner of this garden. (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)
Gardens can be more than plants and vegetables. When fully assembled, these pieces of yard art expand the beauty of almost any garden. (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)
It was a publicity homerun when a local pizza parlor agreed to staple our garden walk promotional flyer to carryout and delivery boxes. (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)
Elmhurst College’s jazz ensemble gave a stellar performance on a delightful summer evening. (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)
The food and plate rest in harmonious splendor thanks to Emilio’s Tapas restaurant. (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)
Momentarily on the chopping block (I thought it was a weed until buds appeared) this sunflower was a surprise when it bloomed in my garden. (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)
As expected, coneflowers in my garden attract bees and butterflies. (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)
Hanging out at a small town carnival is one of the pleasures of summer. (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)
Near the end of the evening some cars had gone home. However, there were still several fine machines on the scene. (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)
Oh, Mags the MAGA called me this week. I missed the call but plan to ring him back in a day or so. I wonder what’s on his mind?
© 2021 Douglas Freeland / The Weekly Opine