Christmas 2014 At The Huntington Library

Christmas, children, is not a date. It is a state of mind. ~Mary Ellen Chase

12/8/2014 - High Tea In The Rose Room And A Walk In The Gardens

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Thanks to Brian, Sue & Paul were here!!!

Tea Time

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Kimberly opens the champagne... Greg swoons

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
"Pardon me sir but do you have your ID with you??"

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
"We need to buy her glasses.... ID? Greg is older than dirt!"

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Carri is getting a kick out of this

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Thanks Brian for having us join the party

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Joanna was happy to see us

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
"Earl Grey" is a Black Tea

Did You Know? - Black tea is a type of tea that is more oxidized than oolong, green and white teas. All four types are made from leaves of the shrub (or small tree) Camellia sinensis. Black tea is generally stronger in flavor than the less oxidized teas.

Two principal varieties of the species are used ? the small-leaved Chinese variety plant (C. sinensis subsp. sinensis), used for most other types of teas, and the large-leaved Assamese plant (C. sinensis subsp. assamica), which was traditionally mainly used for black tea, although in recent years some green and white have been produced.

In Chinese languages and the languages of neighboring countries, black tea is known as "red tea" (Japanese ?? k?cha; Korean ?? hongcha, Bengali Lal cha), a description of the colour of the liquid; the Western term "black tea" refers to the colour of the oxidized leaves.

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Pinky finger up

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Clink!

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Herbal tea here

Did You Know? - Herbal tea, or tisane (UK /t??z?n/, US /t??z??n/), is any beverage made from the infusion or decoction of herbs, spices, or other plant material in hot water, and usually does not contain caffeine.

These drinks are distinguished from caffeinated true teas (black, green, white, yellow, oolong, etc., which are prepared from the cured leaves of the tea plant, Camellia sinensis), as well as from decaffeinated tea, in which the caffeine has been removed. In addition to serving as a beverage, many herbal teas are also consumed for their perceived medicinal benefits.

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
"Pinky finger up is a wives tale... In the UK we grab and squeeze the tea cup"

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
"What do you mean I can only go back two more times?"

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
"I have fresh scones for you all"

Did You Know? - The pronunciation of the word within the United Kingdom varies. According to one academic study, two-thirds of the British population pronounce it /?sk?n/ with the preference rising to 99% in the Scottish population. This is also the pronunciation of Australians, Canadians and New Zealanders.

Others, particularly inhabitants of the United States and Ireland, pronounce the word as /?sko?n/. The pronunciation /?sk?n/ is also used, particularly in Ireland. British dictionaries usually show the "con" form as the preferred pronunciation, while recognising that the "cone" form also exists.

The Oxford English Dictionary reports that the first mention of the word was in 1513. Origin of the word scone is obscure and may, in fact, derive from different sources.

That is, the classic Scottish scone which, according to Sheila MacNiven Cameron in The Highlander's Cookbook, originated as a bannock cut into pieces; and the Dutch schoonbrood or "spoonbread" (very similar to the drop scone); and possibly other, similar and similarly named quick breads, may have made their way onto the British tea table, where their similar names merged into one.

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Greg is really enjoying the Earl Grey

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Giggle time

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
"Hello... We are here thanks to Brian"

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Decorated for Christmas

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
This is a snappy happy group

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Joanna was at the helm of the camera

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Merry Christmas Joanna

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and JanGreg keeps us all in stitches

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Brian wanted to see the color of herbal tea... Bright red today

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Gentlemen... Start your engines

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Brian learns how to pinch-squeeze-smell the various oily plants

Did You Know? - Mints are aromatic, almost exclusively perennial, rarely annual, herbs. They have wide-spreading underground and overground stolons and erect, square, branched stems.

They are fast-growing, extending their reach along surfaces through a network of runners. Due to their speedy growth, one plant of each desired mint, along with a little care, will provide more than enough mint for home use.

Some mint species are more invasive than others. Even with the less invasive mints, care should be taken when mixing any mint with any other plants, lest the mint take over. To control mints in an open environment, they should be planted in deep, bottomless containers sunk in the ground, or planted above ground in tubs and barrels.

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
The ladies are not far behind

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Look very different in the winter

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
One of Sue's favorite gardens because it is food/cooking related

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Brian is squeezing everything now

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
On our way

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
"Follow me"

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
"Pet me... I do not bite"

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
It was a beautiful winter day is California... Just 77 degrees

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
We wore warm clothes but really did not need to!

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
We had to check...

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Imported from China

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Looks like a woodpecker went wild

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Everything was beautiful

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
On our way to the Japanese Garden

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
A view from the Rose Garden looking west into the Japanese Gardens

Did You Know? - For over a century, the historic Japanese Garden has been one of the most beloved and iconic landscapes at The Huntington, with its distinctive moon bridge, picture-postcard views of koi-filled ponds and the historic Japanese House. Since the institution opened to the public in 1928, the Japanese Garden, has attracted more than 20 million visitors and remains a site of both fascination and contemplation.

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
The Tea House was open today

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Brian enjoyed the Bonsai

Did You Know? - Bonsai means plantings in tray, or low-sided pot is a Japanese art form using miniature trees grown in containers. Similar practices exist in other cultures, including the Chinese tradition of penjing from which the art originated, and the miniature living landscapes of Vietnamese h?n non b?. The Japanese tradition dates back over a thousand years, and has its own aesthetics and terminology.

The practice of bonsai is sometimes confused with dwarfing, but dwarfing generally refers to research, discovery, or creation of plant cultivars that are permanent, genetic miniatures of existing species. Bonsai does not require genetically dwarfed trees, but rather depends on growing small trees from regular stock and seeds. Bonsai uses cultivation techniques like pruning, root reduction, potting, defoliation, and grafting to produce small trees that mimic the shape and style of mature, full-size trees.

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Admiring the plants... They are amazing

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Needs a hair cut

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Interesting with the sun in the background

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Ginko trees are loosing their leaves

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
The ground was gold...

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
A bonsai ginko tree...

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Tiny to large... Ginko's seem to be adaptable

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
It is silently shouting "It's Winter Time"

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
So very relaxing to sit and watch

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Thank you Brian...


A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
A warm California winter afternoon

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Brian was going to wear shorts but it would have scared the wildlife

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Fun in the gardens

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Checkout the reflections

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
"Paul... Were you teasing about the alligators in these ponds?

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
The sign is there to protect the wild animals

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
The barrel cactus were happy... It rained last week

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
"I am guilty!"

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
"Follow me"

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Tiny blossoms were hidden on the various cacti

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
The desert is beautiful

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Mother nature is quite artistic

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
They look like grapes but they are NOT grapes...

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Greg and Carri await our arrival

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Brain could not turn down the $5.00 "All You Can Eat" buffet

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Paul & Greg

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan
Clink

A day at the Huntington Gardens with Greg, Carri, Brian and Jan