12 May 2026 Mantua: Winterthur Gardens the The Tram Ride

 

Winterthur Gardens was located on the grounds of a former DuPont family mansion.  On the grounds a 60 acre garden is still blooming nicely.  There is also a 175 room mansion where Henry Francis DuPont was born.  He took over the management of the garden in 1906 and entire estate in 1914.  It was more than a estate, it was also a working farm with crops and animals.  We parked and headed in through the main entrance. We showed our tickets and as luck would have it the tram was about to depart.  We headed out and got in in line and were seated quickly.  Our driver had a upbeat narration as he dropped out more facts than a New Yorker Fact Checker.  We rode the tram back to where we started and hit the cafe for a most tasty lunch.

It was a pretty quick ride over to Delaware

Another massive bridge to cross

A giant silver woman?

Dotted mailbox

Look what is in bloom!

The butter plant, it is poisonous but great for wrapping butter

Just part of the huge house

Spectacular trees

Hedges of blooming shrubs

All the colors of one side of the rainbow

Massive trees

Also in bloom

Part of the former farm fields

Massive mutant frogs

Another peek of the house

It is massive

Big lakes

A life bird for the day, the tree swallow

Hi ho the silo

A spectacular day just for us!

We three spires atop the red barn

Follow the arrow.  They point to what is in bloom 

 It has been 3 years and 338 days since we began our Migration

10 May 2026 Mantua; Mothers Day and More Flowers

 

When we visited the nursery earlier in the week, we did not get all the flowers we needed to get. To put Kristine's yard into shape, we needed to headed back to the nursery.  Our thought process was, folks would all be attending Mother's day events and so the nursery would be quiet.   We failed to factor in the possibility that going to the nursery itself might be a Mother's Day event.  To our surprise, it was as busy or busier that it was when we went earlier in the week.  No matter, we got the flowers, planted them in the pots and enjoyed the rest of the day with Kristine.  

Driving through some bigger houses

Stone on stone

A fine structure

Back at the nursery

Concrete dogs

Woof!

 It has been 3 years and 336 days since we began our Migration

9 May 2026 Mantua: Party Time!

 

It was a combo TeamLeip and Leslie Birthday party and there was a fine turnout.  For TeamLeip Kris bought a flags of the world streamer which we strun up from the living room through the kitchen then back to the living room.  Everyone enjoyed  getting the chance to name the flags they recognize and looking up the ones  they did not. The attendees included us, Dave, Kristine, Ember, Cari, Katelyn, Roxanne, Jaxso, Bridgit, Alice, Mike who came from the airport, Mike's mom, Vickey, Dan and Mindy from next door.  I stopped taking pictures mid way so I could enjoy the event.

Kiribati an island nation in the middle of the Pacific ocean

The Ousleys!

First to arrive are Alice and Bridgit

Bridgit is in her dancing outfit and she had to leave for a while 

She came back soon enough after learning a new dance

Connect four!

Don't eat the pieces!

Wales

Dan and Mona from next door

Time to put the camera down and enjoy the party 

Oh my, is it time to hit the desserts?

Vicky is camera shy as usual

But her antique cake tin is a hit

The birds are visiting the back yard feeder

Go Cards!

 It has been 3 years and 335 days since we began our Migration

8 May 2026 Mantua: A Flower Shopping We Go

 

In preparation for a Saturday party, we braved the crowds and visited the nursery.  There was a huge selection of plants and a corresponding number of customers.  We got a wagon to put the carry our potted plants and while Leslie and Kris  were shopping, I was in charge of little Alice.  She climbed on the wagon and we walked around in circles, me pulling her along to keep her occupied.  Soon the wagon was full and she helped by pushing the wagon.  We crossed the main street to get back to the car and then headed home to do some planting.

So amny spectacular blooms

Vineing plants

This double bloom was a winner and made it to the wagon

The greatest of all time GOAT

Cockadoodle doo

Rows of yellow

Acres of red

Like ass kid in a candy store

Four green thumbs at work

Score on the petunias 

More vining plants

I pitched this to the green thumbs but the thumbs pointed down

https://youtube.com/shorts/l1-lfg0SCt8

Here comes another batch of flowers to replenish the stock

https://youtube.com/shorts/l1-lfg0SCt8

Back att he house it is time to get to work.

Success!

 It has been 3 years and 334 days since we began our Migration