Monday, April 25, 2011

Celebration, Florida

Hello everyone,
     We had a beautiful sunny warm day here so I enjoyed the day out in the garden doing spring clean up. I think spring has finally arrived as it is supposed to be warm all week so the grass is getting green and I think almost everyone on the Island was out raking their lawns today. The farmers are starting to put in the crops and soon the Island will be a haven for tourists once again.
   Anyway, my post for today is a little town in Florida called Celebration just a short drive from the vacation home we rented in Emerald Island. We enjoyed walking around this charming place a couple of evenings and of course I took lots of pictures.



As you can see it was a beautiful calm evening and I loved the water reflection.

I love this beautiful vine-it is not one that We can grow here so may some of you could tell me the name of it?

Celebration had lots of big fancy home but also lots of charming smaller ones. It was such a neat and tidy place - every home was so well cared for.

We enjoyed the warm evenings and seeing lots of color.


It was so peaceful there.

The palm trees were a novelty to our girls who had never seen them before.

I could enjoy a tour though this one!

or sitting on the balcony here with a tall glass of lemonade.


Notice the lack of traffic!
lovely townhouses with perfectly trimmed hedges.
So beautiful!
Well here we are(well not me, as I am taking the pic) waving to you all from the sunny state of Florida. Our three daughters and their husbands and children came with us on this trip.  Word on the street says we are taking our four sons,two daughter in laws and Jessie on the next one and I heard someone say Spain!

Thank you for visiting me,

Carolyn
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38 comments:

  1. Linda April 25, 2011 at 8:01 PM

    Breathtaking!! Thanks Carolyn.

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  2. BernideenApril 25, 2011 at 8:05 PM

    Is that bougainvillea? I am not not positive but it looks - maybe? I lady at a local B & B here has it in a pot in her dining room and it is lovely as it grows up the wall.

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  3. SheilaApril 25, 2011 at 8:27 PM

    I think it is bougainvillea too, but not positive. Did you know that Celebration was started by Disney? It is supposed to be the perfect little community to live it! I love it & always go there when we vacatation at Disney World. I enjoy going to their shopping district & browsing. Bet you could get a bargain on a home there now!

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  4. podsoApril 25, 2011 at 9:12 PM

    Thanks for the tour! Beautiful.

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  5. Bella's Rose CottageApril 25, 2011 at 9:23 PM

    Hi Carolyn,
    Oh all theat sunshine is reason enough to call it Celebration! What a gorgeous town!
    I too am voting Bougainvillea on the vine, the nurseries get it in here occasionaly to be grown as a annual, expensive and not worth it cause we are just too cold, but it is gourgeous!!
    Thanks for your kind words:-) I am looking forward to your garden, it amazes me!
    Hugs,
    Bella

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  6. AnonymousApril 25, 2011 at 9:28 PM

    So beautiful Carolyn!
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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  7. La Vie QuotidienneApril 25, 2011 at 9:43 PM

    what a beautiful community, very pretty, with such diverse and lovely homes. It looks like you all had a wonderful time.

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  8. Pamela GordonApril 25, 2011 at 9:54 PM

    What a beautiful, clean and neat place to visit! It must have been so fun to have part of your family with you on this trip. Wasn't that a beautiful day today? I guess we'll have to savour it for the next few rainy ones coming. Have a great week. Blessings, Pamela

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  9. SusanApril 25, 2011 at 10:11 PM

    Enchanting photos, Carolyn. You did a great job capturing the details of your trip. Thanks so much for sharing.

    I think Bernideen is right. I think the vine is bougainvillea. It's very often found in warm, tropical areas.

    Spain? OLE! THAT will be another fabulous trip! Susan

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  10. Jacqueline~Cabin and CottageApril 25, 2011 at 10:12 PM

    Beautiful photos of a gorgeous place! Seeing your major outing with family warms my heart. We have six sons and a daughter, and thirteen grand-daughters and three grandsons. We have to see them in "batches" too! Ha! Looks like you had a marvelous time!

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  11. SarahApril 25, 2011 at 10:49 PM

    Carolyn, it looks like a wonderful place to vacation or live for that matter. Your photos are gorgeous. Love the reflections. I think the plant is a bougainvillea.
    Spain? That sounds like a winner too! ~ Sarah

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  12. SoutherncookApril 26, 2011 at 12:40 AM

    Carolyn, I enjoyed your photos of Celebration, FL. I do believe that the vine is a bougainvillea but it is hard to tell from the photo. In central FL I'm not sure that a bouganinvillea would with stand the cold temps. I am in N FL and I grow them in pots and have to bring them in during the winter but it could be that it doesn't get cold enough there to grow them so very big. In S FL bougainvillea's are everywhere and just gorgeous. Enjoy your trip to sunny FL from a fellow Floridian.

    Carolyn

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  13. Sherry @ No Minimalist HereApril 26, 2011 at 12:41 AM

    Hi Carolyn, Just today my son and DIL looked at a house for sale in Celebration. It is a really pretty community.
    Hugs,
    Sherry

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  14. Shabby soulApril 26, 2011 at 3:40 AM

    Wonderful tour darling Carolyn! And your family is lovely!
    This vine is a Bouganville, here in Italy it's common, especially in the warm south, but it can also grow in coastal places where winter wind is not too cold. It can be also white and pale pink.
    Have a nice day!
    Silvia

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  15. My Cozy CornerApril 26, 2011 at 4:05 AM

    Awesome!! The most priceless thing is FAMILY...and you have a beautiful one.
    xo
    Betty

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  16. Hélène Flont , french illustratorApril 26, 2011 at 4:13 AM

    Quelle belle famille vous avez Carolyn!!!!

    ✿◕ ‿ ◕✿

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  17. AnonymousApril 26, 2011 at 6:11 AM

    Sooo wonderful houses and photos. Thank you! Have an inspiring week!

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  18. KaarenApril 26, 2011 at 6:19 AM

    The vine is definitely bougainvillea.

    It grows prolifically in Florida and in many of the southern states. It also comes in a rainbow of colors. The only negative thing about bougainvillea are the thick, sharp thorns which makes for very tricky pruning.

    Gorgeous photos and thanks for sharing.

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  19. Susan FreemanApril 26, 2011 at 7:18 AM

    What a lovely spot! Thank you for the tour. I enjoyed seeing the pic of your wonderful family too!

    Love,
    Susan and Bentley
    xxoo

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  20. Mrs Carli ThomApril 26, 2011 at 7:19 AM

    Hello! The vine looks like a bougainvillea, its very popular here in Australia! And comes in so many colours from purple, pinks & red to a beautiful white, watch out for the thorns though!

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  21. Mrs Carli ThomApril 26, 2011 at 7:24 AM

    It looks like a bougainvillea, very popular here in Australia and comes in some beautiful colours,from purple, pinks & red to a gorgeous white. watch out for the thorns though!!

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  22. Amy ChalmersApril 26, 2011 at 8:02 AM

    That looks like a great trip Carolyn! How nice to take the family with you. I would love to get in a few of those homes myself.

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  23. BeverlyApril 26, 2011 at 8:08 AM

    That is definitely bougainvilliea. We had it growing on our house in Fort Lauderdale. It is gorgeous!

    Celebration is an amazing town, isn't it? The planning has been spectacular.

    I am so glad you enjoyed your trip. It sounds as if you better start planning your next one.

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  24. One Shabby Old HouseApril 26, 2011 at 8:25 AM

    Happy to hear that you are starting to green up, up there that means beautiful things for us to see!
    Were you able to see inside the house with the bougainvillea vine. I think it use to be one of the models and I have pictures of it. It has a wonderful layout.
    We have one of those crazy bougainvilleas. We get one or two little pink flowers from time to time. We had one at another house and it grew on our fence. Our side was green but the side that grew through the fence to the neighbors side was so pretty. So it's kind of a joke with us. We call it our green thorn tree.
    Hugs
    Becky

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  25. Cottage RoseApril 26, 2011 at 10:58 AM

    OH what a charming town.... love all the homes. thank you for all the gorgeous photos.

    Hugs;
    Alaura

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  26. Heaven's WalkApril 26, 2011 at 2:46 PM

    What a beautiful place to relax and have some family time, Carolyn! Loved seeing all of those amazing homes and the landscaping and gardens! I'm so glad that you all had such a fabulous time, my friend! Really looking forward to those pics from Spain next time! lol!

    xoxo laurie

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  27. CindyApril 26, 2011 at 10:09 PM

    What a truly lovely place. Was there any traffic at all? It looks almost too perfect, unreal really. I have never seen a place quite like that. But then, I have never been to Florida either!
    Thank you f r the chance to see all of the beautiful homes.
    How nice that you could take all three girls and families. It must have been so fun with the little grands!
    Hugs, Cindy

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  28. SheilaApril 26, 2011 at 10:25 PM

    Glad to hear that you had such a wonderful holiday with your family. Celebration looks perfect in so many ways. Enjoy the coming of Spring on PEI!

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  29. MadeliefApril 27, 2011 at 4:18 PM

    Dear Carolyn,

    What a lovely photo of your family! You are with so many! To Spain....well, that quite a trip ;-)!

    Celebration looks like a very clean and tidy town to me. And the houses.....they are enormous!

    Have a lovely day!

    Lieve groet, Madelief

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  30. " SHABBY JUNK"April 27, 2011 at 4:52 PM

    I agree Bouganvilia it grows good her too and California also.

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  31. The TablescaperApril 27, 2011 at 11:42 PM

    Looks like a great trip. How wonderful for you all to be together.

    - The Tablescaper

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  32. TinaApril 28, 2011 at 12:51 AM

    Hi Carolyn
    What a delight to ride!
    And that beautiful family! God bless!
    The flower that you ask the name, we call bouganville.
    A big, loving hug
    Tina (SONHAR E REALIZAR)

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  33. Ana's WorldApril 28, 2011 at 4:45 PM

    Beautiful pictures and it looks like a restful trip! I'm not sure if it is a bougainvillea, because I can't see the flowers, but I'm wondering if it is a Clematis. Do Clematis grow there in Florida? That's my two cents...for what it's worth.

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  34. ConnieApril 28, 2011 at 5:14 PM

    Beautiful photos! Looks a lot warmer there than here in Canada...LOL

    Thanks for sharing,
    Connie

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  35. UnknownApril 28, 2011 at 6:35 PM

    Dag Carolyn,
    Wat een prachtige huizen en mooie tuinen. Mooie vakantie met een lieve familie.
    Lieve groet, Marja

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  36. AnonymousApril 29, 2011 at 1:00 PM

    I agree Carolyn, I think it is a Bougainvilliers.
    You have had a good time in Florida. How lovely Celebration looks.
    All the best
    Hélène

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  37. LacyApril 29, 2011 at 8:10 PM

    How fun! We stayed in the same resort at the beginning of February.

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  38. DaniApril 23, 2012 at 2:36 PM

    Hi Carolyn
    I'm from Brasil and use to visit your blog almost every day! We rented a house over Kissimmee for next July, and for sure we are visiting Celebration... How lovely Celebration looks! Thank you for your tips and ideas...
    Dani

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Thank you for all your sweet comments and may your day be filled with joy!

Carolyn