Welcome to another edition of the Tales of The Traveling Tote. The Traveling Tote is a group of women who each have a Mackenzie Childs tote. We blog about where our totes have been every 3 months plus a GIVEAWAY. You will find my fellow tote sister's links at the bottom of this post.
I am posting one day early, due to my link party I host every Sunday. The other tote gals will be posting on Sunday June 1st.
What better way to welcome the beauty of early May than with a visit to a flower farm? My husband, myself and friends, Jain and Scott had the absolute pleasure of spending a gorgeous day at Bodacious Blooms in Placer County, and let me tell you, it was every bit as magical as it sounds.
As we wandered through the pathways, each turn revealed another stunning display. While every peony at Bodacious Blooms was a work of art, I found myself particularly drawn to the pinks. Have you ever visited a peony farm? What's your favorite spring flower?
Bodacious Blooms Flower Farm sits at 1000’ elevation in the beautiful oak covered
grasslands of rural Placer County, CA. Our ranch is a spectacular
setting for our flower farm with its mild climate and excellent native
soil. The ranch also provides a home for many donkeys in need of rescue. Karen is a neighbor who also has a flower farm on Big Hill. She grows Peonies and Ranunculus, Her husband is Maury who rescues Donkeys. Karen harvest upwards of 12,000
peonies and 18,000 ranunculus annually.
Karen and her gorgeous blooms.
Miss Lola posing with some beautiful peonies.They make for a beautiful bouquet for weddings. Karen sells them to florist, Farmer's market and anyone who wishes to place an order.
We all were greeted by these sweet burros. They followed us around and were quite curious about Miss Lola. Maury, Karen's husband rescues burros.
With a reputation for taking on the status quo,
Distinguished Professor Emeritus Maury Hull left his mark on UC Davis by
playing a leading role in establishing the biomedical engineering
department. World-renowned in the biomedical engineering field, his
current research challenges convention regarding total knee
replacements, significantly reducing the number of dissatisfied
patients.
You can read more about Maury and Karen Hull by visiting UC Davis.
So it is perhaps fitting that, while other people rescue dogs, Hull
rescues burros. He and his wife Karen, who retired as the first
associate vice chancellor of Organizational Excellence at UC
Davis, have 21 burros in total. The burros live at the Hull’s property
in Lincoln, California, fondly called Wild Ass Ranch, where they also
grow a small flower farm, named Bodacious Blooms.
Next garden tour is our neighbors, Shirley and Ken. Jain and Scott also joined us, since it's in our neighborhood. Shirley tends to the gardening and Ken tends to his horses.
A beautiful paradise with lots of varieties of flowers. Miss Lola loves to visit their beautiful gardens.
They have a gorgeous pond, heart shaped with a lovely bridge.
Her roses are so pretty.
Various shades of verbena.
Such a gorgeous clematis. The color is so dramatic!
Miss Lola and the bronking cowboy.Shirley's yard is lovely with lots of green grass and flowers. In fact, her granddaughter recently got married on the grounds.
Be sure to comment on Rita's blog, Panoply for a chance to win the Mackenzie Childs luggage tag.
The links below will take you to my Traveling Totes friends.
Stay tuned for a summer tablescape blog hop on June 10th.
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About
Linda @ Life and Linda
Hello, welcome to LifeandLinda. I am from Northern California. I enjoy blogging, Designing Blogs, Decorating, cooking, entertaining, gardening and clogging. I hope you enjoy your visit.
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This looks like almost heaven! Peonies are such fragrant blooms I can imagine the scent was heady and almost overwhelming! And those donkeys are so sweet looking. This is so beautifully laid out with that wonderful pond and bridge and so much color and beauty. Looks like a perfect day to me!
ReplyDeleteLinda, oh, my, would I have loved to join this adventure. Flower farms and donkeys are dear to my heart. My close longtime friend had two donkeys on her property until she sold and downsized. They were dear and she continues to visit them where she rehomed them. Thanks for sharing all this beauty. Have a great week ahead as we head into June.
ReplyDeleteLinda, oh, my, would I have loved to join this adventure. Flower farms and donkeys are dear to my heart. My close longtime friend had two donkeys on her property until she sold and downsized. They were dear and she continues to visit them where she rehomed them. Thanks for sharing all this beauty. Have a great week ahead as we head into June.
ReplyDeleteI always love to see your travels with your sweet totes. This one struck my heart. I love donkey's and how sweet they are. They are like big dogs. What a wonderful thing Maury does to rescue these sweet animals. I love the picture of you with them . Flower Farm and these sweet furry friends what a great day. Thanks for sharing you day with all of us. Hugs. Kris
ReplyDeleteI love peonies Linda...especially the pink ones...what a delight to visit so many beautiful flower gardens. One would have to pull me away in the dark. LOL thanks for sharing and have a wonderful and Blessed week. 🌸🌸🌸🌞😊
ReplyDeleteI love Peonies..I remember my grandmother used to have a field full of peonies..The aroma was as nice as the view...I don't remember if she sold them..probably did..Enjoy your weekend..
ReplyDeleteWhat gorgeous captures, Linda. I absolutely love donkeys 🫏 ❤️ Beautiful series of photos.
ReplyDeleteOh both places:) Beautiful.. Peonies..roses..pond:) Unimaginable that pond.. Love the pic of Karen w/ the little one:)This is a travel I would have loved.
ReplyDeleteLinda, I could days on end touring gardens and flower farms. Bodacious Blooms has some spectacular varieties! I'm in love with that white with yellow center, and anything close to an apricot or coral color has my heart. That pictured bridal bouquet is breathtaking. What wonderful pastimes Karen and Maury devote their time to. Ken and Shirley's is lovely too. That heart-shaped pond!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your friends' gardens this spring!
Love the burros, especially the one with its own floral collar! And what gorgeous florals everywhere! That wedding bouquest is truly spectacular.
ReplyDeleteLinda, this is right up my alley. I love touring gardens and flower farms. That heart-shaped pond!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your friends' gardens. Happy June!
These gardens are so lovely. I so wish I enjoyed gardening as I love to see them - lol....I think your property is as lovely as some of these places (you should do tours!!). Thanks for taking us along with you.
ReplyDeleteWe visited a peony farm with my parents in Wisconsin when I was growing up. My parents had a lot of peonies and they were always my favorite. I transplanted some of mine from my old house in my daughter's garden as our landscaping wasn't in yet and then planted 25 bushes of my own this year. They are my favorite spring flower. I love how they keep the weeds down! So many gorgeous flowers in this post. It makes me so happy. And to have a heart shaped pond - I love it!
ReplyDeleteBodacious Blooms indeed Linda! A peony farm…be still my heart, Bodacious Blooms to be sure Linda! Sweet donkeys, love the one festooned with a flower garland. I had to chuckle at ‘Wild Ass Ranch’ 😊 Happy June 🌸
ReplyDeleteOh Linda, I would love to visit Bodacious Blooms with you, such a beautiful way to spend your day among friends. I love your Flower Time with Karen and her husband Muary. My favorite summertime flower are peonies. Her flowers are beautiful. I'm sure you enjoyed seeing the sweet burros, I just love those animals! What beautiful gardens, Shirley and Ken should be winning awards! A beautiful tour today, Thanking your neighbors and friends and you for sharing. Happy June Linda......
ReplyDeleteLinda, the peonies you shared from Bodacious Blooms are stunning! I'd be hard pressed to pick a favorite. What a treat to see them in all their glory. The little burros are so cute. They look happy and friendly! Your neighbors' garden looks like a resort. Wow! I can understand why Shirley's granddaughter would want to get married on the beautiful grounds. How special! I enjoyed your tour. Happy travels this summer!
ReplyDeleteLinda, a peony farm would be a dream to visit. How fun to tour gardens, especially beautiful ones. The donkey wearing the flower garland is too sweet! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteOh Linda, what a heavenly tour you shared with us. The peony and donkey farm was incredible and the picture of the bridal bouquet was spectacular. Your neighbor’s garden was fabulous with that amazing pond, and all those roses and other gorgeous flowers. You’ve had a beautiful Springtime!
ReplyDeleteWhat fun to visit a flower farm! So much beauty! I think peonies and ranunculus are my favorite summer blooms. The flowers are finally blooming here in Minnesota and the peony season is so short! I always welcome its arrival! I love the story of rescuing burros, too!
ReplyDeleteA Peony Farm!!! Swoon!!!
ReplyDeleteYour friends garden grounds are Paradise! Wow!
I have small gardens and I have a hard time keeping up. How do they do it?
The bridal bouquet is breathtaking.
You gave us a lovely tour!
Thank you and happy June!
Oh all those beautiful gardens! Peonies and ranunculus are my favorites, I can't imagine seeing fields of them up close and personal! How interesting to visit a farm that rescues burros, they look so sweet! Love the beautiful pond with the bridge too. Happy June Linda!
ReplyDeleteJenna
Linda, what gorgeous flower farms. Thanks for taking us along to look at the flowers and gardens. It sounds like you are enjoying spring and travels with your tote.
ReplyDelete