……………………..On this 4th of July, as we celebrate the birth of the nation, I wanted to share pictures of Jac’s beautiful garden with you………There were years when the garden looked better then others, but this year…….I can honestly say, it is more lush, more radiant and more colorful then EVER…….I can’t help but think that Jac is responsible for the beautiful garden this year. She knew how much I loved her flowers!….. Truly, Jac was always responsible for our gardens. I would select the plants for each pot, and she would do the grunt work. Jac always said I would have made a great “movie director”, and that I loved to direct……in that she wasn’t wrong, but she seldom was…..She planted them, and took loving care of them. I know she was with me this year guiding me every step of the way as I planted her flowers…….She would sit on a chaise lounge on the brick porch, in the middle of the garden with the girls around her, admiring her and Mother Nature’s work….This was the place Jac loved to read one of the many books she would have going at one time. It was hard enough for me to get through one at a time. Jac always amazed me………..Sometimes I would come to join her, but I would find her sound asleep, so peaceful………………………………..like an Angel………………………………………………………..I miss her so so much.
How beautiful and peaceful. Love the black eyed susans.
I’m late to the party on this, but all I really want to say is that I hope you are taking a well-earned breather after all your hard work this spring on what was a truly wonderful collection for us, and are now enjoying and relaxing in this beautiful creation that Jac has left for you. I come from a long line of serious gardeners myself; my great-grandfather was head gardener for a large estate, and my mother, who trotted around with him as a child “helping” with the roses (I have a much cherished photo of them from the 30’s standing beneath an enormous and exuberantly blooming rose arbor) had a large and beautiful garden of her own at our home in the countryside in western NY. I also inherited the bug, so I know how much planning, organization, and especially WORK it takes over years to accomplish such a garden as yours, and then to maintain it as it changes, grows, and requires our love and help to remain a thing of beauty and a place of peace and reflection. Your marriage and partnership with this gifted and special woman were a true blessing; I can hardly think of a better living reminder of that than this garden.
Dear April, unfortunately there is no such thing as a “breather” in this business, not if you are as involved as I am. If you just show up to sell the clothes on air, as so many do, then yes there is lots of time for yourself. That is not the case for me. I take the time each day to go out into the garden with my babies so I can enjoy them, and the garden for a few minutes, and then back to work. I am either working on the next collections or the next shows coming up, so there really isn’t much time in between. For me it is both a blessing and a curse. Keeping busy, and having my routine, as Jac called it, helps me get through each day. I really can’t have too much time on my hands, because then all I think about is how much I miss Jac.
Dear Louis,
Your garden and grounds are lovely. A special relationship produced an extraordinary space! How wonderful that it continues on as a living testimony to your exceptional collaboration.
All the best to you,
Ruth
Your beautiful wife certainly had a green thumb. Glad you get to enjoy looking at her garden and thinking of all your precious times together. God has such wonderful promises in his word for us such as his promise to soon resurrect our loved ones who have died and we will never have to part from them again! When you get time, please read Revelation 21:4 this verse in the Bible really comforts me to know soon God will get rid of sickness and death forever!
Your yard is beautifully “dressed” in these many colors and types of flowers! I can’t grow anything (even killed a small cactus once in my college dorm room), but I had a grandmother who could grow flowers like these so easily. I inherited her love of sewing but not her ability to grow anything. Hoping you had a wonderful Fourth of July (which is also my birthday).
Happy belated Birthday….all plants need is good soil, a good amount of water, lots of sun, and they must be sung to….that’s the key. You must talk lovingly to them and they will bloom for you!
Louis, your garden is absolutely enticing within an artist’s touch of color, texture, shape and proportion. It is indeed an effort to be proud of that soothes the soul and radiates love.
Thank you for the beautiful trip through Jac’s well tended gardens. I enjoyed every vignette!
Louis, I have written this to you before, I love the way you loved your wife when she was with you and now from your heart. So many people forget to nurture the love and it gives me great pleasure to hear your stories of your love for each other. take care
Nikki….I was like every other husband, and there were certainly times when I took Jac for granted, but thank God for Jac, she would always tell me when I was acting like a jerk. She would say is that really the way you want to treat, or is that really the way you really want to speak to me. It always took me aback and gave me the room to look at what my behavior was without her scolding me. She was very smart! She taught me everything about relationship and communicating between us.
Louis, how very blessed you both were. A student is only as good as his teacher and you had a wonderful one! oxoxoxox Cat
Beautiful gardens and beautiful words from a beautiful soul. How wise Jac was.
what a lovely garden for you to be surrounded by beautiful flowers. Hope you always are fulfilled by all your memories of the love of your life.
Louis thank you so much for sharing Jac and your beautiful gardens. It made my heart happy. I keep you in my prayers always. I was late planting this year because of the cold weather in Chicago. I searched high and low for the perfect pansies and was about to give up. As I walked out of the nursery i looked to the left and saw the most beautiful pot of pansies that I did not see when I first entered the nursery. I vacationed in California for a week and worried if they got enough water. They are still just as beautiful right now in July. Thank you for all that you do for your Linea ladies. You are a blessing Louis.
Wow so beautiful! Thanks for sharing. Jac’s and your garden is inspiring. I also watch Macy’s fireworks every year Would love to see in person one day! Happy 4th! Pamela in the SS.
Jac and I used to live on the East River, and saw the Fire Works…They are fantastic, and well worth seeing!
Dearest Louis
What a beautiful garden. What a treasure to share Jac’s
Garden and all the wonderful memories you must have.
Sounds like you had a beautiful and very special relationship
I think of you often with great fondness. I follow you
on Facebook, great clothes.
Lots of hugs,
Fredda
It is so nice to hear from you. I too see some of your posts on face book. Jac was and still is the love of my life.
What beautiful gardens you have. Different colors and shapes of leaves and trees everywhere. When you have a garden like this, there is always something of interest that is blooming during each season. Lovely. And the hollyhocks, I have a row of them of all colors along side our red barn. Very Americana. Thanks for sharing.
Happy 4th,Louis. The gardens are spectacular,and those roses..Wow! I’m sure Jac had her hand in it and that she is very proud of you. Thank you for sharing all the garden pictures and your”baby trees”. I love the pictures and your stories are wonderful , as always. Enjoy your hot dogs with buns, your ice box cake(it sounds delicious) and the fire works. XOXO
Happy 4th of July and sharing such beautiful pictures and memories of Jac it’s been so hot it’s hard to do anything but relax.
A happy Independence Day to you!
Love the sage & veronica on the right (purple flowers) & I see some zinnias on the upper right. Louis, what rose did you finally decide on against your white replacement fence?
I don’t remember the name, but I think it’s too dark. It gets a little shady there and the roses could have been a brighter red.
Wow Louis! Such fantastic pics of your glorious gardens!! Truly amazing! I’m envious as I look in the backyard and see my attempt at a garden is overgrown with weeds.
Thank you for sharing with us. Hope you have a happy 4th. Enjoy your hot dog and cake. We are just cooking hamburgers, enough to share with the six dogs. Then I’m making easy peach pie. A relaxing day off for the most part. 😊
Your gardens and plantings a wonderful celebration of life in all it’s beauty! My thoughts are with you this Fourth of July. Enjoy!
0h what a lovely tour of your gardens! I love the roses, hydrangeas…all of it actually! I have never tried hollyhocks before, but have always wanted too. I saw them in front of a home when we lved in California and just stopped and stared. They were so lovely and old fashioned.
I am very sure that your Jac is so very proud of how you have taken care of yourself and her garden. I can just picture you making the icebox cake in your kitchen and it just warms my heart. If you feel like sharing the recipe, I’d be glad. My boys always have room for cake! Enjoy the 4th on your porch. I will be thinking of you!
Karen it’s really so easy even your boys can make it! Just make whipped cream at least one and one half containers of heavy cream, Vanilla extract [amount to taste] and I put 2 envelopes of Stevia. Powdered sugar is the normal receipt but I’m trying to be good! Whip cream until it’s nice the thick. Take your thin chocolate wafers and start putting whip cream on one side and then add another wafer with whip cream until you have a row of wafers stuck together with whip cream Attach another row next to it attaching them with whip cream. Jac always did four rows until she had a square. Then you cover the entire thing with whip cream sides and all. I made it on a square white plate that we have. Then leave it in the refrig over night covered in plastic wrap. Jac always stuck toothpicks in the cake so the wrap doesn’t touch the cream. If you google Whip cream ice box cake you will get lots of variations. The one that is closest to Jacs is the “Magnolia Baker’s Chocolate Wafer Cake”. The only difference is they stack it one on top of the other instead of side by side. After being in the frig over night the cookies absorb the moisture from the cream and it’s all nice and soft. Cut the cake through the cookies so you see the layers. It is yummy! The boys will beg you to “WHIP ONE UP!
Louis, The thin chocolate wafers are some of my favorite cookies. I have two boxes in the house right now. I’ll have to try making this cake with the whipped cream.
Your gardens are just beautiful. I have small gardens, front and back, and I know how much work it takes. I enjoy looking at my gardens as I know you enjoy looking at yours with all the happy memories attached.
Wishing you a Happy 4th! I hope you enjoyed your hot dogs. I had mine last week — today was baby back ribs!
Oh thank you for the recipe. So easy and I can see my boys making that (if mom isn’t home to cook…they are spoiled!). Love the stevia addition as we have strawberries over pancakes with whipped cream for breakfast quite often and I do that too to make it healthy. The boys will sneak and put powdered sugar in the cream if I’m not looking. One time the youngest searched in the pantry and put a big spoonful in…only to find out it was tapioca starch…ha, that will teach him!
I will have to add the ingredients to my list and make it for our Friday night dessert next week. I will tell the boys it’s Jac’s icebox cake (what’s an icebox mom?, and who is Jac?). I will remind them that it’s the same lovely woman who made the ginger cookies we have in the fall/Christmas. Jac is getting very popular at my house. Boys’ love language is definitely food!
Enjoy your evening! Love and hugs dear Louis.
Oh my goodness! I have not eaten ice box cake in years. My mom showed me how and I used to make it as a child.
It is rich and delicious. A good, easy choice for a special occasion. Thanks for the memory. I will be looking for, or maybe even inventing, a special occasion!
I bought one package of the thin chocolate wafers & a pint of whipping cream. I plan to make it tomorrow. I will add a tablespoon or two of cocoa powder to the whipped cream. I think I will do 5 cookies per layer instead of 7 that the Magnolia recipe says to set up.
Chris……Jac used cocoa powder too sometimes….I like whip cream any way I can get it! You may need more then a pint to cover the whole cake….
I used an 8” center dinner plate (9” diameter) that took 7 wafers & 1 in center. I added 3 TBSPS. unsweetened cocoa powder to the pint of whipping cream, plus 1 TBSP. of Kahlua. I ended up needing another package of wafers (used half of the 2nd package) to use up the rest of the cream.
It’s in the fridge now, complete with toothpicks in the cream (to prevent the cream from sticking to the plastic wrap).
Someone is in for a special treat…..Jac used to make it exactly like that sometimes, but honestly, I liked it best with just the regular whip cream……not that there is anything wrong with Kahlua!….LOL
Hi Louis!
I keep returning to the beauty of Jac’s garden .. her presence is clearly in the garden; Thank You for sharing this gift with us.
About that Icebox Cake 🙂 My daughter never liked cake, and this was her birthday cake many years. In some places you can also get the rectangular chocolate wafers used to make ice cream sandwiches. If you can imagine, circles and rectangles and their halves … add some bowls of rainbow colors of whipped cream, some chocolate ice cream cones … and we’d create Castles, Sea Serpents, Caterpillar cakes and more! One more secret tip, as I needed to make in advance for the family … You can pop the whole cake in the Frrezer! When ready, just let it thaw a bit … or not … and you have delicious Ice Cream Cake. We moved the tradition down this year to our grandson, and he was thrilled! Oh and you can also stack about 5 round cookies layered with whipped cream to make “Cupcakes” 🙂
WOW….all great ideas, but for just me I’ll stick to the simple way!….LOL I’m sure some of the ladies will try some of these….love the cone castles.
Hi Louis
Your gardens are so lovely. I thoroughly loved looking at the photo’s. Jac certainly had a creative green thumb.
Louis, What glorious gardens. I so enjoyed the pictures this morning. Jac must be so proud. A grilled hot dog and potato salad are my 4th of July favorites. Enjoy your “dogs” the fireworks and the cake, which sounds divine by the way. I know Jac will be with you.
Donna from California
Louis, Thank you for sharing Jac’s beautiful garden with us!! Reading your heartfelt thoughts brought tears to my eyes.When all is said & done all we have are our memories.Your memories surround you every day.They are tangible & beautiful. I can tell that through the lush & beautiful garden, Jac is beside you every step of the way.
Louis, whenever you write about Jac it moves me to tears. Your words are so from the heart and loving, thank you for trusting enough to share. You remind me to treasure the love that I have. Your gardens are beyond beautiful. Happy 4th, we’re having hot dogs too.
Spectacular! How very lush and lovely and in great abundance of God’s beauty. The harsh, cold winter, filled with snow and tears has given way to a riot of color, glorious flowers, healing beauty and the love of Jac that surrounds you. So much comfort for you in the beauty you have created for the woman you love so deeply. How very fitting. When I think of Jac, I, always, think: She walks in beauty like the night. oxoxoxoxox Cat
Such beautiful pictures to see this morning. Yes, the traditions keep our loved ones close. Enjoy that cake and fireworks.
This year I did plant some pansies. I seldom bother with flowers as I do not have a green thumb plus the dogs have always happily uprooted anything planted. It is only now that the pansies are finished blooming.
Wow Claudia. I have to disagree with you! to have pansies this long is unheard of. It’s always sad to say goodbye to them.
Hi Louis! The garden is just lovely. You had me laughing when you talked about how Jac would entice you to the porch with ice cream. Happy 4th of July dear man. Jac would be so proud of the gardens!
Good morning. Louis,
What beautiful photos to wake up!
Thank you for sharing your life and Your Love with all of us.
Never far from my thoughts.
Elaine
P.S. Louis, will you have your annual hot dog? Xoxox
Oh YES….this was the ONE time a year Jac allowed me hot dogs WITH buns! I even made a whipped cream icebox cake, just like Jac used to make for me. I hope it came out OK….I’ll know tonight as I watch the Macy’s fire works as we always did.
Enjoy it! Continuing our traditions keep those we love and miss dearly with us.
I’m certain your cake will be delicious and that Jac has a big smile on her face.