December was a busy month, starting out with the wedding. There was a lot that went into it, and a lot of last minute changes. Suffice to say we survived the wedding. It was beautiful and we were thankful to watch the faces of Amy and Daniel as they shared their commitment to each other.

The other highlight was the fact that my brother was coming into town for a conference and was planning to spend the weekend with us. He arrived the day before the wedding. It was so nice to have family in town, especially when there is only 5, now 6 of us.

I had decided that I would drive him up to Orlando after the wedding for his conference. Richard decided that he would go with and we would travel via the middle of Florida stopping off at a place called Bok Gardens. I have wanted to visit this place for a while now and we know that my brother loves walking through different gardens.

Bok Gardens were stunning. The owner many years ago wanted to retreat to nature and built these beautiful gardens. He also built on the property what is know as Bok Towers. This is called the singing tower. On the hour music plays. Amy has visited the Towers and actually gone up and she says there is a organ up in the tower and if I remember correctly a recreation room with a library. On this particular day they had musical recitals at certain hours that played Christmas Carols.

So here are some of the images I captured while walking through the gardens.

There was so much more to Bok Gardens, and quite honestly I would visit again in a heartbeat, and not had a time frame to leave. If you are in the Lake Wales, Florida area, stop by and visit these beautiful gardens, they are so worth it.

This is a circle blog so click here to see what Lupje of Lupje Photography has for you this month has for you this month.

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Oh and so the year draws to a close. This month we chose to do a festive five. We are all busy and tired and ready to take it easy. I know for one I am. The last 4 months have been hectic, and the first weekend in December we had the privilege of hosting, decorating, planning, taking photographs, and watching our baby girl marry the man of her dreams. Suffice to say I was ready for the Christmas / New Year break. Already half of it is over and I feel like I have really done so little. However, that said the break has been great and I am hoping that the next 7 days will have me refreshed and ready to kick back into a busy schedule at work.

I thought about sharing Christmas photo’s but honestly I did not take to many, and besides I have been editing wedding photo’s for the last 3 weeks. However, my brother flew in for a conference the day before the wedding and I was so grateful that he was there. When you have no family in the country you are living in, it is always a blessing to have them fly in. After the wedding we drove him up to Orlanda, via the middle of Florida, and stopping at a place I have wanted to visit for at least a year – Bok Gardens in Lake Wales.

My festive five come from their beautiful Christmas gardens.

This was a great way to get ready for the Christmas season. The beauty of the gardens and the stunning Christmas decorations kept us there longer than we had planned, but it was so worth the visit.

This leaves me with one wish, that you may all have a blessed and wonderful 2019. I wish you love, peace, joy, good health and blessed time with your families.

Thank you for sticking with us for another year of 30 Minutes. Just a reminder that this is a circle blog, so take some time to visit my friend Stacey of Stacey Markel Photography, and see what she has for you this year.

You can also find me on Facebook, Flickr, Instagram, Google+ and Viewbug.

How did we get to December??  It feels like this year just started out.  I have had a tough few months work wise that have kept me really busy. Add to the mix was a wedding.  Yes my daughter got married last weekend and things have been kind of hectic trying to get everything in place.  And add to all of that my brother flew into town and since I don’t get to see him all that often, we spent time with him and then drove him up to Orlando. So this month I will confess that my theme is made up of one old and five new. 

We did a bit of a road trip en route to Orlando via Lake Placid, Lake Wales and Bok Gardens.  We also did a walk about The Swan and The Dolphin Hotels and the boardwalk closeby.  I have attempted to get some night lights as well.  It would really have helped if I had remembered to take my lensbaby with me.  

I hope we get to see your take on the theme bokeh.  In the meantime here are mine.  

A little bit about Bok Gardens.  You can find these beautiful gardens in Lake Wales Florida. Edward Bok immigrated from the Netherlands to America.  As a young man Bok’s grandmother told him to “make you the world a bit better or more beautiful because you have lived in it,”  He did strive to do that and beyond his death the foundation has continued to follow his dreams.

It was definitely a pleasure to walk through them and just to enjoy the peace, along with visiting the very interesting Singing Tower.  On the hour music plays and yesterday at 3pm there was a concert.  I would certainly encourage you to stop by if you are interested in visiting these peaceful gardens.  Look out for more on our visit to Bok Gardens in an upcoming blog.  

Don’t forget that this is a circle blog so take some time to see what the other photographers have for you.  Following me is my friend Kathy of KG Ledbetter Photography.  Click on her name to head over to her page to see what she has for you.  

You can also find me on Facebook, Flickr, Instagram, Google+ and Viewbug.