The Beautiful Arrangements of the Lawn & Garden Show

And finally there are the always beautiful floral arrangements at the Lawn and Garden Show.  

I think one of the vendors put this little pot of moss in an empty place, then a visitor placed the flag in it (the flags were being given away by one of the vendors).

Sorry for the poor quality of the photos this year.  They put in some sort of new light bulbs and the light was very harsh.

Al Rasoul Restaurant & Market in Nashville

On our quest to try a new ethnic restaurant every month, we tried an Iraqi restaurant just a bit down from the Nashville Lawn & Garden Show.  We had seen it a while back when we were shopping at some international grocery stores.

It's definitely a 'hole-in-the-wall' sort of place.  But don't let that scare you away!  Inside is some of the best food I've had from any sort of restaurant.

There's no menu, whatever they felt like cooking that day is what is served cafeteria style.  And the portions are huge.  The day we visited there was 4 types of rice to chose from, 3 soup, about 6 meat entrees (beef, chicken, lamb), 4 or 5 veggies.  The cook is also the server and he's quite happy to answer your questions (and he gives samples too!!).

Himself had lamb shank, two kinds of rice, and salad.

I sampled the lamb and it was very tender.

I had a beef and potato entree, eggplant & tomato dish, THREE kinds of rice (he gave me large 'samples' of the other 2 flavored types), and salad.

My beef was perfect.  Juicy and the flavor went all the way through the meat as it does with a long slow cook.  The eggplant and tomatoes... let's just say I could eat them every single day.  'Nuf said.

We both had the brothy lentil soup... in fact, Himself went back for a second bowl.  I think it had turmeric in it because of the mild heat and beautiful color.  Just delicious.

We'll be back our next trip to Nashville!

Al Rasoul Restaurant

367 Elysian Fields Rd.

Nashville, TN  37211

Getting there:  It is right off Nolensville Road, on the left as you head south.  Go past the Nashville Zoo entrance and just a bit down you'll see a U Haul place on a corner on the left and "Fresh & Fresh Market" (which is great too!) on the right.  That corner is Elysian Fields Rd.  

The Ladies of the Show

One of the most beautiful displays at the Lawn and Garden Show is the one set up by a Nashville orchid growers group.  They do a great job setting up a large display with many little vignettes.

I know nothing about orchids except that I love them

Aren't they wonderful?

Lawn & Garden Show - The Funky Garden Turned Ucky Garden

There's one garden in the show that always has a 'shabby chic' theme.  It's usually a favorite of mine with very cute ideas.  This year it left me cold.

It was - in my opinion - too shabby and no chic.  Or as Himself said, "It looks like a junk yard."

For example, there in the path are smashed cans.  Like you smash cans for recycling...

The horse tanks were done kind of cute.

But the hub cap bird bath and the plain aluminum cans for pots... uh, ... no.

No also to an old plastic laundry basket planter.

Now we both liked the rebar spring but the tin can border... no again.

The old gutter "water feature" was a dull car primer grey.  Sounded good, looked ugly.

I hope they step up their game next year with something a little less "Beverly Hillbilly".

Nashville Lawn and Garden Show 2017

Every year Spring Fever arrives in Tennessee the first weekend of March.

That is when the Lawn and Garden show comes to Nashville.  And every year Himself (when he is home) and I go.  This year was no different.  There is SO much to see that I'm going to give you a lot of photos and few words...

This is a giant sun dial.

~swoon~

This dude was trying to get these ladies to see how wonderful his 'robo mowers' are.

They weren't buying it...

Himself checking out some Amish built furniture.

No.

Of course the flowers all over the show are wonderful.  Here's just a few that really caught my eye.

Fabulous!