Since I’ll be heading to New Zealand this winter instead of the southern states, I took a second to scroll through hundreds of images that I’ve snapped in past winters. No surprise, my collection was over-represented by Palm Beach, which provides such a dreamy environment and get away during those “chilly” northern months. I’ll start with “if I had to choose just one favorite;” and for sure it would be this feature (above). You can almost feel those tropic breezes on your skin, hear the sound of the ocean, taste the salt spray on your lips, and see the palm trees swaying. Fortunately, I’m never aware of how much I miss this until I’m in a part of the world where the outside plays so significantly in the pleasure of living…morning, noon and night. Of course, narrowing down these selections was difficult but each image resonates, for different reasons.

Courtyards have always fascinated me, perhaps because they convey such a sense of privacy and seclusion…like ‘Il Cortile’ (Courtyard) with its intriguing herringbone brick surface and an entire second floor master suite that overlooks this courtyard and a pool alongside the Intra Coastal Waterway.

Courtyards so suit the Palm Beach outdoor winter lifestyle; you almost can’t imagine a home without one, lending themselves to a display of tropic greenery in every imaginable color.

Others also serve as a “motor court” (to use an old-fashioned word).

Some images were chosen because of my enduring affection for Mediterranean architecture, in all its variations, from Italian Renaissance to Mediterranean Revival to Moorish.

I couldn’t resist adding this pair of images, presenting as they do a breathtaking day and night juxtaposition, carrying out the owner’s wish to “enjoy varying views from different angles of my property.”

Of course, a few images piqued my gardener’s eye for details and design, manicured and maintained to a fare thee well, as only Palm Beach can…

One property in particular giving dramatic new meaning to creating a green privacy hedge that continues around the curved road.

Circling back to the first image of this post….’Il Cortile’ on Everglades Island…and its peaceful view of the second floor, with another angle of the courtyard.

Thank you all, special friends (and friends of friends) for sharing your comfy, elegant homes with me.