California Botanic Garden

Winter is still lingering here, and sometimes we can get the snow, rain, and cold until April, with a few warm days in between.  There is actually a gentle snow falling as I'm looking out my window right now....and I love it.  I just realized that I never shared my time at the Botanic Garden while I was in So Cal, and since Spring will arrive shortly, I thought it was a good time.

So, come along and walk with us while we enter the enchanting Botanic Garden.

I stopped to gaze at these pink bushes.  They were so lovely and looked like a bubble gum pink.

We rested along the way, and sat at these picnic tables.  Nel made us a wonderful picnic lunch, and packed it all in her basket that she got from England.  Her colleagues that she's working with on the study abroad, sent it to her with a bunch of tea goodies inside as a thank you gift for working with their students.

We came upon the most magical area.  I thought a gnome or fairy would pop out at any moment.  This twisted old tree is the most beautiful tree I've ever seen, literally.  My photo doesn't reveal just how unusual and special it was.

Such Silence by Mary Oliver

As deep as I ever went into the forest

I came upon an old stone bench, very, very old,

and around it a clearing, and beyond that

trees taller and older than I had ever seen.

Such silence!

It really wasn't so far from a town, but it seemed

all the clocks in the world had stopped counting.

So it was hard to supposed the usual rules applied.

Sometimes there's only a hint, a possibility.

What's magical, sometimes, has deeper roots

than reason.

I hope everyone knows that.

I sat on the bench, waiting for something.

An angel, perhaps.

Or dancers with the legs of goats.

No, I didn't see either.  But only, I think, because

I didn't stay long enough.

Then, we passed the most dazzling golden tree.  I had to take a picture of Nel and Mia standing next to it.

There were so many exotic flowers and plants and shrubs and trees.

It was a really nice and memorable time walking through the Botanic Garden.  If you're ever in the area, I do hope you visit.

~Sheri