I love visiting gardens. They evoke this very earthy feeling in me. I find it difficult to not want to pick up a shovel and start to help dig or weed or go off the beaten path to find some hidden beauty.
Desert Gardens have not always been on the top of my list for "favorites". They have won a special place in my heart though, and I see a unique kind of beauty that resides in them. I don't know why I don't appreciate them more, the Bible talks about them all the time in the Old Testament - a new thing that I noticed while I am here.
Plants still bloom in the desert, animals still survive and His promise still remains that all will be taken care of and provided for - the only difference being that it is just hot and dry!
We went to the Botanical Gardens twice this week - once during the day and the other at night - we plan on going back again for the butterfly exhibit that will be happening at the beginning of March.
Karrie and I each have a different lens on our camera - same brand of camera but the pictures turned out so differently. We were really excited about seeing the Chihuly Glass.
My kids have been to enough museums to appreciate the glass without complaining about seeing "another" sculpture.
They had their favorites and the favorites changed in the evening. The kids would point out different angles to take pictures at and what they wanted a photo to include. It is getting to be quite a "family" thing to go somewhere knowing that what we do will likely be blogged about!
While we visit gardens, I try to find shapes or different ways/shots of looking at things.
I don't know why but this next one reminds me of two people kissing with one of the "hands" touching the others face. I think one of my kids planted that idea in my head and I can't shake it. I better not take credit for it LOL!
My kids love to find heart shapes - they even found one in a cactus!
Karrie took this shot of Sis - she cannot stand any form of heat other than 15 blankets on her when she sleeps. She wilted in the 80 degree weather but she was a good sport!
In the herb part of the garden, yes...they grow herbs int he desert! Some of the low lying walls were painted and they made a fabulous backdrop. I took this picture with my Mom in mind, as she just painted a wall in her place a similar color.
I tend to like how plants/trees look when they are "dead". As morbid sounding as it is, you tend to see so much more about it - you can see what "held" it together - the inner strength so to speak. You can see what lived in it - if anything. You can see how long it lived and I am sure there are a bunch of other things you can see, but I have not taken a forensics course so I can't go beyond what I observe naturally......
On the flip side, there is the life part of plants/trees - when you get to see the "fruit" of their labor. The glory of what they produce. You can smell the fragrance of their splendor and the warmth of the colors can bring a smile to your face and warmth to your heart.
This one was shot straight down the stem of the plant and I liked how it made the flowers stand out a little more.
Here is a little tidbit of information that I found out - at the Botanical Gardens the Chihuly Glass exhibit came in 736 boxes, 783 tubes, 13 crates and 10 pallets holding all the armatures that supported all the structures.
A couple more shots of the Chihuly Glass...
Don't they look like fingers?
Green happens to be one of my favoite colors...
That's it for the day - I'll post our evening adventure later. I have to say taking pixs in the evening is definitely harder when you don't know what you are doing! HA!
