Some pictures just don't need words!

From the gardens of an 87 year old lovely lady. Charlotte, NY

:)

The soul of a building!

 Sometimes I walk by a building and I just know that there is a story.

 I know that if I could look through the windows into its heart, I would hear a captivating rendition of years that have passed; some simple and some complex.

 The surface hints of the character, the years  it has weathered ... what has claimed it as its home.

Berkshire Botanical Gardens, Stockbridge, MA

There's  beauty in what has aged. It's a beauty that you can't describe ... but you can feel it.

 Let it draw you in, let it talk to you ... feel its existence.

Enjoy what is old and what is new new, what is no longer alive but what still is alive ...  that soul of the building is just like yours.

Lily ... oh lily .... brighten my day.

All pictures from the Berkshire Botanical Gardens, Stockbrifge, MA

Lovely Lily ....

... isn't that a Beatles song?

Well, come to think of it it's Lovely Rita (meter maid?).....

And, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.

Guess I'll just stick to  ... pictures of lovely lilies!

Whew ... that was painful! :)

Enjoy!

The unexpected!

 Denis Curtiss of Kent, Connecticut, I so wanted to wander your yard and see your studio!  My timing was off (you were closed). Coming over the top of the hill, I gasped and said, turn the car around ... I so want to see what this is all about.  I did managed to capture a few images that tease us with your talents.

Some day I hope that I can return and enjoy the obvious talents that come from your mind and hands!

The rest of the playhouse story ....

 I have to set the stage once again with the preparations of the playhouse for the onslaught of the chalking.  Dirt, branches and anything else that was attached to the playhouse was brushed away, to include the shedding of outer layers of unknown bugs.

 During the chalking, I noticed that a House Wren was hopping around the branches and calling out loudly with her beautifully complex song.

House Wren on the top left of the bird house

Hummm ..... there must be babies in that birdhouse on the front of the playhouse!  I had the kids step away and sure enough, she landed on top of the birdhouse and quickly went into the opening, along with food for her babies. Soon she flew out and the kids went back to their chalking.  Next thing I know, one of the little ones said - she's coming back in!  They all ran about 20 feet from the playhouse and waited for her to come back out of the hole and fly way. Back they all went to the playhouse until she arrived again!! She would call back out with her song, the kids would all scramble away until she flew away ... again and again and again.  All total, it probably happened about 20 times.  Not once did I say anything ... they were one with nature and the mother House Wren feeding her babies.

House Wren tail feathers sticking out of the birdhouse

 Although this is hard to see, if you look at the picture below, over the hanging chime, slightly to the left of the clump of leaves, you can see the blur of the little House Wren flying away.

 And, now you know the rest of the story. Hope you enjoy the end result of the chalking ... but, more importantly, I hope you can hold in your heart the spirit of the children.

A lesson ....

Hours and hours were spent by this team of industrious little beings as they chalked the playhouse for the second time!

To  watch this team in action was an inspiration.

Tomorrow I will give the big reveal; and, a touching story about the true spirit of children.

Airing Laundry

Berkshire Botanical Gardens, Stockbridge, MA

I love the unexpected!!!

Walking through the gardens, I thought what is this?!

And, then I started snapping .....

.. and, laughing ....

 ... and, I started plotting.  How can I do this in my yard!  LOL

Takes doing laundry to a whole different level.