Sunday at the Boston Public Garden

Though it was back in August when I took these pictures, they are still worth posting to better describe the oh-so-memorable time I spent in Boston. These photos were taken on the two Sunday afternoons I spent in the Boston Public Garden, reading C.S. Lewis's "Mere Christianity", writing postcards, and breathing in all the life transpiring around me. I was taken aback by the size of the countless willow trees surrounding the water.  I've never seen any so tall, and their curtains of branches contributed a quality of quiet and privacy to the park, in spite of the number of visitors.  As I sat on the grass near the water, relaxed and supremely pleased with my situation at the moment,  I read these words from Mr. Lewis: "If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world." It was a great reminder that  as much as I enjoy the people, places, experiences and all this world has to offer, they are but a shadow of the glorious eternity that we have in Christ!  I wish I maintained that perspective at all times, but that truth is an immense encouragement!  

 

 

  Outside the Public Library, this small group of musicians played "Moonlight Serenade" and "Rhapsody in Blue", both songs which always seems to transport me to a time gone by, when skirts were long and full and movie starts graced a silver screen. If time travel existed, I'd want to spend a week in that era.

 

 

The animals of the park were especially fun to photograph. Lots of action shots (or attempts at action shots) were taken of the many ducks that reside here during such fine weather. I wish I could have managed to get one from when they were being fed though! The moment a piece of bread hit the ground, every duck within a quarter-mile came soaring across the pond, making a grand splash as they each landed near the water's edge. I also loved snapping shots of the thieving squirrels who liked to snatch large bread bits before the ducks reached them. This one caught me watching!

 This was my favorite series of photos from the park, and the last of the series was my favorite picture.  Having a telephoto lense was a huge help in capturing this father's interaction with his little girl; guarding her from venturing to close to the water and I imagine, looking at the world for that moment as she would, through fresh eyes .   

Dale Chihuly = Inspired

Piles of pumpkins may be pretty impressive, but the artistry of all the glass work on display at the Arboretum was extraordinary.  These photographs can not truly capture the imposing grandeur of the pieces when viewed in person, but they are at least a glimpse of what was on display. 

I will never forget the first time I saw one of Dale Chihuly's creations.  I was in middle school, scouring one of the magazines in my art teacher's collection in search of some inspiration for a project when I came upon it.  I was captivated by his ingenious combinations of all shapes and sizes of glass, to create these other-worldly forms. Upon learning this summer of the coming display in Dallas, I was thrilled, to say the least.  My only regret is that I haven't managed to make it to one of the night viewings.  The juxtaposition of these wild creations against the black canvas of night would be quite a sight!  Maybe I'll get back before the end of the year, as the exhibit is open through December.  If anything, I strongly encourage anyone who has the opportunity to see one of these exhibits to make a point of going.  You won't regret it!!

Fall Fetivities on the Home Front

 

The Dallas Arboretum has become one of my favorite places to visit in this bustling metropolis.  It is a sanctuary from the traffic and concrete jungle of a city where you can be reminded of the beauty of God's creation....and that when there are pumpkins in excess, you should dress your child up as one and take lots of pictures of them!  We saw every conceivable pumpkin-related outfit you could imagine, and while some kiddos were not huge fans of the whole situation, those photos will be the ones that become infamous.  There were said to be over 50,000 pumpkins and gourds on display this fall at the Arboretum.  This being my first pumpkin extravaganza experience, I couldn't imagine how they would manage to display them all without ending up with heaps all over the lawn, having run out of new options.  This was not the case (though I did find some heaps), for they pulled out all the stops. Well.....you'll see.



 

 



 

 I caught this little fellow red handed right as he snatched up a nut that had only just fallen from one of the branches overhead.

 

 Behind us, you can see one of those heaps of pumpkins. 
 

 

 As you can see, there were pumpkins covering buildings and massive areas of ground, all arranged to produce a most impressive expanse of designs. 

 The lovely blonde who was kind enough to spend the morning with us is one of Shelby's closest friends from work.  She has been an immense blessing to both Shelby and I and we just adore her!

 

 My sister....always making me laugh!!

 I really enjoyed shooting this sequence of shots.  Sadly I didn't bring any other lenses, so I ended up standing on the edge of the pond, leaning as far over the water as possible without falling in (it's a wonder that Shelby could resist the temptation to give me a nudge!).  Therefore they weren't quite as clear as I would like, but not too bad either considering the balancing act.