This and That

Fridays are becoming This and That days.

***

Are you tired of the tulip postcards?

That's what I thought.

Here is one more:

From the back of the postcard:

 "Because of its nurturing climate and rich soil,

 the Northwest produces America's most abundant crop of tulips." 

Lefeber Bulb Company, Mount Vernon, Washington

Thank you to the lovely Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday.

***

Monday I spent a lovely day in Hermann Park.

I arrived around 9AM hoping to miss all the school buses dropping off children at the zoo 

and the Natural History Museum.

I knew it was going to be a good morning when I succeeded 

and found a great parking place.

I wanted to take photos of Ai Weiwei's Circle of Animals 

and then play the rest of the day by ear.

After finishing at the Circle of Animals, 

I headed to the Japanese Garden.

Do you have a connection to Nature?

Do you like to walk in the woods, on the beach?

Do you like to work in the garden, smell the flowers?

How does it make you feel?

Walking in this beautiful place, suddenly I'm calm, smiling.

All my cares and worries are  gone.

All the sadness disappears.

I feel Nature giving me a hug.

I felt myself slow down.

I noticed things ... the iris are coming up (a big deal with our drought).

Some of the Black Bellied Whistling Ducks that I'm so fond of were in the garden.

I'd never noticed them there before.

Look at the reflections! 

I wanted to take off my shoes and feel the ground!

 Lie down on the grass and watch the clouds in the sky.

It made me feel blissful.

"Turn your face toward the sun and the shadows will fall behind you."

~Maori Proverb

***

Then I spent the rest of the afternoon at the zoo, had lunch and finished

off my day by sitting under a tree, eating a chocolate/vanilla swirl ice cream

and watching children enjoy the zoo.

Wishing you WELL and much JOY.

Inspiration for this post from Tiny Buddha and Liv Lane and the Bliss List.