Springtime ... waking in Atlanta

We arrived very very late Friday night.

Somehow, we left later than we meant to, and then there were longer stops en route than we'd planned, and then there was nightmare traffic coming into Nashville (we could have walked that fast for a few miles there), but we arrived safe and sound in the end.

On Saturday, we had a wonderful breakfast with my dear cousin Gail, and then went out into the world.  On our way to the Botanical Gardens, we stopped by a very interesting place that she calls "The House that Jack Built" (though to be accurate, it's the House that Jack is Building).  He's doing every step by hand, and started with an amazing amount of Georgia Granite.  Here's a stack of some of it, still waiting for it's place in the house.

As you can see, this stack has been here a while  :-)

But here's a bit of the progress he's made so far...

This is, we think, the Sun Doorway

 

And this is the Moon Door

 

And this is a shot of the shingles -- note the artistically shaped edges

All made by hand!

We then went on to the Botanic Garden, where we were greeted by some amazing glass work

 

(Even in thumbnail size this piece awes me.  This is what you see from beneath it).

Here's another view from ... well...not quite even with it.

 

I could have spent another half hour just photographing this exquisite representation of life gone wild, but the family was impatient

We walked into the gardens and Bookworm found this Thinker

The spring flowers were showing up, lots of daffodils, but I got distracted by more glass magnificence.

I particularly like the way it's not just above, but actually touches the water

We pried ourselves away from the glass-work, and through one of those lovely covered pathways that is so delicious in the summer, all covered with green...

Some of our number got distracted by photographing tadpoles, and responding to phone calls from family. (Hi Mark, it was nice having you on our walk, even if only by phone).  And then we went in to see the big orchid exhibit

They had WALLS of orchids

It was quite lovely.  As were the views of the city from this lovely green place full of open places and trees and plants.

 

And I love the shapes on this building...

We wandered peacefully, and then when the place was closing up, we headed home.  Gail and I had a lovely trip to Whole Foods, where we enjoyed dilly dallying over choices so long that our family called us... twice... to see when we were coming home.

The evening ended with a long drawn out preparation of dinner (fueled by nice wine and plenty of munchies (healthy ones even - hummus, cheese, pine nuts), a relaxed supper with an amazing salad, and a rousing game of Scrabble, played on the ancestral table at which I learned the game, seated in the ancestral chairs .  (Scrabble is required fare with this side of my family).

All in all, our first day in Atlanta was a success!

Comments

[Joy]

How neat! Love Bookworm and the thinker, and the glass could only be Chihuly - his shapes and colors are wild! Hope the rest of the trip goes well.

[kmkat]

Green! T-shirts! Warmth! Looks like a great time.

[Denise]

Absolutely gorgeous! As Joy above me said - the glass works have got to be by Chihuly!

The photos are wonderful! Keep 'em coming!