Magic Moments at the Arboretum's Lily Pond

I was supposed to meet my sister and niece for a lunch date, but their schedule got delayed and our plans did not work out. So my husband and I went to town to run some errands anyway, and miracle of miracles, I ended up at the Arboretum!

The lily pond is in high gear right now, and the water lilies are amazing. There is also a special treat: one little lotus bud, which I think will bloom sometime this coming week. The petals are already opening. With the heat, I'll guess that it'll be open by Tuesday.

In the extras, you may see another fun water lily shot. Please enjoy these magic moments at the Arboretum, at one of my favorite places in the whole wide world, the lily pond! Oh, how WONDERFUL it felt to finally be back!

As I went through the Arboretum photo set this morning, I felt the losses of some of those who used to put some love on my Arboretum pictures. My friend Ellen always adored my water lilies, especially the dark pink ones. And my nephew Joseph loved the garden kaleidoscope shots, and the transformation canopy pictures.

It isn't just the fact that I miss the "likes" or "loves" they would put on my photos when I posted them; it's not about ME. It was that I miss making them happy. I cried this morning at the thought that I don't know how to make them happy any more.

Here are two songs for this day, and this feeling of joy mixed with sorrow: Ben E. King and the Drifters, with This Magic Moment. And the Bagpipe Master, with Amazing Grace (please allow me this Methodist moment; and yes, it had to be bagpipes).