Food for soul and body | Longwood Gardens 2021
by Elouise
larger than life
roped off yet inviting
sparkling fountains sing
Several photos caught my attention this morning. In the photo above, a number of visitors to Longwood are standing and sitting around, watching water dance and sing in the air. D and I are sitting on a small bench, taking a short break before walking on to the meadow garden. Most visitors that day were on the older side of life. Probably grateful (as were we) for a splendid day after weeks of stifling heat and humidity.
Here are three more photos of the Italian Water Garden, minus sound effects (water falling and cascading down; no piped in music):
I’ve decided to begin writing haiku again. It’s relaxing and peaceful. Food for soul and body. Last night I slept well, though you’d never know it from my dreams. I was caught in the maze of our strange, disconnected health systems here in the USA, trying to find my way (late, of course!) to the next diagnostic test site.
So here’s to writing haiku, and to you! Today it’s cool and rainy where I live. Maybe the rain will turn into sparkling fountains.
Cheers!
Elouise♥
© Elouise Renich Fraser, 29 October 2021
Photos taken by DAFraser, 10 September 2021 at Longwood Gardens
Telling the Truth 
waters do carve
they do look fab and marvy
green and white
and just right
kudos ty indeed!
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🙏🏻
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Beautiful Haiku
May dancing sparkling waters
Refresh your sweet soul
(((HUGS))) ❤ 🙂
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🙏🏻
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I haven’t tried Haiku since the third grade (!) but I do love those stone stairways we are not allowed to descend/climb/sit on…thank you for the lovely photos and musings! Saturday blessings to you two!
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You’re welcome, Debbie! I can’t count the number of times I’ve wanted to throw caution to the winds, take off my shoes, and stroll down the water steps! 🙂
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Catching up here.
As we come out of lockdown, I am making some tentative bookings for next year. There are some beautiful gardens I have long wanted to visit, but I just looked at the entrance price, and while I will go one day, that deserves an entire day to itself. Which made me wonder about your Longwood Gardens – can you just come and go as you please?
On the other hand, I know your health system is not as “free” as ours. Here, if you are comfortable to wait, it costs nothing, as my husband discovered today when his new doctor booked him in to the public system. Or, you can take out insurance at your own cost and go through the private system. It’s your “choice”. Of course, that “choice” is governed by your means, but overall, we don’t leave anyone without. And if it is a life threatening or altering emergency, of course you don’t wait. You go straight into the public hospital, which, in the main, are a high standard as many of them are also the teaching hospital.
My Australian girlfriend who lives in Texas lost her military veteran husband some years ago to complications after a heart lung transplant. His insurance expired sometime before the surgery because he could no longer drag himself into his workplace as a high school teacher. Since his death, she has been paying about 30 healthcare providers about ten dollars each a month to circumvent them suing her and taking her house. Apparently, she is about to hit a time when the debt expires.
Potentially, I have her information completely bamboozled and confused, but I have to say, the whole situation is so incomprehensible it has me wondering if I heard right.
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Oh, Gwen. Our medical system is a nightmare. Especially for people who aren’t able to purchase health insurance. It has become one of the most egregious money-making shows in town, especially in urban areas. We have no way of caring for everyone in an equitable manner. When I lived in Germany in the 1970s, the first thing the language school did was take us all by train to get various forms of ID we would need–including access to health care! The politicizing of everything seems to be one of the most loved games in the USA, with everything stacked in favor of the wealthy.
Longwood Gardens is well worth an entire day and evening! Since Covid arrived, they no longer allow people to come and go each day/evening. Nor do they allow food to be brought in, though with my food issues, I always have something in my backpack just in case. The parking lot is huge–though once you’re in the gardens, it usually doesn’t feel crowded. That’s my 2-cents worth! I can’t say I remember any formal garden in North America (we’ve visited quite a few) that was as glorious as Longwood.
Your book continues to astound me. I read it while I’m pedaling on my stationary bike! 🙂
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Sadly because covid I cant do my hobby 😦
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I just rescued your comment from the lake of spam! 🙂 Thanks for visiting this Longwood Gardens post. There are plenty more on my blogsite. The Gardens (and meadow!) are definitely a Must-See if you’re anywhere in the Northeast. And yes, it must be beyond sad not to do what you love doing.
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