Busy Time

It's been a busy period with unusual events. The poetry reading was the first such evening I've attended in a great many years. It was an opportunity to meet many people from the school where Rachel works -- quit likable women. Possibly it will lead to being part of a poetry writing/reading group.

Last night we drove to Providence, Rhode Island. Rachel had a brief meeting to attend. We were especially glad Cory and Jason could come with us because the had never seen the Waterfire event that is a summer tourist draw to the renewed downtown area with it's landscaped and meandering river on which bonfires are lit for several blocks. The photograph above is somewhat digitally manipulated but gives some idea of the effect of the fire on the water. The gondola is a part of it as are a few other unlighted boats carrying passengers -- they are all silent.

However the event is not silent. There is piped music and there was also a jazz band with a woman singer a bit way from the river. There were street performers, mostly living statues and an origami artist. Of course there is a food tent and all along the river are may restaurants. We ate at in the near-by large mall and wandered the length of the lighted area. The night was very dark because of cloud cover but the weather was pleasant. Because it's early in the season and the day had been sprinkly, the crowd was not dense. Strolling along was very pleasant. Poor Rachel got the least enjoyable part which was driving home through patchy fog.

Today turned out to be very beautiful so Rachel and I went to Heritage Plantation in near-by Sandwich. The gardens are known especially for their rhododendruns and azeleas. The rhodies are in every possible color and many of them are large trees, not at all mere bushes. Wonderfully laid out paths lead through the garden which I supposed is a bit over 50 acres. It was a magical site today, wonderful vistas of color wherever we looked. In other seasons other flowers will bloom but none are a dramatically multitudinous as the rhodies. I have other photos of the flowers on my other blog also.