Friday, April 8, 2011

Another Visit to Smith-Gilbert

Last year, I blogged about Debbie and my trip to Smith-Gilbert gardens right here in Kennesaw.

Smith-Gilbert

It's all there -- the history, my first visit, and shout outs to the crew of volunteers who devote their time and energy to preserve this precious green space for us to enjoy.

Today, Debbie, Becky, and I went to see the gardens again, but this was Becky's first visit.

Both Debbie and Becky work their own type of wonders in their residential yards, and frankly, I knew they were gonna be pointing at stuff and calling it by their real names. Unlike I, who squeals and says, "I love that purple stuff," they call it what it is --- something with fourteen thousand consonants or by its Linnaean binomial system of nomenclature.

*snickers*

I decided to don my camera like Ansel Adams without the tripod and take pictures instead of pretending to note what that "purple stuff" is and can I spell it or pronounce it without channeling Augustus?

When we got there, we were greeted enthusiastically by Suzanne, an adorable petite thing in kicky green skirt, pink sweater, and flip-flops, who was out directing traffic and telling us that "today is a busy day -- we have a group of school teachers coming and a group of children, but they are not together."

*holds up sign of the cross*

She laughed and said, "Park right here. We're out of space. Is this your first visit?"

After we told her that we had been here last year and I told her that I had blogged about it, she thanked me and added, "Oh, that blog was so funny. I need to get Doug [the handsome man of the first blog on Smith-Gilbert] and let him know you are here. Right now he's reading a story to the children."

*holds up sign of the cross, again*

Me: Is he still in his khakis?
She: Of course.
Me: Diggin' in the dirt today?
She: No, but he will be.
Me: I love a woman who knows how to direct a man.
She: Will you help me give him a hard time?
Me: Just point him out to me.

I loved this woman. She treated us like celebrities and introduced us to all of the volunteers. She was one of those people who never met a stranger, or, in my case, a professional blogger.

*tee hee*

She called Doug over to meet us and reminded him that I was "the blogger who wrote about him."

He blushed slightly as he shook our hands and graciously welcomed us back. We thanked them for the warm welcome and set off down the evergreen path --- where, as I suspected, Debbie and Becky threw out scientific names and I took photos of mostly green things.

Enjoy the photos.

You should visit Smith-Gilbert. Tell Suzanne and Doug that I sent ya.

:)

BTW: My favorite photo is the last one -- which one is your favorite?



5 comments:

  1. I am partial to Japanese maples, I sure wish they grew here in the desert :-( Beautiful, your writing makes me feel just like I was at the scene, you have a gift for capturing that! Lori

    ReplyDelete
  2. I would have to agree that the last one is my favorite as well :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. They are all beautiful. I returned from visiting Atlanta today and had forgotten how beautiful it is in the spring. Dogwoods, azaleas, quince, tulips and all those other pretty purple things.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I LOVE the sixth photo of that pink flower... beautiful. I'll have to visit there sometime.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Gorgeous! I'm partial to the third picture up from the bottom. I must say, though, I was expecting a picture of Doug in mulch. Lol

    A beautiful place to visit in Southern California are the Descanso Gardens. There's something truly magical about walking in such a place, surrounded by Nature's beauty, the noises of every day life kept at bay.

    Visiting the NC Botanical Garfens is high on my list of things to do here.

    ReplyDelete