Rains bring especially verdant Spring in Daydreaming on the Porch

It's astonishing and wondrous now to see how green and lush everything is now.. The trees are at that peak of new green that so refreshes the spirit. So also, the woods and garden at Magnolia Plantation. I was there at the peak of the azalea bloom two weeks ago and went again this past Sunday and wandered the familiar paths as if in a wonderland and almost as if I was seeing it for the first time. One cannot really describe the intensity and freshness of the green, how everything was so verdant and alive with possibility in this spectacular Season of Spring.

We've had a lot of rain lately including 2 inches this past Friday, so that only accentuated the sense of lushness. The puddles of water and small streams that are dry most of the year were perfect for photos and images of the reflections of trees. There are about eight or ten very special places that I always pause on my walks in the garden to look for the possibilities for photos. I was greatly rewarded for going out there Sunday, for everywhere at these special places, I took pictures. The same happened two weeks ago. It's a photographer's paradise this time of year especially.

For a brief hour or hour and a half, the troubles and cares which seem to fill my normal ordinary world literally vanished in this magical place of greenery and flowers, ancient live oaks, and small ponds and lakes full of birds and wildlife. I can go to this place any time of year and in just about any weather condition and never fail to be mesmerized by it's beauty and serenity. For years I have done this now and weekend pilgrimages to this garden have become an integral part of my life and my ability to more calmly make sense of this baffling world and existence. The meaning of life always comes into clearer focus here amid Nature and the quiet times for reflection and walking.