Relaxing Day

On Friday morning,  Chad and I decided to go for a shorter walk (2 miles instead of 5) after we worked at the gym.  Before we did, we went to downtown Springfield to get a cup of coffee.  Here are some pictures to show you our day. 

Off we go after our work out at the gym!

 

Here's Chad is trying to decide what type of coffee he is going to get

Downtown Springfield

A church with New England style architecture

A quaint looking inn

Me, the ducks, and the geese at the park for our walk

An interesting building along the walking path

We cross the small bridge to enter into Galloway Village

I really like this building (I think it might be a yarn shop)

A pottery shop

 

An art studio

A neat little restaurant on the walking trail.  It's currently not open to the public.  I think it is being worked on by the owners because there is a lot of construction debris outside.  I hope they open it up because it's really quite cute.  The pictures below show the mural along the building. 

This is at the back of the restaurant.  It looks like an outdoor seating area

There's also a cemetery up on  a hill across the street.  On the side of the street along the walking path where we walk is this pet cemetery that is an extension of the regular one. 

There's also a place where they bury police service dogs

After our walk and coffee run, we went home to get ready for the Sabbath. We had a really nice and relaxing day.

Garden Day

I went to the hosta garden today at the Botanical Center.  I like to go there and just hang out.  I read, watch the ducks, pray, and drink coffee.  Even though it's crazy hot outside, when I'm sitting in the gardens, it's nice and cool.

Here are four ducks that are always together.  They're usually by the lake, out with the other ducks and geese, but sometimes, I find them in the hosta garden.   Sometimes, they come out suddenly from behind a bush and they start "talking."  It almost looks like they're guilty of doing something naughty and have been caught in the act.  Once in a while, they take a nap in the garden. 

There are lots of little gardens at the Botanical Center.  You have your choice!

The rose garden always smells wonderful!

Chad likes these blue spruces

The entrance to the hosta garden

Such a peaceful and shady place to sit on a hot day

The view from the bench where I usually sit

Can't forget my coffee

Just the perfect shoes to wear in a garden

Going back home now

Isaiah 58:11 (NASB)

“And the Lord will continually guide you,

And satisfy your desire in scorched places,

And give strength to your bones;

And you will be like a watered garden,

And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.

Artichokes

What is it about artichokes that makes eating them so fun?  I really don't know.  I guess because it's a fairly social process.  Pick someone you like hanging out with and invite them over to eat with you.  You get special sauce- mayo with balsamic vinegar.  You steam them with specially selected ingredients- fresh lemon juice, one garlic clove, a bayleaf, and some salt.  When it's ready, take your time and savor each bite.  It might be hard to talk with your friend because you're constantly scraping the leaf against your teeth, but it's fun having that special person nearby.  Especially if you can't remember which way to scrape the leaf against your teeth!