Well, it’s me again!  One of my favorite cousins – don’t tell anyone: she may be my very favorite cousin who is several layers removed, Betty Zager Anderson, has been bugging me: When are you going to start blogging again?  So, Betty, here we go! Back to our 50^th wedding anniversary ramblings:

Well, the first day after the first 50 years was also magnificent – June 18.  After a leisurely breakfast in our-home-away-from-home overlooking an indescribably beautiful meadow in Amish-land, we set out for Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, a couple or so hours away.  Little did we know what spectacular beauty we were about to behold! 

Our first rest stop while enjoying Longwood Gardens

Longwood Gardens had been highly recommended by several friends who had visited there, so it was definitely on our must-see list.  As its brochure boasts: It was a feast for the eyes!  Also, its claim that there is a wonder in every sense is true!  I will share some of the photos we took that will give you only a glimpse into this world of wonder.  There was so much to see, and how we would love to make another trip back there, because even after 3 hours we still had not experienced everything.  Thank you, DuPont family, for your vision many years ago, and for those who make sure the gardens and museums are maintained for the enjoyment of everyone.

 Among the things we enjoyed the most were the dancing fountains in the amphitheater (photo below).  Mr. DuPont designed the Main Fountain Garden after visiting the gardens of Italy and France, and also after seeing hydraulic displays at several world fairs.  This five-acre hydraulic masterpiece runs continuously through the day!  We were spellbound as we enjoyed the dancing fountains which kept perfect time to the orchestral melodies.

A tiny snapshot view of a few of the dancing fountains

The beauty of the gardens, which showcased every imaginable species of flowers, trees, shrubs – you name it – was perhaps what most awed us.  June has to be the best season for viewing, because there was such an abundance of blooming beauty everywhere!  The lush arbors and walking paths, with comfortable benches for resting or viewing, just made you want to park there and just soak in - bank, if you will - the loveliness.  What a tribute to Our Lord, Our Creator, who provides us with more beauty than we can ever think of or imagine with our finite minds.  Heaven?  Original Garden of Eden? I believe we had just a tiny taste of it at Longwood Gardens!  

Perhaps the most unique and surprising feature was the display of water lilies.  These unique pools were myriad and among them Santa Cruz water-platters (amazing - see photo below), aquatic cannas, lotus, water lilies, and other plants in the elegant courtyard.  I was left speechless, never having seen anything like this in my long years.

 
The water platters were amazing!

           
Beautiful, huh?

Well, maybe I've shared enough to whet your appetite.  If you want a day of sheer beauty and relaxation, marveling in the majesty of Our Lord and His creation, it's well worth your time to stop and rest awhile among the gardens and structures, fountains, museums, displays that beg description, and many sights and sounds, entertainment of superb quality.  I suggest that you make http://www.longwoodgardens.org/ a favorite place for your next vacation for the entire family.  My trying to adequately describe Longwood Gardens is akin to advising Robert Kinkaid how to properly paint light! But I hope you have grasped a bit of the joy that Bill and I had the day we visited Longwood Gardens.  Thanks to everyone who inspired us to visit there.
 
I'll leave you with this beautiful image of one of the thousands of orchids: