Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden

A rare break in the incessant rainy weather  provided a good excuse for our our photography club to take an excursion to the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden. The garden opens at dawn - awfully early to wake up on a Saturday morning - but worth it to catch the morning light.

It's still too early in the season the see the rhododendrons in all their glory, but there were plenty of other things to shoot.

Cherry blossoms

Photographers waiting for the cherry blossoms to bloom along Portland's waterfront were caught by surprise when the trees reached their peak splendor three weeks early this year - just another reminder of this winter's crazy weather that saw an unusually dry and warm winter here in the Pacific northwest while the northeastern U.S. was battered by record amounts of snow and cold.

Anyway, we're not complaining as we contemplate a beautiful spring.

 

 

Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden

I go out for a walk just about every day - even in rainy weather. It helps me clear my thoughts, clear my lungs, and justify the calories of my daily glass of wine. Besides, I usually take my camera with me to record the changing seasons.

With this week's exceptionally warm, sunny weather, I decided to dust off my bicycle which has languished in the garage all winter. As much as I love walking in nearby Laurelhurst park, I wanted to broaden my horizons and explore more of the bike trails that Portland is known for.

Yesterday I rode downtown, crossed two different bridges, and explored both the east side and west side riverfront parkways - perfect for a sunny (though windy) Sunday.

It felt great! But I'd forgotten how hilly Portland is. It's downhill from my house to the Willamette river that bisects the city, but that means it's uphill all the way back home! Even taking advantage of all the gears on my bike, my heart rate rose to levels I haven't reached all winter. No wonder I've gained a little weight.

Resolved to get more aerobic exercise, I got back on my bike today and rode to the Crystal Springs rhododendron garden near Reed College. It's still a little early in the season, but it was good for photos, good for my heart rate, and good for my soul.

 

Springtime in Paris

Winter in Paris passed without a single snowflake and now an early spring and unseasonably warm temperatures have Parisians out enjoying the sunshine.

Sorry to hear that my friends who live in Calgary are still buried in the snow.

Paris trees in bloom

Spring is late this year, but the flowering trees of Paris are finally showing their springtime colors.

Horse chestnut (marronier) flowers

Paulownia flowers

 That's a paulownia tree on the left and a horse chestnut (marronier) tree on the right.

Rainy Sunday in the Champs de Mars

Spring is just around the corner

Parc de Bagatelle

Finally. A few days of sunshine and warmer weather. Hints of spring in the air. One of my favorite spring visits is the Parc de Bagatelle in the Bois de Boulogne. The Bagatelle is one Paris' four botanical gardens. Although mostly known for its rose garden; the park includes over a million spring bulbs planted directly in the grass - creating a blanket of color from March through early May. Besides, Patrice has never been there, and I continue to introduce him to the sights of Paris that he's never seen.
There are lots of peacocks in the park, but they didn't grace us with a dance.

Albert Kahn garden

The first day of spring was sunny in Paris - a good day to search out a garden that I'd heard about but never visited. The Albert Kahn garden is a lovely, peaceful oasis on the edge of Paris. My favorite section was the Japanese garden. Perhaps you can see why in the photos below.



Besides the colors and designs, I was entranced by the sound of the water flowing.



The gardens appeal to all ages


I intend to go back to the garden often as the seasons and colors change.

Almost spring - part 2

Almost spring

The trees are starting to bloom


and the forsythia is exploding

Spring is just around the corner.