Silly subconscious

Loud knocking at the door.

Federal Agent: "May I see your permit?"
Me: "My permit?"
FA: "Yes, your permit." in an irritated tone
Me: "What permit?" in a confused tone
FA: "Your plant permit." in a more irritated tone
Me: "My plant permit?" in an even more confused tone
FA: "You are not allowed to have more than four plants without a permit. Where is your permit?" in a very irritated voice
Me: "I have never heard of such a law. It doesn't make sense. How can people grow food with only four plants." in an anxious voice
FA" "It's the law; only four plants. If you don't have a permit, the plants will be removed."

So began the dream I was having when the alarm went off. The remainder of the dream was me begging and pleading while a string of federal agents in their matching windbreakers carried away all of my plants. It was my current set of plants but the house itself was more like the place I rented in North Carolina. I was also considerably older in the dream.

Strange.

Day 5 was a day off

Should you find yourself in Rockford, Illinois, I highly recommend Anderson Japanese Gardens. This is especially true if you are a photographer, painter/illustrator or if you just like beautiful places created with beauty and contemplation in mind. If you are a gardener or have an interest in trees, I recommend Klehm Arboretum

J and I took R to the Madison airport. We left at 6:00 and even with breakfast and a slight mistake with directions we were back at the hotel by about 10:20 this morning. The mistake in directions allowed us to visit Cherrydale where many of the streets really are lined with cherry trees. We spent a couple hours at the hotel and let one rain storm pass. I worked on my online courses. About noon we headed off to find someplace to spend sometime outside and moving around.

We first went to Klehm Arboretum . Once we were there we each headed off to wander alone. After about 45 minutes there it started to rain. As soon as we were back in the car it stopped so we headed back off into the gardens. About 10 minutes later it started to rain again. Of course, it stopped as we both made it back to the car a second time. We gave that round to Mother Nature and decided to try and find Anderson Japanese Gardens.

What I managed to see of Klehm was very nice. They have a large herb garden, a children's garden, and extensive collection of conifers. I would imagine it is a spectacular place in fall and winter.The Japanese gardens were fabulous. The trail there wound through dozens and dozens of carefully created views. Some views were expansive and others were small in scope if large in impact. Often the trail wound in such a way that the same thing (tree, rock arrangement, bridge, sculpture) could be viewed from multiple distances and angles. I am hoping to go back to each before I leave. Klehm is open late enough to go after we stop working one day. Anderson is on my way out of town so if nothing else I can stop then. I suspect I would be a regular visitor at both if I lived here.

Several photos behind the cut. More on flickr and even more still to be processed. Don't click if chipmunks or bugs bother you. ( Read more... )