It's a Beautiful Day

Fall Color at the Atlanta Botanical Garden

This weekend is one of the very few unstructured weekends I get in a year's time. I'm a very busy guy. I'd resigned myself to writing and editing photos today. And quite honestly, I could use the dedicated time to do some catching up.

Well, a colleague posted on Facebook early this morning the U2 song, "Beautiful Day". I shared it on my own Timeline and encouraged everyone to make the absolute most of the beautiful day. 

Well, to follow my own advice, I changed lunch plans (that had been made not too long before the Facebook postings) from a favorite comfort food restaurant to my absolute favorite place in the city—the Atlanta Botanical Garden.

I'm so glad I went! 

And the friend who went with me had not been in a number of years, so had not experienced the Hardin Visitor Center, the Canopy Walk, or the Edible Garden. Going with someone who is a newbie, whether to expansions or exhibitions, always makes visiting a little more special.

A blue Dyeing Poison Frog

They've just finished up and are moving out "Independent Visions", a sculpture exhibition, and all the scarecrows from "Scarecrows in the Garden". AND they're in the middle of preparations for "Garden Lights, Holiday Nights". Talk about busy guys!

Surprisingly, there were a lot of people at the Garden today—including a wedding (there's quite a happy bride out there that the weather was absolutely gorgeous today!). I'm so glad that so many others were out enjoying the beautiful day, too.

It was such a delightful visit. 

Edible Garden at ABG

We had lunch at MetroFresh in the Garden, which just had a renovation...it was delicious! We also saw a kid fall in a freezing cold fountain (while we were eating in the courtyard) where she'd been playing on the ledge for at least five minutes. Poor thing. Her family was a few steps away, but I think her beautiful day took another direction. I hope she was able to have some fun after she dried out.

Everything I've had there has been quite good and I love that they recycle and compost. The Garden's overall "Green" efforts are quite impressive and they host a number of organizations specifically interested in "Green" initiatives for special events.

We went through the Fuqua Conservatory, the Fuqua Orchid Center, the Edible Garden, the Conservation Garden, the Japanese Garden, the Southern Seasons Garden, and the Canopy Walk. I don't even have to tell you that the visit doubled as exercise!

Well, "Garden Lights, Holiday Nights" opens to the public two weeks from today! I can't tell you how excited I am! I went 10 times last year—six times to volunteer and four times with different groups of friends. And this year there will be a LOT more lights!

Head over to the wanderlust ATLANTA Facebook Page where you'll find a lot more photos from today's visit to the Atlanta Botanical Garden. Enjoy!

In the Fuqua Orchid Center