Road Trip - Montgomery

My daughter attended a leadership conference in Montgomery last week and through the weekend, representing her school among 150 other delegates doing likewise. She had a ball, learned a lot and made a great many new friends. Moreover, the experience opened her eyes to the future and changed her forever.

She had to stay on the Auburn University in Montgomery campus, so The Mama got to stay in a hotel. All. By. Herself. The hotel was new and located right smack dab in the middle of the exclusive EastChase shopping area. There was a fitness room, a pool, business center and great shopping and restaurants nearby. The suite had a separate living room with kitchenette, and a bedroom with two queen-sized beds that were THE most luxurious and comfortable beds I've ever, EVER slept in. I wanted to take one home. Actually, I didn't want to leave.

I decided to read and rest, pamper myself, and simply visit nearby gardens and museums. The first was Blount Cultural Park, which are the photos you see here. "Uniting art and nature which fosters education and the preservation of open space." This park was calling my name.

Driving in through curling roadways and gently rolling green hills dotted with trees and walking trails, this bridge, "Thunderhouse" and viewing deck, above, was the first sight that greeted me. "Thunderhouse," is named such as it provide shelter during the odd "pop-up" thunderstorms that are common.

Standing on the observation deck, this is what you see. There were Canada Geese in abundance, and many had babies in tow. There were many areas I wish I'd seen but didn't. The heat was pretty intense, and I wasn't acclimated to it. Still, this lush green park instilled within me a peace deep in my soul.

I was drawn to Shakespeare's Garden, which is located next to the Alabama Shakespeare Festival building. The bronze sculpture, above, is one of my favorite titled "The Puddlejumpers."

Lovely bench in Shakespeare's Garden where I rested and pondered.

These trees lined the paths within the garden. I thought they were sycamores, but can't find a sycamore listed on their website. More research must be done and I'll update this post when I discover what it is. Anyone know?

The lighted amphitheatre is the center for outdoor musicals, plays, concerts and lectures, in addition to being a prime location for weddings and receptions.

I visited the Museum of Art as well, but of course no photos were allowed. However, I was serenaded by two cute teenage guys who were playing guitars by the waterfall, entertained by children feeding the egrets and Canada Geese, and amused by the little goslings following their mom and dad around.

Getting away by yourself is good for one's mind. At first I felt a little lost, but the first moment I spent sitting by the pool dangling my feet in the water, a glass of wine at my side, I felt a wave of tranquility. I'll post more later.

Class is in session

I'm a sucker for a lovely Sycamore tree. Glorious textured, shedding bark reveals a gleaming white, smooth surface beneath. Shades of browns, greens and grays frame the white in my idea of irregular perfection.

A Sycamore can be spotted miles away during the winter months with ease because the crown of the tree is mostly stark white. Their leaves are massive, shaped roughly like a maple leaf. After they drop in autumn you'll find them curled up like a baby ready for winter's sleep, and they're a beautiful chocolate brown that is soft, almost like velvet.

This particular Sycamore tree is located in a pretty little side yard of our local community college. I signed up for a couple of classes - one on digital photography, the other on Photoshop CS3. Being self-taught I recognize fully that I need to fill in the blanks and round out the edges of my knowledge. Last week we took some new-found skills outside and played in the courtyard. There, in the setting sun was this glorious, glowing Sycamore just waiting for me.

Sycamore trees have a fascinating way of exposing their beauty. Yes, their trunks are stunning, especially in autumn with a cobalt blue sky behind them. The shot, above, was taken during an autumn run to a local nursery and you can see how striking the trunk of the Sycamore is as compared to the other trees. Sycamore tree roots have the same characteristics as the rest of the tree. Rising above the ground in various and sundry fascinating patterns are these tree roots. These roots are no doubt the bane of some grounds maintenance guy, but for a photographer this is sheer heaven.

This is one of my favorite shots - and I haven't even turned it in to teacher yet. These exposed roots are just like the tree itself, with a trunk and branches. Reading about Sycamores on Wikipedia, I learned that every tree's bark must expand as the tree grows, but Shagbark Hickory, some maples and the Sycamore are examples of those who exhibit that process more openly than others. Apparently, it is due to the rigid texture of their bark which lacks the necessary component to expand that creates the shagginess.

It's nice learning about tree structures and the like, but basically the draw for me is the outward personality and character of a Sycamore. They're different, and they glow in the sunset and are such fun to photograph.