Blacksburg Open Garden Tours

Tess, her camera, Mercedes, and I were ready by 8:30 am. to follow B. and J. to Blacksburg where we would walk through the open gardens on the annual garden tour to benefit the library. It was a self-guided tour where you operate off a list of addresses to find your way from garden to garden. The gardens were all lush from the regular rains we've had. Most were small gardens on modest lots, no grand sweeping affairs or mansions to speak of. But, the love of gardening was on display and whimsical touches personalized each garden. The weather was perfect and we made a full day of it, stopping mid-way for lunch.
These photos are from all the different gardens and in no particular order.

What the poppies left behind.

An old window hung from a pergola. It blocks an unattractive shed.

Welcoming side door

Making a generic gate more personalized.

Looking up. A beautiful Golden Locust.

"The Oaks" Bed and Breakfast

 

Other beautiful things this weekend:
 - My ninety-two year old mother describes holding her great grandson for the first time. The joy in her voice cracks with emotion as she tells me how he kept turning to look at her.
- I took Tess to the Buchanan carnival to meet up with friends and see the fireworks. (Fireworks didn't start until 11:00 pm and we didn't stay that late.) I stood in line twenty minutes for the french fries. Huge russet potatoes are sliced and fried right before your eyes. Self-serve choices of salt, ketchup, or vinegar at a side table, $2.00.
- Seeing the sights at the carnival. Singular words pop into my head and I struggle to make complete sentences of them: mid-way, lights, beards, bluegrass, mountains, carnival music, cigarette smoke, smells of fried dough and ice cream, goldfish in a bag, clogging, night sky, pops of fireworks, strollers, so many tattoos!, three librarians, three supermarket clerks, and a host of humanity that looks familiar but I just cannot place : )