Yesterday, Mark Bialczak, a fellow and well-ordered WordPress writer and reader, commented on my post, Day 509: Like, now, like so:
Go out today and smell some flowers no matter where they are?
And even though Mark softened the end with a question mark, he gave me an order.
When somebody gives me an order, I can:
- hear it,
- obey, automatically,
- rebel against it,
- entertain the possibility that it’s NOT an order (but rather a suggestion),
- look at my options,
- consider the pros and cons of each choice,
- decide what to do.
Yesterday, as soon as I read Mark’s comment, I knew it was just what the doctor ordered. And if you (1) aren’t familiar with that idiom and/or (2) don’t click on links, that means:
exactly what is wanted or needed:
Ooh thank you, a nice cup of tea. Just what the doctor ordered.
— from dictionary.cambridge.org
Yes, that was exactly what I wanted or needed yesterday: to smell and see some flowers. So I thought of Tower Hill Botanic Garden, less than an hour’s drive away. And that matched Mark’s order, to a T.*
I took lots of pictures at Tower Hill, yesterday afternoon. I wonder how I should order those photos here?
Let’s start with this one:
Ooh! The sign tells me I’m not alone in wanting to organize, in order to simplify and make things more understandable. That connection with humanity gives me acceptance about whatever order I choose for these photos.
On the way home from Tower Hill, I passed by an open field. Something ordered me to turn the car around, stop, and inspect things more closely. This is what I saw:
I came back for that heart, with its orderly lines.
Here are two more shots of it:
Then, I noticed some things moving, near the heart. Here’s a zoom:
When I returned to my car, I saw some different birds:
I don’t know about you, but to me, it looks like the white guy is ordering the others around.
Thanks** to dictionary.cambridge.org, ducks, Google, hearts, Mark, those who order and are ordered in any way, Tower Hill, turkeys, and — last, but not least — to you, for dropping by here, today.
* “to a T” is another idiom, defined by Google as:
exactly; to perfection.
“I baked it to a T, and of course it was delicious”
** in alphabetical order.
Great photographs. The order for today is to go out and smell the chocolate.
I am (1) laughing a lot and (2) grateful for the order. Thank you!
Love this Plant Electrician but can we add eat it?
I heeded both orders on my quest today, as you shall see in my post, tomorrow!
Good for you! 🙂
Where is this garden. On this iPhone the words are too small to tell where it is.
Oh! Thank you for asking. Tower Hill Botanic Garden is in Boylston, Massachusetts, USA.
Thank you for your virtual tour round these beautiful gardens. I love the statue of Pan!
I thank you for your comment, Annabelle … and I’m probably not out of order if I say that Pan thanks you, too.
I love that garden, so beautiful. Even more so the heart in the grass, what a great idea. Lovers should sit right inside 😊! Great pictures Ann. Thanks for taking us around.
You are so welcome, Ute. I also like how those chairs were set up, so two lovers could stare at the heart.
Love the photos, Mark’s sage advice and your willingness to heed it Ann!
Diana xo
Love your loving and wise support, Diana.
I am so glad that my softly question-Marked polite suggestion turned out to such a terrific outing for you, Ann.
I get low Marks in subtlety, comment-wise.
I love all the photos, at the gardens and the sudden stop to take heart afterward.
I think the specially mowed field would make an oustanding putting green, too.
Thanks, Ann.
I read this comment, Mark, while I was on today’s outing, which was also in response to reader-generated suggestions (see Plant Electrician and Diana’s comments above). I GOL’ed (Guffawed Out Loud) at your penultimate line while I was QA-ing (Questing Alone), which may have evoked some curious reactions from those around me.
Mark, know that you never get low marks here, comment-wise. That’s an order!
Aye-aye Captain Koplow!
I am happy I ordered myself yo read your blog today . Very beautiful pictures 🙂
I am very happy about those orders, too, mk. Thanks for seeing the beauty here.
thank you for the visit to the garden and the heart field.
You are very welcome. I’m so glad you accompanied me to both places.
What an extraordinary post, and what an extraordinary day you had! You stopped to smell some flowers and to notice beauty and quirkiness everywhere. I notice that you have an especially keen eye for the fingerprints of the past.
I hope that I can upgrade to the scratch ‘n sniff version of this blog reader before your next trip through spring gardens.
Thank you for this wonderful comment and for your usual supportive, inspiring insights.
Also, I highly recommend that you upgrade, if possible, before tomorrow’s post. (I was going to write “order” instead of “highly recommend,” but I doubt you can access the required technology that quickly.)
It turns out that the blog upgrade is feature of my imagination, pre-installed. So, I am eagerly testing the air for tomorrow’s post….
I hope I do not disappoint.
Beautiful…
Thank you for seeing so and saying so, David.
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The photos capture such a lovely time in woods and gardens. Thank you for sharing with us. Its a beautiful place! The heart fields are special. Val x
Thank you for this loving and special comment, Val.
Thank you for a happy garden browse.
You are very welcome, Hilary. Great to have you along, as always.
Outstanding.
I love the “Happy 103rd BD Birdhouse”
I love that, too! Thanks for the visit and this comment.
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