Brookside Gardens Trip

Last Friday in the DC area the weather was incredible, but a someone who has a real job, I was at my desk, in my office.  The advantage of my particular office is that I do not have any windows, and that makes it easier to not fret about leaving work because the weather is nice, because I just plain don't know!  (The same is true of worry over snow - I never see it so I don't have reason to be concerned about the traffic.)

As it turns out, though, we were told to pack up early and head home.  At one. I immediately began making plans to take my water bottle, camera and extra batteries and head someplace quiet and pretty to take some pictures.  I have actually never done that.  Back when I used to have quiet in nature (thanks Glenkirk!) I did not have a camera.  Now I have a camera, but no easy place to get completely lost in the woods.

Then I realized that I had someone in the hospital that would love a visitor, and that in reality my brain is more attuned to being with someone who wants to chat than it is sitting with a creek or a flower.  I went for a quick visit that turned into an hour and a half of talking about all sorts of things.  I know that the hospital is the place that I should have been, both for the person in the bed and for myself.

But when I left I was still feeling a need to get out and play.  I popped by the house for some cold water, then realized just how late it had gotten.  Knowing that I would genuinely have a better time if I had Anny and Abby with me, I put a call in to Anny and we decided to meet up at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton.  Why on earth did I invite my loud daughter and never-sitting-still wife...


That's why.

The thing that I value more in the world than peace and quiet (because really, those are low priority to me) is watching Abby discover something new.  I did not pose the picture above.  We walked up to the pool and she ran ahead.  She wanted to learn what was in the water and on the water.  I love watching Abby's amazement that "she found a treehouse" when we could see it a hundred feet away.  It is like she was the only person to have ever seen the pond above and she took it all in.  Freaking awesome.

I am considering telling Anny that this will become a weekly Friday outing, so long as I'm let go of work early to do it!  (And no more hospital visits - PLEASE!)

Other great pics from our time out there are below:

 Abby was loving the butterfly benches, too!

We had a blast, and I knew we would if we went together. I might not ever go out by myself, but that's okay with me.

If you are local, even on the "other side" of the river - this park is worth a morning or afternoon of your time.  We were there for more than an hour and didn't even get to see half of the things they have.  We are also sure that this place looks different with every trip because of when things bloom fade.  Just a great place to spend time.