bday67 girls' trip: leu gardens!

When Christina suggested going to Harry P. Leu Gardens this time, too, I was thrilled!

She also found out that June 2 was a free day there for all - magnificent!!!

That's because it was a first Monday of the month, so they have twelve days of free.

How very lovely for the locals... and for those like us, partying like locals! 

(smile!)

One better thing about our timing: early June is a much nicer time to visit an outdoors site than mid-July was.

Definitely a little cooler, though still hot.

I'm so glad there are so many trees to provide shade!

 

This summer, the exhibit was "Origami In The Garden".

Of the thirteen pieces scattered about, we found all except one: "Flying Folds", a huge crane with wings outspread.

That was off the beaten path and the girls were tiring by then.

I think it may have been from carrying those fur babies around!

Here, Miyah, Chloe, and my first niece have paused to look at "Who Saw Who", one of two exhibits that featured two origami works.

The smaller of the two, a little mouse, is perched atop the large white boulder and has his gaze upward.

The hawk is looking at the mouse from a limb about ten feet away, but he eluded my camera lens.

I guess he was shy!

(smile!)

The other work that featured two separate items was "Seed Sower And Seed".

Honestly, I might have missed the acorn had Christina not pointed it out!

I'm glad that Miyah was looking at it in this photo.

Very nice treasure that future oak looks to be!

(smile!)

 

"Painted Ponies" was the only work that consisted of three separate pieces, with each equine in a different color and slightly different stance.

"Emerging Peace" had three concepts in the one structure and was quite graceful.

A caterpillar at the base arcs up to a cocoon which, in turn, has the newly-released butterfly flitting from its sheath... wow!

However, "Botanical Peace" was certainly the most unusual of all.

At first glance, it appears to be a simple crane, one of the structures most often associated with origami.

It's a fairly large work, as can be seen with the children standing alongside.

The floral motif accounts for its name...

or does it?

Because when the reverse side is viewed, that design is completely missing!

The bright colors of multiple flowers is gone!

Instead, a pattern of different types of ferns, a more prehistoric plant, is seen, with only a simple ecru-on-gold coloration.

Christina is in this shot!

I snapped it as she was taking a pic of me from her side of the piece.

(smile!)

She also took this photo.

"Hero's Horse" was one we visited thrice.

First was in the museum as the original, and smaller, paper structure, shown both folded and with open paper.

Then, as we toured the grounds, it was one of the first pieces we saw, as well as one of the last.

Such a beautiful Pegasus!

(smile!)  

However, as much as I love that mythological beast, that was not my favorite here. 

This one, with its variation on a favorite childhood game, captured me!

No wonder it's called "Conversation Peace"!

The scissors, even with the assistance of the rock, cannot reach the paper, as it has been changed into a crane and flown away!

And isn't that red-handled pair of scissors just gorgeous? 

It would pair nicely with my red Swingway stapler that I bought in 2010 for my office when I was teaching full-time at Armstrong Atlantic State University.

(smile!)

We were there several hours, finishing our stay with a picnic lunch.

I'm fairly certain that picnic table was for the employees of the museum, but it was absolutely perfect for our repast!

 

As I have no photo for that, I'll show one that Christina took of a cardinal.

It reminds me of the series of local fauna pictures that my friend Andrew Peacock posts on his wife's fb page.

The last photo of the series is simply titled "The End"... and shows some animal's butt.

So, here's a joke for him, as this is "The End" of this post!

(smile!)