The Fleeting Days of Summer

 

"Sometimes I need only to stand wherever I am to be blessed." ~ Mary Oliver

 

This is the last weekend in August--how can that be? Fall arrives early in Colorado. I can see the sun's slant of light becoming lower on the horizon and the air has a chill at night. It won't be long until the aspens turn golden yellow and we have our first whisper of snow on the mountains.

"Happiness grows at our own fireside and is not to be picked in strangers' gardens." 

~ Douglas Jerrold

Summer is passing quickly but there is still much of its beauty to behold and enjoy.

"But once in a while, the odd thing happens, once in a while the dream comes true." ~ W H Auden

My husband and I took a walk around  The Hudson Gardens and Event Center in Littleton, Colorado recently.  Hudson Gardens is a nonprofit organization encompassing thirty acres of garden exhibits, trails, open spaces, and event venues and it provides free admission from sunrise–sunset every day of the year for self-directed exploration. I've blogged about it more extensively in the past--click here--to read that post.

"There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it." 

~ Edith Wharton

The garden has amazing water lily ponds full of the most delicate and beautiful flowers...

"Preserve your memories, keep them well, what you forget you can never retell."

~ Louisa May Alcott

...as well as many other flowers, shrubs, trees, and art sculptures to enjoy.

 

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"The words 'far far away' always had a strange charm" ~ Alfred Tennyson

There are many benches along the trails where one can sit and appreciate the garden's serenity.

"A loving heart is the truest wisdom." Charles Dickens

The resident geese and ducks looked very content in the shade and waters of the garden. 

"In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter and sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed." 

~ Kahlil Gibran

Hudson Gardens is a treasure to visit in all seasons and the perfect place to take a walk in nature.  We are fortunate to have it in our area!  

Another treasure I was happy to visit in August was the author Susan Branch at the Tattered Cover Bookstore in the Aspen Grove branch in Littleton, Colorado. 

Susan was doing a cross-country road trip with her husband, Joe, to promote her wonderful new book called "Distilled Genius: A Collection of Life-Changing Quotations." 

 I have been a fan of Susan's handwritten and painted books since her first book "Heart of the Home" and have been following her blog for years, so I was very excited to hear she would be stopping by close to me! 

There was a large crowd of fans to greet her--a few who traveled from as far away as Wyoming and Iowa! She gave a lovely talk about how she collected quotations all her life and what they meant to her. She said quotations were:

"Practical expressions of wisdom from courageous thinkers and teachers ahead of their time, nurturing and life-affirming, hilarious, heroic, and human ~ they taught me how to be brave, showed me where to find my dreams, and encouraged me to try and make them a reality.

All of the quotations in this blog post came from her book.  It is another treasure I will always cherish. Thank you, Susan!

"The sweetest flower that glows,

 I give you as we part. 

For you, it is a rose

For me, it is my heart.

~ Frederick Peterson

See you all in September!

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 Mosaic Monday, Blue Monday, Through My Lens Monday, Hearth, and Soul Link Party, You Are the Star Blog Hop, Inspire Me Monday, Home Matters Linky Party, Good Random Fun, Nature Notes, 

Travel Photos, Travel Tuesday, Happiness Is Homemade, Ruby Tuesday, Tuesday's Treasures, Tuesdays With A Twist, Talent Sharing Tuesday, Wordless Wednesday on a Tuesday, Wordless Wednesday, Oh My Heartsie Girl's Wonderful Wednesday, Wednesday My Corner of the World, Wonderful Wednesday, Little Things Thursday, Thursday Encouraging Hearts and Home,  Thursday Favorite Things, Friendship Fridays,  Skywatch Friday, On the Edge Friday, Pink Saturday, Saturday Sparks, Saturday Critters, Sunday on Silverado, Your Moment