Located on the banks of the Ashley River, this most enchanting and lovely garden spreads over many acres, it's shady paths lined with azaleas and camellias in full seasonal bloom as I walked there yesterday afternoon. Being amidst such resplendent beauty one can only gaze in awe at the sublime artistry of Nature, her flowers, trees, birdsong, rivers mingled with the loving guiding hand of the creators of this garden who wanted to share this beauty with posterity.
As one walks in the garden, on every side there are new places to veer off and explore -- side paths to sit and rest on a bench in a little setting of trees with statues and flowering daffodils and iris; views of the Ashley River and marshes, lagoons and ponds surrounded by cypress trees; and more winding, flower-filled paths that lead up to the famously photographed long bridge over the main lagoon and thence back to the plantation house and entrance.
For the entire duration of my visit, I found an interior peace and what can only be described as a state of bliss where the world outside this garden was but a distant memory, and the sensations and blissful feelings of each moment among such exquisite beauty made me aware of the truly important and valuable things in life.
Only a few hours later, sitting on the porch of the family home downtown, the calm and gentle breeezes of the afternoon gave way to violent wind, rain, hail and tornado warnings from the same storm system making its way directly toward us from the devastation it had wreaked in Atlanta and surrounding areas. Never could a day be filled with such stark contrasts in the moods of Nature, reminding me once again that storms rush through the tranquil times in our lives, and, as this one did, pass out to sea leaving clear skies and gentle breezes once again.
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