Back to the Garden

 

On an aleatory afternoon in Oakland,
the Flaneur finds soul-enhancement and rich diversion.

A return visit to the Garden center at Lake Merritt's Lakeside Park.

In which I discover more of its copious and multivarious nooks and crannies.
Followed by a surprise symphonic interlude in a church.

1.

Forever Bonzai

 Oh no! Another exhibition of Bonzai at 3 o'clock!

Winter tree in microcosm

 

Ah, so modern in design

A real charmer 

 My favorite tree is this

Around the back entrance

This quiet garden offers a modicum of equipoise

 2.

 The Garden House

 A cool optical environment 

With exotic flowering plants

 That's that special-effects flower  

Featured in our cover shot/frontispiece

 Bulbs in a small retaining tank, baby

The warm dry weather is worrisome,
But it isn't difficult to enjoy

 

 Time to exit the garden house

3. Outdoors

Rhododenron and family dig the shade

 Saint Francis

Under the mild skies

Please don't step on the succulents

3. 

Coda

En route to the natural grocery supermarket,

I chanced upon a free concert at Saint Paul's

By the Prometheus Symphony Orchestra

 A rhapsodic denouement

 Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances, 

Lot of hairdos in white or blue

 As the house stands and applauds, 

The conductor singles out individual musicians,

The young violinist was featured

The conductor takes his bow

Everyone is riding the buzz

25 January 2015