Robertas Secret Garden (Revised)

As I sit on a rustic bench in this secret garden I take in my surroundings. This particular parcel of paradise was created fifty years ago by the late Mark Anderson. His widow maintains the gardens beauty, such as the beautiful fish pond. I love the fish pond. As dusk approaches I hear crickets chirping, singing their song. A blue jay is looking for food in the peach tree; but he can’t find it because we’ve picked it all. I smell tomato plant odor on my hands, because I just picked a bunch for my friend. There is a colony of ants crawling all over this rock next to the waters edge. There are worker ants and ants with wings. I see a piece of string on the cinder block wall that looks like silly string but it’s not. The holly tree on my right has unique shiny plastic looking leaves. There is a lone lily pad flower in half bloom trying to make his way into maturity on the south end of the pond. I hear the rhythmic ripples of the water as a gold fish breaches the water going for a bug. I also see the silhouette of the trees, against an early night sky. Directly in front of me there is a frog statue, and he’s looking back at me. He seems longing to be in the water. He appears to be mocking me to jump into the pond. There is also a statue of a boy caressing his dog. It makes me miss my dog Bandit. It feels so nice out here. Perfect temperature. I love the shadows that the floodlights create; casting interesting shapes onto the freshly cut grass. There is a lady bug cruising along the holly tree, weaving between the frayed bark. I see all sorts of flowers whose colors are faded and overtaken by nights encroaching darkness. I smell freshness. Its not quite the mountain after rain freshness, but it smells good with all the trees and flowers. Here I find sanctuary and repose. The closest I can get to the glorious gardens of Gods' mountain temples. I see a hanging bird house that reminds me of Winnie the Pooh’s honey jar. However, it also reminds me of the living scriptures episode when the Jardadites catch fish to take to the Promised Land and the put them in some clay jars. Well, I suppose they’re only caricatures. As I look into the water I see the reflection of the overhanging trees. It is beautiful. It’s like an old black and white picture. You can either look at the lilies and the pads or the underlying reflection of the trees as they appear to oscillate back and forth in congruence with the waters gentle movement. Reflection must not needs be always done in vaulted hall, most often it is done where the autumn leaves can fall.