Between Thunderstorms: HEAT!

We had a huge thunderstorm on Saturday night, then it cleared for the afternoon.....later Sunday night, we had rain and thunder again. The mugginess of the weather is much more like a midwest summer than a Seattle weekend!

There were quite a few visitors to the garden, and many of them enjoyed our music sitting under trees or laying on the goza mats on the ground.  We talked to a gentleman who has an old koto in his home in Holland, and a family who was based in northern Japan for three years. The garden is beginning to take on fall colors in the trees, while there are some bright spring-like lilypads in the pond.

A striking dandelion was one of the first things that caught my eye... 

Layering of changing leaves above the pond and teahouse....

John snapped a couple of pictures from the platform while I played...

Listeners,  blissed out....and a very curious young listener who sat for a long time.

Reeds near the pond have an autumn look....

....while the waterlilies offer a refreshing pink. 

The late afternoon sky shows the mugginess.

The moss on the rock reminded me of a river.

Back at the garden!

The biggest change in the garden is the NEW, TEMPORARY ENTRY.  It is being used while a new gatehouse is being built.  It is actually an older, unused entryway that faces Lake Washington Blvd, located about 500 feet from the parking lot.  Unless you are trying to load in lots of equipment such as a quick shade and speaker system (like we are) it doesn 't present any problem at all.  We had trouble navigating, first through the narrow doorway and then finding a trail that we could use. It made us realize how convenient our nice, wide trail along the back of the garden from the past entryway had been!  This week we are trying to think creatively about how we can better pack and load our things into the garden. 

The weather was in the 50's in the morning, and warmed a bit in the afternoon. But perhap because of the chilly air and the start of the summer Olympics there were not very many visitors.  We did talk to an acupuncturist that we've met in the past and his extended family, who were greatly enjoying the music and garden. Several people commented that they could hear the music as they walked in the new entrance.

The temporary entrance is very authentic...like being in Japan.

Because of our chilly weather that keeps coming back every few days, the edges of the leaves are already starting to turn....

The shapes of the trees, lilypads,and the pond seem to complement each other.....

The cloudy sky of the early afternoon made thoughtful reflections in the pond.

A turtle enjoys his rock.

Two stout figures, the tree and the stone lantern.

Our son Brian helped with the moving of equipment.

Right outside the gate, this hydrangea. 

We'll see what next week's weather brings.....