The Lily Pond, Late Summer

I have been visiting the lily pond a lot these days, and with very good reason. The lily pond never looks any better than it does this time of year, and the fancy bugs have been hanging around it in full force. Those are two great reasons to go back!

This particular morning found me, as so many other mornings have, down on my knees by the lily pond, with my face and my camera mere inches above the water. There were no fancy bugs yet, but water lilies of all colors were in bloom. If it were a candy store, I would order one of each, or maybe two of each, some in every flavor.

This is a picture of one of my favorite benches that I never have time to sit in. It is in a great location right by the lily pond, and people frequently sit there to contemplate the lilies and find a moment of peace. One day last week when I was there, Scout the kitty was sitting under one of the benches, looking for all the world like it owned the place! But not today.

Just beneath the bench is a pairing of water lilies that are just lovely. One is pink and the other is purple. I thought you might enjoy a better look at them, and so I've placed a close-up photo in the "extra photos" area, lower right. If you look even closer, you can see the spider webs around the pink lily on top.

I work at a major university, and there is no surer sign of the coming of fall than the start of fall semester, and the arrival of this year's fresh batch of students at the university gates. As traffic is picking up downtown and fall semester classes begin on Monday, I guess I have to admit that summer is waning.

As I look at the lily pond in what is most assuredly late summer now, and I enjoy all of its splendors, I have just one wish: Oh won't you stay . . . just a little bit longer . . . Please, please, please say you will. The soundtrack: Jackson Browne, with Stay.