Reflections at Childhood's Gate

Last month, there was an exciting development at Penn State's Arboretum: the brand new children's garden, Childhood's Gate, opened! On the second morning that it was open, I made my own very first visit, and I Blipped a picture of the garden's flowers in the morning, shining with color, bathed in water droplets from the misting system.

I've visited the Arboretum so many times since then; taken so many pictures. On this morning, I walked around the lily pond and the pollinator gardens, and finally ambled over to the children's garden for a very quick visit before heading to my office. I arrived - again - just as the misting system went on, and it was enchanting, just like the first time.

I was taking some pictures of one of the wigwam-type structures, when I looked behind me and saw a streamlet of water. And I thought to myself: Hmm, I bet I could get a decent reflection shot out of that. So I hopped across the stones, positioned myself down low, and took a couple of shots in the mellow morning light. Reflected in the water, the wigwam seemed to be made round, like a space ship.

The song to accompany this photo of the children's gardens has to be a song about childhood. And this is one of my favorites. I smile every time I hear it, and maybe you will too: Loggins and Messina, with House at Pooh Corner. So let's go back to the days of Christopher Robin and Pooh . . .