Sunday, May 17

In the Gardens

Is it the end of the school year yet? I am very much looking forward to the summer break from school groups. They are, in many ways, one of the most exhausting aspects of my job. Any kind of public speaking can be draining, but if you add the element of disciplining your audience (because the chaperones hardly ever do) and yelling at the top of your lungs (because the marble galleries here are an acoustic nightmare) it wears you down. The summer is a much needed recovery period and I am eagerly awaiting the end of June.

Earlier this week we had a guest speaker from the Huntington Library in San Marino visit the museum to talk about ancient varieties roses and some of the other plants in our gardens here. The Huntington has some lovely gardens itself, and so has the accompanying horticultural experts on staff. It was a very interesting stroll through the gardens, and inspired me to take the pictures I have added to this post. May is really one of the best times to wander the gardens here. Most everything is in bloom by this time of year, and everything looks new, colorful, and fresh.

For the most part these past weeks have been very uneventful and ordinary. Eric and I spend most of our time working these days. The steady pace is a reminder of how much a vacation is needed every once in awhile in order to recharge ourselves. Hopefully this summer will offer a couple of opportunities to relax and have some fun. In the meantime, I'll have to settle for quiet afternoon walks in the gardens here.


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