Gardener's Holiday

We got some unexpected steady rain early this afternoon, so today is not a day for working in the garden. The break is welcome, but the real rain is even more welcome.

So if we can't work in the garden today, we might as well go check out someone else's garden. We went to Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, a local botanical and sculpture park. Julie and I have a membership from the gardens, something we have mixed feelings about. We love the gardens and sculpture and many of the exhibits, but the place is rather campy. We have a bit of guilt about supporting such a country club atmosphere, and really wish this organization would work harder to diversify its clientele, especially when it comes to creating opportunities for economically challenged families.

A rainy day is a good day to go to the gardens not only because it scares off 60% of the usual attendees, but because it also rejuvenates many of the plants. Their colors and scents seem much more intense following a steady rain.

Abbey fell asleep as we were walking in the sculpture park, so I pushed the stroller and read some Red Pine translations of Han Shan (The Collected Songs of Cold Mountain). Here's one worth sharing.

A greedy man who piles up wealth
is like an owl who loves her chicks
the chicks grow up and eat their mother
wealth eventually swallows its owner
spread it around and blessings grow
hoard it and disaster arises
no wealth no disaster
flap your wings in the blue

Red Pine footnotes, "The belief that owl chicks ate their mother was ancient and appears in Chinese texts as early as two thousand years ago. Its origin and basis, however, remain unknown."

I'm glad my neighbor Fred Meijer is not a mother owl. I'm glad he has chosen to share of his good fortune through these gardens.