Wednesday afternoon Janet and I found a new woodland garden to explore, Kentford Farm in Stonington, Connecticut. We seemed to have the place to ourselves, but for a very charming tortoiseshell cat who acted as our hostess. When we left we spotted a sign saying the garden was open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays – unknowingly we had been trespassing! But the gate had been open so perhaps our confusion was understandable.
The last time we had a cat as our guide was four years ago in May at the the Edgerton & Stengel Memorial Wildflower Garden in the Connecticut College Arboretum.
We introduce ourselves
To Planets and to Flowers
But with ourselves
Have etiquettes
Embarrassments
And awes
~ Emily Dickinson
(The Poems of Emily Dickinson, #1184)
We will have to return as the seasons progress – it’s a perennial garden and there will be different things blooming every time we go. Please enjoy some of my favorite photographs. The plan was to travel light, with just the camera and not its bag, but it backfired on me when the camera battery died only about a third of the way through. Next time I will carry the whole kit and caboodle with me!
The wall is silence, the grass is sleep,
Tall trees of peace their vigil keep,
And the Fairy of Dreams, with moth-wings furled,
Sings soft her secrets to the drowsy world.
~ Ida Rentoul Outhwaite
(Tibetan Buddhism Deck:
Buddhas, Deities, and Bodhisattvas 30 Meditation Cards)
Way over yonder is a place I have seen
In a garden of wisdom from some long ago dream
~ Carole King
♫ (Way Over Yonder) ♫
Frequently the woods are pink –
Frequently, are brown.
Frequently the hills undress
Behind my native town –
Oft a head is crested
I was wont to see –
And as oft a cranny
Where it used to be –
And the Earth – they tell me
On it’s axis turned!
Wonderful rotation –
By but twelve performed!
~ Emily Dickinson
(The Poems of Emily Dickinson, #24)
In the woods too, a man casts off his years, as the snake his slough, and at what period soever of life, is always a child.
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
(Nature)
The good Will of a Flower
The Man who would possess
Must first present Certificate
Of minted Holiness.
~ Emily Dickinson
(The Poems of Emily Dickinson, #954)
A very lovely find! I like how you have paired the photos with poems. It slows one down to read and to look as well as to mediate !
Thanks, Jeff! We need the beauty of poetry in the garden to enhance the quality of our lives!
What a beautiful place! I especially like the twisty tree. I look forward to seeing it through your lens as the seasons progress. I also appreciate the quotes and poems you paired with your images. 🙂
Thank you, Robin! Getting out and about and being inspired to take pictures and find poetry and quotes to create a post – such a refreshing feeling. 🙂
I also love the twisty tree. Jane
There’s something sculptural and attractive about the twisty tree, I think…
The dragonfly, obelisk, and buddha are my favorites right after the tortoise cat – is that your Zoe?
Not my Zoë – this one seemed to belong to the garden and was much more active. I had the urge to scoop her up and take her home with me but she would not be able to run around outside here in the city. And I think someone would have missed her dearly!
I have so enjoyed this Barbara. The garden looks lush and tranquil, very peaceful. And the poetry is perfect!
Thank you, Colleen! I’m so pleased you enjoyed this – I enjoyed the whole process, from taking the pictures to choosing the poems…
What a beautiful, peaceful spot!–and you were so incredibly fortunate to be able to explore it on a day when the Farm was officially closed.
It was such a treat to be so blissfully unaware that we were violating the visiting days! We won’t be able to do that again, now that we know. 🙂
How lovely! I was going to choose the twisty tree as my favorite, but then there’s the Buddha and the whole feel of the place. Thanks for sharing with us.
You’re welcome and thank you, Kathy! The whole feel of the place was enchanting and I only got pictures from about a third of it. Can’t wait to go back and take a few more shots. 🙂
Oh, thank you, Barbara, for the lovely saunter through this magical garden … your feline tourguide was pur-fect! And what can I say about the quotes you have dispersed between the wonderful photographs, except, equally exquisite! XO ♥
Thank you for all your kind words, Diane! ♥ It was a wonderful time in an extraordinary place, and it was fun finding the poetry to accompany the picture memories. *hugs*
Beautiful garden. I will have to check this out! Love the gnarly tree and the obelisk, especially. Thanks for the poems, too.
I hope you do get a chance to check this garden out, Susan! It’s a hidden gem. Tim & I stopped by yesterday (when it was actually open) and we were the only ones there. Spread the word!