I was in Nacogdoches yet again for work and Addie was my helper for the entire 10 hour day.  After we closed down the store we needed to stretch our legs a bit and since it wasn’t raining, thank God, we went over to the arboretum at Stephen F. Austin state university.  SFA happened to be the location I acquired a good deal of my higher education.  A really lovely campus.  And the gardens there have never been more glorious.

This is what we saw.

Flowers, flowers EVERYWHERE!

Addie and I were both in awe.  The lizard was not as impressed.

So Addie caught one of his family members, I think he was terrified.

Not only were there flowers and lizards but lots of bugs!
All part of a healthy eco-system!

There are little signs everywhere informing folks who want to know, the name of each flower. I failed to catch this one’s name but isn’t it unique?

Can I please have this in my yard?  Maybe one day…..

I don’t recall what fruit this is but the flowers are awesome.  I want a skirt that looks like them!

Moving on past the flower garden, we entered the shade garden.

A most inviting place!

Just look at how small Addie appears under these lovelies.

I can’t imagine how many hours upon hours of labor it takes to keep everything just so.

“Gardens are not made by singing ‘Oh, how beautiful’ and sitting in the shade”.

This was my favorite part! A cypress-covered walkway!

It was like being in a fairy tale!

I want to live here.
This snake, he DOES live here. And was, like the lizard, terrified when surrounded by college students, bicylces and Addie.

Poor snake.

We started making our way back, a good thing about the pathways, they are designed so you may walk back on a path different than the one you arrived on! Yay for effective planning!

Then I made a mistake. I asked Addie to take my picture. I realized, after handing her the camera, I have given birth to a picture Nazi. As soon as my Canon entered her control, her posture improved and she began spewing out commands like a drill sergrant. “Stand here! No, not there, THERE!” I move over 2 inches. “Yes, like that, now get closer to that flower, NO, THAT flower” sighs aubily. “Do you THINK you could be still?” She is a demon I tell you!

But look at that face, I love her.

One more flower…..

And we said goodbye……

With plans to return soon with more time and a picnic basket!
Thanks for walking with us today!