GARDEN AND BODY ART

Today we spent the day taking in all the sunshine and garden spots. We went to The Flower Farm in Loomis and walked around enjoying all the great plants and sat outside and ate lunch. It was a glorious day, filled with friends, family, and fun.

We also visited the Iris Gardens on Loomis, just a few roads away from The Flower Farm. They have acres of iris that they show and sell and also have local artists selling their goods on the weekends throughout the growing season. Come August, if you have ordered any of the iris that you loved when they were in bloom and you could see the colors, they will call you up and tell you your order is ready. Mother's Day is always a great weekend to go, although this year it might even be a bit too late. There are quite a few plants already in full bloom.

Scattered among all the plants are sculptures here and there. Some that you would recognize, some that you wouldn't. I love these orbs tucked into the grouping of plants.

Is this some sort of old rototiller? It kind of looks like it, based on the tines in the front but it is so odd looking that I am not quite sure. I guess this is recycling at it's best. Garden sculptures out of work implements. Loomis and Granite Bay are known for their outcroppings of granite and there are quite a few visible examples here at The Iris Garden.

Some more garden sculptures.

On my way home I stopped at my local coffee shop and sitting outside at a table enjoying the warm sunshine was this group of three young people. I immediately asked if I could take pictures of their tattoos because they were so interesting to me. At first I thought this was a tattoo of the Bodhi tree. I guess it was on my mind after watching the PBS special on Buddha last night. The young woman introduced herself to me as Savannah and told me that she had designed and drawn this tattoo herself. I was so impressed. It was not a Bodhi tree but a Bonsai with two young children blowing bubbles and throwing hearts. Incredible to me. I find hearts where I least expect to see them. Savannah is an artist in town and maybe some day I will be able to purchase one of her pieces.

Her friend had this gloriously colorful tattoo on his arm. I love all the detail and the bright colors. I didn't ask him who designed this but he was quite proud of it and willing to let me photograph it.

The third friend had quite a few tattoos and I noticed that there was some real thought put into these. They had meaning to him and were really thought out. I think that is the key to getting a tattoo: you need to really consider what you are trying to say with them and know that it speaks for you. I love it when they are works of art. This tattoo is very spiritual. At least that is what I see.

This one has quite a story. He is an avid reader and doesn't watch much TV at all, except for movies. TV is not an important part of his life and so this tattoo is so apropos.

And lastly, he told me that he got this tattoo long before the movie came out. It was one of his favorite books as a child and he represented that on his arm. Tattoos speak volumes about the people who have them. You can look at the choices that people make for something that is intended to be permanent and really get a feeling for who that person is and what is important to them in their lives. In my opinion, most people really think about what they choose to have tattooed on their bodies because of that very reason.

I'm setting traps for Asian Citrus Psyllid bugs tomorrow in the commercial mandarin groves. I am taking my camera along "just in case". You never know what you might see when you are out and about. You never know what might present itself. The key is to be observant and prepared. And to understand the gift.