A Great Weekend

Hello all. Valerie and Hardin came over from Atlanta on Saturday morning and we had a great weekend, which we began at an art festival at Linn Park in downtown Birmingham. We spent most of the morning there and saw some interesting art and art objects:





When we got home from the festival, we all spent some time catching up and lounging around:












Crystal's Mom was dying to see us Hardin, so we all loaded up and visited her, Brittany, Mitzi, and Ashley at the Winters home. We had great fun and even greater chocolate cake (sorry no pictures). A nice, relaxing cookout followed and we all bedded down for the night.

We began today with waffles. Hardin entertained herself by alternately banging a metal colander with a wooden spoon and putting the spoon in her mouth. When prompted, she was even interested in playing with Aunt Crystal.



We entertained ourselves through the afternoon with a trip to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, where we have been frequent visitors. The distinctly spring-like look of the gardens seems to be fading with the recent rise in temperatures, but the blooms are still beautiful. This was Valerie's first ever botanical gardens trip, which I presume means that it was Hardin's first such trip too. The roses were starting to bloom and the irises were still in bloom, though nearing the end of their brief season:





Hardin joined the numerous other children posing for pictures in the gardens:














Valerie took this one and thinks it could be award winning. Maybe she's right!



Cropped by me:



Crystal and Hardin spent some quality time under a tree beside the lake in the Japanese Garden while Valerie and I surveyed the bonsai collection:







Thanks for visiting Hardin and Valerie, and we can't wait to see you guys again soon!