Sansho-En, the Garden of Three Islands at the Chicago Botanic Garden, takes me to another realm. It’s situated smack along an interstate highway yet once you cross the bridge you’re drawn into a 17th century samurai’s retreat.
It’s at once calming and mysterious. The afternoon I took these pictures I could almost hear my favorite poet Basho shuffling through the fresh fallen snow.
Wild weather in the Midwest lately makes it difficult to predict long-range patterns. Last week’s winter storm warning fizzles out, only to have a foot of accumulated snow dumped on us days later. Prematurely thawing rivers and springs flood towns along the way, only to turn to solid packed ice overnight, immobilizing everything on its path.
I had to take these shots hurriedly during a work break. In a way it was symptomatic of today’s climactic uncertainties. I feel I must squirrel away images for a time when we may no longer enjoy scenes like this that make time stand still.
Click here for the rest of this classic photo series.
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First Posted 04:02pm (Mla time) 02/15/2008
March 10th, 2008 at 11:22 pm
A,
these pictures are heavenly. i really, really love it. how can i have a copy of those? i want to make a photo DVD just for my own personal “consumption”. do you have the colored version. i would love to have it, too. if i have to pay you, i will. as i said, i really, really like it. i took some photos myself but it was not as beautiful as yours. i hope you don’t mind my asking. thanks. P
March 10th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
P,
Salamat for your kind words. Will send you a CD soon. The images are all in monochrome. I intended them to be that way.
^A^