Last Friday, Michael and I took a little field trip downtown to have a little free fun. I originally wanted to go swimming but with the crazy cool (and lovely!) weather we've been having I thought it would be better to do something outside that we wouldn't normally do on a hot day. So downtown it was!
Our first stop was at the Sculpture Garden which is super fun. Michael had a really good time running down the hills and talking about the sculptures in his own words. I tried to ask him what he thought it looked like or what he thought it was doing. That is good right? Asking kids about art? Art experts??
He also had fun walking along the paths and just taking it all in. He kept saying, "What IS this PLACE?" like we were in some strange place he'd never been before. He was really interested.
Our next top was just one block over to the Meredith Test Gardens. I had been wanting to go back here since my mom and I went many years ago before Michael was even born. It did not disappoint and everything was so lovely. We took a picnic lunch and ate it in the courtyard. It was so quiet, peaceful and beautiful that I wish it were open more hours for the public to enjoy!
Michael had lots of fun on the little paths that wound through the gardens and was very careful about the plants. I didn't get a chance to take a bazillion photos like I would have preferred but I still enjoyed seeing some unusual and new plants. I was also happy to see lots of things that I grow in my garden now like a Dick Clark rose, knock out rose, weigela bushes and a hosta garden that looked like a big patchwork quilt. I guess it is safe to safe if it works in these hot, dry, Iowa summers than you better do what works!
I want this! A ruffly daylily. Let me repeat. A daylily. That is ruffly. I love it.
Michael had seen this trolley (a "Charlie" is actually what he called it) doing laps around while were at the sculpture garden and he really wanted to hop on so I said what the heck. It was free and took on a loop from Meredith Corp. to the Capitol. He enjoyed the ride and seeing the Capitol building with the shiny top. We also saw other fun city things like an excavator tearing down a building and an ambulance so it was a win all around.
I used our adventures this morning as the basis for a post on desmoinesparent.com with some other fun free downtown things we've done in the past but didn't get to today. You should check it out! (click on the photo)
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