Walking to the Botanic Garden

Willow Trees Realizing It Is Spring

We live close enough to the botanic garden that I can easily walk there. It is even easier to bicycle there, but usually the bicycle comes along for deeper rides on forest preserve trails. The problem with a bike is where to park it when I am tired biking and want to walk.

Finding where to park my mind is difficult, too, even when walking. I wonder, why park it at all? Just let it enjoy itself, as long as it is really enjoying itself and not making me anxious. Should I meditate? Do I walk straight enough? Are there any good movies to watch? Should I be on a keto diet? My mind has plenty to keep it busy dedicated to saving me from fanciful stuff.

That’s why I carry a phone. Rarely does anyone need to call me although an app helps my family locate me. The phone has a camera. When I see something unusual my eyes take me out of my head and I take a picture. Not all of the pictures I take are good. Some have too much light. Some don’t feel interesting. Some make me wonder, did I really see it that way? Some I’m glad I took.

FOLLOW THE BLUE BLOOMS
PROOF THAT SPRING WOKE UP TODAY
TURNING SUMMER ON

Text: Linked to dVerse Haibun Monday. Bjorn is hosting with the theme of “walking”.

Photos: “Willow Trees Realize It Is Spring”, above, and “Blue Guides the Way”, below.

Blue Guides the Way

Author: Frank Hubeny

I enjoy walking, poetry and short prose as well as taking pictures with my phone.

52 thoughts on “Walking to the Botanic Garden”

  1. I don’t park my mind, I just let it wander all by itself. Not only does it seem perfectly capable of wandering during the day, but it also wanders a great deal most nights too, and it is kind to me in that it holds the memories for me to consider later!

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  2. Pingback: Parking the mind – Peter's pondering

    1. It is a ramble. The only connection is each paragraph hopefully went a little deeper, but if not that gives me opportunity for revision later. There is a whole forest preserve near-by. Thank you, Jilly!

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  7. I let my mind wander too Frank, enjoy the adventures the wondering of where it might take me.
    Love your pics – the wonder of those beautiful things that are trees, guiding the way…
    Anna :o]

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    1. I’ve tried to pay attention to what my mind is thinking about. Now I only worry when it is not in a positive orientation to reality. Thank you, Anna!

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  8. Frank, when I’m fortunate enough to walk through a wooded place, I unleash my doggish mind, having found a bit of branch to carry. When I feel it’s wandered too far, I whistle and toss the branch. Sometimes my mind condescends to fetch it.

    Beautiful pictures as well!

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  12. This is wonderful. I have to admit I laughed out loud at your second stanza. I suppose our minds should have the chance to wander about as well!

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    1. There have been times when the battery in my phone goes out because it is getting old and I can’t take a picture. I now bring along an extra battery to recharge the phone if need be. Thank you, Peter!

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  14. I like the way you take us on a journey through your thoughts then let them rest when you take notice of your surroundings. The way the blue flowers in your photo lead the eye to the blue lake really completes your haibun.

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      1. A perfect match. The gardener must have been really inspired when he planted them.

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  15. Wonderful images, Frank! When I lived in Twickenham, it was only a short bus ride to Kew Gardens, London’s botanical gardens. We don’t have anything like that up here as we have the countryside but, on Sunday, I’ll be visiting the Bishop’s Gardens at Norwich Cathedral – and I’ll be taking photos too
    I love the way you segued from parking your bike to parking your mind and am glad you let it roam free and gather inspiration for poetry, following the blue blooms!

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    1. Photos surprise me. I recall taking them, but what I see in the photo isn’t what I saw while walking. I know that is obvious, but it keeps surprising me. Thank you, Amaya!

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