The Rose Garden

I promised yesterday that I'd be back today to share what was across the street from the house I grew up in.

I'll give you a hint.  Here's an aerial drawing of the neighborhood.

Source: google.com

No?  Okay, how about the same thing in a photo?

Source: google.com

Yeah okay, that's probably not very helpful either.  Here ya go.

Source: google.com

Source: google.com

Yessiree Bob, my childhood home is directly across the street from a rose garden.  The Rose Garden if I'm speaking of it to someone who knows it.  Actually, there are four of them.  Which is what is depicted in the aerial pictures.  The center circle is a garden space as well, but it's mostly rhododendrons.  The streets come off of it like spokes.

My mom and the kids went over to The Rose Garden yesterday.  The kids ran around like crazy people for at least an hour.  Just like I did for hours on end when I was a kid.

I brought my camera.  (did you really think I hadn't?)

Here are some closeups of my favorites.  Don't mind the camera strap hanging in some of them.  I'm a dork.

This is my very favorite.

This is my second favorite.

Not a bad view, eh?  

The kids were a hot mess from tearing around when I took these pics.  Plus, they both had their cheesy, "smile for the camera" faces on.  

Thar ya go.  A tiny chunk of my childhood in photos.  A big chunk, actually.  The hours I've spent in this garden are innumerable.  And now my monkeys get a piece of it.