{ballard} locks and garden

 

Today I decided to share a post with photos from this past summer.  Since it's wintertime I thought we could all use a little warmth and sunshine, and so here are the last of my summer Instagram photos which happens to be Ryan and my first summer visit to the Ballard Locks and Japanese Gardens. 

 

We walked through the grounds surrounded by the greenest grass, trees blowing in the wind, a multitude of lovely flowers in bloom, and people enjoying picnics all around.  I think my favorite flowers were the hydrangeas.  Such a soothing color and shape.

 

And then there were the locks.  It is so cool to watch the locks fill up with boats on one end, have a gate close behind them, the water beneath them rise at least a story, and then have the gates on the other end open to let them through to the other side.  This fairly slow process is quite captivating, and you can see a boat leaving the locks in the very last photo at the end of this post.  A blue sky day perfect for such a unique visit.

 

Stay tuned for a post with a video highlighting 2012.  Happy Twenty 13 everyone!  XO