Whenever my heart aches for the forest, I go to a very special garden in the heart of uptown New Orleans, owned by a dear friend and fellow gardener, Nancy Scholar-Adams. Take a look at what greets you even before you reach her front door.
You can’t miss Nancy’s garden as you walk down the street - the plants sing to you, raising even the lowest of spirits. It’s a joy to see! It never fails to lift me up when I begin pining once again for the countryside.
We walk through her home, filled with lovely collections of objets d’art that she and Don have collected over the years, pausing to admire her own latest painting. The canvas calls to her at times - that timeless instant of her vision. Then we continue through her bright sunroom, with Gerry, her big German Shepherd dog, pacing agreeably along with us and on out to her garden. I can’t possibly describe all the curves and corners of that magical place but it never fails to fill me up with joy at first sight. A few years ago, she and Don bought the lot next door and expanded their garden, allowing room also for a pond and larger trees.
Take a look at the cascading yellow blossoms of a Cassia species in full bloom overlooking the pond.
We sit out there for hours, chatting and enjoying the scene. Nancy understands how therapeutic her garden is for me. She is a fellow gardener and understands the healing magic of nature. I feel very grateful to have her as a friend - she opens up her garden and heart. It makes the urban lifestyle so much easier to love.
Gerald loves the city - born and raised in London, he feels more at home living the street life. And there’s no place like New Orleans. We love this city more than any other city in the States. New Orleans is a place of daily celebration - almost everyday, we see a Second Line party rolling down the street, marching brass band playing, followed by a crowd of festive spirits (often imbibing festive spirits also...). Yesterday, a sizeable group of Buddhists marched by, complete with a large float and a long-robed guru sitting with legs crossed in the middle of it.
The Saints are playing Tampa Bay even as I write this. Score tied. They have to battle for every game, but are still undefeated thus far this season. Geaux Saints. Who Dat?
I fell in love with this city way back when Gerald brought me here for our first wedding anniversary. It rained the whole time but we had an absolute blast. We returned most years for a visit and finally went all out and bought a flat in the Vieux Carre. We never tire of this town - even with all the problems and corruption. The Big Easy has so much in common with Central America that it just makes us feel more at home. Reading the ‘scandal du jour’ in the Times Picayune is very much like reading La Nacion back in Costa Rica - lots of laughs and, sometimes, even spluttering howls over the morning coffee.
