Now that we are living back home we have the opportunity to enjoy Shangri La. Shangri La is a botanical garden and nature center. During December they open several nights to enjoy a "stroll" through the gardens to see the lights.
With it being a very short distance from our home we walked over on Saturday night. It was a muggy evening after it had rained that day, but a nice evening for a "stroll".
Brant had to remind me and the boys throughout the evening what a "stroll" means.....it is a leisure walk by the way. I guess I am so use to chasing little boys I rarely walk slow. It was a first for me.
While the strolls are going on in December the admission is free with a non-perishable food item to be donated to Orange Christian Services. It is just a little near and dear to my heart.....my Mother is director.
It is an amazing way for families to do something together, give back to their community and see Shanrgi La at a cheaper price. After dropping off our food at the big truck we made our way in. It was beautiful. Unfortunately it was SO dark my camera would not take many pictures, but I did get a few. The paths were lit with little lanterns throughout the gardens to help you make your way around......it was pretty dark!
On our way to the Children's Garden all decorated like "Candyland".
It is a little blurry, but look closely at the boys peaking through.................
This was at the end of the stroll.....the Pond of the Blue Moon. It is one of my favorite parts of Shangri La. Seeing this at night with the Christmas tree was pretty amazing!!!
In James Hilton’s novel Lost Horizon, the mystical Shangri La was located in a valley called the Valley of the Blue Moon. Within Shangri La, the Pond of the Blue Moon is the area chosen to reflect the original Shangri-La gardens of Lutcher Stark, who was inspired by Hilton’s novel. Stark used the reflection of blooming azaleas in Ruby Lake to provide overwhelming beauty for his visitors. In the new Shangri La, the Pond of the Blue Moon will provide a reflection pool for more than 41 varieties of azaleas. In addition, a structure called the Cypress Gate adds additional interest by framing the beauty of this garden between 60-foot cypress logs salvaged from the destruction caused by Hurricane Rita.
Making our way back we stopped for a few pictures and of course the gift shop. It was a FUN evening. A FUN Christmas Stroll. And I am pretty sure it will be in our jar again next year.
What memories are you pulling from your Christmas Jar this week?
2 comments:
Shangri La....even the name sounds beautiful!
And a stroll? Sounds heavenly! Our lives are more of a sprint these days!
We pulled two items: making a Christmas craft and pulling a name from Angel Tree. Since I am going out of town tomorrow, I better get busy today (unless I put daddy in charge)!
I wish I had made a Christmas jar! What a lovely place and how proud you must be of your mom for her hard work! Love the cute pics at the end too!
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