Children, and Chapungu at the Gardens

There's just so much staying at home anyone can do, and just so many walls in any house that anyone can be driven up. It's summer after all, and I do let Jon and Ben have more time at the playground near the library whenever we're already there. Or let them slide and swing away first, at whichever park is closest to the supermarket. It nearly always buys me a saner grocery shopping trip after that, because one of them doesn't like to shop, and the other, always knows to pick the right time to act up.

Day in day out, it's bad when the two brothers fight. And worse, when the sibling rivalry unnerves this mommy, and she joins in to fight with them over who's right or wrong, more than I probably should just leave them to fight it out themselves.

No, conflict resolution's not easy. But when the boys do get along, it can be really nice. And I did catch some of these oh-so-sweet moments, days ago, when the three of us made it to the botanical garden. And the breath of fresh air is great for me, too! I let Ben do a bit more walking, than for him to use the sprawling grounds as his excuse, as he did at the zoo, for me to carry him from point to point. Still, my arm ached for a few days after that!




The Chapungu exhibition is on right now, where the works of sculptors from Zimbawe are on display in the garden grounds. Everything from African wildlife, to babes on the backs of moms, to mythical figures, as part of its "Nature, Man and Myth" theme.

But for Jon and Ben, it was the Children's Garden that was a hit with them that day. So, it was just as well that the skies were overcast, so we weren't baked in the sun. And during the showers in between, we went and had lunch at the cafe, and then to the Climatron, before they got to play outdoors all over again!

When the Children's Garden opened slightly over a year ago, the husband didn't rank the adventure level to be high for kids above 3 years old, and both he and I also thought the educational aspect was not interactive enough. But hey, kids are kids, and they are happy doing whatever catches their fancy, and it's whatever works for them (not us adults, as I've come to realise more and more)!

In fact, both boys had loads of fun, and Jon especially, has asked that we go back there again!

The botanical garden is one of my favourite place of interest here. And because of the four seasons, even weeks apart within the same season, the blooms can be quite different, so it never always looks the same.

You can still see the some of the pretty glasswork by Chihuly, from the previous exhibition, adding colour and a touch of whimsy to the flora, and this pond not too far away from the entrance.

The dragonflies and the pondskaters had the boys quite intrigued. And we started on a poem, though we didn't get very far.


It doesn't matter. But you can be sure we will return, for more!