Prince, Maggie and I went to the rocks and enjoyed a Saturday evening sunset on the lake. It was an ever changing sky and boats would zoom along and mess up the water for my photo opts. I think this boat was enjoying the sunset as it stayed still for a very long time.
The kitty justice is the water is not this calm during the day as there is much more boat traffic than years past. I think instead of going to the Gulf, folks are heading to the lakes.

Last week Art Ventures met at the Pineapple room located at Cheekwood. It was a very hot day and it was nice to sit looking out the full length windows at the manicured lawn but not feel the heat.

After the meal, I went outside and took photos of the flowers that were immediately in front of the restaurant. I will have to go back to check out the gift shop and maybe get a few more neat photos.

Most of the ladies took advantage of taking the Chihuly tour but I was not doing well in the heat so I opted to just head home in the cool of the silver bullet.

The kitty justice is the hot weather has not been my friend lately.

After the Art Ventures luncheon this week at Cheekwood, I was about to get into my car when I looked up the hill and thought what a neat photo of the "Sun".

Art Ventures was this week and I had the opportunity to take this photo and the following six photos on my way back to the Silver Bullet. The heat was already oppressive so I declined the tour of the entire exhibit. I did become a member of Cheekwood after my first visit and now I can go back any time.

This photo and the following were taken the day the girls and I first saw the exhibit.

The artwork shown here are on the left as you are coming down the hill from the mansion and the others in the previous post are on the right as you are coming down the hill. Every Thursday and Friday evenings the glass work is lighted for an enchanted evening stroll. Prince and I are planning to do this whenever the weather gets somewhat cooler. So far this has been the hottest June on record.

This is the eighteenth day straight in the nineties with a nasty heat index of over hundred.

The Kitty Justice is the exhibit does not close until October 31st and there should be plenty of cool evenings to stroll along the gardens.

If yawl would like to know more about Cheekwood, go to www.cheekwood.org

One of the golf carts came along and gave us a ride up the hill to the house. Ah, it was nice and cool inside. This was looking out the window at the Sun exhibit.

This photo and the next two were some of the Chihuly inside exhibits.

This chandelier and the next two were at eye level through windows upstairs. They plus another were made for the Swan Ball. Only the whose who attend this charity ball. The gowns are always fun to see in the society pages of the news papers.

Peaches going down the spiral staircase with the very long white chandelier hanging down the middle.

Peaches and Knoxie headed down the stairs and I was trying to get the entire chandelier in the photo.

Gave up and got the bottom as I was walking down the stairs.

I stopped and looked up and found the perfect shot .

I was standing underneath the long chandelier. I heard that these four chandeliers were gonna stay after the exhibit closes.

Note the windows on the upper left that I took the eye level photos from. The chairs and tables are left overs from the Swan Ball.

Outside again and the golf cart is no where in sight so since it was down hill we decided to hoof it.

Walking down the hill, I looked back at the "Sun".

While we were inside the house, we saw the American Impressionists in the Garden exhibit. Also, in one dark room , we check out the Matilda Geddings Gray collection of Faberge'. The objects are in glass cases with spot lights to enhance their beauty. There was a guard in the gallery making sure no photos were taken by those of us with cameras and a guard in the dark room to make sure no object was taken.

The kitty justice is I would probably fall asleep if I had either of those guard jobs.

Be sure to click on the photos to enlarge.

We are leaving the Japanese gardens and heading down to the ponds. There are three ponds.

The first pond had a boat full of glass. In the next five photos you can see I am getting closer with each step.

Standing at the bottom of the first pond looking down at the next two ponds. Ah, you will never think of onions in the same way.

The waterfall between the first and the second pond.

The girls resting while I take more photos. Seated is Peaches, standing from left to right is Cat and Knoxie.

I got below the waterfall to take the photos of the second pond.

Note the reflections in the second pond.

Looking back at the second and first ponds.

The third pond had pollen on it and the reflections were not as good.

Coming back up the hill, I thought these looked as if they were sitting on the rocks.

I tried to get low enough to make it look as if this onion was gonna go over the falls.

The last two photos were of the third pond. I thought this display of onions and the boat rather whimsical. Also, the running water made for a peaceful feeling.

The kitty justice is it was getting rather warm so the water made for an inviting passage. Too bad they do not provide a wadding area.

After the blue and green fountain of glass, you start down hill on the path to the Japanese gardens. The ponds are on the right going down the hill as you start to enter the gardens.

Note the colorful glass onions floating on the pond.

This notes we are entering the Japanese gardens of Cheekwood.

On the left of the path, I saw this giant blue ball.

I stood on a bench and zoomed in on the glass ball.

Entering the bamboo forest of the garden. These were on both sides of the path.

You just had to stand still and turn round and round to get the full effect.

This photo and the next where taken from a kneeling position. If you look closely, you can see faces in the glass structures.

This was one of my favorite as you got this majestic feel in the tunnel of bamboo.

As the path takes you left and down you come to this stone structure and a fountain (no photo) and a raise platform. When you go up the steps, you see the following scene.

The blue ball in the top left is the one I took the close up of earlier.

As you can see it took several photos to capture this tranquil garden scene.

The kitty justice is I could imagine, big cats (tiger, lions, etc.) playing with these giant glass balls like they were marbles.