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Friday, June 17, 2016

The Secret Garden [Belknap Hot Springs]

The Secret Garden @ Mt. Hope Chronicles

After a lovely (and hot) retreat weekend, I rushed home on Sunday to spend the afternoon at the swimming pool to watch the boys swim. I usually plan down-time between activities, but my parents were staying at Belknap Hot Springs for a couple days and my sister and I decided to drive down to visit them on Monday. It was absolutely unacceptable that I had never been there before! Because of the hot weather predicted in the forecast, we got up much earlier than usual and drove down together.

Shannon, Ben, Rilla, Sweden, my boys, Lola, and I all joined my parents for an early lunch picnic in the secret garden. We sat at stone tables in the shade, and it was heavenly.

We walked on a bridge over the river to find the garden.

River View @ Mt. Hope Chronicles

The entrance:

Entering the Secret Garden @ Mt. Hope Chronicles

Half the garden was in lush shade.

Garden Shade @ Mt. Hope Chronicles

Half in bright sun.

The Secret Garden at Belknap @ Mt. Hope ChroniclesMoss @ Mt. Hope ChroniclesFountain @ Mt. Hope ChroniclesWhite @ Mt. Hope ChroniclesWall @ Mt. Hope ChroniclesPillar @ Mt. Hope Chronicles

We went for a short hike in the sun. The boys (Levi, in particular, but he shares from his collection) take Nerf swords everywhere they go, and the girls do not want to be left out. I think I’ll have to buy swords for Rilla and Lola.

A Hike @ Mt. Hope Chronicles

Then we met more dear friends at the lodge and sat with them by this fountain sculpture while they ate a late picnic lunch.

Sculpture Fountain @ Mt. Hope Chronicles

We again walked across the bridge, visited the secret garden, and hiked the paths a bit.

On the River @ Mt. Hope ChroniclesLeaves @ Mt. Hope ChroniclesWater @ Mt. Hope Chronicles

After all this adventuring on the trails and cavorting about the secret garden and frolicking in the fountains, a couple of my kids begged to swim in the pool. While it looks mighty inviting and refreshing, heated by the hot springs, it is a blistering 104 degrees at the lowest. On hot, sunny days it climbs a bit. We “swam” with our friends, but it was painful. [This is the pool view from my parents’ room in the lodge.]

Belknap Hot Pool @ Mt. Hope Chronicles

We headed home in the late afternoon.

Happy 47th anniversary, Mom and Dad! Thanks for allowing us to crash your party.

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