A night in the gardens

I took a walk around the gardens tonight.

I started inside. I didn't stop and pay much attention to the trees, because when I was there in November they had many of them set up. And, because Meijer Gardens is open late on Tuesdays, it was crowded. 

I checked out the train, because there is always something special about seeing it at night.

(Please forgive my very amateur photos. I tried to change settings, but clearly I don't have them just right for clarity in dark spaces.)

Then I went into the large conservatory. There is a giant star hanging in the tallest part of the room.

Then I bravely wandered outside. This giant tree greets guests as they emerge from the warmth of the indoor space.

Then there's this sculpture called, Mad Mom. She's covered in snow, I liked the effect it had.

I walked into the Children's garden where silence greeted me instead of the usual happy cries of children. Colorful lights fill the area, creating a different effect.

From there I wandered out into the sculpture park. I tried to capture the snow fallen scene around the horse… but I'm still working on those camera settings.

Just before I walked by this sculpture, a horse drawn carriage passed me by, carrying guests through the  sculpture park as part of the holiday festivities. The jingle of the bells on the horses, the silence created by snow and the singing of the carriage riders transported me to a different world.

All was calm. And all was bright. Lit by twinkling lights. The voices of the singers carried on, even when they were out of sight.

And then I caught a glimpse of the full moon.

I tried to photograph it…

But I couldn't capture it's splendor.

I'll end with this photo. This is the waterfall. I love how the snow changes everything. If I listened closely, I could still hear water rushing under the snow, cascading down the rocks.