I mentioned last week that one way I find relief during this pandemic is to get out and do a little photography. One of the hidden gems in our fair city is a small park in a residential neighborhood. It is private property that the owners allow the public to use. During high school homecoming and prom this place is packed with parents and prom dresses. It used to be the only place in town that the kids would meet in the afternoon prior to homecoming or prom. It was a city cultural event. Now there are several venues in the area where people gather and take photos of the prom participants. Right now the park is closed but a walk around the perimeter fence and the plants growing near the fence provide ample photo opportunities. Like most of my photo walks, I found myself to be the only human in sight. Social distancing is typically not an issue for photographers as most people disappear when the camera comes out.
You can see why this is a favorite gathering place for prom and homecoming photos. You also probably wouldn’t be surprised if I told you that the property owner was a master gardener and plant nursery owner. The family has been in business over 50 years and lives across the street from the park.
Sadly this year there was no prom and this park will remain closed until the sheltering order is lifted. Looking forward to the day when this place will once again hose bridal shoots, homecoming gatherings, and just a place to photograph some of the best flowers in the city.
Monday’s Music Moves Me
This week’s theme at 4M is bloggers choice, so I get to pick my own theme and the songs that are appropriate for that theme. I think I will pick “Kindness”. One of the good things to come from this pandemic is that people are being kind to one another once again. I must say that during an election year I don’t miss the political attack ads that proliferate our homes almost non-stop for months on end. Being kind and respectful has become a bit of a lost art, yet in 1 Peter 3:15-16 the Bible tells believers, “…set apart the Messiah as Lord in your hearts and always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. However, do this with gentleness and respect, keeping your conscience clear, so that when you are accused, those who denounce your Christian life will be put to shame.” Collossians 4:5-6 reminds us to “Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” The Bible is the instruction book on how to do life and if we call ourselves a Christian then we should act like the Scripture instructs us. Peter is saying that God’s child should be acquainted with the Word of God and always be ready to tell someone why they have the hope that comes from inside of them and we should always answer in a manner that is kind and respectful. We are not to be an offense to others nor an embarrassment to our Lord. Collossians affirms the instruction that all of our speech should be with grace. One of the purposes of salt is to improve the taste of something. All of our speech should be pleasant to the ears of the hearer, especially the unbeliever. Even difficult subjects can be approached in such a manner that no one gets angry and a relationship is not ruined. So my theme is be kind to one another. We don’t know the circumstances in which some folks are living and the reasons for their seemingly abrasive actions. We might be the only kindness that they experience during a day. Stay safe, stay sheltered, and stay healthy. Have a blessed week.
And now for the old church hymn that inspired the Kenny Rogers song.
Driller's Place 
Nice playlist. We all need a little kindness
LikeLiked by 1 person
A little kindness never hurt anyone.
LikeLike
What a beautiful park. What a sight that would be to live right across the street from it. Beautiful.
Kindness is a wonderful theme. I’m with you.
Thank you for joining the Awww Mondays Blog Hop.
Have a fabulous Awww Monday and week, my friend. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
This little park is a true gem in the city.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a beautiful park and beautiful pics. Thanks for sharing both. Very nice.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is always a joy to share the sights of my town.
LikeLike
Wow this is a beautiful park and your post is equally beautiful. Kindness is something we’ve not had enough of for quite some time. It is nice to see how kind everyone is being to each other. It’s far better to take a walk and smile and wave than sit in your house watching the news. Being positive is far more fun! Cheers- take care and have a happy day! I’ll be back tomorrow!
LikeLiked by 1 person
A little kindness can go a long way to improving any relationship.
LikeLike
That looks like a great place to take photos even when nobody is around. Hopefully it will be open before long, but not too close to the present.
Kindness is a great quality that sometimes I don’t practice. Great selection of songs.
LikeLiked by 1 person
For many years, this was THE PLACE to be for homecoming and prom photos.
LikeLike
What a lovely thing to do for the neighborhood, a nice and generous family. We all need love and kindness right now, good picks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The property owners were indeed some of the kindest and most generous people I have ever known.
LikeLike
They are all great tunes I must say. Show a little kindness was always a favorite with me. Sure is appropriate for today isn’t it? Lovin’ your pics too. They’re really showing that Spring has sprung that’s for sure. We’re not quite there yet, but we’ve started. I live near Fox River and the city is starting to clean up from the winter & when it just gets a tad warmer I’ll be able to start my walks again. Well, you have a wonderful day my friend and enjoy the sunshine and as usual … Stay Healthy, Stay Safe & STAY HOME! hugs
LikeLiked by 1 person
Spring is in full swing. Only the Bermuda grass hasn’t fully awakened yet.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely park, wonderful music!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gland you enjoyed the post today.
LikeLike
John,
What a beautiful place! I’m always awed by those gifted with a green thumb and while I certainly do not have a green thumb I do enjoy the lovely landscapes of others. Each April our city hosts the Dogwood Arts Festival. There are several driving trails around town for motorists to tour past some gorgeous lawns. The white and pink dogwood blooms are the focus but the tulips generally are outstanding during the early part of the month. Taking one of those drives is a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon. It’s a bummer we couldn’t enjoy that this year but hopefully if the Lord allows us to live then maybe next year will be better.
‘Love Lifted Me’ is my favorite hymnal of all times. I remember attending the small country church near my childhood home and on the Sunday mornings I woke up grumpy, reluctant to make the short trek to that old white church on the hill but when I got there usually the first song they’d start the service with was this very song. I’m here to tell you by the time we got the chorus, my grumpy self melted away. Even before I knew the Lord on a personal level, I felt His presence and appreciated what He did for me. It’s an amazing feeling! Thank you for rekindling such a sweet memory. 🙂
I haven’t been out too much since the pandemic started so I don’t know if people are being kind to one another or not but I sure hope what you’ve seen is a nation-wide act and perhaps even globally. Election year ugliness is never missed by anyone but the talk of mail-in ballots I’m concerned is a maneuver by those less than honest to control the election. The pandemic is a serious matter and I believe this pathogen will be around for some time yet, maybe indefinitely but I feel it’s important for us get going in America again. There’s a risk doing this sure but we need to learn how to work around this until there’s a vaccine. When the government becomes invasive as such in what we do, where we can go, … it’s not about our health. It’s about having power of us. God is in control and if we raise our voices to Him then He will hear us, perhaps even honor our prayers.
Thank you for the wonderful spiritually stirring songs this morning. Have a glorious week, my friend!
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Love Lifted Me” has always been a favorite of mine as well. I guess my all-time favorites are “Blessed Assurance” and “Victory in Jesus”. Looking forward to a glorious week, yes I am.
LikeLike
What a beautiful park and great mewsic too. We can’t have enough kindness during these days, can we? 😸Clean Pawkisses for a Happy Tuesday. Stay Safe Healthy and Yourselfie🙏🐾😽💞
LikeLike
Oh, Driller, I echo you, we as a country have seen both the greatest of kindness and also outpourings of hate in these past weeks. We are in a time that brings out the truest character in each of us. I have been amazed at the heroism of the nurses and doctors who go into the COVID-19 ward my brother in law is in (hospitalized going on three weeks now and finally starting to recover) not knowing if this is the day they will get sick themselves. The kindness they show to our family when we call for updates – they treat us with the greatest of patience and kindness, and they try to encourage him, too. If only we all could be like that.
LikeLike
Excellent read, I just passed this onto a colleague who was doing a little research on that. And he just bought me lunch as I found it for him smile Therefore let me rephrase that: Thank you for lunch!
LikeLike