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“Next time we’re in Salem, we should go up to the art park and look for butterflies.”
…said I, as we headed down the road.
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Considering the smoke, I hadn’t actually meant today, but Grant is a man of action!
Offer a vague suggestion and he will turn it into a plan…
We’d not set out for Salem but as we were going in that general direction, to the park we went.
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Admittedly I am not an artist, but my impression of what constitutes sculpture – ain’t this.
A swing for polar bears maybe?
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(Why polar bears in particular, you might ask. No idea.)
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The art on display is eclectic.
That’s not what brings us here.
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Re-cycling is one thing…
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Hard to say what that arch might once have been.
A bag of leftover cement perhaps?
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Hmmm…
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Changing the angle didn’t help.
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Presumably an over-sized shuttlecock.
Very long ago, my parents had a badminton net and we spent some time bashing these back and forth, which in retrospect strikes me as a most uncharacteristic activity for them.
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No, art is not the lure.
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Previously, it’s been the view…
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Today, obviously that was out.
But the meadow is attractive and perhaps we’d see some butterflies.
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Sadly, we did not, so we had to content ourselves with wild flowers.
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Wild bergamot.
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Queen Anne’s lace, golden rod, thistles and a variety of grasses cover the slopes.
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There was milkweed and Joe Pyeweed in there too.
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We went to the park at the end of July last year and saw butterflies feeding on the thistles.
That day, the sky was clear of smoke.
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Not a single pair of wings in sight today.
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So thistles would have to do.
They are very lovely, as long as you don’t get too close.
Love the thistles! And I agree – most outdoor would be better called eyesore art. Blots on the landscape.
Someone was probably paid a fortune to produce that “art” and, no doubt, someone will pay out a vast sum to acquire it later! Who’s the mug here?
Let’s just say these outdoor artworks allowed you to take some unusual photos. 🙂
I have to say, Carolyn, that seeing what people have done to such a beautiful meadow, littering it with the hideous junk, made me very unhappy! The flowers and grasses are more than enough to stroll through, admiring the beauty of nature. I love the thistles and grow some in my wildlife garden. Your photos, as always, are excellent! Thank you!
Joanna
I love your photos.
Wow, the view far surpasses the art, sorry to say.
Sorry the smoke hid the butterflies, but I love how you found beauty in the flowers instead. The thistles are pretty (as long as you don’t get too close!). Hope you see butterflies next time and I like installation in the park
I am quite fond of seeing proper, sympathetic art work in nature. But not when it looks like someone has dumped the contents of a scrapyard, like those shown.
Best wishes, Pete.
A swing for polar bears – that’s by far the most original guess out there 😂. So, even if you didn’t see any butterflies, you delivered interesting artwork and I’m always in the mood for beautiful wild flowers!