Favorite Spots in Seattle (Japanese Garden)

All of the research I've been carrying out for our trip to Paris has reminded me how much I love exploring. When I lived in Japan I remember being asked lots of questions about Ireland and Dublin and while I did know a bit about my home country and city I was also surprised at some of the things I didn't know. On my return to Dublin, I bought a guide book and set off to explore the nooks and crannies of the city of my birth. I loved it.
 
When we first moved to Seattle in 2000 I spent a lot of time exploring the city but that naturally slowed down over time. When the girls arrived I discovered the city through the eyes of a mother, navigating Seattle's neighborhoods and unearthing children and family friendly areas to enjoy. Planning for our trip to Paris has renewed my desire to explore Seattle again, a little more intentionally, and combining the areas I enjoyed before the girls arrived with seeking out the family friendliness aspect.
 
Now that Ashley has finished pre-school I am also enjoying having a break from working around her school schedule. This is the perfect time to start our explorations of Seattle. So, last Wednesday, my friend Barb and I had arranged that we would go to the library with her and her daughter Katie and then take a picnic lunch to the Japanese Garden in the Arboretum. I love this little Japanese oasis in the spectacularly green and lush Arboretum. When we arrived Barb and I ate our lunch at a little picnic table outside the garden and the girls chose to eat on a blanket on the grass beside us. They were very excited and found it hard to focus on filling up on the calories we knew they'd need to enjoyably explore the garden. We came up with a game where they ate one piece of lunch, showed Barb and I they had nothing left in their mouth, then they ran to another picnic table a little distance away, ran 2 laps around the table and then returned to the blanket to eat something else before repeating the game again. They finished their lunch and even ate a little extra!

Inside the garden they enjoyed exploring the various little paths, crossing stepping stones in the ponds and feeding the koi, the turtles and some very assertive mallard ducks. We even saw a blue heron up close and when it took flight it's wingspan at such close proximity was very impressive. I've seen a number of herons before but never one taking flight so close. I didn't get a photo of it. Sometimes you just have to put away the camera and enjoy the beauty of the moment in front of you.