Tuesday 16 June 2015

White Rock Lake and Dallas Arboretum

White Rock Lake was built in 1911 as a water reservoir for the city of Dallas.  It is surrounded by a park and has a hiking and biking trail around the lake with nice vistas. On a Monday morning it was quite deserted,  but did not feel unsafe, apart from the occasional biker swishing by and barking helpful warning shouts from the back : "On your  left!" which made me jump until I saw the signpost. 





a cormorant


red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)


young barn swallows


Blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata)

Dallas Arboretum and Botanic Garden is in White Rock Lake Park. It is a spectacular garden, a perfect oasis, beautifully maintained  and with an unsual lay-out and a series of privately funded small gardens dedicated to families. 


A Woman's Garden

Magnolia Grandiflora

other visitors


a strong-scented gardenia

the hug

Echinacea purpurea


Close by is the George W. Bush library on the campus of the Southern Methodist University (SMU). I did not expect much, but it is certainly worth going - very well presented, in an interesting building,  stories about family and upbringing and general politics, not only a vindication for the unpopular war in Iraq. 

 (image overlay of two presentations)








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