Looking for Serenity - Pictures of a Japanese Garden

I'm running super late today so I'm putting in pictures of one of my favorite places EVER - the Japanese Garden in Portland, Oregon. This spectacular garden has something for everyone. It's sprawled over multiple levels and some serious acreage (5.5 acres) and contains several different types of Japanese gardens. It was designed by one of the top Japanese designers and frankly, I could spend days there. Unfortunately, I only had a few hours when I visited, but it was enough for me to fall in love. Enjoy the pictures.

The entryway is a steep hike up the mountainside, but there is a shuttle available
if you want it. You enter through a traditional gateway. 

This spectacular maple tree is one of several perfectly positioned to
excite and calm the mind and spirit. It's beautiful any time of the year,
but this fall picture really shows the coloring. 

Water is as much a feature of the gardens as the foliage and pathways. This
fabulous broken waterfall has a soft cadence that compliments the sounds
of the varied wildlife who live in the garden. 

Here is the koi pond. See the Japanese lantern across the water?
There are several different styles of lanterns throughout the
garden but we'll see this one from a different viewpoint
in a moment. 

Here's that same lantern from a different angle. Do you see how the garden
can enchant with every step? 

Of course there is a Zen Garden as well as a formal garden. The carefully
placed sand are carefully choreographed. It is peace and quiet for the soul. 

Of course, with my deep love of cranes and egrets, I had to also show these
wonderful crane sculptures on the pond edge. 

Here is a blooming cherry tree in the formal garden. Off to the side is a
deer-knocker fountain that I watched for a long time. Made of bamboo, it
gave a wonderful hollow sound whenever the tube fell to empty the water, and
again when it rose to refill. Lovely and haunting. 

I've run out of time, but here's a map of the gardens and if
you are ever in Portland, Oregon, I recommend a long visit.
Follow the link for more information. 

So there's my day. While I'm running around trying to get my errands done, I'll be grounded in a bit of beautiful serenity. I hope you enjoyed these pictures as much as I enjoyed sharing them with you. Happy Wednesday, and Happy Birthday to my friend Kathy in Poland - have a fantastic day of joy.