Enjoy them while they last

I can't seem to get enough of the fall leaves.  They are so bright and vibrant here.  I keep stopping and relishing in them.  I know winter is coming, but the fall always makes me smile.

Today my family rode our bikes over to Koyamateien - a garden about 20 minutes from our house.  My husband had read about the bright trees that were a must see.  After finding the garden, it took a couple minutes to find the right parking. This meant my son got to go up and down the steep hill on the back of my bike a couple times.  He squealed with delight during each downhill glide.

Once we were parked in the appointed parking, we wandered into the small garden.  The colors were so bright!  My son quickly grabbed my phone and begged to take photos.  I was happy to oblige.  He always sees things from a different perspective. 

It was also nice to pass off the camera to him, since it gave me time to really look around.  The garden was compact, but still had a waterfall, pool, and wandering paths.  The landscaping was mostly trees and water.  Very classic for a Japanese garden.

There was a woman cleaning out a reflecting pool.  She greeted us cheerfully, welcoming us to the garden she so carefully tended.  If it was my garden, I would be happy to show it off as well.