MapleWood Park

Where the rose gardens are - that's what my friend said in her email about where we could walk this weekend. Along the river. I have never heard of the place, but the thought of discovering a local park with roses entices me. I miss Yaddo and have not found anything like it in this area. I type MapleWood into my iPhone and head that direction - not too early mind you. After all, its Saturday and there is no driving need to be up and about at the crack of dawn (even though I will be anyway).

I arrive a few minutes before she does and am amazed to find that there are still many roses in bloom. So many colors - orange, red, yellow, pink. So many sizes - delicate little tea roses, mid sized climbing roses, huge show roses. Some of them have ethereal fragrances that transport you to a more elegant time, a more formal occasion. Others have no fragrances at all. How disappointing. A rose with no fragrance. What a terrible thing.

My friend arrives and we chat while deciding which way to go - towards the city or towards the zoo. We head towards the zoo. To our right down a steep embankment lies the river lazily meandering along in the bright sunlight despite the fall chill in the air. To our left, the back yards of large homes, some formal, some casual. Lots of vines run along the ground but the path we walk is well marked, sometimes dirt littered with dusty leaves, sometimes blacktop, sometimes cement sidewalk.

We chatter as we walk along, the path gently rising and falling with the shape of the landscape. People pass - walking dogs, on bikes, alone, with a friend. We can see below by the river's edge groups of people muddling with nature. There is a second trail paralleling ours but much lower. Ahead we can see a bridge enabling the highway to pass over the gorge. Our path takes us beneath the bridge and we marvel at flowers still in bloom along the stone wall where the warm sun has tricked them into thinking it is still summer.

After passing the bridge, we come to a division in the path. If we go forward, it will take us to the zoo. There are steeper hills there. I am already tiring and I know I must have enough energy to get back to the car. I opt for turning around and heading back the way we came. I am sure I could have gone a bit farther, but I don't want to take chances. We decide that next walk we will start here at the path turn.

I hadn't realized that all along we had been gradually descending. Now that I am retracing, it is all uphill! Not steep, but enough to make me huff and puff. I know I am out of shape, but I want to talk while walking and I find I am not able. Twice my friend stops to allow me to catch my breath. We gaze out over the steep cliff to the river below. How beautiful the trees are with their fall colors, even though we both agree that this fall has not been as stellar as previous falls have been. Something about how the temperature keeps fluctuating. One minute winter is immanent, the next summer has powerfully returned.

At last the parking lot weaves into view and my decrepit body will be able to relax. We spend a few minutes smelling the roses. If either of us knew how to make rose hip tea, we could have harvested a bounty. But then, my friend pointed out, its probably not legal. Besides, I add, who know what sort of chemicals they were sprayed with.

We part ways, each heading for household duties and errands. I promise myself to return to this floral mecca next summer when the garden is in full bloom. I am sure it will be a treat. Today was sumptuous, even without the full floral effect. I wonder if I can convince Drew and Sugar to come with me?