Magnolia Plantation or On the Various Uses of a Garden Path

The second weekend in April, we spent a day in the gardens at Magnolia Plantation. These are the oldest unrestored gardens in the country; some parts of the gardens are over 325 years old. (Owen actually would have been happy spending all of his time in the admission line, where he met dozens of new friends. He is very friendly.) Before we entered the gardens, Owen had his first encounter with a peacock. This peacock, it seemed, had jumped the petting zoo fence and was exploring life on the outside. He was at some points practically touching us, and I was going crazy over it. This photo perfectly captures Owen's reaction:
Meh.

Owen loved the gardens. He liked walking the paths (read: trying to eat every piece of gravel he could get his hands on) and finding the small signs that explained what things were (read: pretending to read them before trying to pull them out of the ground). The azaleas were all in bloom:
There were dozens of picturesque bridges that looked like they were straight out of a Japanese woodblock. Here are Bill, Owen, and Bruno crossing one such bridge.
***FOR ANYONE WHO IS EASILY GROSSED OUT, STOP READING NOW. THE END.***

You might wonder how Bruno fared at the gardens. He was tickled pink to be invited along on the family outing, but let's just say he didn't put his best foot forward. And by "didn't put his best foot forward," I mean that two days prior he had "gotten into the trash" and, as a result, right in the middle of these beautiful, historic gardens, he suddenly "vomited" all over the path. Bill and Bruno were up ahead when this "happened," and Owen and I were studying something near the edge of the pond, when all of a sudden I heard Bill call out, "LAR, I NEED YOU TO PLEASE COME HERE NOW," in the way that meant trouble was afoot. I picked up Owen and caught up with Bill, who handed me Bruno's leash and began to quickly "take care of the situation." (My gratuitous use of quotes is assisting me in sparing you the gory details. Just know that every item in quotations is a drastic euphemism.)

When all was said and done and no evidence remained and I continued to be overcome with both horror and laughter, I asked Bill incredulously, "Did anyone see that happen?"

Bill: "Yeah, this guy was standing right next to us."

Me: "Did he say anything?!? I mean, what did he do??"

Bill: "Nothing. He didn't say anything. I don't think they really cover that one in Emily Post."

THE END for real this time.