The boys have never been to Rieman Gardens in Ames, and I placed it on our summer To-Do list. We ventured there with Aunt Sarah and Isla, and Aunt Lindsay, Calvin, and Harper. It was a toasty day, with temperatures around 93 degrees. But with school on the horizon, today was the day to do it.

We started in the Butterfly Garden, a truly magical place as electric blue, black and white striped, and orange butterflies flutter all around you. (Sorry – I don’t know their names, only colors!) Are we fairies? Jude desperately wanted to hold one – well, we all did – and Rex and Morris loved spotting them hanging in trees or drinking sweet water in a bird bath.

Lego peacock nicely fans Rex’s head.

We braved the heat as little boys need to get out and run, and they enjoyed searching for the Lego sculptures on display by artist Sean Kenney. The boys found the peacock, the bonsai tree, the bee, the gardeners, the hummingbird, and the best of all: the giant spider suspended from the roof in the Children’s Garden. They didn’t find them all, but they were thrilled when they did!

Shade for the boys.

The gardens are beautiful: a calming blend of winding paths along water and shaded resting spots. We wandered, then rested, then wandered, then had a drink of water, then wandered some more. Finally, it was time to leave with an ice cream treat.