Taken almost ten years ago, this photograph shows a Laotian immigrant holding a vegetable from a kitchen garden on the grounds of a Laotian Buddhist temple in rural Connecticut. I had been exploring back roads one summer afternoon. When I came across the temple, I drove in, parked, and looked around wide eyed. It was a most amazing sight, this little piece of Laos in the middle of northern Connecticut’s pastoral landscape.ย I began chatting (more or less!) with two members who were tending the temple and communal garden. They kindly insisted on giving me a bag of freshly dug herb plants, roots and all, which survived in my own garden for years.
Joy.
The Daily Press Weekly Photo Challenge is to post a photograph that depicts Joy. There are plenty more images of joy here.
(The header photo is actually from a different place, the Dia Tang Vietnamese temple in Seattle).
bluebrightly 
the stories behind the photos add so much to the reading and viewing pleasure! yes, this represents joy, and his joy is infectious!
________________________________
LikeLike
Good to hear from you Lisa! Internet’s a little better these days, right? Thanks!
LikeLike
Nice picture and story!
LikeLike
your wanderings bore fruit, or should I say vegetables! lovely picture and tale ๐
LikeLike
Groan!! ๐
LikeLike
LOVE it!!! That smile just lights up the world! So cool that you wander in and blend… ๐
LikeLike
Whenever I can!
LikeLike
Absolute, pure happiness:) So wonderful!
LikeLike
Gorgeous – so joyous!
LikeLike
The gentleman does seem quite joyful, Lynn. It was very nice of them to be so generous with their plants and you apparently are a good gardener to maintain them over the years.
LikeLike
Actually what they gave me was some kind of Thai basil I think, and it self seeded and went crazy, but I liked it anyway. Thanks for your thoughts –
LikeLike
So expressive!
A Happy New Year to you!
LikeLike
Nice shot and a beautiful story to go with it! Grt post!
LikeLike
Pingback: A BEAUTIFUL JOY | hastywords
Such pleasure and joy in growing and sustaining plants from seed or passed on by others and this man DOES look full of it ๐
Would love some Basil to go crazy in my border .. far too wet Lol
Happy New Year BB !
LikeLike
Isn’t it wonderful to find these foreign communities in the midst of America? I love it! He certainly does look joyous. ๐
LikeLike
That’s true Cathy – it always excites me to find a whole world that it so “other” compared to my usual sights and sounds and smells.
LikeLike
Pingback: Weekly Photo Challenge: Joy | Memory Catcher