# MADS -- an outing that's a cut above \[May 5th\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 14, 2007, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-an-outing-thats-a-cut-above-may-5th/395910 "2007-03-14T16:59:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2007, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-an-outing-thats-a-cut-above-may-5th/395910/121 "2007-05-06T23:19:06Z")
When feisty smart ladies of her age order a beer with lunch, that garners a thumbs up. šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/22080_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2007, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-an-outing-thats-a-cut-above-may-5th/395910/122 "2007-05-06T23:48:28Z")
First time she and Dad went to Europe (20-some years ago) every postcard I got from her said ā€œgreat beer here!ā€ What can I say - my mom likes beer. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-an-outing-thats-a-cut-above-may-5th/395910/123 "2007-05-07T01:22:28Z")
Just chiming in to add that, yes, it was a great day. Thanks to **twickster** for organizing it, and to **FairyChatMom** got the restaurant suggestion. That was a great place, too. It was fun meeting new people, and Iā€™m glad the little **What Exit** kids didnā€™t fall in one of the various ponds or streams. I was sure one of them was gonna take a header and end up soaking wet. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-an-outing-thats-a-cut-above-may-5th/395910/124 "2007-05-07T14:40:34Z")
[More pix](http://s56.photobucket.com/albums/g161/twickster/ladew%200507/?start=0). (And for those of you ā€“ which was just about everyone, right? ā€“ who were clamoring to see some Holland pix, you can see some [here](http://s56.photobucket.com/albums/g161/twickster/Holland%200407/). ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-an-outing-thats-a-cut-above-may-5th/395910/125 "2007-05-07T16:32:21Z")
That was a _peace sign_??? No wonder I couldnā€™t figure it out. Anyway, thanks for having me along. I had a good time. (And yes I do think I sat next to **FCM** at lunch.) ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-an-outing-thats-a-cut-above-may-5th/395910/126 "2007-05-07T16:42:16Z")
[QUOTE=psychobunny] That was a _peace sign_??? No wonder I couldnā€™t figure it out. [/QUOTE] I walked right by that, I was busy looking at the Cupidā€™s Arrow heart. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-an-outing-thats-a-cut-above-may-5th/395910/127 "2007-05-07T16:45:48Z")
Hey **Ben** ā€“ you donā€™t have to post those pix of me (nope, you definitely donā€™t) ā€“ but you could email them to meā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-an-outing-thats-a-cut-above-may-5th/395910/128 "2007-05-07T17:01:40Z")
Iā€™ll probably post my photos tonight. **twickster** , watch your mail server for a 1 MB fileā€¦ and a price list. šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/22080_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-an-outing-thats-a-cut-above-may-5th/395910/129 "2007-05-07T20:00:27Z")
I missed the peace sign, too. Bit I was pretty pleased that I figured out the heart with the arrow. Some of the shrubs were beyond my comprehension. Iā€™ll have to wait till I go back to Momā€™s to see her pics. With her crappy dial-up, thereā€™s no way sheā€™ll get any photos uploaded in our lifetime. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-an-outing-thats-a-cut-above-may-5th/395910/130 "2007-05-07T20:02:20Z")
[QUOTE=Scuba\_Ben] I walked right by that, I was busy looking at the Cupidā€™s Arrow heart. [/QUOTE] Or was it the Harp Seal? šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-an-outing-thats-a-cut-above-may-5th/395910/131 "2007-05-07T20:15:21Z")
[QUOTE=GingerOfTheNorth] Or was it the Harp Seal? šŸ˜‰ [/QUOTE] Are you referring to the lyrebird? **commasense** shared the misapprehension that those were flippers, and not wings. ---
**Author:** ![TwoTrouts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9adbd/32.png) [@TwoTrouts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoTrouts)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-an-outing-thats-a-cut-above-may-5th/395910/132 "2007-05-07T20:21:09Z")
A Lyre-Bird! So thatā€™s what it was! I somehow missed **commasense** ā€™s explanation. How 'bout them seahorsesā€¦? šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2007, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-an-outing-thats-a-cut-above-may-5th/395910/133 "2007-05-07T21:34:26Z")
[QUOTE=TwoTrouts] A Lyre-Bird! So thatā€™s what it was! I somehow missed **commasense** ā€™s explanation. How 'bout them seahorsesā€¦? šŸ˜‰ [/QUOTE] No, the lyrebird is **twickster** ā€™s explanation. I thought they were seals. I never knew there was such a thing as a [lyrebird](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyrebird) until this moment. Obviously, the topiarist is making a visual pun. I saw the peace sign but missed the heart until I looked twice. ---
**Author:** ![TwoTrouts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9adbd/32.png) [@TwoTrouts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoTrouts)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-an-outing-thats-a-cut-above-may-5th/395910/134 "2007-05-08T00:26:13Z")
Hope this works! Here is my set of [pictures](http://s130.photobucket.com/albums/p266/TwoTrouts/Ladew%20Gardens%205-5-07/)ā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-an-outing-thats-a-cut-above-may-5th/395910/135 "2007-05-08T02:01:12Z")
Great photos, **TwoTrouts**! I like the one of the litttle **What Exit** kid in blue standing under the red Japanese arch. Nice color contrast. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-an-outing-thats-a-cut-above-may-5th/395910/136 "2007-05-08T13:20:48Z")
Nice pix! I took the liberty of downloading a copy of ā€œJapanese Snowballs.ā€ Iā€™ll have my people call your people if I decide to use it in the magazine. šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![TwoTrouts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9adbd/32.png) [@TwoTrouts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoTrouts)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-an-outing-thats-a-cut-above-may-5th/395910/137 "2007-05-08T13:33:43Z")
[QUOTE=twickster] Nice pix! I took the liberty of downloading a copy of ā€œJapanese Snowballs.ā€ Iā€™ll have my people call your people if I decide to use it in the magazine. šŸ˜‰ [/QUOTE] Wow! šŸ†’ I liked the juxtaposition of the white puffy globes of flowers against the white puffy clouds. I am growing one of these plants (Styrax japonica?) in a pot for eventual transplantation into my garden. ---
**Author:** ![TwoTrouts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9adbd/32.png) [@TwoTrouts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoTrouts)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-an-outing-thats-a-cut-above-may-5th/395910/138 "2007-05-08T13:41:30Z")
Wellā€¦ Whatever plant I took the picture of is not ā€œJapanese Snowballsā€ (actual name is Japanese SnowBell). Anyone know what it is? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-an-outing-thats-a-cut-above-may-5th/395910/139 "2007-05-08T13:51:09Z")
[QUOTE=TwoTrouts] Wellā€¦ Whatever plant I took the picture of is not ā€œJapanese Snowballsā€ (actual name is Japanese SnowBell). Anyone know what it is? [/QUOTE] Iā€™d have guessed some kind of ridiculously early hydrangea, but Iā€™m weak on bushes. (Despite the definitiveness of my azalea ID šŸ˜‰ ) ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2007, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-an-outing-thats-a-cut-above-may-5th/395910/140 "2007-05-08T14:11:35Z")
Reading the guide that they gave us when we entered (RTFM, what a nutty idea!), I see that the hat thingy in the topiary garden was supposed to be Churchillā€™s top hat, and that, in keeping with the Churchill theme, the ā€œpeace signā€ was in fact a ā€œvictory sign.ā€ But **twickster** is right about the lyrebirds and I was right about the rest: seahorses, heart, butterfly, etc. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-an-outing-thats-a-cut-above-may-5th/395910.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mads-an-outing-thats-a-cut-above-may-5th/395910.md?page=8)