Trying to Forget It's Winter

First, a note.  For the last several days, I am - somehow - not receiving email notification that readers have commented on my blog.  Or, at least, 90% of the time I am not receiving notification.  A few of your comments are slipping through.  Please accept my heartfelt apologies for not responding to your comments, and know that I appreciate each one!  This happens every once in a while -- and Typepad usually figures things out pretty quickly.  In the meantime, please keep commenting!   I love to hear from you.

Now . . . on with our regularly scheduled post.

It's been really, really cold and quite snowy here for the last couple of weeks.  (Winter finally decided to catch up with us, after a really quite pleasant December.)  That kind of winter weather makes you go to rather extreme measures to try to . . . well, see past it.

My Mom and I visited Meijer Gardens last weekend (for the Orchid Show, as I explained yesterday), a wonderful botanical treasure right here in our backyard.  We didn't JUST visit the Orchid Show, though.

I convinced my Mom that we should go outside . . .  

To visit our favorite . . . the Japanese Gardens.

We braved really frigid temperatures - and some light lake effect snows - to take in the gardens.

Very lovely.  Very stark.  Let's just say . . . there weren't many of us out there!  (But we were not alone.)

The paths were pretty icy, though, so we didn't venture far.

Before heading home, we warmed up in some of the indoor conservatories.

It was great to find some daffodils and crocus blooming in the seasonal room!  It gave us hope for the coming spring.  (And also reminded us that we want to plant azaleas this year.)

The desert room almost made us feel hot and bright sunshine.  (Almost.)

It was a great afternoon -- and really did help us to forget about winter.  At least for a little while!

Gardens are always a great escape!
 

Comments

[claudia]

How wonderful that you were able to take this trip with your mom.

[Bonny]

There really is something quite beautiful about the Japanese gardens in winter (especially when you can warm up a bit in the conservatories). Love those barrel cacti!

[Patty]

Those cacti are awesome! You two look pretty awesome too!

[margene]

I've thought about going to Red Butte a few times this month, but haven't wanted to brave the weather de jour. I may brave the elements this weekend and see what's going on, if anything, under the snow and ice. Your gardens look marvelous!

[Carole]

Visiting a garden is a great winter activity. I love the picture of those cactus. And you and mom look great, too!

[Jo]

The perfect winter respite. Love that you and your mom embraced the winter along with the indoor exhibits!

[Debbie]

What a nice way to spend a winter day with your Mom!

[Cheryl S.]

Pretty! But Brrr!

[kmkat]

I love to see you and your mom together. My mother has been gone for 30 years; I wish she and I could hang out at a garden-y place, too.