windinthemaples

On Saturday morning, we loaded up our car with art supplies, a camera, and some toys and drove over to the Garfield Conservatory. It is this incredible historic (1906) complex--something like 4 acres of growing plants under glass. The Palm House has 65 foot ceilings and some of the palm trees growing in it seem to be touching the glass. We shed layers of clothing, took deep appreciative breaths of the warm, humid air, and felt healed by an afternoon there. The Fern Room is designed to look like something prehistoric. Water tumbles into a large pool, the path snakes through, past, under ferns and fronds and along rock walls completely obscured by a curtain of moss and other green, growing things. It did seem like something out of a sci-fi movie. :) There was just so much to do and see, so many secret little places to sit, so many plants whispering to each other, so much sunshine and warmth to bathe in. :) The crazy thing is this place is free! Always free!

We sat down to a lunch from the gift shop (spinach + candied walnuts + dried cranberries=win! bread+veggies+hummus=win!) and then made some Yule sun ornaments for our tree.

( Photos! )