Saturday, January 17, 2009

Cure for the Common Cold

*sigh*


How cold is it?

The normally skittish Sherbert has become a lap cat again:


Chloe is pretending she is a tropical cat:


They say the key to surviving winter in the northern climes is to get out there and enjoy it, with fun winter activities like skiing, snowshoeing, sledding...

...or shovelling.

Doesn't he look excited?

But sometimes, the best cure is to leave winter behind for a while, and remind yourself of what's on the other side of that long cold stretch of season. Some folks do this by taking vacations in warmer climes. Those of us with less time and/or money...

(or an inability to fly)


...have another option:


It is truly one of my favorite places in town, especially this time of year.


Like Chloe, you can surround yourself with greenery and pretend it's Spring:






But it's not just the riot of color...it's the sounds of running water - and the resulting humidity in the air. I love the orchid room, with it's pond filled with koi - and Mr. Frog. Every time I go, I make sure to locate Mr. Frog.

Here he is!


The orchids take my breath away:









I also suffer from orchid envy. Here's ours:

Bloom, damn you! Bloom!

The scent in the air is amazing. One room had this incredible spicy smell that I wanted to bottle and bring back to my house.

I love the concept of trees INSIDE spaces. TREES! INSIDE! Wacky!




And jungles! Again, inside!!!!




Did I mention I'm a sucker for waterfalls?


And so we emerged rejuvenated and fortified with a healthy dose of spring to get us through the next few months.

*sigh* Maybe once-a-week doses are in order....

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