I have been posting lightly so far this week, because I have been in the thick of it with too much work and too little sleep. I enjoy working at night after the boys go to bed, but 7 nights a week until the wee hours has been wearing me down a bit!
So, what is a mama to do? My two sweet little guys are still as energetic as ever during the day and are a bit done with winter. Today we went out to lunch and then went to absorb some humidity and warmth at our local arboretum. We haven't been in a few months, and the boys enjoyed going again - it is nice to go for a walk in such lush surroundings.
A loves facts, and always surprises me with how much he remembers. He identified many plants - and was worked up that they had TWO (yes TWO!) corpse flower plants there...although without buds. I reassured him that without buds, there is no stink, so we were safe in the building! His favorite spot, though, is the carnivorous plant area. We often check out books about them, and he loves reading about how they trap insects, about where they grow, and how they digest things.
Today he stood at the pitcher plants for a long time, discussing the types of pitcher plants they have there, and how limited their collection is (why don't they have xxxx, or xxxx, or xxxx?). So interested. We plan to grow some of our own as a project when it gets warmer - and so we read and re-read the plaques of information. It is fun as he gets older, because he wants to read everything - names of plants, birds, which insects are beneficial and which are not, where the plants come from, and how they care for them there.
All through this, G was marching in his boots as fast as he could...always away from whatever we were looking at. A kept desperately calling to him to slow down so we could read all the signs!!! But alas, there were too many millipedes on the floor near the carnivorous plants, which he did.not.like., so he marched and marched.
After I convinced him that standing on a bench would keep him far from the crawlies, he was more comfortable, and was able to hang out and sing for a little bit while we finished reading about the pitcher plants.With the sun out today there were areas in the arboretum which were scorching hot and so humid my camera kept fogging up. We loved those spots - enjoying the heat, breathing deeply, basking in the light.
10 comments:
Tell A that we have patches of wild Darlingtonia here near the coast. We like to visit the bogs. A friend of Layne's, a librarian, wrote a song that goes, "Kiss me Darlingtonia...kiss me, kiss me, eat me, eat me." It's super funny!
Isn't the air just great in those places. Plant breath. What a nice place to visit.
I so need to bask in the lush greenery!! And the sun? It has made itself scarce here.
Owen would probably want to see the crawly bugs the most!!
That arboretum looks gorgeous. We have a zoo we go to in Seattle that has a tropical rain forest that I love to go into because it's so hot and humid- it's feels so good to go in there out of the cold. My son wouldn't like the crawly bugs either, and my daughter would be the one reading all the signs.
Oh boy...I got so jealous when reading this post I googled and called everywhere to try to find an arboretum/botanical/tropical indoor garden place in Maine. Massachusetts has a small one. Near Boston. Three hours away. You are SO lucky to be able to take those Gardens in!! The closest I can get right now is to visit a local greenhouse. Which I may do. I'm getting desperate.
Great pictures!!
Pitcher plants are one of my favorites too, they had a beautiful collection at one place I went. The colors were gorgeous, greens and purples. I miss our arboretums, thanks for sharing those pictures.
Your A looks so sweet standing there with his hands on his hips studying the plants!
It looks like you had fun!
Oh i love the things you've added! the globe pic is just perfect and i adore the "teach evolution" button. right on mama!
A great way to escape the winter blues, wish I was there. We are not even able to get out of driveway today because of the snow. I am SOO ready for spring.
I'm in Madison too, and I've been to the Arboretum but never inside. I normally just go for hikes outdoors. Is this in the indoors area by the visitors' center?
Justyna - Yes! It is a great spot to go in the winter. Birds, waterfalls, koi ponds, bridges, 2 levels, orchids, paths and benches...That warm steamy air feels so good, and it is a wonderful place for kids. For the indoor conservatory it is only $1 for adults and free for kids 5 & under - and free for all on Wed. mornings (10-12). :)
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