Pic Today 1/24/12

GOOD NEWS:

IT'S THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON

Happy New Year, everyone.

Happy Chinese New Year, that is.

It's the Year of the Dragon.

And that's very good news on the Chinese calendar.

Of all the years and animals,

the Year of the Dragon is the luckiest one.

In fact, the Chinese take it so seriously,

women include "fertility" in their family planning

and do their best of become pregnant

the next 3 months . . .

so their next generation will be born

in the Year of the Dragon.

For good luck!

Whenever you were born,

whatever your year,

here's wishing you good fortune

and good luck in the coming year.

Pic Today 1/23/12

ADJUSTING TO A

WINTER WITHOUT SNOW

Our weather this winter

has been noticeably warmer,

and without the snow of past years.

Noticeable changes in our winter lives:

o No sledding or toboggans down neighborhood hills.

o No helping children build snowmen in the yard.

o No dressing up for long walks in snow covered fields.

o No staying home from school or work due to snow warnings.

o No skis or snow boards strapped atop cars . . .

UNLESS, OF COURSE

We make our own snow!

A short drive, west of St. Louis,

to Hidden Valley Ski Lodge,

where they cover their slopes with snow.

(Man-made snow is better than none.)

I suppose this will do

until we get the real thing!

Pic Today 1/22/12

WHEN CAMELLIAS BLOOM

". . . spring cannot be far behind."

Camellias are making their first showing

this late January (albeit indoors.)

Their fragrant, colorful buds shown here

at the Linnaean House, Missouri Botanical Garden.

Built in 1882, the Linnaean House is

the oldest continuously operated greenhouse

west of the Mississippi River

(named in honor of Swedish botanist,

Carl Linnaeus, by Henry Shaw.)

The camellia collection planted here

dates back to the 1920s.

(Did you know?

The tea we drink

comes from leaves of the camellia.)

Pic Today 1/21/12

ICY WEATHER

MAKES A VISIT

How would you like to be the weatherman

this winter?

Warm weather last week;

cold weather this week;

no snow to speak of;

an ice storm last night;

only to be followed by a warm spell in the 50's

for the next 3 days.

Hard to know what to wear when you leave the house!

No matter the weather . . . how warm, how cold . . .

how bad, how good . . . how sunny, how cloudy . . .

there's beauty and wonder in the world.

The seasons change.

The world adapts.

Such is nature!

Pic Today 1/20/12

TROPICAL RAIN FOREST

ON A WINTER DAY

A visit to the Climatron,

at Missouri Botanical Garden,

is a sure fire way to escape a cold winter's day.

This tropical enclosed environment

was the first geodesic dome greenhouse

ever built (constructed in 1960).

The Climatron houses over 1,500 tropical plants

in 85% humidity, at a daytime temperature of 85˚F

and a cool nighttime temperature of 65˚F.

(A well tempered jungle thriving in St. Louis!)

It sure feels good when it's cold and windy outside.

But it does make your camera lens fog over

when you go inside.

(With patience - about 15 minutes - the fog clears.)