Flowers in Winter

I still have so many more flower pictures to post from the conservatory on Belle Isle. We are suppose to go again this Friday. I am trying to perfect my photos.
It snowed last night and now it's coming down again....that's the best time to go to the conservatory....the summer is way to hot to go inside, although I do like to sit by the pond. When the weather is bad you really appreciate all the colors and the warm, humid air. In the summer there are so many people and kids......When I was there last week it was practically empty. Anyway, I am going to pay more attention to the names of the plants and flowers.

Snow today...

Remembering

 I wish that this room was attached to my house. At one time I had a little shed/greenhouse behind my garage,,,,,ran it for about 10 years. I had Jasmine, orange trees, house plants and many flowering plants. In the early Spring, I would start my seeds for the garden. I also had a cold frame that I used to start early seeds but in the fall I would sink pots of flowering bulbs, cover with leave and close the top. In January, I could bring in a pot and it wouldn't take long before they were sprouting. Lovely to have tulips and daffs in February. I also had a great compost frame that I made myself which I filled with shredded leaves and grass clippings. If it was cold out you could see it steaming.....I called it cooking. Great compost in the spring for my garden. Now, I am lucky to get up to Bordines to buy a few annuals and get them planted. It was difficult to keep the greenhouse heated and it needed constant monitoring which sometimes involved shoveling a path in the snow and trying to pry the door open. It was one of my many hobbies through the years and I enjoyed it very much. Now I take photographs. I sat in this big room and pretended it was mine.

Jeff's Birthday

(photos courtesy of Jeff Thomas)

 Here's our photography group.....we got together to celebrate Jeff (our teacher) and also Terry's birthdays. It was so good seeing everyone again. Jeff just recovering from a knee replacement and Terry is waiting on a new liver. Happy to be together again. Of course the main topic of conversation was photography....equipment, new places to take pictures, new techniques etc. It was funny having a Panera employee ( a young girl) taking out photo with Jeff's elaborate camera. Took her a few shots.

 Brian and Jeff

 Dave (Jeff's helper) and his wife Carol

Me, Mary Jo and Barb

 Gary

 Karen and Steve

Sheila

Primrose

Music Lab at the Historic Museum

 Kid Rock donated a million bucks to make this music lab at the museum that pays tribute to Detroit music history. Some pretty cool stuff.

Detroit Historical Museum

 The Detroit Historic Museum is located on Woodward Ave. next to the Detroit Public Library and across from the DIA. The lower level has a Detroit historic village. The 5 and dime above was like an antique store. Really enjoyed looking around....there were a variety of street surfaces from brick

 to cobble and several different types of wood....I guess anything to keep the mud at bay. You can still see brick street here and there across Detroit.  One area had a very nice model train display.

 All the above pictures were from inside the 5 and dime.

 This picture is from the Sanders Candy store

The Isle