As proof that I suck at updating this blog (damn you facebook) this was a month ago. Trip to Allen Gardens, a free conservatory in an arguably sketchy bit of town. By "sketchy", the park it's in is characterized by (quoting city project planning docs here) emotionally disturbed and marginalized persons. Since this basically discribes myself and many of my friends, Kelly and I braved the weird and trundled off on a freezing day to enjoy and take pictures of this historic collection of public greenhouses.


Mmmmmmmm. Before the days of archetorture and crystaline entities attacking the ROM, people built stuff that looked like this. Nice.


Most PG rated statue of Leda and the Swan award goes to: winnah! It's nice to see these two finally getting along.


Hot. Very hot. No place for parkas, this particular green house. There are actually six greenhouses together but the cactus house is definately the warmest. Beautiful collection of cacti abound. I can't, however, look at any cactus without David Bowies version of the song of the same name going through my head. Which is not unwelcome at all.


This is the main, middle section and the place where I've conducted two weddings. For anyone thinking about it, Allen Gardens is a fantastic place to get married, brilliant for photos and you're utterly connected with nature while being protected from the elements. As an added bonus, although we didn't see any that day, occasionally winter fat squirrels deek in to the Palm House through the open windows up top to run up and down the tropical plants. A sight everyong should see at least once in their lives - sorry, no pix, you'll have to visit.


I just really like this, like Gods rain switch or something.


I screwed up a lot of pictures of this particular flower. I still don't think I got it right. So very pretty in person. Around this time a group of people from a wedding accosted us and demanded to know where to stand. "Dude, I don't know". "Aren't you our photographer?" "Nope." "Well, where is she?" ".....um, delayed?" I must look like I have answers. I do, they're just not always good ones.


I liked this too. Not sure why.


Mmmmmmmm. Orange flowers.


I was not super close to this leaf, nor is this a special nimble lens. It's just a really big freaking leaf, about four feet of planty goodness.


Allen Gardens is for everyone, walking or wheeled. Again - nice.

We did meet one of the proprotedly marginalized persons out front and had a nice conversation that went something like this:
Old lady in santa hat: Hi!
Me: Hello!
Kelly: (runs away to takes pictures of dogs)
OLISH: You girls taking pictures??
Me: (looks down at rather large Canon XT I'm holding) Yup.
OLISH: It's COLD.
Me: Sure is. Warm in there though. (guestures to greenhouse)
OLISH: There's a falcon around here somewhere. Two guys was here last week taking pictures, and they got some of it.
Me: Really? Have you seen it today?
OLISH: Nah, but it liked having it's picture took.
Me: How could you tell?
OLISH: Well, as soon as it saw them, it was sitting up over there, and when it saw them it stuck out it's wings like this (here she sticks out her arms and begins to impersonate last weeks bird) prancing around like it's Britney Spears or something. Posing!
Me: Well, hopefully not entirely like Britney. That would be sad for a falcon.
OLISH: I know! It's like no one's gonna tell her she needs help.
Me: Not one honest friend. And no privacy, it would be a terrible way to live.
OLISH: Tell you what, if I knew her, I'd be like c'mere girl, you and me are going to the Betty Ford.
Me: Now see, you're a good person. It would be nice for her to have a friend like you.
OLISH: (beams) Hey! There he is!
Me: ....who?
OLISH: (looks at me like I'm on drugs) The FALCON!! Up there! Take a picture!!! Quick!!
Me: Oh, hey, thanks! (can't get zoom lens out quick enough to get a good shot, shoot futiley to the sky anyway to show her I'm trying to take her advice. When I get home I find I actually have five distant images of the falcon) Bye now, take care!
Kelly: Hey, is that a falcon?
Me: Yeah, and she's worried about Britney Spears. (Kelly looks at me like I'm on drugs) The old lady in the santa hat. It's irrelevant to the falcon. (and here I envied the falcons view, still wishing it would drop a bit closer)

More later. Likely the snow pix from today.