In search of spring

Tue, 03 Feb 2015 01:16:24 GMT

The outside of the Seymour Conservatory, unfortunately looking into the sun.

So. It’s Groundhog Day. Some famous beastie back East saw his shadow and says we’re in for six more weeks of winter. Maybe back East they are, but we really haven’t had winter here in the maritime Pacific Northwest so far, at least with respect to the usual lots of rain in the lowlands and lots of snow in the mountains. We’re going to be hurting for water this summer if the snow doesn’t start accumulating, and soon.

But that doesn’t mean the primary colors outdoors right now aren’t gray-green, tan, and just plain gray.

Now that the Super Bowl is over (and this 12th woman really is done mourning the disaster yesterday), it’s time to be looking towards spring.

So I made my annual pilgrimage to the Seymour Conservatory , an antique greenhouse in Wright Park in Tacoma.

And this is what I saw:

Looking back down the main walkway towards the entrance.

Azaleas and amaryllis (the latter of which I always have to pronounce with a lisp a la The Music Man).

A Meyer lemon tree in both bloom and fruit. Those lemons are about the size of grapefruits, and the blossoms smell so good.

Koi in the conservatory pond. The nearby sign says not to throw coins in — they dissolve and poison the fish.

Coleus. I want some quilt fabric that looks like this.

A frog statue, peering out of the foliage.

I think I’ll make it till spring, now. Especially since I actually have a few blossoms in my own yard, too:

Last year’s primroses have just started blooming again in a tub by my front door.

Hellebore blossoms by my back door.

Mirrored from M.M. Justus -- adventures in the supernatural Old West.

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A Professional Dilettante

In search of spring