We won't miss the big crowds!

I was in Milwaukee once when it was something more than 10 below zero, -18 sticks in my mind, and that's without accounting for windchill. Had to jump the car. That's cold!

Not sure that Ric and I will make it. Looks like he may have Bronchitis. Dr's tomorrow. So we can't sneak in before the storm. Thursday he has Pre Surgery Appt for his Cataract surgery. So most of the week is filled up.

(((Ric))) Sorry he's under the weather! Coughing and cataract surgery don't mix. Depending on when he's scheduled, they may just want to reschedule the actual surgery (and the pre appointment -- so you can go to the show!)

So, for those who would like to virtually "go" to The Flower Show... We got back last night, after 2 nights and 2 days in Philly! As always, Terri and I had a grand time together. And as for the show itself...

It. Was. Spectacular!

The Flower Show entrance exhibit was an archway built like a bridge (like those in Amsterdam over the canals, although the "real" bridges probably have half as many flowers -- but they are still bedecked with blooms!). On either side were gorgeous beds of tulips, like those Terri posted. Beyond that in one direction were red and white windmills, and in the other was a remarkable "ceiling" installation involving who knows how many thousands of blooms hung on long lines, arranged in little tussy-mussy bouquets.

Please don't upload these images to the plant database... I'll take care of that, and I'd rather do it after I've had a chance to crop, resize, and do any other editing. I'm just sharing a few images I downloaded from the camera last night. :-)

First impression!




I think she shares my (and Terri's and Neal's) love of purple, don't you?


And really, who can blame her (us)?

OMG..................that IS spectacular. Took me right back there again, even tho it has been 2 years. I just loved the outdoor living spaces they had that year. Ah, unlimited funds..............where are you???

Love the bridges and bicycles. And swooning over flowers.

I bet it was practically empty. Just beautiful.

Lisa, we must have said half a dozen times that you should have come with us to enjoy a crowd-free show experience! Holly, if Ric hadn't been sick, we'd have detoured on Monday to pick you up.

More swoon-worthy flowers to come... I'll get back at my photo file after dinner.

WOW just loving it.

Good golly, I finished going through my photos, eliminating blurred shots, label shots, and picking the best shot of a particular subject... and I still have 200+ photos from the show. I'm trying to figure out how to do a "batch resize" on a folder so the NGA system doesn't have to resize each one as I upload it... I have paintshop rather than photoshop, so we'll see what I can figure out... I might have to RTFM (read the manual!)

Meanwhile, here are the next few scenes that hit my camera lens after the grand entrance... These are pretty nearly all widescreen images, so click the square if you want to see the whole picture.

Jill, do you have Windows Live Photo Gallery? It's easy-peasy to do a batch resize there.

Jill, I really regret not feeling well enough to venture there this year. I assumed that Holland being the theme it would be a knock out show this year.

Thanks, Anna. I figured out how to do it with Paintshop Pro!

Fabulous. What are the dark purple flowers in the first two photos, right side? Hyacinth?

At least I think I figured it out... let's see...

Umm, trying again!

OK, I'm finding the graphical watermark a little distracting on these photos, so I've turned it off.

Please ASK before emailing or posting these photos elsewhere! No worries if you want to stick it on your screensaver, I just don't want to come across them in some slideshow being emailed around with no photo credit given. I think my new camera and I did pretty well this year (mostly the new camera - Sony really has low-light shooting down).

We loved the huge (6 inches across maybe more) leaves on Tiarella cordifolia 'Brandywine' -- and we have already noted that they have it at North Creek. :-)




Terri, what's the variety of this upright flowering cherry you like? edited to say Terry ID'd it as 'Okame' -- upright growth pattern, delicate blooms -- we're both looking for one, but we don't want to pay $300 for a big one. :-)

Lisa, the dark purple flowers on the "ground" are tulips, not sure what kind, there was just a riotous mix there. If you're asking about the flowers in the upside-down tussy mussies, we were perplexed about most of them!

"It's Cliiiivia, dear."

The upright cherry that I like so much is 'Okame'. Jill, you sure did get some nice photos!

It's the new camera! I bought a Sony DSC-HX90V just before we went to Philly -- I was up late playing with it at the hotel. My previous Sony pocket camera got damaged and is really on its last legs (I have to stuff a piece of paper into the battery compartment to make it work... that's not going to last long). This one is a replacement for it and also a replacement for my far bulkier Nikon "bridge" camera. I'm still learning all its bells and whistles, but I love the semi-auto and manual focus options, and the 30x zoom let me get "close" to lots of things with little effort.

Terry has a "real" camera (SLR), and now that she's retired, I think we should take a photography class together -- then stand back!