Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

The next best thing to working at a greenhouse is to spend a few hours going through the different rooms at Phipps Botanical Gardens. I have a membership to Phipps and usually take in all the different flower exhibits throughout the year.

 

This years Winter Light Garden and Flower Show is up and running. Each room is decorated in the finest holiday style with Christmas trees, lights, ornaments, packaged gifts and even a reindeer. The flowers are gorgeous and at their full bloom, like the different colored poinsettias, paper whites, hibiscus and more. Of course there is the orchid room. A number of Dale Chihuly’s glass ornaments are throughput Phipps and each blown glass sculpture blends in with the greenery and flowers.

 One of the high points of the exhibit is the full red poinsettia Christmas tree in the main atrium. It is truly gorgeous and actually can leave a person awe struck.  Another exhibit that will enthrall children is the train room. Kids of all ages and size will love it. It’s a room that you don’t want to rush through. Each train and miniature town and tiny exhibit is a bit of nostalgia to days gone by. The display needs to be savored.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I plan on going back for the candle light evenings, which can be attended every evening from 5pm to 11 pm until January 12^th. To see Phipps in the daylight is something but to see Phipps at night is something else! It truly is a jewel to behold.

 

God Bless the Pioneers!

The Wild West has always intrigued me. Who didn’t want to live during that time and hang out with a gunslinger or work the farm as a pioneer with a bunch of kids, a husband who left the ranch and a pack of Indians and bad cowboys looking for some Saturday night wild fun! Come on…look at all that potential fun.

 

Yes, I liked the thought of living in the Wild West and being a pioneer finding land and farming. It sounded great. I think I had a bit of a taste of what it would be like when our power went out on Saturday night. Romantic candles and thank you, God, for my iPad that was fully charged and the back ground lit up, so that I could read my Kindle books.

 

But then came Sunday and the power would have to go out for a few more hours while the power company could find the bad line. The power was temporarily restored with the help of a generator until the company would send out another crew on Monday. Then the power would be turned off again for a few hours while they replaced the damaged lines.

 

Unfortunately…none of that fixed my Internet problems. For three days, I had no land line phone service, no Internet service nor could I watch television. What was that all about! Forget my pioneer spirit! The hell with the candles! I wanted access to my favorite television series! I wanted to watch On Demand! I wanted to check my emails! I wanted to keep up with Facebook! I wanted to do my daily banking! I wanted my old life back!

 

Right now I am headed into my third day of all my services being down. I hate it. I feel so isolated. I have been staying in the house waiting for a technician to call or show up and fix the problem.  Maybe I now know how the Indians and Cowboys felt. I am looking for a good time in my house and it looks like I will be saddling up my Mustang and riding out of here for some fun.

This Bird Could Jump

 

 

There was a movie out years ago – White Man Can’t Jump. I loved the movie but I would have disagreed with it. Basically because Larry Bird, Boston Celtics star and home town hero from French Lick, Indiana could jump and do a whole lot more.

 

Larry Bird was probably one of the best white basketball players, and one of the best trash talkers on the court. He played his college ball at Indiana State, and spent his whole professional career as a Boston Celtics player. He retired from pro basketball in 1992 because of chronic back problems. Bird went on to coach the Indianapolis Pacers and won the NBA Coach of the year in 1998. He is now the owner of the Pacers. He accumulated some amazing stats…12 times NBA, All Star and named MVP, three times. He and his teammates, took the Celtics to three NBA Champions.

 

Both Bird and his rival, Lakers star, Magic Johnson, elevated the NBA to new heights. Their rivalry became one of the greatest ones in the history of basketball. His friendship with Magic was more evident after they both retired. Their commercials are priceless and can be seen on You Tube.

 

One of Bird’s greatest games was against the Hawks in March 12, 1985, where Bird scored 60 points to regain his record from his team mate, Kevin McHale. Bird’s scoring was amazing, especially on his fade away shots, even as he fell into the Hawks bench. Bird scored impossible shots and officially had 22 of 36 from the field, 15 out of 16 free throws, and 1 of 4 from 3 point range. The video of the game is also on You Tube.

 

Bird retired in 1992. Watching some of his old games on You Tube or on videos brings back the good old days of basketball. I miss Bird and his playing, along with his Magic rivalry. But I know one thing – this Bird could jump, shoot, and score!