We love to visit the Smith College Botanical Gardens, especially during the dreary winter months (and around Western Massachusetts, those months seem to take up so much of the year). The kids and I recently visited during the Spring bulb show. Although the complex of greenhouses is not large, the kids love all the different plant habitats they can visit - the fern room, the cactus room, the equatorial plants, and the like.
I am in love with this terrarium/mini-greenhouse in the fern room. I would like to find something similar for my own plants. I spent some time taking photos of it, and adore how this one captured my daughter coming into the room to find me.
I think the cactus room is one of my favorites. The shapes and textures found in these plants are so unique. I have plans to create some embroidery inspired by cactus. The ability of these plants to survive in harsh environments is admirable as well.
Lucky for us, the day was pleasant and we were able to walk around outside and enjoy the Japanese garden and a stroll by the pond. A bonus of our trip was lunch at one of my favorite restaurants,
Paul and Elizabeth's. They emphasize whole, natural foods, and I love that the kid's menu is stocked with nutritious choices. I am so tired of the typical kid's menus that are full of "junk" food - hotdogs, hamburgers, french fries, breaded chicken, soda, and the like. I don't even mind my kids having an occasional burger or fries, but the ones on most kid's menus are of such low quality. How is it we have gotten to the point of offering our kids such bad food on a regular basis?