Cold beginning to February

It was 45 degrees when I walked at the Botanical Gardens this morning and I don't think it got all that much warmer all day.  I have been in and out putting up clothesline, taking care of chores and just couldn't get warm.  I was wishing I was back in Panama.

The photos are from a combined garden, zoo and nursery in El Valle, Panama.  It is the world's only inhabited volcanic crater.  The center picture is of the orchid collection at the zoo.
El Valle seems to have the perfect climate for growing most anything, and of course has rich volcanic soil.  There are countless species of flowers, trees, and mammals and reptiles and over 500 species of birds.  It would be a good place to come for a birdwatcher doing the big year, wouldn't it? 



I was thrilled to be able to show a visiting guest from Kenya our own lovely botanical gardens even in the middle of the winter. We did see some blood root starting to bloom this morning and The Chinese rice paper plants are starting to open their blooms.  They have a rich sweet floral scent .  The white flowers look like little upside down cupcakes hanging from the shrub, and then the blooms open to yellow.  You have to lift them up to smell them.

I really am looking forward to being able to have coffee on the deck again in the mornings.  I am wishing for a long long spring season this year.

Today we had a young man from the Fireplace Doctor company here to fix the leak in our fireplace.  We haven't been able to use it for several weeks.  They also coated the inside of the smoke chamber with ceramic because the mortar was deteriorating and could easily catch the house on fire, the other project was to install a new more airtight damper on top of the chimney.  We now have a chain to pull to open and close the thing.  I hope it helps with heat and air conditioning.  They say we can get an energy credit on our taxes for installing it.  It also has a lifetime guarantee. 

:Happy gardening when it is not too cold to be out there!  Seed catalogs are great mood boosters on days like today.