If only....

I know it will be hard for some of you to believe, but we need a break from the farm every once in awhile.  After not being on the farm for three weeks, I also felt I owed it to Pete and the boys to go and do something fun.

Knowing that Pete loves botanical gardens I found Powell Gardens.  Prior to going I started talking about all of the the fun things they had listed to do in order to get the boys excited.  Pictured here is G-man in front of a lego humming bird display, yes lego.  The artist used over 500,000, my favorite was a lawnmower.  Amazing to see, and to think how those pieces can go together to form something so incredible, completely inspiring!  This is what he got the most excited about.  With is 37 little legos, may he come up with something wonderful.

 Then of course there was the pirate cove, off on a little island.  Here two pirates admire their treasure.  There was a plastic turtle inside, Pete told the children that came to check out the treasure after us to beware of snapping turtles.

Pete convinced the same kids that there were crocodiles in the lake.  Each time they passed us they informed us they hadn't seen any as of yet.  His story got more complex about how exactly to spot them.

 Here's the salty crew aboard their ship, firing cannon balls at the before mentioned crocodiles.  A kids paradise for sure.  The question is which one was is the kid?

Can't go to enjoy plants without posting my favorite.  This beautiful snowy pom-pom ball grew on a tree.  Love the out of the ordinary plants, which made me realize how much we limit our selves to the same ole same ole in the plant world, maybe this extends even further into our lives?

Here in the mid-west magnolia trees in spring are a real delight to see.  Trees just covered in the hugest pink blossoms.  But everyone has the same type of tree.  I thought there was only one magnolia tree, coming here exposed me to so many more varieties.  Limiting ourselves for sure.

Pete's favorite was this vining plant that crepted over this structure.  Upon sitting down he instantly spoke in a snooty voice.  Our boys went to finding seeds that it had dropped and they insisted on climbing it much to my motherly embarrassment.   I mean can you even imagine a snooty husband and two Tarzans?  Yikes!

This is also the only picture that the little one appeared in, he's become real camera shy. 

This was a real place of beauty, it was easy to return to the farm in dream mode.  Imagining what the farm could be if only.....