fall

I was worried that I had missed the niceness of the botanical garden (Real Jardin Botanical) here since it is already getting cooler, so this morning I went.  What a good choice.  The garden is beautiful and formal in style, lots of little beds outlined by low-growing plants, fountains in the center of sections, etc. but also has a kind of overgrown feeling to it.  This was enhanced by the fact the first thing I came to was this bed of falling down dahlias.  I went first thing this morning, at about 10 when they opened.  The light was just starting to get strong some places and there was hardly anyone there.  I took way to many pictures but I’ve gone through and put some of my favorite on this page.  I’m so excited about this place that I intend to go back this week and for a little while until it gets really cold/dead, so I’ll probably add more pictures.  

There is also a really nice vegetable garden section full of cute cabbages and peas and these amazing gourds. AND and exhibit on medieval engineering in Spain that was full of really nice wooden models of water wheels (that moved) and stone arches and wooden boats.  Then I sat down in the sun and drew some plants.

The whole place is highly recommendable, and there are cats that live there.

New House!

This is a little belated but, now I live in my new house. 

 It is quite nice to wake up with some light in the window, and it’s great for me because my window faces east.  Here are some pictures of the room, it is a little wider than the old one and quite a bit longer.

I have also gotten some plants, mint, peppermint (I’ve tea on the brain since it’s starting to get chilly…), rosemary, two pansies and this crazy spiky, cactusy, flowering thing that I had never seen before.

Also in this photo is my desk.  I went to Ikea and got the shelf and the boards and hauled them back on the Metro (two transfers, 

45 minutes and about a thousand dirty looks later – not recommendable) and then the leg on the right is a drawer from this table Shelby and I found on the street.  I used the saw I also found to the street to cut it 

size and it’s pretty sturdy.  All in all I’m really pleased with the results and it’s also comforting to finally have a place to study. (Which then also eliminated the excuse for not doing my homework – doh!)

Then looking the other direction there is a bit less to explain…it’s a bed! And a mirror! And, of course, the moon. I’m quite content and glad to be settled. Also, the address I posted before is correct, in case anyone was wondering.