Hot and cold

Colacasia in the BG pond.

Yesterday, my sister and I took part in a benefit run for the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens: the course was once around the ring road that surrounds the Gardens for the “fun run,” and 3x for the race. Despite the negligible distance, I would describe any outdoor run when it's 10 degrees with a brisk wind as seriously hardcore. A surprising number of runners were there, though. We walked, not because it makes it any easier, but because I just don’t have the wind for aerobic activity in frigid conditions.

You don't need to get this cold to appreciate the BG in February, but it sure helps. I love the place in any season—it's a garden, after all—but at this time of year, what a respite. After receiving our lunch of hot dogs and hamburgers (and Flying Bison, yeah baby) we walked through the greenhouses. January's amaryllis show is still going strong (big-time long bloomers), the sweet olive was blooming, and I noticed a lot of orchids massing for next weekends orchid show. Most of the runners were kind of hanging around eating and talking about their next race, not really into the plants, but generally enjoying the ambiance. A wedding was being set up in the pond area.

Cool times in a hot place.