I left Lakewood...

[Joe Ott]

for the afternoon and went on a field trip.

We were looking for something to do. Something different. There isn't much around here to do so we headed East. We all crammed into the family truckster and headed East to the Cleveland Botanical Gardens (picture Clark W. Griswold, Rusty, and the rest of the Griswold family).

I had never been there before. I thought it was just a bunch of plants on display. Not very manly stuff. Yep, that's right. I was going to go look at plants while the, what are they called?... oh, the Browns were playing a game. And to think, as we drove past the drunken tailgater's along the shoreway and watched 3 different grown men dressed like school kids with their favorite players jersey on urinate at the fence facing the shoreway for all of us to see, I could have been there with them. I was going to see plants.

I was completely wrong about the plants and non-manly stuff; there are butterflies and birds too. Pretty butterflies and pretty birds. And pretty flowers too...

Seriously, I had never been to the Botanical Gardens before and it is worth the trip. If you haven't been to it, go. Take your little ones - if they are well behaved and quiet. I plan to go again in the Spring/Summer and see all the outdoor gardens.

They currently have a Gingerbread House display going on. There is some pretty amazing workmanship there. There is also a display of artwork by a local artist as well as displays of various types of trees used as Christmas trees.

In one area you walk out into a sort of rain forest. I'm sure it is called something but I forget. It is similar to the rain forest at the zoo however the birds and butterfly's are all around you and on you at times. There are all sorts of giant plants and so on. Even a waterfall. Very nice.

I took one of my cameras (and the wrong lens) and took some snap shots. If you've never been there, these pictures should give you a sense of what it is like.


The photoblog thing is HERE. Hopefully you can see the pictures. Unfortunately the view only shows really really tiny images. Have I ever mentioned how much I hate the photoblog thing? Oh, I have? Ok. I won't mention it again...

[Ivor Karabatkovic]

Joe,

I, like you, wouldn't even think about going to the Botanical Gardens until I actually did with my mom in the summer. It is very, very interesting. My favorite was the hummingbirds.

Go in the summer, there's a lot of nice things to see. There's plenty of birds, frogs, fish, etc. as well...it's not all plants.

[Joe Ott]

being revamped

Yes. I know. Just poking fun.

[Joe Ott]

Seriously as you are a car guy<snip>

That's great and all, but my purpose of this post was to let people who may never have been there see some pictures of the Botanical Gardens. Just a light hearted post. Having fun. Like the 'I stumbled' post.

As is always the case here, the topics go off course... tell me why I decided to come back? Tell me how to delete the "Submit" button, will ya?

Oh, why does the blog strip all the EXIF data?

[Jim O'Bryan]

Beautiful photo Joe?

Know the hours?


.

[Joe Ott]

[Rhonda loje]

Here you go!!

http://www.cbgarden.org/Visit/VisitorInformation.html

Rhonda

[Gary Rice]

Great photos, Joe!

What a fantastic way to spend a family day!

Gary Rice

[dl meckes]

Joe-

Loved the photoblog.

I hate to ask a stupid question, but have you and your family been to all of the local museums/attractions/institutions?

One of the things I most enjoy is playing tourist in Cleveland (and Lakewood). It started when my mother decided we were going to spend an entire spring break having a different "cultural experience" every day. We'd usually go in the mornings and then have lunch somewhere. We had a terrific time and it's a great memory.

I was a little envious when Ivor had the opportunity to show his uncle around. There is so much to see and do if we make a tiny little effort.

[sharon kinsella]

Thank you for taking us all on the tour.

The gardens are truly amazing.

[Sharon O'Donnell]

We took our brood there last week. I hadn't been there before either. The dome was nice for the kids and unlike the rainforest at the zoo there was no overpowering stench on animal urine! They were running a scavenger hunt as well as the Gingerbread house exhibit.

Seriously, we go to the zoo a lot and you always have to take a deep breath before you go into that building. It adds to the ambiance.

[Ivor Karabatkovic]

Joe


I hate to ask a stupid question, but have you and your family been to all of the local museums/attractions/institutions?

One of the things I most enjoy is playing tourist in Cleveland (and Lakewood). It started when my mother decided we were going to spend an entire spring break having a different "cultural experience" every day. We'd usually go in the mornings and then have lunch somewhere. We had a terrific time and it's a great memory.

I was a little envious when Ivor had the opportunity to show his uncle around. There is so much to see and do if we make a tiny little effort.

dl,

If you buy my book, you'll see three pages of what there is to do around Cleveland. And no, it's not the Rock Hall, Browns Stadium, the Q, the Jake, and Tower City...

[Joe Ott]

have you and your family been to all of the local museums/attractions/institutions?

We've probably seen it all...

dl, why were Jim's posts deleted? Responses to those don't make sense now?

[Jim O'Bryan]

have you and your family been to all of the local museums/attractions/institutions?

We've probably seen it all...

dl, why were Jim's posts deleted? Responses to those don't make sense now?

Joe


I read your post about thread drift and agreed.

I deleted my post as to keep your post on topic and easy to follow.

Your post actually folows a train of thought that has come up many times in discussion and will be added to the paper.

.

[Joe Ott]

have you and your family been to all of the local museums/attractions/institutions?

We've probably seen it all...

dl, why were Jim's posts deleted? Responses to those don't make sense now?

Joe


I read your post about thread drift and agreed.

I deleted my post as to keep your post on topic and easy to follow.

Your post actually folows a train of thought that has come up many times in discussion and will be added to the paper.

.

I was just wondering. Thanks.