Cactus at the Krohn Conservatory, Cincinnati, Ohio

Good morning,

Here are a few more images from the Krohn Conservatory in Cincinnati, Ohio.  There are so many beautiful places to photograph that it is impossible to share them all at one time.

I am sure some of these huge cactus were here when I visited as a child.

We picked a perfect day to visit when there were very few people at the Conservatory.

There is also artwork on display among the cactus.

 Tequila in the raw!

 And, here is that handsome man who I see just about everywhere I go!  ;)

Enjoy,
Lois

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 Aloe Vera - Medicine Plant -Burn Plant -Miracle Plant

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Flowers in Our Garden

Good morning,

Recently I published images of the gorgeous magnolias at Eden Park and I have one from that outing in my header.  Today's image above is our little magnolia tree in our front garden. It has brought us beautiful flowers every year for the 32 years we have lived here.

Here are a few more blossoms...

...the very light daffodils...

 ...the fragrant daffodils...

 ...the red bud trees...

...tulips...

...and the promise of beautiful peonies in just a few more weeks.

Enjoy!

Lois

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 Fiskars 7067 3-Piece Softouch Garden Tool Set

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Eden Park Overlook - Cincinnati, Ohio

Good morning,

Previously I published pictures of the upper level overlook in Eden Park in Cincinnati.  Today's images were taken from the lower level of the same park. 

We stopped at the lower level of Eden Park to get some images of the Ohio River from this angle when we spotted these Canada Geese (above) entertaining a family at a nearby picnic table.  They were extremely tame and allowed the children to walk fairly close.

We turned around and walked across the drive to the overlook and...

 ...here is the view of the Ohio River.  That tree has surely been left there on purpose for photographers to incorporate in their work.  It is the above view that is so pretty at sunrise for anyone to can manage to get up early enough to capture it.

 This is another image, this time zoomed a little so you can see the Belle of Cincinnati going around the bend.  I have a series of images taken aboard the Belle last summer here.

When people ask us how we can live so far away from the water, we show or describe this shot.  ;)

Enjoy!

Lois

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 Eden Park Cincinnati 12x18 Giclee on canvas

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Orchids and Deer (Unrelated)

Good morning,

Just one image today from the Krohn Conservatory Orchid House.  I'll have more from the Orchid House later, but wanted to share this one today.

We had some excitement in our garden.  We live in the city across the street from a major university campus.  Yesterday evening as the students were arriving for classes and the traffic was heavy we received a call from our next door neighbor telling us there were two deer in our yard.  For those of you who live out in the country, that's no big deal, but in the 32 years we have lived here we have never seen deer in our yard.   We do know there are a few in the last year or so not far away in a wooded area on university property.  My fear is that the coyotes spotted about a mile away have moved into the wooded area and are scaring the deer out.

We didn't see the deer in person, but a review of our security cameras gave us some pretty good shots of the deer coming up our front steps, wandering through the front garden, then jumping a fence to get into the back garden.  This all went on while there was heavy traffic on the other side of the hedges around the edges of our property.  The deer were there for a short while before jumping another fence to move on to the next property.  Our dogs didn't see them, but they had a great time tracking them after they were gone.

Now we have deer to add to the list of other critters we see here all the time:  raccoons, possums, chipmunks, squirrels, rabbits, garden snakes, slugs and bugs, so many birds....

So, that's our excitement from Cincy Woebegone yesterday evening.  :)

Enjoy,

Lois

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 Understanding Orchids: An Uncomplicated Guide to Growing the World's Most Exotic Plants

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Watching the Expert at Work - Upper Level of Eden Park, Cincinnati, USA

Good morning,

It seems whenever I am out taking pictures I run into this handsome man taking pictures in all the same spots.  OK, you're right, that's My Honey and I'm so glad we have many of the same hobbies and enjoy doing these things together.

Here's my image of the old Eden Park Water Tower and Bridge.  If you haven't seen it already, you can see his version, too. 

In addition to the images he publishes on his blog, Eye of the Big Dog, he has a great Hobby Photography site here.  

So, I strolled toward the river overlook and turned to take this shot of the daffodils.  Sure enough, there's that handsome man again over there taking pictures.  ;)

 The weather was so pretty on this day that there were plenty of people out to enjoy it.  That's a high school class over there sitting on the wall.

 In the valley beyond is the Ohio River, this view looking down river.  Beyond the river is Northern Kentucky.

 And, this is the view looking up river.

The weather this week has been cold, wet, dry, sunny, hot....  Well, you name it and we've had it here in Cincinnati.  We certainly picked the right day for this outing.

Best,
Lois

Check out My World.

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Ohio River Guidebook: Charts and Details from beginning to end 

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Sharks!

Good morning,

Does that guy above look scary or what?  We were close, but still quite safe when we saw this guy.

These pictures are more from our day at the Newport Aquarium. 

This is the walk-through part of the aquarium where you can feel you are actually in the water with these huge creatures.

I got a kick out of these guys.  There were four of them in the tank:  two were cleaning, two were clutching long white poles and watching for sharks.  I guess the idea was to smack the sharks if they got too close to the cleaners.  It sure looks like they all deserve hazard duty pay to me!

Enjoy,
Lois

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 Everything Kids' Sharks Book: Dive Into Fun-infested Waters! (Everything Kids Series)

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Stocking the Store

 

Good morning,

And now, time out for a store update.  We will return to our regularly scheduled blogging after this important announcement.

This has been such a good vacation being home in the Spring to be with family, bake bread and cook in our own kitchen, and visit some nearby spots to indulge in our picture taking obsession.  We very much enjoy both parts of our life of travel for work and our life at home for vacation.  Yes, I know, that's backwards for most people!

As you may know if you read this blog often, I've also opened an Etsy shop, Evensens Productions, while we have been home.  It is a labor of love to stock it with merchandise and plan for more items.  I've also added patterns for those who knit and crochet and will be adding more merchandise and patterns regularly.   The images in this post are of some of the items available in the shop.  Click on any of them to see the shop.  I've met many of my blog friends over on Etsy.

I have to give a big THANK YOU to everyone who is so supportive both in encouragement for the shop and for shopping there!  That includes both family and friends and you know who you are!  You all have no idea how important you have been to help me to do what I love to do:  design in knit and crochet.  Without you and others looking at the shop and shopping there, there could be no shop.

We will be traveling again in a few days and I have been asked about the shop being open while we are away.  The shop will remain open and I will continue receive and answer all correspondence.  Orders will continue to be shipped thanks to one of my main enablers, daughter Catherine.  While away I will have even more time to devote to the creative side of my brain to design more items.  

As usual, I'll continue to blog while we are away, too, so be prepared for another road trip and some images from the high seas starting in another week or so.  :) 

So, once again, thank you so much for your support.  You have all been so very kind.

We now return to our regular blogging program tomorrow morning at the usual time....  ;)

Very best,

Lois

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American Girl of the Year 2010 Lanie Doll and Paperback Book 

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