Spring in the Courtyard!

I'm very fortunate to have an office with windows that look out onto a courtyard at my school.  In my previous job, I had THREE offices...one which was "triangular" in shape (and about the size of a Volkswagen Beetle)...one that was actually a closet for the "tower" that held a bunch of dead VCR's and video equipment (roughly the size of HALF a Volkswagen Beetle, and in which I only had room to stand and work on the top of a bookcase), and one that was tucked WAAAAAY back in the media center, behind the "dead zone" of defunct and outdated technology, and which NO ONE could actually find.

None of these spaces had windows, since they were located in basements, or next to support pillars, or in the middle of buildings which had been added onto, and buried.

So...to say that I am THRILLED to look out on grapevines, and flowers, and birds building nests is an understatement!  Here's what I got to enjoy this spring...

 

 

Because I have this GREAT green space...just outside my window, I decided to join the "courtyard gardening committee".  My friends Betty and Sue (a teacher at my school, and a retired teacher at my school) are the other members of the committee, and we work to keep things looking good, and make sure everything is in working order/watered/weeded/cleaned up.

It's a lot of work, but TOTALLY worth the effort, because, I believe, we truly have the most beautiful courtyard in the district!

Here's a photo of Betty and me getting ready to "muck out" the pond...good times...!!!!

And....here's the pond!

I LOVE looking out on this little slice of nature in the middle of Hopkins, and am HAPPY to help keep it looking good!!!

Here's hoping YOU have a "little slice of nature" near you that makes you happy too!!!

Art in Bloom II...

...or should I say the REAL "Art In Bloom"...??!!  Whatever the case, we had our SECOND flower/art adventure, a month or so AFTER the Macy's show, at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.

Whereas the Macy's show was more of a "flower show", the MIA focuses more on the interpretation of a piece of art in flowers and greenery.   Always amazing...always beautiful...always fun!

Due to Robin and Dave's hectic schedules, Duane and I had the honor of accompanying my nieces Emilie and Abigail to this years show.  I do so LOVE spending time with them!!!  Small group, but we had a BLAST!

Here are some of the highlights this year...

Here's hoping YOU were able to get an art and/or flower fix recently too!!!!

Art in Bloom I

My sister and her family and Duane and I have been going to ART IN BLOOM at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts for YEARS.  It's one of our "must do" activities.  Similarly, we try to get to the Minneapolis Macy's to see whatever fun exhibits they have on the 8th floor...usually a Christmas themed wonderland around the holidays.

THIS year, they created an art garden and called it "Art in Bloom"...not sure if there was an agreement with the MIA, or if the name is not trademarked.  Whatever the case, we decided to check it out on our Spring Break "staycation" (WAY BEHIND on blogging...obviously, but, now that it's summer, I'm trying to catch up...).

It wasn't THE art in bloom, but, I DO have to say that it was cool (and, being able to smell lilacs, and tulips, and see all of the gorgeous colors after months and months...and months of brown, and gray, and dismal is AMAZING!).

We started with lunch at The Oak Grill.  We hadn't been for awhile, and got there just as they were opening.  The place was PACKED, and it took awhile for us to get it.  WORTH IT!  Great food...cool ambiance...a nice way to start.

We then went to the flower show.  It was well done, and they had some beautiful displays...

I even found a ranunculus in the garden gift shop to bring home...my own little touch of spring...

Here's hoping YOU were able to find a little bit of spring in the dreary last weeks (and weeks and weeks) of winter too!!!