Matthei Botanical Gardens & Conservatory Ann Arbor

You can visit a place over and over and experience it very differently each time. Changes are constant, especially with living, breathing things. Rather than getting attached to the current state of things, welcome the balance that comes with growth. 

The Conservatory at the Matthei Botanical Gardens has been one of my favorite places to visit for decades. People of all ages visit and absorb the beauty. New growth is being revealed as visitors are serenaded by the waterfall, the light cascading through the greenhouse glass and the gregarious laughter of children. The paths lead guests through the natural framework of variegated leaves, blooms and muscular branches. So much to delight the senses. So much to take in through the eyes. Learning about the varying ingredients of plant life helps us to discover a bit more about our own layers. Tough exteriors and silky leaves coexist with delicate blooms. Dormant plant life has become sculpture and lifts up new growth. The paths invite different perspectives of the gardens. Peering over to see a cacao nut or winding through the giant leaves or sitting in front of the nurtured and trained bonsai garden. Delight your senses and breathe life into the day with a visit to Matthei.

Autumn

The colors and fragrances of autumn fill me with wonder and delight. Living in Michigan, I have always been grateful for the experiences that come with the changing of the seasons. I love seeing the first blooms on the trees in early Spring. Warm Summer nights, as the season begins to unfold, invite everyone outdoors and into the beauty and comfort that abounds. Autumn, with it's changing colors, cool evenings and the unique fragrances that fill the air, entices us to head out to the apple orchards, cider mills or local parks to soak up those last bits of warmth before the frost. As winter approaches, the Holiday Seasons are already in full swing and outdoor lights create a wondrous atmosphere that really fills us with Holiday cheer. Those first frosts cover the landscape in a coat of white and make me feel as though I am living inside a beautiful masterpiece.
Still, Autumn is my favorite time of year. My senses overflow during this mystical season. I love taking drives to look at the fall colors and photographing the many sights that I see along the way. I love the smells that tantalize as I drive by any of the many apple orchards and cider mills in the area. I enjoy taking long walks and hearing the crunching of the leaves under my feet. Raking leaves is an enjoyable experience for me as it brings to mind some great memories of jumping in the leaves with my Brother as a small child. I love the temperatures as they are just right for a comfy sweatshirt and a cup of hot cocoa. There are so many wonderful things about Autumn. What is your favorite season?