The Viewin' of the Green

As a perverse act today, St. Patrick's Day, we (my friend Dianne and I) take to the highways in her van to get away from all things beery and edible and dyed to a false emerald green.  Now, I do like beer these days. The craft ales from small breweries around the country are delicious and a far cry from the weak, pale, no-flavor brews that I gave up in my 30s. I love IPAs sampled recently in St. Louis, Denver, Missoula and at Hamilton's two breweries. But enough about beer!! We're out in the Missouri countryside today, looking at real green!

Just a few of the daffodils at Shaw.

 We go first to Shaw Nature Reserve (http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/visit/family-of-attractions/shaw-nature-reserve.aspx), the Missouri Botanical Garden's country acreage about 40 miles southwest of town. Shaw's focus is on native habitat management and restoration. But this time of year, it also boasts thousands upon thousands of blooming daffodils, and more than a few amateur photographers working the scene.

A photographer gets down (and dirty?) with the blossoms.

Then, a storm that we'd been following online brews to a near boiling point.

Storm clouds, daffs and a bit of a lake view; many more daffodils are blossoming across the water.

We zip over to Hillermann Nursery (http://www.hillermann.com/) in Washington -- through a dense curtain of rain, spiked with lightning -- and find many green plants, and much much more, for sale inside.

"Small is the New Big" at Hillermann's garden center.

Accessories are top items here -- witness the Hillermann family's vintage Chevrolet truck outfitted with many pots, plants and statuettes.

A classy old Chevy among the plants.

We head homeward but not before more rain keeps us inside a coffee shop where my car is parked just outside. Finally, there's a break in the weather. And I get to my car, only to find...

...a snow-like scene, where white petals of a Bradford Pear's blossoms have coated the car from a forceful spring rain! Funny that a wintry look ends a spectacular pre-spring day!