The World's Greatest Chrysanthemums

On the Sunday before Thanksgiving we saw the end of the Chrysanthemum festival at Longwood Gardens. 

That is more than 1000 chrysanthemums trained into this globe shape.  They said they make two of them each year just in case.  It takes 17 months to grow it.

It was at the entrance to the gardens.

 I snuck in a picture of this bird of paradise, they are always in such perfect shape.

Obviously my favorite ones were purple.

Egyptian artifacts and mummies at the University of Pennsylvania

Mayan Artifacts at the University of Pennsylvania

As red as they get

The japanese maple is at or just past it's most red and glorious this fall.  I don't think it can get any redder from now it may be time to lose its leaves.  I love the red of this tree, it's practically purple (or wine or burgundy or cordovan...).

Latest Irises ever

Lynn rescued these Irises that had started budding in the Fall and we definitely not going to finish in time with the weather we are having.

She cut them and put them in water indoors and these are the second and third blooms.  I like having a memory of Spring as winter begins.