I have always loved plants and flowers.  Some of my earliest memories are ones of working with my parents in the backyard of our home, digging in the dirt doing "gardening".  I imagine that my childhood memories and the actual value of my early agricultural accomplishments are likely quite different.  I do recall one year's efforts of planting tomato seeds and growing tomatoes from tiny little sprouts.  I actually remember thinking how amazing the whole thing was and wondering what if the next year we planted a hundred plants and I sold the resulting crop in a vegetable stand in front of our house.  Even at six, I must have been a budding (no pun intended) entrepreneur.

However, I digress.  Today was indeed a good day.  My sister and brother-in-law are visiting us here in Florida.  This is their annual escape from the frozen Illinois winter weather.  After a big dinner last night at our new favorite Italian restaurant, we slept late this morning and didn't roll out until around 9:30 AM.  The weather was supposed to be a bit stormy later in the day, so after a quick breakfast, we headed out to Rockledge Gardens, a nearby plant and garden emporium that ought probably to be classified as a theme park or religious shrine.

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