Plant Lovers Unite!

Goal: experience as much as we can before we leave Scotland.  For this to happen Lindsey and I had to get out of bed by 7:00 am.  This can be quite a chore on a Saturday morning.  I was up first, then Lindsey - but by the time I had collected all the trash from the bins in the house, Lindsey had pancakes hot off the griddle ready in the kitchen.  The kids gobbled them up and scriptures followed with the time we all dread on Saturday's, that of house cleaning assignments. 

Today, it went remarkably well and in no more than 30 minutes we were out the door to walk to the school for a fundraiser fair.  The activities were average, Cal volunteered for an hour sorting younger kids in line and playing goalie for the football goal kick booth.  Sumo suits were available for wrestling along with jumping castles, and food - ice cream, soda, and hot dogs.  We skipped the food part and headed off to the Botanical Gardens.

The gardens are really world class. After the disappointment of the tulip gardens not in bloom in Holland, this was a real upper.  Lunch in an architectural wonder, built from large laminated wood timbers, that was inspiring.  I try to talk about architecture with my family when we visit places like this, but only a couple of the ninos seem to appreciate it.  My sandwich, all grilled veggies, a slab of cheese on a roasted bell pepper and seeded flat bread was incredible.  The kid's soup and homemade mac and cheese was killer as well.  The gardens were beautiful and our favorite part was the series of tropical glasshouses representing the different ecosystems. 

 Ice cream at the school fair

Edinburgh Botanical Centre

 Lindsey's chicken sandwich.  Look at that bun!

One of the glasshouses 

Owen and Annie trying to catch a large fish in one of the ponds

 

Simon was our tour guide, always referring to the map so he knew where he was at all times

One of Lindsey's favorite plants in the world, the cocoa plan.  She is pointing to a cocoa seed.