Glass Art

Tuesday
A wonderful day today and beautiful weather. Roger and I drove up to Columbus to spend the day with Jen. The main thing I wanted to visit was the Franklin Park Conservatory. We usually visit the Krohn Conservatory in Cincinnati over the holiday period, but we've never visited the Franklin Conservatory so I thought it would make a nice change. I also knew they have an exhibition of Dale Chihuly glass in different locations throughout the Conservatory which I was also interested in. The one I chose for a blip is entitled Sunset Tower. I took so many photographs today though it was hard choosing just one. Besides the regular exhibitions, there were some amazing gingerbread houses, entries in their competition, a model railway exhibition and of course many, many poinsettia plants - around 100 different varieties. After we were done there, we returned to their apartment, where Jason had prepared us some lunch. Then we went for a walk along the river in downtown Columbus, and walked up into downtown, seeing the City Hall and the State Capitol building. Then Jen took us to the Topiary Garden in the Old Deaf School Park, where Georges Seurat's post-impressionist painting "A Sunday on the island of La Grande Jatte" is displayed in topiary. The landscape comprises a small lake, representing the River Seine, 54 topiary figures, several boats, a monkey, three dogs and a cat. Unfortunately by the time we got there the sun had gone down behind the buildings, and of course the topiary doesn't look at its best in the winter, but it was still fascinating. Then we went back to the apartment to pick Jason up and the four of us went out to the Holiday light display at the Zoo, followed by dinner at one of their favorite restaurants, Figlios - an Italian restaurant. They have tried taking us there a couple of times, but both times we went they were closed. This time they checked beforehand! We had a lovely meal then set off home. Poor Jen then had to go into work - she's a nurse and works nights. I dont know how she does it - be up all day then go in and work all night! She was off the previous night, but it still means she's been up almost 24 hours!
Anyway, thanks Jen and Jason for a wonderful day!