Ohio Log- Cleveland

Finally, I made it back to Cleveland. I was able to spend Friday with my friend Nan and Saturday with Christine. I only wish it could have been longer.

And, maybe that the weather had been a little more sunny and dry.

I got to see Nan's new house for the first time. It is a dome. Very cool. She's only minutes now from the Cuyahoga National Park- which if you haven't had the chance to enjoy- now's the time. We didn't actually go out hiking. We talked about it but let the rain keep us inside. She did take me to where the great blue heron's nest. There were a couple of dozen nests in a handful of trees with large, graceful, loping birds flying in with sticks and twigs. And, me without my camera!

I had a new dish (for me) at The Lemon Grass. Some sort of seafood fried rice. Maybe it had basil. Maybe that was the other dish I contemplated. Anyway, it was very, very good.

Saturday while Nan and Christine were working at their respective veterinary clinics, I visited Wild Oats, Barnes and Nobles, The Noble Road Library, and our old house. They've hung crappy white blinds in the front windows at our place- so I can't peek in. Humph. I did creep a bit down the driveway to check out whether my garden was still in existence in the back. Yes. In some form. Whoever is living there now, I imagine the residents are renting it, doesn't believe in cleaning up a garden in the fall. The front bed was a fright. I wish I could see it in the summer. I'm sure by now the fires of hell have matured and it is stunning.

Christine and I had a great time. Despite the on again/ off again rain and the cold grey day we went to the Cleveland Botanical Garden. They were having a big Japanese Garden theme. Nan had been talking about going. I wonder what she'll think. I was disappointed. The majority of the Japanese garden exhibit is made up of photographs that are hanging about 6 to 8 inches above my eye level.

Still, we enjoyed walking through the various outside gardens which were pretty uniformly brown still- and the two indoor gardens- particularly the rainforest with all the orchids and butterflies.

For Christine and I there was only one way to end our day. Pacific East. Need I say more?