An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet regardless of time, place or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle but will never break.
- Ancient Chinese Proverb
Saturday morning we went to Spring Grove, John to run the course for a race coming up soon and myself just to walk. Spring Grove is easily the prettiest cemetery I have ever seen. When I first moved to Cincinnati I thought it was so strange that people went to a cemetery for their wedding, graduation, etc pictures.
But Spring Grove is different ...as well as historical.
The landscape architect who designed it, Adolph Strauch (1822 - 1883) is buried here. It was somewhat of a fluke that he even came to Cincinnati but this city certainly benefited that he did . Strauch designed Mt Storm, parts of Eden Park and Spring Grove. His naturalistic style and rolling views were considered cutting edge at the time. I don't think he fared well with Park Board politics and left his position acrimoniously. But still he is buried here.
There are many other famous people buried here including:
as well as many Civil War Generals and lots of baseball players.
Another famous person buried at Spring Grove is Nicholas Longworth (1783-1863). The thing that surprised me Longworth's headstone is that it isn't old and is relatively modest. This Nicholas Longworth (there were many with the same name in this family) was one of the wealthiest Americans in the 1860's as well as Cincinnati's first millionaire. When he died he left an estate worth $10M.
He was many things in his lifetime, including lawyer, land owner and viticulturist. In 1830 he bought the Taft house on Pike Street and I believe this is where he lived while he cultivated his land today known as Mt Adams, one of his vineyards.
Not a great picture but it was a sweet scene of a family feeding a swan.
The Taft Museum from Lytle Park. Starting May 9th (I was corrected in my comment attached)the Taft is free on Sunday's. This may be a plan for us after church this summer.
Lytle Park look towards the new tallest building in Cincinnati, the Great American Building at Queen City Square. The "tiara" is supposed to be placed on this building next month. Supposedly the architect, Gyo Obata, got his tiara design inspiration from a photo of Diana, Princess of Wales. Total cost for this building is around $322M and over 1/2 of this 41 story building will be occupied by Great American Insurance Company. According to US Senator (and former OH Governor) George Voinivich (June 2008, Cincinnati Enquirer) this building will stimulate economic growth in our city and also guarantee people will want to move and stay here too. Well I hope so but to me that seems like a strange way to state this buildings importance and impact. Also kind odd timing considering what happened economically in the fall of 2008.
So back to my walk downtown and little bit of Cincinnati history. This blue door is the entrance to the Literary Club and is right across the street from Lytle Park on Fourth Street. It is believed to be the oldest literary club in the country in continuous existence.
The ship outside the Western-Southern building.
The University Club clock with the Reds stadium in the background. My appointment was at noon so I had some time to wander around downtown.
There were some tourist hiring the carriages. I am glad we have kept some of our skywalks but there has been a trend to get rid of them. Some people think they are unattractive. But if we hopefully get people to come downtown again I think we will like ways to move pedestrians around traffic again.
Here is a headline I saw on the street yesterday. It is also what I believe will be one of the things that will bring people, particularly younger, to Cincinnati and get them to stay. Oh, this has been divisive topic in our town but I will go on record (on my rarely read blog) as being all for it.
Mix of old and new architecture.
Irises on Baum Street on my way home.
And the goldfish bath plug I bought for Audrey from the Contemporary Art Center gift shop. I hope it doesn't creep her out but if it does we will use it in our bathroom.
I'm also thinking about buying it for the conservatory gift shop as we have some $ open with this manufacturer and resembles a koi which can certainly pass for Japanese themed product.
This morning I've decided to only plant the unusual tulips for next spring. So at the end of spring I'm deleting all the apeldorn's. The main reason is the apeldorns leaves are too big which stunts the muscari growth but also because they are a dime a dozen. 
Another Asiatic lily picture. 
This morning I saw the first blooms coming in on the Lily of the Valley. I'm happy to see this plant spreading.
The daylilies are multiplying so fast they bloom less because they need to be thinned so often. Last weekend I build a limestone border to keep them out of the perennial bed.
But we will probably go with a huge offset umbrella similar to this one.
I was also lucky Mark was working Friday as he is the only employee who can operate the fork lift. 
Pretty good workout and I also got sunburnt.
I spent the rest of the day checking in and pricing this order on the back dock.
But before this delivery I finally added my wish to the shinto wish wall.
Next picture is an explanation of the wish wall.
I attached my wish (2nd row from left, top) so I'd know where it was located.
The Krohn Conservatory 15th annual Butterfly Show 2010 opens tomorrow. This first picture is this year's poster on my desk. New this year are: new entrance, 3 show changes and beetles from Japan.
around the side of the building to the newly installed pergola. This year visitors will enter through the desert room.
The Japanese Lantern. The sign next to this explains :"The earliest lanterns came to Japan from China via Korea along with Buddhism in the 6th Century. Stone lanterns were used as votive lights at temples and shrines."
This flower is Clivia and many people inquire about it. Unfortunately it takes forever to bloom and is as far as I can tell impossible to find for re-sell in the gift shop.
One of the glass butterfly feeders made by Neusole artists that we sell in the Gift Shop for $10.00. Last year we sold 600 units. I hope we can beat that number this year.
This is a picture of the showroom while in progress. The hort staff only had 2 weeks to convert from early spring show to B-fly.
The Good Wishes railing. Visitors are invited to write their good wishes or prayers on a paper, fold it twice lengthwise , place it in the box to be added to this Good Wishes Railing.
The lobby and exit from the show.
