We were blessed with another Saturday in the 40s, so Ari, Steve and I decided a trip to Chicago Botanic Garden was in order. We arrived at CBG around 3pm. We crossed through the Visitor's Centre and went straight down the path, past the elm allées in the Esplanade.
We passed the Model Railroad Garden (which is closed until May), went around the Landscape Garden, and headed down the path when I noticed a small island, full of one of our favourite types of trees: birch. We hurried over, and set our eyes upon a boardwalk hovering above frozen waters.
At the end of the 110-foot, handcrafted boardwalk (made of rough-hewn black locust wood) was Spider Island, the smallest of CBG's nine islands. We were surrounded by blanched Whitespire birch, chalky Gray birch, crimson Dogwood, and ashen boulders. Spider Island seemed like the perfect respite after a more arduous hike, but we enjoyed it nonetheless. Luckily, there were no other visitors to the island at that time. We sat on the rocks for a while and admired Mother Nature's winter touch in silent contemplation.
I noticed Carex appalachica (Appalachian Sedge) after we left the island and returned to the path.
After walking southward for a bit we set foot upon Evening Island (atop the hill was the Carillon), then strolled across the Serpentine Bridge. The sun was setting, and it was time for us to go home.
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Yet another wonderful time at CBG! As expected, we have been happy with our membership. Aside from the perks, it is a pleasure to support this great place.
Spending quality time outdoors with Steve and the kids always proves to be a wonderful time; immersing ourselves in nature nourishes our souls. I think that it is incredibly important to encourage the kids to go on adventures, explore, and to remember that there is a whole world beyond the hustle and bustle of daily life. It is so easy to get caught up in this world of technology that we often forget to take some time to enjoy the Earth's beauty.
**Note: I decided to keep this post mainly about Spider Island because Evening Island has much more going on during summer. However, I included pictures I took there in the album (link below).**
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