Orchids Orchids Orchids

As part of the Winter Carnival here in Saint Paul, the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory holds an orchid show. And that's how I like to participate in the Winter Carnival: walking around a warm building, looking at flowers, reminding myself that days with a high of -7 degrees Fahrenheit and 20 mph winds won't last forever (it just feels that way).

Swans

We drove to an area about an hour northwest of our home today to see and hear hundreds of swans who have collected on the shore of part of the Mississippi River for the winter. It was certainly a different experience first hearing all of the swans honking (they were quite loud), then seeing all of them gathered together.

A small portion of the flock

The eating area, where local residents put out bins of corn for the birds

Mating dance

Turf war 1

Turf war 2

Coming in for a landing 1

Coming in for a landing 2

Coming in for a landing 3

Not the most graceful at touchdown