Thai Pavilion at Olbrich Gardens

Thai Pavilion

No nails, no screws, and no metal fasteners of any kind were used to craft the Thai pavilion that is the centerpiece of the Thai Garden in Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison, Wisconsin. It was assembled by Thai craftsmen in Thailand, then dis-assembled and shipped to Madison. The Thai artisans then re-assembled the pavilion in the Gardens.

The open-air pavilion, called a “sala” in Thailand, is 40 feet long, 22 feet wide, and 30 feet high. It was gift to the University of Wisconsin-Madison from the Thai Chapter of the Wisconsin Alumni Association and the government of Thailand through its king and bears the Royal seal of the Thai crown.

Thai Pavilion

The Gardens feature a large reflection pool and uses plants suitable for Wisconsin climate that give the feel of those found in a Thai garden. There are ornamental grasses with the feel of bamboo – tall and with cane stems. There are hardy, large leafed plants, shrubs and trees, pruned to mimic the look of tropical plants.These plantings are designed to promote a serene setting – de-emphasizing color and emphasizing texture and form.

I will post late spring pictures (in later May or June, hopefully) to show the pavilion with its gardens – the lovely pools, the decorative glazed water jars and the sculptured tree art. Without a cover of snow, it is even more spectacular, and something well worth waiting to see.

Here are photographs of the Thai Pavilion taken in June.

Brought to You by the Letter “S”

Sun Dial

Sun Dial © 2008 Bo Mackison

The calendar says spring. Who looks at calendars anyway? It’s time to rely on ancient wisdom and consult the snow dial.

Let’s see. Thursday, March 27, 2008, 10:52 am, CDT. Ah, the snow dial says it’s SNOWING. Those ancients are pretty darn smart. They are correct.

This photograph is brought to you by the letter “S”. “S” is for Spring. “S” is for Snow. “S” is for Snowy-Spring. (with my fond regards to Sesame Street – maybe I’ll go sit with Bert and Ernie for awhile and stew)

“S” is for Sigh!

But “S” is also for Smile.

No Matter How Long the Winter,

Field Sunset

No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow.
~ Proverb

Spring Officially Proclaimed!

Spring Officially Proclaimed!

Spring Officially Proclaimed! © 2008 Bo Mackison

BREAKING NEWS!

The Mayor of Madison has had enough, too, so I don’t have to wait 12 more days for spring to be official. Madisonians will be dancing in the slushy, gray-snow-filled streets once they hear THIS news.

Today’s mayoral proclamation reads:

“Whereas, the winter of 2007-2008 will go down as one of the most severe in Madison history with record snowfall, strong winds, freezing rain, below zero temperatures and now, on top of it all, Brett Favre retires (for cryin’ out loud), and

“Whereas, these conditions make us better, hardier people of higher character than our friends who have fled to places like Florida and Arizona (or stupider); and

“Whereas, even with those advantages, we’ve had ENOUGH already; and

“Whereas, Madison has never been a community that simply accepts the status quo whether that be the results of national elections, the realities of nuclear fallout, general market conditions, or, for that matter, mere astronomical forces; and

“Whereas, Spring is a state of mind brought on by the thought of paddle sports and the sight of sleek new canoes and other cool canoe gear; and

“Whereas, Madison has been described as so many square miles surrounded by reality; and

“Whereas, Madison has been growing at a nice pace which must mean that reality is therefore shrinking; and

“Whereas, reality is overrated;

“Now, therefore, be it resolved that Spring officially begins in the City of Madison at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 9.”

(Thanks, Dave.)

Ice Storm

Winterscape © 2008 Bo Mackison

Wisconsin is still covered in white, although we did miss the forecasted storm earlier this week. It is the FIRST time this season that we did not get dumped on when ‘dumping on’ was predicted. Those darned weatherpersons finally made a wrong call – ’bout time. It isn’t nice to be perfect all the time.

I still have enough winter photographs to post daily until 2009, or perhaps even until 2010, but in honor of Leap Year Day tomorrow, I promise a photo that will soothe all the sun-starved, me included.

Today’s photograph
Owen Conservation Park
Madison, WI