Trite, perhaps, but...

I learned a lot about orchids yesterday (amid my other lesson learning, detailed below). For example, did you know this?
Me neither. Flower photos are a bit on the cliched side, I know, but the USBG orchids were really pretty cool, in addition to being aesthetically pleasing, so I thought I'd share. They can be showy:
And tropically exuberant:
But really pretty scary a lot of the time:

(Look closely at the scary goo in the center of this one above.)

Also of interest at the USBG, ants who love birds of paradise, scary tree trunks, and creepy palm trees.
Looking above, I kind of feel like I just shot an orchid catalog. Anyway, gotta love conservatories in winter, even if this winter day was 65 degrees (we'll talk another day about this winter weather signifying the end of the world).