Conservatory versus seasonal depression

For several weeks before and after the winter solstice, I’m quite prone to seasonal depression. In recent years, I’ve come up with a list of things I can do to ward off depression, two of which we practiced today.

First, we went to the University of Illinois Conservatory. It’s a rather handsome greenhouse where the plant biologists keep interesting plants, and make the space available to the public to come and see the plants, and hang out in the warm and humid and sunny.

Sadly, today it wasn’t sunny.

But that’s okay. It was still warm and somewhat humid, with lots of exotic plants.

Flowers blooming in the University of Illinois Conservatory

After the Conservatory, we went to the iHotel, where we had drinks by the fireplace, then went into Houlihan’s for lunch, then sat in front of the fireplace some more.

It was very nice. I’m sure it staved off winter depression for a day or two.