... All the way back to Illinois. As I scraped the snow and ice off my car this morning, I thought wistfully of my vacation last week in Arizona. The weather was in the 80s, the sun was shining, and I was getting a tan on my pale Midwestern legs. But even as the snow has jolted me back to reality here in Illinois, I can look back on the photos I took on my trip. And because I’m a plant geek, you know I checked out some plants while I was there.

One especially memorable place was Son Silver West Gallery in Sedona. It’s an amazing shop with a bohemian feel, and rooms upon rooms of cool stuff; you could spend hours and still not see everything. And when I say they have everything, I mean everything—metalwork, pottery, jewelry, crystals, all kinds of artwork, dried chilis and plants.

Outside the entrance were some cool wooden statues that I was coveting, while trying to figure out if I could somehow fit them in the overhead compartment.

The metalwork flowers were beautiful too!

Cacti and succulents rule the landscape in Arizona, and they were all around the store, in displays and for sale.

There was even a dedicated plant room:

There were little guys ... 

And big guys ... 

I really liked how they integrated plants into other displays, such as with this statue.

But back to talking about cold and snow—are you heading to MANTS in January? Get there two days early and attend the SNA Conference, scheduled for January 6 to 7. The conference focuses on connecting the industry to identify business challenges and opportunities. The Plant Conference (part of the overall conference) offers 12 hours of education and discussion with 12 industry insiders—plant enthusiasts, authors, breeders, educators and growers. Dr. Charlie Hall, Maria Zampini of Upshoot, Lloyd Traven of Peace Tree Farm, Mary Vaananen of Jelitto Perennial Seed, and Kevin Conrad of U.S. National Arboretum are just a few speakers you’ll learn from.

And don’t forget the SNA SuperSessions:

Making the Most of an Uncertain Situation, featuring Dr. Charlie Hall and Dr. Marco Palma, Texas A&M, College Station, TX

Dr. Charlie Hall is teaming up with Dr. Marco Palma to provide insight on the outlook for the spring season.The current business cycle set a new record for the number of months of economic expansion. But how long can we expect it to last? Has the Tax Cut & Jobs Act made that much of a difference? What impact has trade had on the economy? And what influence will immigration (or the lack thereof) have on long-term economic growth? Marco and Charlie will discuss these issues and hopefully bring some clarity to these uncertain times. Most importantly, they will discuss what you can actually do about it.

The State of Play—Capitol Hill Report featuring Craig Regelbrugge, AmericanHort, Washington, DC

Craig will provide a “state of play” update on the horticulture industry’s most critical advocacy priorities like labor and the workforce, trucking and logistics, pest and disease challenges, and more. He will provide an insider’s view of what we may expect from Capitol Hill, the players to watch, and the issues affecting our industry the most.

For more information, visit https://www.sna.org/.