January means it’s time to recharge. Holiday decorations need to be put away, tax forms start arriving and invariably a resolution or two gets made and then broken.

With all the stuff going on that a new year brings, I will count on recharging during a trip down to Florida for the TPIE event in Ft. Lauderdale.

Sun, fun and endless displays of orchids and ginger plants greet me at TPIE, which stands for the Tropical Plant Industry Exhibition. It is a wonderful gathering of tropical (and other) plant professionals from 33 countries and 44 states, all geared up to show off the latest things growing and the things that help make them grow.

Until last year, I hadn’t attended TPIE for many years. At events like this, I always look forward to seeing friendly faces and catching up with colleagues during an educational session or over a drink at the receptions. Then it’s off to wander the Expo floor and see what is new in the industry. I can check out new trends before and bring them back to our clients in San Diego and the western United States to enjoy.

As a board member of Green Plants for Green Buildings I will attend our annual board meeting and see what my green building colleagues are up to. This is a small group of brilliant professionals who are truly dedicated to integrating plants in the built environment. I always feel so invigorated after this meeting. It helps me bring fresh ideas to our staff and clients in San Diego and around the country.

It’s not all work. In my effort to recharge, I will take a “bucket list” driving trip through the Florida Keys to do some snorkeling, scuba diving and sightseeing. I plan to stop by Hemingway’s home and do the drive over the 7-mile bridge. I still need to load my iPod for the drive. It needs to be special music for a “bucket list” drive. Got any suggestions? Jimmy Buffett doesn’t count.

I am sure there will be many pictures taken at the Exhibition. Look for them on our website and Facebook. That will be me, the guy who is typically wrapped up in greenery and flowers with the big smile.

For more information about TPIE, please visit their website.

**Good Earth Plants and GreenScaped Buildings are hiring! Please visit our website for information and to apply**