Springing

Ah there are flowers! I have seen a multitude of snowdrops and several crocus. The birds are definitely preparing and on my walk this morning (shortened form as I am nursing a poopy cold! ah pesky thing!) I heard a wood pecker and the noise from birds was everywhere they really sound excited..........or is that the impending rain that is due this afternoon. Think we are in for a time with heavy rain and wind, sounds just like the Isle Of Man!.

 

Although we are still just ploughing on there has been slight happenings at 333. Last week I took my very dear friend Doris (from the exchange) to Longwood Gardens. Doris is the most amazing person, at 81 she is quite spry and full of the most wonderful stories. She grew up in Philadelphia and is a complete local. The fact that she has seen some changes is fascinating but really more than anything else it is her stories. This one story she told me really did make me stop in my tracks. Her neighbor and good friend Gertrude is someone that Doris looked after until she died. (I am afraid that a lot of my friends from the exchange do have an element of dieing in their story telling.....kind of goes with the territory. You just have to go with it.) Well anyway Gertrude towards the end of her life, who had been a great story teller herself unfortunately forgot her stories. Luckily she had repeated her stories to Doris so many times that Doris knew the stories better than Gertrude herself and so Doris could remember and repeat Gertrude's stories back to her.................ah friendship, precious thing that it is. Now I might add that this story was not delivered by Doris in anyway that was loaded with emotion just very matter of fact. I think that is what I like the best, her understated delivery.

 

So there we were at Longwood with a day cold enough to freeze your face off, I did question my own judgment of making Doris walk about there but she is of sturdy stock and was fine. We made our way to the greenhouses which are fantastic there and this is what we saw.

 Wall of orchids

 These are nectarine tree blossom!

A lovely vista

 

Just love Longwood, it is always a calming place and this day was no exception.

 

 

On to news from the Exchange, as some of you know I work there several times a week and one of those occasions is on a Monday when we process our consignments and price items and place them in the shop. Well this week we had the most amazing thing come in from a consignor, a silk hanging with embroidery from World War 1. It is in pristine condition and just so beautiful. I have no idea if it will sell but it is an amazing thing to see.

 

And finally, Louie has written a poem again for his spelling homework. This one left me and Damian dumb struck. Without help he conjured this from his spelling words that are to be presented in context in a form of creative writing. He really struggles with homework and writing is something that if he is scribed for he can be very eloquent. But otherwise is a difficult thing fro him to start. Just one if his issues and a form of his learning difference. So in the risk of being a "mummy bore" I promised that I would share this with you. This is without any help what so ever, Louie's own work.

School Days

 BY LOUIE FOZARD

 

Would you verify the ABC's?

Would you justify why bee's have knees?

Can you explain the identification of fleas with disease?

So much to learn, so much to gain,

How will I ever know it all,

I'll clarify it for you, yes I will,

19 long hard years at a school desk!

And I ask is it all worth it?

In justification it looks so,

it seems so,

and it feels so,

we learn how to multiply,

how to write,

how to read,

and how to do math and calculus,

and don't forget old algebra,

but to simplify,

we students all have our down times,

our feelings of hopelessness,

and our sadness,

but, if our emotions notify,

the splendid teacher of ours,

she will identify the cause of all the upset and low spirits,

and will use her magnifying heart of love,

to help us through,

Thank you teachers for your love,

for you kindness,

and for your patience

You are one of those teachers, T. Bonnie, yes you are.

 



 



February?!

Well having the joy and pleasure of a February wedding anniversary, this month has always taken me by surprise. In fact surprised is what I have been all my life so far! I can see that from the lines formed on my face. You know that they say as people age they show their personality traits through their facial lines. Luckily that cross face that I do has yet to take over from the surprised lines! phewee!!!! So surprised I am that we are February already, I'm desperate for longer days and flowers. Of course we all know that they will come soon enough and really I shouldn't complain, as some folks on the North East are literally digging themselves out of snow from this weekend.

But this is what we have been doing, falling into quiet routines and that's rather nice, punctuated with some small adventures. The first is the trip to Stroud Preserve with Mary et al. Russell being the resident birder assured us of a peek at a Great Horned Owl. We were not disappointed.

 

 And in that grey lump was the most amazing sight, a great Horned Owl. It really was so beautiful and almost unbelievable. But Russell confirmed it was indeed real.

 

 Setting up and watching some fab ducks.

Boys getting the shot right for the owl.

Of course Willy found something good too!

But how about this for a near miss! My picture doesn't capture really how close that massive tree came to the house. It literally missed it by inches. It made me wince to look at it. Of course there is a story............how true this is, well that is open to debate. But according to a very flaky source the Preserve (where we went to see the owl) was left in someones will and the house on the Preserve was with another family member who was unhappy that the land was not to be sold. We are talking millions and billions in worth here and in protest the owner of the house is leaving it to go to rack and ruin, hence the odd fallen tree! We all speculated about this on our walk through the preserve and why would you do that and of course the person we had decided had more money than sense and believe you me the view the house has over the preserve is wonderful and idyllic. All I can say for our story is that it is a story and we have no idea what the real situation is but we are tremendously happy to have a preserve so close to where we live and something that we can enjoy as often as we like, with no cost at all. A good time was had by all and we look forward to more outings like these.



 

 

I also discovered after my last blog that I had some pictures from Louie's Sunday performance at the University that I didn't put up so here these are.

 This was before the show ready to go!

 These are the after show pictures and all happy faces at a wonderful performance.

Leaping around the Green Room

 

 Although covered this well previously looking through these really brought back how good the thing was and of course since then we have all moved on a pace and Louie and this lot are off to Harrisburg, to compete in a Dance Competition. So more rehearsals and all of that stuff for us, just when we were relaxing. But it is super exciting and Louie is learning a solo tap routine. ..........yes watch this space.

Finally two other things have been happening here, small snow

I took these one morning and slipped out the side door, only to realise I had just locked myself out! So in pink fluffy dressing gown I tip toes through the garden and in through the garage. I don't think that I was seen......but you never know.

 

 

Damian has a new hobby, bread making and it is wonderful and we have the photographic evidence .

Oh and not but by no means least this is what happens if you should leave you computer unattended!

Miss Bella