Wow travel!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am almost at a loss as to how to begin this new posting.......my trip to Oregon was simply amazing on so many levels. It began with an early morning start for me and Lucy (who had been nice enough to invite me to accompany her to stay with her friend Mary, in Bandon Oregon). We were up at 4.30am and off for 5.00am to the airport, I had assumed we would be the only ones on the road, how silly of me! it was really busy around the airport. That's right Americans are early starters. But really it was uneventful in the flying aspect and with Lucy having 45 years of flying under her belt, I did have some pressure not to be pathetic!

 

So we are flying over this amazing country that we live in and I am able to see the landscape change, as we travel over Pennsylvania and into the Mountains and then the farm lands of the mid west. Now of course being a geographer I have some idea what the landscape would look like but to see it in the flesh so to speak, was amazing. For as far the eye could see was farm land. It literally stretched on forever and there was little built up areas, in fact none that I saw. This really struck me the land being so cultivated and then we were coming into Salt Lake City and the mountains there are huge and impressive. Of course these were snow covered and I was just so amazed, I for some reason hadn't expected that. Then off to Portland and all the interesting people floating around that airport made me realise I really was on the West Coast.



 

 

 

Salt Lake Utah

 

The next part of our trip was just bizarre. We were on a small regional airline and I hadn't realised how small until we came to board and they said it was a full flight. There seemed very few people but I thought that it would be similar to the planes we get from the Isle Of Man. Mistake!. As we walked down to the plane we passed what I felt was reasonable sized aircraft's and then as they petered out there alone, was the smallest plane, ours!. They said they would assign seating on getting onto the plane, that was basically Lucy and I sat on a bench seat directly behind the pilot and first officer, did I mention we had to crouch to get on and the full plane was 7 people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!agh. So they tell us before we take off that the flight time was an hour and a half agh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and we set off. The wind was blowing sideways in a steady gale and then turned into pounding hail. But I knew we would be fine, once airborne. So up and away we went and into full panic I descended and stayed in  that state until we landed.

Our pilots elbow!



Can you see the baggage cart?

I was so scared I just didn't even mentally articulate what aspect scared me the most. But I got through it knowing that I would never go through it again, even if I had to live in flipin Bandon! (side note, Damian had done our travel and he had no idea how small that regional airline was!!That's story...........  but knew that he would have been equally as scared if that had happened to him and that gave me comfort.) Lucy and I have never been so pleased to see land, Terra fir ma! It really did an excellent job of shutting us up. We were just to scared to open our mouths, in case we threw up on the pilot!

 

Wow and so began our Bandon adventure. Really and truly it was genteel and wonderful. Mary was the most amazing host and made it so lovely for us, I felt really welcomed and enjoyed very much seeing the Oregon coastline and spotting all those plants that exist there and on the Island, gorse, mombreashia, and not for getting stinking Roger (wild garlic). It was so like the Island and yet not. The coast line was massive and impressive and stretched into the haze. In fact the spray from the sea often gives rainbows, one of which graced us as we had landed initially. The weather was lovely and my rain mac the perfect accompaniment! I loved hearing the sea and the pounding surf. Only slightly disquieted by actually being in a Tsunami zone.

They have all sorts of amazing wildlife there and although I didn't get to see them, I did see hummingbirds. That was a real thrill to see them, but again I find that really many of anything are a bit scary  to me and I managed to get quite close to them as Mary's friends house. They were almost a swarm! those beaks are sharp! They look like swords!!!!

 

We met Mary's lovely and accomplished friends and it seems really living there I would have to up my game, don't think my scones would be enough. They spin and dye their own wool and knit the most beautiful things. Just so clever. Amazing gardeners and ready to just knuckle down. Mary had a story about a friend of hers, who was driving along one of their main roads and a tree was down. Of course having to stop he had a few moments to wonder what to do. When a lady in the truck behind him got out and took her chain saw from the back and cut it up and off they went. That is the true spirit of the North West! I don't think me and my card nail file would pass muster somehow. I truly am a city slicker. It made me laugh!

 

Whilst we were there we were able to get to see their Washed Ashore Project. This has taken nearly two years works, collecting the rubbish put in the sea and making art to highlight this environmental disaster.

 Lucy and the Washed Ashore Project

 

 

 Fish made of flip flop pieces

 Jelly fish, translucent plastic bottles

Sea lion made of soles of shoes

 Bandon by the Sea

 Pounding surf

Spectacular Coastline and beaches

 

 There is a persons head and elephant in the rocks and here also they have blow holes in the rock

The beach looking at the rocks 

 Lighthouse

 

 

 Drift wood, they get lots of this!

 

 Gorse!!!!!!!!

Sunset on the West Coast.

 

That amazing Mid West!

 



So the stay came to an end and the lovely supply of fish and crab cakes and yummy treats and off to the airport. But we didn't go by regional airline we were lucky enough to have Mary drive us to Portland. So grateful think that I owe her a kidney and part of my liver!!!! We stayed over night and then off again home and back to West Chester and the snow. I still haven't quite caught up with myself but having the kids off for Spring Break will sort me out. Having arrived in the early hours of this morning I feel amazed that I am still awake at 8.30pm. But bed is beckoning.

Hair today....gone tomorrow

Well Louie has given me something worthwhile to write about. The other night I was talking as he settled down to sleep and he announced that he would like to have his hair cut. He said that "male dancers don't have long hair" and that he would like to donate his hair to locks for love.

Locks of love are a charity who make unique hairpieces for children that are having cancer treatment and have lost their hair. As Louie said giving your hair for this cause is really good, as it gives the children self esteem to have hair again.  Very well put and not much you can say to that really.

Now of course I could have argued the point but really such an amazing act left me speechless (well almost! ). He says now that he has been thinking of having his hair cut and donating the hair for some time. But this was definitely the first that I heard about it. Hair is something unique to all of us and something that most people have strong opinions on. There are few amongst us who don't care about their hair and what it is doing and how it is growing. For Louie to do this thing, I truly think it is amazing and I really admire that. I don't think that I would have been able to have my hair cut for someone else. Not when I was 11.

Below is the process and don't spoil it by flicking to the end product!

 

 

 

 Just so you can see what it was like

 We are getting ready

 The hair is put into ponytails that are of a long enough length to go towards a hairpiece.

 Louie had enough for 4ponytails

 Wow! the first is cut

Here is the new Louie hair do! Wow so amazing and looking so grown up. (Yes I am horribly biased!)

Well Done Louie!



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