AUNTIE'S BIRTHDAY

A week has gone by already since I went to Connecticut to celebrate my aunt's 70th birthday! My Dad and Mom, Deb and I ( and of course Mikey) drove down to wish her a "Happy Birthday". The ride was great. My Dad took some back roads. The countryside is beautiful. Old houses and farmland, horses and streams, my kind of place. Mikey is such a good little traveler, he slept the whole way down and back. It was really good to see my aunt and cousins and their wives and children. The boys have grown so much since I saw them last.  We had food and 2 cakes as you can see. Mikey ran around trying to get scraps from anyone who was eating.lol  He was great with the boys. He can be a little nippy but he had a great time and was fine with everyone. My aunt looked great and I know she was very happy to have all her family with her.( I love and miss you, Auntie.) She is such a wonderful person, a great cook, as I have mentioned in earlier posts.She   has made sets of napkins for every day of the year! I find that incredible, and she made them all by hand! She also makes cards, beautiful cards. I always enjoy getting one from her. We have all had some wonderful times visiting her in the past and hopefully we will continue to.
 After the party Mom, Dad, Deb and I ( Mikey too.) went back to Elizabeth's( my cousin) house to spend the night. Elizabeth, Steven( her son, and my 2nd cousin) stayed up with us for a little while and talked. We were all so tired so we didn't stay up long. In the morning Elizabeth had gone off to work and Steven to school. We packed up and headed home. Too little time. I miss them all and would have really liked to visit longer.
 Calvin and Sophie( the cats) were so cute with Mikey. Calvin seemed interested and just followed Mikey around and stared at him. Sophie on the other hand kept her distance but made sure he was always in her sight. Her eyes were as big as Owls eyes. Anyway they kept the peace and all was well.
 Back on the road. We stopped to get some coffee and breakfast and we saw this adorable little baby bunny.

Finally got home that afternoon. We had a great time. HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUNTIE!!!! Here is your rainbow!

MORNINGS

I just saw a very beautiful thing, a male Cardinal feeding his female. Just didn't have my camera this time. So sweet. Brought tears to my eyes. Scenes like this are almost too sacred to capture on camera. A gift only for your eyes.

 I love getting up early in the morning. I usually get up at 6. The sun is just coming up and everything has a magical quality to it. The birds start coming one by one. I can count on certain birds to arrive first. I can hear someones rooster crowing in the distance. The squirrels start meandering in, stretching and yawning as they make it down the tree to the bird feeder, where they hang upside down and feed on the sunflower seeds. Some mornings the leaves of the Iris and Daylilies are tipped with little round droplets of dew that shimmer in the suns light.   The birds are singing; there are no other sounds, the quiet from human life and the solitude is mesmerizing. I sit and watch the interaction of the birds and squirrels. Its amazing what you'll see. They have all gotten used to me and my camera and come close to feed without fear. A little English Sparrow has taken up residence in a hole in the tree where the feeders hang. He has been working on this new home for a few days now. He is so busy and proud, singing as he cleans out the hole. I haven't seen a female yet unless shes in the hole sitting on eggs.
  The air is so fresh in the morning. Everything has a newness about it. The night has erased all the mistakes of yesterday and the day is a new slate to put your mark upon. I cherish the morning muses, new beginnings, new thoughts and ideas. Each morning is a new experience, filled with wonder and anticipation of whats to come.  I'm grateful to be able to get up in the morning and rise with the Sun. 

TARTAN DAY

Justin spent the weekend with me. He came over later Friday afternoon. We were both pretty excited because Saturday we were going to see the Scottish Highland Light Pipe Band! I absolutely LOVE the bagpipes! I think that the feeling I get when I hear them is in my DNA somewhere. The sound brings tears to my eyes. My Mom and son went too.
 I learned a lot about Scottish history ( part of my heritage besides English and Irish) and the bagpipes. 2 yrs ago on an archeology expedition in Egypt they found a tomb of an Egyptian princess over 3000 yrs old. Inside they found that she was entombed with a set of bagpipes. Bagpipes are such an ancient instrument that they really don't know how old or how far back they go. Ohhh, that sound, that sound resonates through my whole being! There was some dancing and fiddling, which was really beautiful. And the food, yes, real Scottish food. Bridies ( which are flaky pastry filled with a meat mixture. The BEST!), meat pies, sausage rolls, and real homemade shortbread that melted in your mouth. All of it was homemade.

 I also learned that you never call plaid, plaid. Its called tartan. It is the outcome of what is available in dyes and weaving material. Each clan has its own tartan. The plaid ( which is pronounced plaaad, long A) is a long, wide piece of tartan material that they wrapped around themselves and threw over the shoulder.
  Tartan day is now a national holiday celebrated on April 6th.
We all had a great time. We stayed quite awhile, about 4 hours. After I got home I felt like watching " Braveheart"again.lol. I loved the end of the movie when William Wallace yelled out FREEEDOOOMMM!!!!

EASTER

Its been awhile since I've posted. Medical issues and back problems. Thats over and I'm feeling great! April Fools day..gone...Sarah's birthday went by. Easter was fun. My grandson came over the day before and helped me get ready. We had fun out in the back yard. He set up stunts to preform while I used my sport mode on my camera.We had so much fun. Then later Michelle(my daughter-in-law) came over and we dyed some eggs.Later, after Michelle went home Justin and I went out back and had a fire in my little fire pit. It got so smokey that we had to put it out and go back in.lol.
Easter Sunday was nice. We(my family) had a great dinner and sat around afterward and relaxed and talked. Now its all over and I'm back to getting the yard in shape and taking photos of course. Today my Mom and I are going to get our lettuce plants............

MORE SPRING RAIN

Rain, rain, rain. I guess we are in for it for a few days. I really don't mind, gives me a chance to clean the house. And I love to take photos of the rain drops left on the flowers, trees, and leaves after its over.What would Spring be anyway, without the showers? The Snowdrops, Mini Iiris are past blooming, and thanks to my pesky little squirrels, the crocus have had their blooms bit off! Arrrrrggg. But they can really be soooo cute, as you can see.!
 Debbie is finally making it to Boston to have the screws removed form the last surgery she had to repair her knee, or should I say, whats left of it. I was going to go but the car was to filled to fit me. I just wish her well and hope things go the way they are supposed to, and she returns home safely.

 Sunday I will be having Easter (Ostara) dinner here with all my family. Ham, yams and Asparagus casserole(YUM! you can thank my Aunt Alice for that one.) I'll probably decorate now that I have the house to myself. A rainy day is a puttering day. Its fun..............

Asparagus Casserole

1c.buttered crumbs
3 tall cans choice asparagus
1 sm. jar pimentos
6 hard boiled eggs
White Sauce:
4 T. buter
4 T. flour
1 t. salt
dash of pepper
2 c. milk
2 c. grated sharp cheddar
grease casserole dish. Put 1/2crumbs in bottom, 1/2 of the asparagus, 1/2 jar pimentos, 3 of the eggs(sliced)
1/2 of the white sauce, repeat, ending with crumbs. 350 degrees for 30 min. Best chilled overnight before cooking.

FEATHERS IN THE WIND

Our lives are as feathers buffeted here and there by the winds of fate; never really knowing where we are going or where we will land. We think that we seem to have total control over our lives, but be assured , we don't.  We may have some control over some things but when fate comes in to hand there is no control. Only the Universe can control that. When the winds blow hard and gusty and we are snagged by the obstacles that crop up in the way of our journey, we are stopped in our tracks. These obstacles may be grief over a loved ones death, a sudden illness, or the loss of a long time friendship. Whatever it may be, you  may find yourself with your hands tied behind your back. No control. Then suddenly another gust of wind will free you from the situation, weather physically, mentally, and ,or spiritually and off you go ,on yet another journey and...... yes...... another snag.                                                                                            The point I'm trying to make is that we will always have obstacles to overcome in our lives. We have no control over that. It is knowing that they will appear and knowing that eventually , in the Universe's time and the Universe's way we will be freed from them. 

WHAT IS TRUE FRIENDSHIP?