AROUND AND ABOUT FROM 3-3-25 TO 3-9-25

This is our weather forecast for this week, from Monday 3-10-25 to 3-17-25

Hello Family and Friends, thank you once again for your encouragement. Here Is this past week’s daily journal. 

Monday, March 3rd, 2025: father and son were off out for the day. I enjoyed my usual pottering. Not much went on here but Gregg returned with a gift from one of the bookstores they visited. He always says books find you, you don't find them. He saw this one on a display table and picked it up immediately, looked through it and knew I would love it. He was right. It's a new one by Amy Tan and all the art is her own.

Tuesday, March 4th, 2025: 

We ran an errand today, I just went along for the ride and stayed in the car while Gregg went into the dry cleaners. I saw the leprechaun and unicorn again on our way home. This time there was an Irish flag.

Not long now before St. Patrick's Day but in advance I'll wish you: 

"Lá fhéile Pádraig Sona Dhuit" in Irish. 

According to Google it actually translates directly to "Happy Day of the Festival of Patrick to you".

• "Lá Fhéile Pádraig": Means "St Patrick's Day".
• "Sona": Means "happy".
• "Duit": Means "to you". 

This shows its pronunciation:

With it being Shrove Tuesday I made pancakes this evening. It was a tradition in my family when I was growing up, and is still tradition in the UK I'm thinking, to make them once a year (Brit friends please let me know if this is still going on). Mum always made it a lot of fun. She would toss the pancakes up in the air to flip them back into the pan on the other side, letting us have a try. Quite a few landed on the floor and nothing but laughter and giggles, and lots of happy times.

When we first met, Gregg told me he was surprised that pancakes were only made once a year, which he had found on the Royal Navy ship he was stationed with for two years. When we were first married and he asked if I could make him pancakes, I remember being very surprised that pancakes were made for breakfast, and often. It certainly wasn't Shrove Tuesday. 

I still make them the way my mother used to, something between an American pancake and a crepe, but more like a crepe, which fortunately he loved and still loves. We always served ours sprinkled with lemon juice and sugar over the top, and intended to make them that way today. At the last minute we found we had used all our lemons, and I didn't want Gregg to go out just for those. Maple syrup it was! I added blueberries on mine. 

Wednesday, March 5th, 2025: when we saw them last Sunday, our son and daughter-in-law brought pastries from a place called Chateau de Chantilly Cafe. Gregg enjoyed his very much - a fried croissant with a cream filling - and suggested we go over there this morning for breakfast. We are also checking places out when our overseas company visit us.  They will be arriving a little over a month from now. 

This is actually our second visit to the cafe, our first was last year. Visually, and I thought it a bit strange, as I looked at all the variety of delicious delights they offered, I found myself a bit overwhelmed. 

I couldn't decide on anything. I ended up getting what Gregg had come here for, a fried croissant with a cream filling. It was outstanding. Gregg also purchased a coca-cola and ordered a latte for me, except that he accidentally ordered me two. 

I was so annoyed!

And yes I am joking. My unexpected café au lait pour deux? Lovely, and so was that fried croissant. I was wired for the rest of the day. That silly face was after my dear other half asked me if I enjoyed the extra cup of coffee and that was my response. They are not small cups!

A big thank you to him for such a nice treat with my extra surprise, and the nice drive to get out here.

I would describe this place as shabby/chic. I am comfortable wearing a sweater and jeans. It is in an old building with tall ceilings. When son and daughter-in-law were there on the weekend it was packed out and they were lucky to get a table. We had no problem mid-week, and we always go on an off hour when people have gone back to work.  There is an upstairs for the overflow. We managed to get a parking spot right out front, so I left my cane in the car and used Gregg’s arm. They are open every day from 7.00 a.m. to 11.00 p.m.

On the way home we had a good old Virginia downpour. I took this photo between the window wipers going at full speed. I have quite a few which I deleted before this one.

We had a FaceTime with my brother-in-law in Germany, another nice long chat. I feel blessed that we have such a close friendship with him after all these years, and with such distance between us too. I am grateful to this technology that allows us to keep in touch, almost like we are all in the same room.  

Thursday, March 6th, 2024: father and son were out again with my blessing. Gregg left the house around 2:00 a.m. I did nothing special and pottered! He knows I enjoy my quiet time. I wouldn’t be able to keep up with them anyway. They like to gadabout all over the place and I would slow them down to a crawl. My time went quickly and when hubs got home late evening, he caught me up on his day and I told him mine. He won! I can’t remember everything I did now, I just know the day went quickly.  

Friday, March 7th, 2025: I woke up to the wind howling outside. It was a little after 1:00 a.m. I could hear the sound of the tree branches whipping into a frenzy. It took me forever to get back to sleep. I could see the light of dawn coming through the shutters before going back to sleep.

The first thing I did this morning was look out on the deck. The only thing I could see amiss, was a small branch from the fir tree. When we first moved here, that fir tree was tiny and remained that way for years. I was told the roots hit the water table and from there on it grew and it grew, and it grew. It is way above the house, and we are going to have to do something about it soon, but unlike our other trees that had to be cut down, it looks very healthy. Someone quoted us $1,200 and because of priorities, don't want to do that right now as we have other things to take care of. It is a healthy-looking tree, and this price quoted was just for pruning. This seems to be the going rate and they certainly are very skilled. When the last man cut down the tree, he was like a lumberjack, shimmying up and down like it was no effort at all.

We picked up an item of clothing from the dry cleaners and that was about it for my outdoor adventure today. There was even more traffic around today.

Look what we saw on the way home? I think the leprechaun and his steed were a wee bit tipsy, or perhaps competing in a rodeo?

The more logical explanation is that with the wind last night, they were deflated.  I saw them flattened on the ground earlier with a couple of bicycles on top acting as weights. I think it was in the process of being inflated again.

Saturday, March 8th, 2025: I took one of my books down off the shelf and picked out a walrus to sketch. This book is not only educational, it has the most wonderful artwork inside, just like the new book Gregg gave me.

This is the one I chose. I remember seeing them once and they are magnificent marine animals. You can read about them at this link.

Here's my scribble sketch.

Nothing else of note today. We had a very quiet day, very relaxing.  

Sunday, March 9th, 2025: son just left at 12:30 p.m. He usually arrives between 8.30 and 9.00 with my coffee in hand and also a muffin. I look forward to his weekly visits. He and his dad will be getting together on Tuesday again. It's becoming a regular thing. 

I have a doctor's appointment coming up next week to see what's going on with this knee, as there are no marathons in my future until I get it sorted out. Not that there were any marathons in my past either, but it would be lovely to be able to get out on a good walk around my favorite places. I am very lucky, I have Green Spring Gardens as it's a short trip to where we park the car and is an easy, flat area.

It feels good to look outside and see the sun shining. 

I think I am going to end this week's around and about here. If something exciting happens I will add it before I publish. I have a feeling it's going to be all quiet, so at 5.13 p.m. I'll say bye-bye for now and until next time...

thanks so much for continuing to read through these things, always appreciated. 

HAPPY SUNDAY EVERYONE - A POEM

 Another wonderful poem from Becky Hemsley. A long poem, but well worth reading through to the end in my humble opinion.

I learned from my mother 

That women are strong

That life can be difficult 

But we go on.  

She taught to be soft

On those finding life hard 

To help protect those

Who’ve already been scarred

To work when I need to

But otherwise play

That night time’s for dreaming

But so is the day

To be gentle with those

Who are tough on themselves 

To share out my love

But save some for myself

To stand up to those

Who would walk over me

To hold up my head

When I’m down and feel weak 

To only apologise

When I am wrong

To know that there’s always

A place I belong

To trust in my future

And treasure my past

To smash it each time

That the ceiling is glass

To find the lessons

In relationships lost 

Because some things in life

Are not worth what they cost

But what she taught most 

About life and of worth 

Was that it is only 

The best I deserve

And maybe your mother

Has taught you the same 

But if she has not 

Well, then I’m here today

To say that you too

Deserve only the best

To live out the life

That exists in your head 

To find your own strength 

And to dream and stand tall 

To trust you might fly

When you think you could fall 

So never stop dreaming

And never give up

 And trust when I say 

You are worthy of love

What I Learned 

by 

Becky Hemsley

from her book What the Wild Replied

Poems from Human Nature

(The flowers come from photos taken throughout the year at various gardens.)

THANK YOU ANN

 Happy mail from Ann is a happy day indeed. Thank you so much my friend, I always appreciate seeing them in my mailbox.

I have mentioned this before, but this is my favorite comfy corner where I do all my reading and blogging, sip on a hot or cold drink, and watch the birds outside. The two figurines that are next to Ann's pretty card are gifts from my dear family. It's my happy place of treasures, where I can easily reach up for a book to leaf through, and now I have Ann's card to look at.

Thank you Ann! 

This is such a delightful tradition you started.

And thanks for dropping by everyone.

I hope your day is a great one.

THE WATER TOWER RAVENS BY BLOGGING FRIEND SANDRA

The other day after I had posted about crows, Sandra of  “Random Thoughts of a Great-Granny Grandma”

told me about her ravens, and that she had written a book about the ones who nested within sight of her balcony.  Below I have repeated the comment she left me.

“I went to the link you shared and read the story. They are really smart and loyal birds, and so are ravens.

I've been following a family of ravens that came to town quite a few years ago and built a nest on the water tower across the way from my balcony. They came back every year even when there was major construction going on and a temporary tower built to temporarily house the antennas, etc. that were on the original, and they found a spot to build themselves a nest there too, and then when all the work was completed and the temporary tower dismantled, they went right back to the original tower.

Anyway, all that to say, I took many pictures of them and their babies learning to fly, and that was the inspiration of my first children's picture book--The Water Tower Ravens (see sidebar on my blog). I had never aspired to be an author--let alone of children's picture books--but that's what got me started.”

I was intrigued so I visited Sandra’s blog and purchased her book.  It arrived a few days ago.  I am not the greatest reviewer like those of you who have written about the books you read, but I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed it, along with her photos and narrative.  It is written for children 3+, and told from the raven perspective.  It also has interesting facts for adults at the end, a delightful read and for want of a better word, is absolutely charming.  Any child (or adult) would enjoy this sweet story. I would have been very happy to read it to our son when he was young.

Sandra has a lovely blog which I also enjoy, and if you would like to take a look, you can visit the link above, or if you prefer to copy and paste, I have written the full address below.

https://greatgrannygrandma.blogspot.com/

Sandra has written several other children’s books and sometime in the future I would like to purchase others.  You can see them all on her sidebar.   

Thank you Sandra (Great-Granny-Grandma) for a lovely read and this is a book I am very happy to have on the bookshelf.   It will be waiting for anyone with young children among our visitors.

Thanks for looking everyone and I hope your day is filled with sunshine.

THIS AND THAT

I am starting off with another puzzle.   

While on the theme, this is what I had for breakfast this morning. I toasted wheat bread, spread mashed avocado on the bread, put a poached egg on the top and sprinkled crushed pepper flakes on top of that. Always my go-to breakfast when we buy avocados. I finished it off with a glass of orange juice.   

And then I had my usual one cup of black coffee.  I think I had the same smile after that first sip as this little guy. 

I found him and the other cuties on Pinterest.  

Hopefully I haven’t repeated any.

Loved the flower painting, also found on Pinterest. 

 

Saw this also and it brought a smile.  

The picture below came from the following link, and I included it just in case.  More information can be found at the website.  You might need to click on the picture and enlarge.  

https://www.wildlifecenter.org/baby-squirrels

This made me laugh because well, you know, I am an introvert at heart and the older I get, the more so. Both my parents were the same. The saying was on a 'T' shirt. 

The next one made me chuckle and wince at the same time.  I have actually seen how close people get to these big boys/girls on past trips to Yellowstone, have read about recent close encounters, and other stories when they pop up in the news, and watched a few videos. They are definitely not cute and cuddly fluffy cows. Big and beautiful they may be, but they can be ornery. More importantly dangerous if they feel threatened by the close proximity of humans.  Like a lot of wildlife out there, especially if protecting their young. And what would we do to protect our kids? Give our all, absolutely! That reaction is all across the species.  Enjoy them, love them but give them a wide, wide berth.  The general advice is to stay 25 yards away and this website gives you more advice.  Even then be aware. I think this and other animal packets are sold by the National Park Service.

And this for me is so true!

As always, thanks for visiting and have a great day.