OUT AND ABOUT

 I thought I would do a shorter version of our around and abouts from last week. I have numbered each photo in the corners.

No. 1 & 2: Gregg fancied an ice cream. He recently found a place in Vienna, which is about a half-hour ride from home. They make theirs on the premises. This is our second time and we again ordered a couple of scoops of their coffee, one of the best coffee ice creams we have ever had. It is a fun place. In another section of the shop, they have shelves of items that you can paint, and there are get-togethers to do just that, as you can see from all the people sitting at the table. 

No. 3: As for me, I fancied a coffee on the way home, so we went through their drive-thru. I take photos of everything as you probably know by now.

No. 4: We noticed this couple riding along at a steady speed on electric bicycles. Gregg is very interested in them and said to take a photo so that we could see the make. I took several because the grass was high, but I finally got one with the make branded on the side. He is very interested in the ones that fold, so that you can put them in the trunk. Can I see myself on an electric bicycle knowing that I can easily fall out of my shoes, mentioned several times before? Not really but he has not given up yet. When I said as much, he is now looking for electric tricycles for me. Okay my Sweet, don't hold your breath. Am I being a tad naughty, yes but I honestly don't see it happening. I should add, stay tuned.

No. 5: I noticed the shadows on my dog figurines, thought they looked really interesting. See the last sentence in No 3.

No. 6: About 30 years ago I bought this little fox trinket box. He looks a bit cross, but I still enjoy him. 

No. 7 & 8: over the last few months we have been watching this large structure being built. Every time we passed by, we had a guessing game as to what it was going to be. Finally, a sign appeared. Neither of us thought of dogs. Those pups are going to have plenty of room to move around but he who is wide eyed with shock, wants to know where do the cats go?

You can enlarge my collage for more details.

Nothing too exciting but a good week. I hope you had and are having a wonderful one.

AN OLD RED BARN

 

Through the ample open door of the peaceful country barn,

A sunlight pasture field with cattle and horses feeding,

And haze and vista, and the far horizon fading away.

~Walt Whitman, Jr. - A Farm Picture~

This, as you might know, is another photo turned into art with my ArtCard app on my iPad.  I haven’t gotten tired of it yet and I hope you haven’t either.  The original photo I will share soon.  We went on another drive along the Snickersville Turnpike scenic route after having to curtail our last trip due to a car problem.  It was a very enjoyable ride and once again the weather was perfect.  We saw a lot of old barns and pretty homes.  Even the places that had been abandoned had their own beauty.  These red barns look incredible against the blue of the sky.

We had an unexpected visitor today.  A very regal looking hawk rested on the deck rail.   The neighborhood crows set up quite a racket.  They were warning other birds to stay clear and were sitting on other branches quite near it.  Gregg read that Blue Jays mimic the call of a hawk to warn other birds also.  The hawk flew up into a tree when it realized we were staring just beyond the glass.  After a few minutes of the crows loudly squawking it took off, with the crows in hot pursuit.  Gregg took a photo and tomorrow I will share it if it came out.  It all happened so fast.  I don’t know my hawks well enough to tell which kind.  Others I have identified as Coopers Hawks.  

Walt Whitman Jr. (May 31, 1819 – March 26, 1892) was an American poet, essayist, and journalist. He is considered one of the most influential poets in American history. Whitman incorporated both transcendentalism and realism in his writings and is often called the father of free verse.  His work was controversial in his time, particularly his 1855 poetry collection Leaves of Grass. Whitman was born in Huntington on Long Island, and lived in Brooklyn.  You can click on his name for more info.