WEEKLY HAPPENINGS - SUNDAY-3/29/26 TO SATURDAY-4/4/26

Just a note to tell you that this will be my last full-time weekly happenings. I will just do small snippets of what's going on in our lives every now and again. I hope you have enjoyed them but time to put the whole week to bed for a while, at least after this one.

I am starting late on my weekly happenings. But it's still from Sunday to Saturday. This week's weather forecast from Sunday 4-5-26 to Saturday 4-11-26.

Sunday, March 29th, 2026: a quiet day Nothing of note. The usual things around the house and finished a jigsaw puzzle in the evening. This is for the cat lovers. All the colors attracted me to choosing it, and the cat with the red and white fur fit in perfectly with its surroundings. He reminded me of my own dear cat when I was a little girl.

Monday, March 30th, 2026: we went up to BWI again to pick our son up. As we were leaving we saw a beautiful big cottontail run across my neighbor's yard. It has been so long since I saw one. Seemed an appropriate sighting this Easter week. We arrived half-an-hour-early and had settled in the hourly parking lot. 

I love the fact that we are able to track flights thanks to the airline's app. Son's plane landed ten minutes early. He texted us and was making his way to where we could pick him up outside of arrivals and told us the number of the door where he would be waiting. We didn't even have to wait as there he was. Another fun trip that got us out of our routine. We asked him when his next trip was. We enjoy volunteering for these drop-offs and pick-ups. 

In this photo son is driving home, Dad in the passenger seat, me in the back with my pillows and throws. We didn't have to leave as early this morning and were out the door at 3.00 a.m., again no traffic. I fell asleep going down and coming back, for 20 minutes or so each time. On the way back I woke up sensing the car had slowed down and was turning off the freeway. I knew we were still many miles away from home. Making our way into the drive-thru at another McDonalds, again for breakfast. They were both hungry. That was about 6.00 a.m. 

These were taken out of the back window when we were nearer his place. Never in too much of a daze to take photos and these came out not so bad.

The buildings were lit up like Christmas trees, and then there were the lights on the trees outside. The traffic was a little heavier but there were no delays and we were dropping him off soon after. The rest of the day was spent quietly. 

Tueday, March 31st, 2026: running a few non-important but necessary errands this afternoon.

Gregg and I didn't want to go straight home so we had a late lunch/earlyish dinner at the Bakery and Museum Company. It was on the way home and we pass right by it normally but this time when we checked, there were several parking spaces available. We were very surprised as it was getting close to dinnertime. For a few weeks now and every time we drove by, the parking lot was full with people waiting for a spot to open up. There are other stores there and they have claim to parking spaces in the front of their shops. Obviously, I agree with that as they need their customers too. Anyhow it was lovely to get in for a change. I have a thing about light fixtures and am automatically drawn to them, especially those hung from high ceilings.

Generally we are the oldest ones in there. We do notice these things and smile.

I normally have an all-day breakfast sandwich when I go there; scrambled egg, sausage patty with fresh spinach and sliced tomatoes. Potato chips on the side which I'm not too keen on but Gregg likes and I pass my plate over. He had his usual all-day breakfast; scrambled egg and cheese and that was it for him. 

We also brought home a cake for later, which is what we usually do at this place. So, not cutting out sugar entirely. It's a slow process and doing a lot better. Not huge pieces so that's a plus, and it was nice to have them for a tea that night. I sound like I am justifying and yes of course I am, it's a long road but already doing better.

I was taking a picture of my dear other half but saw later on looking at the photo on my laptop, that I had captured the jigsaw players I noticed when we left. They have a table set up for this pastime and there was a young couple making use of it, concentrating quite intently on the task. They looked like girlfriend/boyfriend in their teens, very sweet. Gregg also noticed that not only were we part of the elderly tribe, which for some reason we see the funny side of, but there were more women in there than men, by 90 percent. Some mothers with young children, students with their laptops out, and some just getting together for a chat.

The temperature got up to 84°F today, 29°C (?) It is the first day I have worn a summer dress. Felt lovely but with not the humidity that you get in the height of summer. Windows are all open at home and there is a slight breeze blowing the curtains.

Wednesday, April 1st, 2026: Happy First Day of the Month! 

We got up very early today as last night after looking at the weather, and finding out it was going to be a warm and sunny that morning, we drove to Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah Mountains. We are thankful that we aren't that far away and it is always an easy drive. 

We were hoping to see deer and a few birds, but I think at that time they were safely tucked up in their beds. There weren't many people up there and we passed a few bicyclists getting a real work-out on those steep, winding roads. The trees all seemed to be bare of leaves, no doubt they will be catching up soon. 

When we got home, not 30 minutes later it started raining hard and it rained for the rest of the day.

I get fascinated with the pop-up pictures on my laptop, and thought this one was amazing. I know some of you have these pictures also. I tapped on the top right button, and it told me it was the Thiên Đường Cave in Vietnam. You can click on its name if you like, and it will give you more information. The last time I was in a cavern was at Luray Caverns here in Virginia, and that was when we first got married. I had never seen anything like it before. It's not that far away from where we were, about 20 miles or so.

Thursday, April 2nd, 2026: a day we didn't go out. The weather was cold compared to the start of the week. These high and low temperatures are a bit strange. We got in the kitchen and made the chickpea, feta and cucumber salad I shared yesterday. Also made roasted chicken thighs to go with it and Jasmine rice. The day went very quickly. Nothing else of note.

Friday, April 3rd, 2026: another quiet day but did have a lovely long chat on FaceTime with my brother-in-law on the other side of the pond. The three of us always finds lots to chat about.

Breakfast was a bowl of blackberries and blueberries with a spoonful of plain yogurt, and I got the idea of putting in a tablespoon of almond butter. Mixed it up and it made a delicious breakfast.

Dinner: Leftover chickpea and cucumber salad and mixed in leftover Jasmine rice and we also had one piece of chicken left. Cut that up and threw everything together. It made a very tasty meal and no fuss. 

Unless I write things down the day of, I can't remember what we ate and I'm trying to keep a record of it as hoping to cut down and surprise the doctor on my next visit. I can live in hope!

Saturday, April 4th, 2026: here we are and it is 7.00 p.m. Another day gone quickly. We drove to Green Spring Gardens in the late afternoon. But first we had another lovely long chat with my niece and her boyfriend. Lovely chatting with them both. She said it was a year ago that they were getting ready to come over here and spent Easter with us. A whole year already, where did that time go? 

After we put the phone down, off we went to the garden. It was a warm day, a little more humid, the first time I had felt it. I take along water and drank a whole flask while there. Lots of tulips and other spring flowers to take photos of. I had a great time looking at them all. I also took a photo of this cutie at the Moon Gate. Such a charmer! A bit far away but I like how he was framed. I was sitting on a bench at the time.

Quite a few people but not crowded by any means. There was a wedding photo session taking place and we joked that we didn't get an invite this time, remembering from last year the kindness of the family whose son invited us. We had been chatting at another bench not so far from this one. With all these colorful flowers, they would make a very picturesque backdrop.

Breakfast/brunch today was a ham and cheese sandwich on a multi-seed bagel, with a cup of blackberries on the side.

Dinner was a grazer as we like to say, and what we have in the fridge; three miniature stuffed grapevine leaves, the chickpea, feta, and cucumber salad, a couple of radishes and later, a banana and plain yogurt for dessert. 

It was a nice surprise when our son called up and said our dear d-in-l had been busy with extra services singing at the church this week, and leading up to Easter. He asked if we would like some company. It was really nice to have extra time with him these past few days, and he will be over again in the morning. 

Right after he left we went to bed and that's it for the latest weekly happenings.

Thank you for reading through to the end, and I wish you all a continued good week.

DOGS AT THE GARDEN

Part of the fun of enjoying the good weather, is seeing our canine friends enjoying it too.

Dogs make every walk an adventure, don't they?

Each human parent might say, "My dog and I go out for a walk, and it's plain for all to see, that it's really not me who is walking the dog, it's the dog who is out walking me."

One last quote: 

"Why does watching a dog be a dog fill one with happiness?"

~Jonathan Safran Foer~

We were at the garden yesterday and I was delighted to see several dogs on their walks. We were able to take photos of a few. 

I was also delighted that it got up to 77 degrees F. (25 degrees C). As I type this on 3-11-26, I can tell you it reached 84 (29 in celcius). I was just told it is going down to 35 tonight (2 degs. C), and snow is expected. What on earth? Mother Nature is playing a joke, I think.

Thanks for stopping by and 

I hope your weather is being kind to you 

and not playing a joke on you too.

(Photos taken by Gregg.)

WEEKLY HAPPENINGS FROM 2-24-25 TO 3-3-25

Below is our weather forecast from 3-4-25 to 3-11-25. Looks like the weather is heating up.

Thank you family and friends for always letting me know you enjoy these. I sometimes wonder if anyone is interested in what we do, as it's most definitely not a very exciting day-to day. But we enjoy going back and that word again, looking at the 'mundane' things we were interested in at the time. I hope you have all had a great weekend!

I haven't done very well this week for keeping up a daily routine journal. I was feeling a bit below par and didn't feel like writing anything down. Husband and son went off into Georgetown one day and I have already shown those photos. 

Wednesday February 26th, 2025: we went to Green Spring Gardens. That was nice and the sun was shining, the temperature was in the mid 50s. I walked a little further than the time before, saw new flowers and plants starting to show, with a sky that was a perfect blue but first... 

we had our car picnic. A few days previously Gregg had picked up cream sodas at the store, popped them in the trunk and forgot all about them. They were a nice surprise. 

He fixed himself an old favorite, a cheese and onion sandwich on a roll. The first time he had this combination was when it was given to him by someone who ran the naval canteen service on the ship he was on in the early 70s, and who was part of the NAAFI (the Navy Army Air Force Institute). 

He had been on an exchange tour with the Royal Navy, and I am repeating myself continuously on this blog but that's how we met. He was in the UK for a two-year duty exchange tour. 

He hadn't had one of these sandwiches in I can't remember how long, but suddenly decided that's what he wanted for our car picnic. Mine was chicken and lettuce on wheat. Nothing fancy but always tasty. 

Almost forgot, we had two flasks of hot soup also. When he was out the day before for a few hours, I made broccoli, cauliflower and cheddar soup. You can see the recipe at this link. I made it without the half-and-half but with 2 percent milk and a carton of low sodium chicken broth instead of the chicken base and water. It was lovely and a nice addition to the sandwiches. We sat there for a while, too chilly to eat outside just yet, but our car picnics are always enjoyable. (If needed, we get the small vac out when we reach home but have had no problems so far.) 

We sit facing the garden and see a bench through the trees. I am thinking that will be a nice place for our future extended car picnics as it's a hop, skip and a jump from where we park.

So, there we were at the garden. Earlier we had tried to get down to the ponds by driving over to the other side. Unfortunately, there were 'no parking' signs very near where we could see the short walk to where we wanted to go. So, we drove back to the regular entrance. (I am hoping to be able to walk down the hill to the ponds before the end of the year and, as always, keeping my fingers crossed.)

There's 'our' house that is not our house in the distance. I am looking forward to seeing what they will be planting in their garden beds out front. 

We are sitting on a bench and looking across the green. The sky was gorgeous, and the witch hazels were blooming in places.

There were snowdrops popping up everywhere.

I won't share all my photos from the garden today. Another post will be in a few days. I didn't take too many as it was another short trip.

Thursday and Friday, the 27th and 28th rolled by: brain in a bit of a fog truth be told.  

Saturday, March 1st, 2025: and here we are at the beginning of a new month.  Happy first day of the month to everyone. I sketched something new. I'm calling them scribble sketches, because I really have a hard time slowing down on these things. I got the original from Pinterest, one of two favorite go-to places. 

Breakfast: Saturday doughnut from the supermarket for both of us, and coffee for me. Gregg gets his strawberry jam filled dusted in powdered sugar. I get the one coated with chocolate on the top (of course) and the custard filled.  

Late lunch/early dinner: a jacket potato with baked beans. 

Snacks were a few almonds and a dish of skinny popcorn.  A naughty and nice day today.

Sunday, March 2nd, 2025: son came over for a few hours in the morning. He arrives with coffee for me and a muffin. Gregg is not partial to either so ate a lemon yogurt and drank an iced tea. Pat on the back for you I said. 

Later will be our traditional evening get-together to watch The Oscars. We have been doing this for several years. Son and our daughter-in-law will turn up around 5.30 p.m. for our evening of fun. We are eating light, a charcutier board and our darlings are bringing pastries from a bakery in Chantilly. (Gregg had I had ours for breakfast the next day and they were incredible, 10 out of 10 Gregg said.) The charcutier board was our evening meal. I've discovered I like stuffed grape vine leaves. It was sort of like a Ploughman's Lunch but Greek style. Everything on there was very tasty, three kinds of olives, cheeses, the stuffed grape leaves, small and round hot peppers that were hot but not too much, and probably some I have missed. 

Son and D-in-L explained most of the movies to us as we are most definitely not up to speed on these things, but it's all part of the fun. I do enjoy seeing the fashions on the red carpet.

As enjoyable as our time was together, I found that I was a little bored with the show itself, and felt it went on for two long. I might be showing my age ;) And then, wouldn't you know it, the timer for the show cut out on us before the last two major awards were given - didn't know there was a timer but we stream our TV now - and we weren't able to watch the finish. 

No matter how much we tried, we couldn't get it back. I think there might be a lot of miffed people out there as apparently this was done to thousands, and the message was that they had a blackout. It was also the first time they had streamed the Oscars live so our son told us, a major hiccup. Can't do much when that happens with something live. I think we had all had enough anyway as we were all tired and it was past our bedtime. 

Even so, we had a great time because after all, it's the company right? 

Time to stick my head in a cup of tea and snorkel my way down to the bottom! 

Have a great day everyone, have a great March and 

thanks for stopping by.

FIRST TRIP TO GREEN SPRINGS...

 A couple of days ago, on the 28th, Gregg and I went to Green Spring Gardens. The weather was just too good to waste. It was in the low 50's and warm enough to get outside without a coat.  

The top left of the collage you can see a sign for Annandale Village. Annandale is not where the garden is but an area we pass through on our way home. I had never seen, or maybe more appropriate to say, never noticed the sign before. The design of the cardinal in the tree made me take note. We passed several of them. Gregg reminded me that we had taken a different route home this time.

That's me in the collage. You may notice that my cell phone is on a lanyard that I keep permanently wrapped around my wrist. Gregg bought it for me as I once almost lost my phone out the window while taking pictures, and it was almost buffeted out of my hands. I am always taking photos out the passenger side window. The lanyard is always attached to my phone. It's been saved a few times as I have also dropped it while walking. It gives me an awful start as if it hit the pavement, well I don't like to think about it. But that good old lanyard saved the day yet again.

The house that I love always greets us as we walk up one of the paths from the parking lot. The berries are still keeping the birds happy, and part of the Moon Gate can be seen behind me. 

I didn't get very far as my knee is just not cooperating. We made our way back to the car, disappointed I could go no further even with my cane. I made it 300 yards along the pathway and could not go any further as knee started to give way. The important thing is I made a start and hopefully each time we come here, I will be able to walk a little further. 

My goal is still to get back to Huntley Meadows in the Spring, or even Meadowlark Gardens. Huntley Meadows is a long, long walk to get to the marshy area where all the bird life is, and Meadowlark has a very big hill to walk up and down.  

However, baby steps and I am eager to go for another walk. We will definitely wait for another nice day like this one, after all the bitterly cold days we have had. The sun was shining and it felt wonderful, a real tonic.  

Have a great day everyone and 

thank you for stopping by. 

GREEN SPRING GARDENS - THE POND AREA - PART 4

Last of the photos from Green Spring Gardens for this trip at least.  My previous two posts from this particular visit can be found here, here and here.  We go a lot during the summer months.  It is one of our favorite walking places.

I have shared these grasses before as my dear other half noticed them also, and unbeknown to each other, we had taken more or less the same photo.  It is called Eastern bottle-brush grass, botanical name Elymus hystrix.   Native to eastern North America.  Mice eat the seeds readily.  Studies are underway to examine whether bottle-brush grass can be domesticated as a food crop for livestock or potentially even for humans in the future.

Next is Blue plantain lily, also known as Hosta.  Its botanical name is Hosta ventricosa.  It is an herbaceous perennial native to China, and attracts hummingbirds.  However, snails and slugs enjoy them too.  Something I am interested in as we get a lot of shade in our garden, it prefers partial to full shade.

Blue plantain lily is low maintenance and shade-tolerant and will attract hummingbirds, as mentioned.  In summer they produce lavender-colored plumes that host sweet nectar at their center.  The colors are attractive to hummingbirds as they can see purple at a distance.  The shape of the petals creates an enclosure at the flower's head.  The hummingbird's long beak must dig through the tunnel to reach the sweet nectar.  As this happens, the hummingbird gets covered with pollen which it will then spread when it leaves.   Not only hummingbirds like this plant, butterflies do too.  Shades of purple are easiest for butterflies to see, while hummingbirds are more attracted to red hues.

I always enjoy seeing the turtles and there were several out today.  Some just skimming under the water, others on rocks like this one.  

No expert here but from what I have seen online, these appear to be Painted Turtles.  There is a fun page at this link that has interesting facts and also for those of you who like crafts, it shares a fun parent/child/teacher/student project, on how to paint a turtle using five rocks.

Facts I found at the website: a turtle's shell is made up of 13 plates called scutes. As the turtle grows it sheds its outer layer.  This means you can count the scutes rings in the same way that you can count tree rings, to find the turtle's age.  Painted turtles can live up to 61 years.

They don't have teeth but do have horny plates that grind their food.   Turtles hibernate under water the whole winter and hold their breath the entire time.  The Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta) gets its name from its appearance.  Its skin color looks as though an artist painted it on.  It is part of the American pond turtle family, Emydidae.

It is the most common turtle in North America, found in many ponds, marshes and water's edges.  Like other American pond turtles, the Painted turtle loves swimming in the water and basking in the sun.  The female can lay 6 to 20 eggs at a time, and those groups of eggs are called clutches. This website will tell you about the different kinds of turtles you can find in the States.

Now back to the plants I saw.  I have seen this one several times over the years, and have probably mentioned it many times (other plants and flowers too no doubt).   It is the Common buttonbush, also known by a lot of other names.  Case in point, Button-ball, Button-willow, Button bush, Globe-flowered bush, Honey balls, Little snowballs, Swamp globeflower, White pond dogwood, Honey-bells, Riverbush and Buckbrush.  Its botanical name is Cephalanthus occidentalis.

It is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub that grows 6 to 12 feet tall and 4 feet to 7 feet wide.   Grown as an ornamental for its unusual flowers, the common buttonbush can attract more than two dozen species of wild birds, including water and shore birds.  Some of the birds it draws are robins, kingbirds and towhees.  In the summer its spherical flowers are frequently visited by hummingbirds, as well as polinating insects, like the one below.  

In the Fall the shrub produces round nutlets which are particularly enjoyed by wild ducks.  Because they stay around well into winter, they are an important food source for other birds as well.  The Common buttonbush is used for shelter and nesting by wood ducks and other waterfowl. Buttonbush plants are named for their fragrant white spherical flowers.  Since it is one of the most common plants in the genus, it is called the common buttonbush.

Another white bloom is from the Bottlebrush buckeye, also known as Dwarf horse chestnut or Dwarf buckeye.  Its botanical name is Aesculus parviflora. It grows deep red, tubular flowers that hummingbirds love to feed upon for their nectar.  The seed pods also produce protein-rich seed that several types of birds consume for food.  

Quite a hardy plant and my brown thumbs would do very well with this one.  It grows in shade to part shade and does very well in shady spots. 

I enjoy everything I see at the garden, but I was particularly interested in the lotus.  It is an Indian Lotus and other names are Bean of India, Sacred Lotus and Red Lily.  Its botanical name is Nelumbo nucifera.  

Each blossom consists of approximately 15 petals. I more often than not rely on my plant app, Picture This.  An interesting fact I read was that the Indian Lotus can live as long as one thousand years.  These plants can go into stasis and then revive.  Seeds from the Indian Lotus can remain viable for over a thousand years as well.  

This plant is important for religious ceremonies, water treatment, crop rotation and historically, human consumption.  

It is super easy to take care of, with resistance to almost all pests and diseases. 

A poem that I would not have associated with its poet, but am happy to do so, was written by Edgar Allan Poe.

“And the Nelumbo bud that floats for ever

With Indian Cupid down the holy river.

Fair flowers, and fairy, to whose care is given

To bear the Goddess' song, in odors, up to Heaven.”

I am always on the look-out for birds.  The smaller ones are elusive.  I have seen a Great Blue Heron here, though not for a very long time.  There have been ducks. 

I can always count on the Canada Goose.

This one was on its own and, as you can see, was next to the lotus.  Canada Geese are the largest type of goose.  Females lay between 2 to 9 eggs and both parents are involved with hatching the eggs.  However, the female invests more time in the incubation process.   At this link you can read lots more information about them.  

They are very cooperative when taking photos, and hang around long enough for me to take several.  Such a good goose!  I didn't see a mate today.  

Most every time, my photos are shared in order they were taken, so I am back to plants and trees.  This tree is called River Birch. I love its bark! 

Fortunately there was an ID marker at its base. It read, "Betula nigra Heritage ('Cully').  (Species native to Virginia).  Heritage River Birch." Later  I read that it is also known as Water Birch, Black birch and Swamp birch. 

It grows between 40 to 70 feet high.  It is usually planted in threes to make a stronger visual impact, to restrict their growing space and keep them at a manageable size.  Also, to give them natural protection.  

The black streaks on its trunk are called lenticels, and their function is to enable the exchange of gases between the tree and the air.  River birch is a strong but knotty wood.  It is sometimes used to make woodenware and furniture, but it is not usually used for commercial lumber. Native Americans would boil the sap to make a sweetener and would even eat the inner bark when food was scarce.  River birch is also a food source for many wild birds and even deer.    

It makes a lovely shade tree, and its leaves turn yellow in the Fall.  Shade-loving plants like ferns are a great choice for underplanting this birch. Underplanting as used here means to plant or cultivate the ground around a tall plant/tree with smaller plants. This info is for those who don't do a lot of gardening, and even at my age I am still learning. More information can be found at this website. I would love to plant one in the spot where we had to have a tree taken down, but it would grow far too big for the little patch we need to put it in, even with pruning. We would need a much larger garden. We are still searching for the perfect tree. As it will be a mid-planting between our home and our neighbors, even though it would be on our side of the property line, we have to consider them too.

We have finished our walk around the two ponds and made our way to the top where our car is parked.   It has been another wonderful walk.