I have a few neat ‘reflect’ photos, the latest being up in NYC at the 9-11 memorial (shared the end of Feb.). I really like this one of the Brandywine River Museum from a few years ago. It’s a lovely place to visit! The wildflower gardens and river are especially nice to stroll around (outside for free).
Brian, mom and me went a few town over from her house to the Scott Arboretum which in on the campus of Swarthmore College. We’ve never been! The photos on the arboretum’s facebook wall enticed us to go and ‘free’ is good too. Well worth the little trip for us. There were dozens of lilacs, cherry trees and peonies blooming ‘three weeks early’ (as the lady in the main office told us). I will add more tomorrow as my tummy is a bit off tonight. I did a lot of walking a few days ago and I believe I’ve had a bug or something and shouldn’t ignore it and now my system is off. Ginger ale and gum sure helped.
Mom and me among the wood hyacinths
Mom took this one
Some of the most gorgeous peonies I’ve ever seen!
I was saddened to read that legendary tv host and producer Dick Clark passed away today from a heart attack at age 82. He had suffered a stroke several years ago and had made a few appearance on the Rockin’ New Year’s Eve show. He looked good this past January, though of course he never regained that wonderful voice of his.
So this is what he looked like when he lived in suburban Philadelphia back in the 1950s:
He just happened to live in the same apartment complex that Ed McMahon did. Less than thirty years later, I was to move in the Drexelbrook Apts with Brian as our first home as newlyweds. I thought it was pretty neat that they lived there during their Philly connections.
Wiki’s Drexel Hill page: Television personality Dick Clark resided here from 1954 to 1956 at the Drexelbrook Apartment complex before moving to Wallingford, Pennsylvania (which is close to where I grew up)
We lived on the second floor (they all looked pretty much like this-we had a two bedroom one) which got harder for me as I got more pregnant with Sean. We moved from here to this house about 6 weeks before Sean came along. We had noisy neighbors below us. The nice thing was the sidewalks that wound all around that I used for exercise.
Historic marker in Philly:
The last time for Dick:
Wow, it was the perfect day to go for a walk, which I did at Longwood Gardens. First I saw this rainbow of tulips:
These were at the entrance, so the building blocked the sun a wee bit. The others inside were mostly opened up, but still gorgeous.
These pale pinks are so delicate and I like the orange too!
As I only walked to one area and back, I got to see the ‘light pods’ they are setting up for night displays. The lady in the gift shop said to come back after Memorial Day to see them lit up.
It was around 4 pm!
Pretty orange azalea with the lake behind it.
The Wisteria are really pretty this year!
Brian and I met almost 30 yrs ago. I can attest to time flying by, so make the best of the days as they whiz by.
At about 4 pm, I had remembered that Brian received about 6 gift cards from a birthday pack-they were all free. The coupon was for $25 off if you spent $60, so we actually needed another person to spend that much. This is a place in Wilmington, DE, right on the river front. It was a nice evening, but we ate inside. Sean had been away at the college working on homework and we waited on him to come home and join us. It was after 7 and we had to wait 30 minutes or so before we sat down. I ordered their ribs, and guess what, they were out of them. It was crowded. I ordered the salmon with avocado sauce special. The manager heard it was our anniversary and I didn’t get what I wanted, so she gave us all free desserts! So beverages, nice big salads, entrees and desserts were under $40 for 3 people. I like when that happens. The salmon could have been cooked a bit more for me-I like it flaky. I brought it home and ate it along with the rest of the yummy au gratin potatoes and green beans for lunch. Sean also ate the rest of his pizza for lunch. So we actually got 5 meals for that price.
We are enjoying the 80 degree weather. I started cleaning some spots, but Brian do more work today. He had mowed the lawn yesterday. I sat under the Japanese maple that is in full leaf!
I’m about to make some turkey burgers for the grill. I may mix up some sweet BBQ sauce like I made for my sausage balls (an appetizer) for Tori’s party on Friday. They were good, but not many people ate them. They loved the pizza dip! I’ll have to share that one with you. Great to bring to a party with some Frito scoops.
It’s difficult to believe that 100 yrs have past and my late grandmom was only 8 years old when Titanic hit an iceberg and sunk coming from Liverpool, England to New York City on it’s maid voyage. I made the above collage several years ago and probably shared it back then. We got married on the anniversary of the ship hitting the iceberg, the 14th, but it sank a few hours later in the wee hours of the 15th. I was reading about a 22 year old actress Dorothy Gibson who recalls the chilling sounds of people calling out to be saved that haunted her the rest of her life. We’ve seen a few Titanic exhibits over the years which were interesting and sad.
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I can’t believe it’s Friday already! Monday really threw us for a loop because of my father-in-law’s nosebleed issue. I sure hope he’s not going to start getting blood pressure spikes as the lady in the dentist office (I had to go there on Wednesday to get a filling replaced-again) said that started happening to her mom because of hbp.
I’ve just been running around locally shopping here and there a bit while Bri was figuring out tax stuff which took several hours on the phone with his dad. I will be so glad when it’s all settled.
Tonight is a little party for my niece who turned 13 on the 11th. I bought her many different things from our travels here and there. I just made her a huge tissue paper flower.
Yesterday my middle brother was taken to the hospital by ambulance as he had chest pains at work. He was having them a bit a week ago and now he thinks it’s his gallbladder. They are watching him tonight. The hospital is 5 minutes from his new office building and where I’ve had some procedures. He was a terrible foul mood last week and yelled and cussed at me for nothing. His complaint was I don’t do enough for mom and there I was taking her to the eye doctor and grocery store. My other brother (I have 3) and me had our gallbladders out when we were in our 20s.
I really do try and tidy up my collage stuff, and then creativity gets in the way. I start seeing paper connections and before you know it, I have the scissors and glue out again! It really is good therapy for me lately anyway.
The background for this card was made from snippets of scraps as I was sorting. I love that little girl and in my mind’s eye, I can see her skipping around in her butterfly wings.
Another little flower girl for the series.
Sadly, this is the last challenge I made for a Flickr group called ‘Art n’ Soul’. We were to take a torso and decorate it. I made like a fairy dress influenced by the unusual photos of ferns I have. I used a real fern frond too! By the way, that’s light switch is my souvenir from the Van Gogh exhibit, now in the dining room.
We had a bit of a scare this morning. We live in a ranch house and don’t have phones in the bedrooms (we do again now-we put it in the kitchen 6 yrs ago and never had a problem). Didn’t Brian’s dad get a bad nosebleed at 2 am this morning and tried to call us for several hours from 3:30 am on! We didn’t hear it ringing. After the second call, his dad should have called 911. I had several very bad nosebleeds when I was little and was told to sit quietly. He kept leaning forward as he didn’t like the blood doing down his throat. Anyway, the woman police officer finally woke us up out of our slumber at 6:30! Brian got his act together and headed to the hospital as his dad finally wised up and called 911 around 4:30 or so. The doctor may have chemically treated it (like they did me-not sure, but one of the worst pains I’ve ever had) and Brian took him home. Bri had to clean a few areas that got a little messy. I suggested he stay over a few nights a week, but he isn’t going for that, but should consider it until he gets a job. Since Sean is living here and is an adult, it may not be a bad idea. Old people living alone is not good.
We’re about to go out to dinner, but I have Brian take my photo in my outfit and since my hair looked good! That’s a Viburnum bush in full bloom.
Sean got a few goodies from Trader Joe’s which he liked.
I hope you are having a lovely spring day!
Candid shots at dinner
(Buttonwood Grill, Lahaska, PA)
Mom and Sean at the restaurant
I forgot my Canon, so I had to use the phone camera. Mom and I had practically the same things to eat-Asparagus soup with feta cheese, a slice of ham and prime rib, mashed potatoes, grilled cold asparagus, fruit, a taste of a few more sides, cheesecake and mini chocolate covered cream puffs. Very good for under $30 each. This was a buffet, so we could east as much as we wanted.
I am like a food ‘coach’. First I say not to order a beverage, just go for water! Sean wanted soda and mom wanted ice tea have you noticed that beverages are $2-3 a glass now-wow, they are making a lot of money on them!) I tell the guys that most salad and pasta dishes are the cheapest things that you can order. While I was getting the Asparagus soup for mom and me, didn’t they both load up on a big wedge of iceberg lettuce (it had some fancy drizzle on it) and pasta! They did have salmon and pork tenderloin, that I didn’t sample. Brian said the salmon was yummy.
It was a little hike, about 63 miles one way, but we enjoyed the scenery up in Bucks County. Next month they are having a Strawberry Festival, so we can look in a few stores (of course most were closed). Glad to include my mom.
Awesome display with light effects, originally uploaded by DianthusMoon.
Lucky for me, I call a few things ‘awesome’ now and then on my Flickr photo site. Glad I do that as I have 12,800 photos there right now!
This was from the 2008 Philly Flower Show. I like everything about the display from the ‘keyboard’ table, to the way the flowers are arranged and what they are in and the lighting effects. Look at how the napkins on the plates have polka dots! And the lady in the background is really taking it all in! Wow!
The blooms are coming out! The blooms are coming out! These happen to be a gift from my husband last week.
I seem to have a little cold or annoying allergies, but I did go out and snap a few photos of my yard.
The Viburnum bush is showing off it’s load of blooms even though we had a mild winter with little snow and not much rain this spring.
This was a baby Japanese maple we planted years ago that came from my mom’s yard This one is in the front yard.
I have many Bleeding Heart plants as I have divided them through the years. They love the soil under the evergreen out front.
This plant was here when we moved in….I think it has a ‘wort’ on the end of it’s name…
Collages & Creative Goodness 