Almost Easter

I couldn't resist these beautiful Easter flowers. My tulips never survive the deer, so I really enjoy seeing them flower in the house.

The Easter lily should be flowering just in time for Easter.

Danny's Spot

When Danny passed away, we planted a tree hydrangea in his memory.

The other day, I noticed the female mallard walking around Danny's bush. The hen then sat down behind the bush. I wondered if the duck might be looking for a nesting spot.

I immediately wondered what Danny would think about a duck selecting his special place to nest. I decided that it would be fitting for the ducks and Danny to still be connected .

Unfortunately, the hen did not choose to lay her eggs in our yard. She has not been around for a few days, but the drake still shows up for breakfast. I believe the duck is now sitting on her nest somewhere.

Take Out

Jeff and I were at the Danbury Fair mall late in the evening. We had eaten dinner at home. I thought dessert at The Cheesecake Factory would be a great way to end the day.

We went into the restaurant and were told there would be an hour wait for a table. Thankfully, there is a takeout counter for anyone who wants dessert to go.

Jeff ordered the Black Out cake. I ordered the Tuxedo Cheesecake ( layers of  Fudge Cake, Chocolate Cheesecake, Vanilla Mascarpone Mousse and Chocolate) . Both were delicious.

Pink

I love the color of these roses.

Tuna

I decided to make a tuna sandwich for lunch. I opened up the foil bag and placed the tuna into a bowl.

As the smell of tuna filled the air, both dog's noses went into overdrive. They raced over to the counter where I was mixing the tuna. I am not sure if the tuna reminded Cooper and Otis of their salmon kibble or if they just love smelly things.

I made my sandwich and the dogs gathered around me as I sat at the table to eat. The dogs were drooling and whining. Grilling a steak on the barbecue, does not get them this excited.

When I finished eating, I scraped the remaining tuna into the dog's bowls. In two seconds, the bowls were licked clean.

In bloom

The amaryllis is beautiful!

Happy St Patrick's Day

Cooper claims that his green collar makes him Irish.Otis claims that his beautiful red coat proves he is of Irish descent.

We are all Irish today! Wear something green and have fun today.

Crocus

The calendar still says winter, but these beautiful crocus scream SPRING!

It's Back

The world's tallest amaryllis is back. After flowering last spring, the plant spent the summer on the deck. It should be blooming soon.

Sunny Days

Cooper and Otis love being outside on these beautiful days

Breaking Ice

When we returned from Philadelphia, I did not see the ducks on the pond. I wondered if after a few days without breakfast, they had moved to another location. With 50 pounds of corn in the garage, I hoped they would return.

When I opened the blinds this morning, I saw the ducks on the pond. I immediately went into the garage, grabbed a scoop of corn and headed outside.

When I got to the pond, I realized that ice had formed along the edge and only the middle was unfrozen. The ducks tried to swim to me, but they were not strong enough to break through the ice.  I threw some corn onto the ice, but the ducks just quacked softly and would not reach for it.

By kicking the ice with my heel, I managed to break it  Unfortunately,  there was still a few feet of ice between the ducks and I. I grabbed a long tree limb and began to shatter the ice. The noise of the limb hitting the ice scared the ducks and they swam as far away as possible.  Eventually there was a free path for the ducks. I sprinkled the corn on the ground and went to walk the dogs. The mallards slowly swam over and ate.

I can't help but wonder what our neighbors must think.

Philadelphia Flower Show III

The Flower Show theme changes every year. If you ever get a chance to attend, I think you will love it.

Philadelphia Flower Show II

More photos from the flower show....

One company did an unbelievable job depicting the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. All of the names of the soldiers who were killed aboard the Arizona were listed.  I noticed that several elderly men, wearing their military caps, spent a long time silently starring at this display. I still remember my Father saying that when he heard about the horrific attack on Pearl Harbor, he joined the Navy.  In the midst of such frivolity, it was a sobering reminder of the cost of freedom.

Philadelphia Flower Show

One of the reasons we chose to visit Philadelphia was the Philadelphia Flower Show.

I had heard that the flower show was amazing and it truly is. This year's theme was Hawaii.

The Convention Center was overflowing with orchids and other exotics.

If you like flowers, you should definitely visit the flower show.

Philadelphia

As Jeff drove down to Philadelphia, I reviewed the AAA tour book and thought, "Wow! There are a lot of places to visit."

We were in Philly a few years ago and had visited the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. I wanted to visit someplace we would not typically go. When I saw that the Masonic Temple offered tours, I knew that would be a stop on our list.

The Masonic Temple ,which was built in 1867, is huge. There are seven different  halls, each with its own architectural style (ex:Egyptian, Renaissance).  The furniture is beautifully carved by master craftsman.

The large stained glass window was gorgeous.

The massive marble cantilevered staircase, with no vertical supports, was amazing.

I did not realize that 14 US Presidents were Freemasons. I was glad that we took the one hour tour and  learned about the Freemason.

National Constitution Center

While in Philadelphia, we made our first visit to the Constitution Center. The Center is dedicated to teaching people about the Constitution. There is a wonderful live presentation, Freedom Rising, which really makes you think about how unique the Constitution is and how brilliant the men who created it were.

In Signer's Hall, there is a status of each man who was a delegate at the Constitutional Convention.

We also attended a special exhibit on Bruce Springsteen. Seeing Springsteen's hand written lyrics and worn guitars made me marvel at the talent he has a both a singer and song writer.

I Want To Go Too

Otis hopes that if he can fit into our suitcase, he can go on vacation with us.