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.

Spring is on the way!

If you look closely, you will see that the daffodils and crocus are starting to grow.

Cheesecake Factory

I have always wanted to eat at the Cheesecake Factory, even though  I know this eatery often tops the list of "unhealthy" restaurants.  I figure that any place which sells 30+ kinds of cheesecake, must be good.

The Cheesecake Factory recently opened at the Danbury Fair Mall. With our nieces visiting for a few days, I thought a day of shopping and lunch would be fun. After 3 hours of prom dress shopping, we were tired and wanted a break.

We headed to the Cheesecake Factory for lunch. While we waited to be seated, I ogled  their display case full of sinful cakes. We ordered lunch and I was surprised at the large size portions which were placed in front of us.

When it came time for dessert, we each ordered a different type of cake, lemon raspberry cheesecake, white chocolate blueberry cheesecake, chocolate raspberry cheesecake and chocolate fudge cake topped with fresh whipped cream. The slices of cake were so large, that none of us could finish them.

As we left the restaurant, I commented that after all those calories, it was a good thing we had spent so much time walking the mall. After another 2 hours of shopping, I no longer felt any guilt over eating such a decadent meal.

50 lbs

The warm winter resulted in our new mallard pair coming to visit us several days a week. I was running low on corn and called the local Agway to see if they sold feed.

I asked if Agway sold duck food and was surprised to hear that yes, they sold duck/turkey food in 50 lb bags. We don't have many turkeys, so I wasn't sure this was the best idea.

We got to Agway and picked up a 25 lb bag of Feathered Friend cracked corn. The girl at the counter said, you know that you can buy 50lbs of generic corn for $4 LESS. Double the amount for less money, I said ok, we'll take the larger quantity.

I did not realize how big a 50 lb bag of corn was, until it was carried out and placed in the trunk.

All I can say is I hope the ducks decide to spend ALL summer with us. If not, the deer and squirrels will get a treat.

Waiting for Dad

Jeff spent the day out with friends. Otis watched him drive off. Otis then waited all day by the front door for his return.

Lots of Lilies

Can't wait to all these buds open!

Sunbeams

Cooper always finds the sunniest spot in the house. I often find him stretched out, sleeping as the sun warms him.

Even after all this time, Coop is still fascinated by lights and shadows.

Happy Valentine's Day

Have a wonderful Valentine's Day! 

Don't forget to wear red today.