When Wendy Was Away...

Perhaps it was auspicious that I returned the day before Wendy left to meet dear old friend Marcie in Kentucky to go to the Rolex Horse Trials. The boys and John gamely split up the many chores that Wendy carries out each day. At that, it wasn't always easy to cover all the details she administers to her farm. Added to the mix was the first big grass cutting. Aidan really has this down and did the major part of that. While they carried out their duties, I added cooking/cleanup to the daily agenda. It was time for chicken on Sunday; a long time since I made that happen. There are great small chickens available at the milk store. Not cheap, but only a couple dollars more than the supermarket.

We heard from Wendy via texts...

Mark Todd

This is the one I like best...

Marcie and Wendy in Kentucky.

Ah, sweet memories.

Meanwhile...

Not every moment was harmony.

No, they didn't actually roll down the stairs, and I got to test my grandmother chops. Soon all settled down to a benign truce and they even voluntarily! vacuumed up the place before we met their dad and returning mother at the Harleysville Hotel for, you guessed it, a bucket of chicken wings.

Shoutout to Elijah: Happy Birthday! Nine-Year-Old.

More tulips and double jonquils have been happy blooming in the front yard despite returning cold, rain and wind...

The Maple doesn't care either...

Weather Report: Two Springtimes

My Springtime began in Utah. When I got to Pennsylvania it was just getting going so I get to have two this year. Neighbor Joe says that it started two weeks late this year which would account for my experience of a second unfolding.

Aidan and I found an extraordinary Tai Chi instructor this morning. And, it was outside on this beautiful spring morning. And, Aidan wants to do it again next week! Thoroughly likes the Martial Arts base of the movements. Yea! We wanted John to come with us, but John is off to wherever Keoni is taking his pre-SATs this weekend. A repeat day tomorrow for them.

It's time to go check out the Perk Trail. Perkiomen Trail If the weather holds I'll be there. Need a bike seat adjustment and I'm good to go.

HOME!

Keoni was home! I got a huge hug and assist to unload my stuffed pony Subaru. And, who came running to the gate...Toby! Lots of loud meows! As soon as Wendy and Aidan got home from their errands, more hugs! And another one from John when he got home, and a plant he stopped to get for me along the way.

Aidan immediately helped me brush up on my soccer skills and he coached me through a soccer lay up that even his friends don't know. What a way to shake off the highway. And, after the high altitudes of the west, I didn't get winded. I must have grown some more red blood cells that Valerie was telling about.

Next, I was treated to a concert of Andrew Lloyd Webber music from Jesus Christ Superstar which is one of my favorites. The boys recorded Keoni playing my piano; then, live, played the violin and cello to go with it. Oh my.

___________

To fill in some missing days...

Friday and Springtime at Jeanenne and Larry's.

From their closed in porch.

Oliver after his zoo trip with Grandma and Granpa.

Harper on Jeanenne's lap.

Grandma, mother, daughter.

Clarence is as big as Toby!

David 'Kinsey and Sarah.

'Kinsey and Grandpa Larry.

...and with Grandma Jeanenne.

Larry, David and Sarah.

Emery arrives.

Harper and Jeanenne.

Rice box. 'Kinsey and Emery.

Good day for sitting in the grass.

...and taking pictures.

It was hard to get back in the saddle and leave this place of abundant love. Yet the road home beckoned and more love awaited at Susie's...

Susie on her back deck.

Who would think that just like last summer on my way to PA that Jackie would again be staying at Susie's the exact same time I was coming through.

And, RAGBRAI Cousin Kathy came over, too, for a welcome visit.

Art Museum...

St. Louis, Susie and Cousin Jackie.

St. Louis, Jackie and me.

Art Hill where, if I remember stories correctly, even our parents sledded in the winter.

Tulips and stainless steel tree.

Tulips everywhere...

Susie serves up another wonderful meal.

We ate outside, the weather remarkable for its friendliness. People were out everywhere in very large numbers taking it all in just as we did enjoying another meal on Susie's deck.

The hard part came again, with home beckoning, and yet the pull of attachment to people in my life that I'd just enjoyed.

Ohio rest stop.

Ohio Dandelions; I see why people once loved them.

My thoughts of friends and family filled my head and miles rolled by. The last stop was hard to find since oil and gas drillers filled the motels for miles and miles of highway. At Wheeling I found myself parked between Halliburton pickup trucks in the parking lot.

As I drew closer to home, again I kept remembering Toby traveling next to me last year on the front seat of the car. This trip he was ahead of me.

Tulips were blooming in front of the house.

Days Ago...

It was nice to wake up and know I was not in Kansas anymore. The Travelodge in Concordia, Missouri, rested this traveler. Took my time on I-70 to Columbia which was unrecognizable from my college days. Attempted to drive around a bit and did find one place I'd lived; then, suddenly my curiosity evaporated and off I went to Warrenton where I'd lived some of my grade school and all of my high school days.

There used to be a canopy of trees lining the street approaching the town from the Interstate, but no more. I think most were elms that succumbed to Dutch Elm Disease long ago. The town has planted pear trees along Main Street though. They were in full bloom...

I stopped to view a couple of the old places we'd lived as kids...

On Walton Street.

The lane off CR-AA. Behind and to the right is another house we lived in; now abandoned and hidden by trees.

Can barely make it out.

More later...just to let you know I am fine and back on the road as of this morning, but must rest now before completing this post. Rest well friends and relatives.

Weather Report: Yawn

Kansas was a cloudy, long, long stretch. No wind blasting. About the most excitement of the day was about a fifty mile stretch of Kansas in the Salina region where there was brown grass and brush burning everywhere. A query at a gas station answered my question about what was going on thinking it had something to do with the huge wind blowing through yesterday. No. They just burn off the brown grass so the green comes up faster...cattle grazing, I suppose, since there are 20 million of them in the area.

Well, goodnight. Early to bed for this woman.

No Country for Old Women

Whew! Stopped short of the day's travel goal due to wind velocity. Even some of the big trucks are pulling off the road. So here I am in western Kansas in the best Motel 6 experience so far on this trip. Lowest priced one, too. This windy front is supposed to blow on through Kansas tonight. Sure hope so. Temps are to be spring warm tomorrow, again.

_____

I said goodbye to Jeanette and Eric this morning with a heartfelt thank you for providing me such a nice stay-over with them. As it turns out Jeanette's sister lives in Phillipsburg, PA. Jeanette will no doubt be visiting in our direction one day soon. I hope to reconnect whenever that happens.

Jeanette on North side deck by her extensive bird feeding and baths.

West end of their place.

Eric and his tractor after a little late afternoon property maintenance.

Eric is semi-retired being called back with some frequency to apply his expertise to new projects.

Jeanette and Angelo.

Jeanette, Angelo and Dave.

Jeanette said a Magpie has been coming to sit on Angelo's mane and plucks out wads of hair for its nest. She ran the shedder over the two horses to divert the bird's gathering to the winter hair on the ground....well, maybe; it's a good idea anyway and the horses love it.

The Rockies lie in the distance, but this morning's view had clouds obscuring.

Christina's pastel she made is over the fireplace. This isn't a great photo I made of it, but it is a great drawing.

We had a very informal, comfortable evening of visiting. Eric and Jeanette gave me such a nice stay with them that it will remain in my mind as a distinct highlight of my journey.

Thank You Sunshine

Rockies were the dominant force today. My pony Subaru and I bumped along over the winter-pulverized road that I-70 is way up there around Vail and Silverton. Soon the spring repairs will begin because, yesterday and Sunday's snow had melted off the highway in today's sunshine. Wet slop and slush everywhere, but no frozen stuff on the road.

It is now late after arriving at Jeanette and Eric's home around three p.m. It is a lovely, comfortable place and I'm am the recipient of very fine hospitality. It has been a refreshing time to catch up on their lives and see them once again.

I'll finish this story tomorrow because it is time for me to stop for the night. Sleep well my friends and relatives.

Western face of the Rockies begins east of Grand Junction.

There is a winery associated with these grapes.

How I wish Aidan and Elijah were there to skip rocks with me.