Beyond School Subjects

Aidan and I are learning to use acrylics, and I learned how to spell it, too. Among other things Aidan has learned is how to change a tire...




...when John took off the spare and replaced it with Wendy's repaired truck tire. Her good fortune a couple of days ago was that when it went flat she was only about a quarter mile away.

And Keoni went off to his school's prom last night...

This young man is made of very sturdy material. He got home in time to get two hours sleep before getting up to go take the train into Philly for orchestra practice and then to Ambler for violin lesson. Wendy picked him up and they got the Trader Joe's grocery supplies to bring home.

An early walk this morning proved that it's a good way to start the day. Now it is suddenly really warm afternoon time. A walk this week that included Aidan went into the neighbor's woods so we could catch a glimpse of the bull Aidan has seen. The poison ivy is growing now in abundance so I didn't quite make it all the way to the "bull" pen. On the way though we stopped and a rabbit stopped, perhaps thinking we couldn't see him (or her)...

A shoutout to Carol and Janie: Hurrah! for another new knee, Carol, on this your and Janie's year of joint recoveries. One more modern miracle to go this fall when Janie gets her other knee replaced. Whew! Keep on getting well.

Along with all the poison ivy now growing in abundance along the edges of the wooded areas are the raspberries blooming. We'll have lots of raspberries to pick in a short while.

This is rhubarb and strawberry season. Local rhubarb will be all gone by the end of the week. Its season only lasts two weeks. People put in dibs ahead of time at their local farm market "suppliers". Strawberries will be around for awhile and so will the asparagus. Mmm-Mmm.

I was feeling pretty sad a couple of days ago learning from the veterinary checkup, boosters and whatnot, that Toby has Feline Immunodeficiency Virus. It's not as lethal as the Feline Leukemia Virus, but depresses the immune system. Yes, he probably got it from scrapping with the barn cats. It's spread from bites. He doesn't act sick so for the time being he is OK. It is summer and he has moved along from basic mousing and bird-chasing to ratting. He is happy and doesn't know a thing about FIV.

Our Memorial Day

The porch was the best place to be this afternoon. Yes, the weather was gorgeous. Aidan came out from his cello practice in the music room to play a little porch cello...

Wendy was going by with corn and later steaks for the grill that John fired up for the first time in 2015. 

John was the grill chef. Costco was the supplier for the beef.

Keoni was off to the beach near Ocean City, NJ, with friend Nathan, and when he sent this early today I became jealous. (I got over it.)

Peace.

Weather Report: Persephone Where Are You?

Woefully, I have slid behind this week; some sort of grayish-colored procrastination perhaps due to digging out sweaters and piling coats over the bed covers to stay warm since all the winter stuff is boxed up and in the attic. Then again, maybe just the procrastination. Oh yes, and I got hooked on Mad Men and Grace & Frankie. Apologies.

The household is still in high gear with end-of-school-year and music events surging through our days. Wendy, busier than ever, has John home today who is industriously occupied with a honey-do list. Nice seeing the porch screening in better repair again. They both went to Keoni's school early today where a small ceremony took place as Keoni was named student of the month. Aidan had his final PRYSM concert last Saturday at Haverford School auditorium.

Special award for Aidan for putting in so many practice hours.

Cello Man...

...and with brother.

Tucson friends, Carol and Janie, attended Janie's sister Lynda Benglis' opening for her sculptures Water Sources at Storm King Art Center in Windsor, New York. It's close enough that I can think about getting there, too. Carol sent these...

Also heard from, indirectly, via Carol's messages was Terry in Oregon...

Thanks, Terry.

Today, I ate the biggest, sweetest blackberry that I have ever seen...

My blackberry selfie.

Keoni's friend Steph(anie) came over and the boys made pancakes for their lunch. Then, played a tune for her...





The wind came up late morning and I opened the windows so that the cold air would blow out. Now it is up to 70 degrees in my bedroom from the 62 early this morning. Yea!

There is something deeply satisfying taking the walk around the nine acres here. Keoni came with me on one for which I am glad as he solved the problem with the iPhone that I was having with dull-toned pictures. I had inadvertently turned on a filter which I hadn't known existed. Oy! Also, found a way to expunge the filter from the already downloaded pix with Mac Photo software.

I enjoy the five chickens so industriously consuming plant and bug life making their yolks turn orange.

Three Leghorns.

Americanas. (Egg shells of these two are pastel green.)

Let's go check the tall grass.

Who goes first?

Toby went to the veterinarian this week. It's a good thing he deposited a fecal sample in his carrier as we entered the vet's premises since he no longer uses a litter box, and whereabouts of his buried treasures are unknown. He has worms. No doubt from his confirmed consumption of rodent life.

Today's walk looking back toward the barn.

Pasture blossoms.

The year-and-a-half old, split rail fence is greying and warping.

The Black Walnut branch.

It's about time to stream Mad Men and see, too, what Grace and Frankie are up to.

Lots of greetings happened to make a very special time to enjoy last Sunday for Mother's Day.

...and Aidan's origami turtle gift.

Plus, John treated us to a beautiful brunch at the Rising Sun Inn a couple of miles from home over on Allentown Road. All made the day very special.

The welcome springtime at last chased away the remains of my cold and cough.

I love the little "helicopters" that twirl down from our Maple tree. This is the afternoon most of them blew everywhere for their 2015 moment.

A great highlight for me this week was dear friends from Tucson arriving.

Joseph and Gloria. Independence Hall.

Gloria and I have been friends since we first arrived in Tucson; me in 1960 and her in 1961. How I have missed her!

We had a grand day in Philly. 

Their plan to go on to Boston via the Amtrak to attend Gloria's grandson's graduation from Boston U was dashed along with so many others' plans because of the terrible train wreck. Amtrak refunded their tickets without question and they secured Greyhound tickets without problem, and have gone on the next leg of their journey.

It is interesting to me that Gloria and Joseph found, as I have, a capable, no-nonsense friendliness here in PA and Philly that stands out. When people commenting in the various medias about the first responders and the people who helped at the train wreck, the same observation is made.

The crush of music events and end-of-school year events are keeping the household very, very busy. John will have a birthday tomorrow and drive Keoni to Pittsburgh to a recital. Aidan had a school concert the other day, and school field trip today to an amusement park in Allentown.

Aidan's school concert.

But, there is always time to squeeze in some soccer practice...




It went high over the goal, but, hey, I would have needed to be hauled away on a gurney if I'd even tried it.

A whole year has gone by and these signs went back up a few days ago.

I should go check out these MEN and see if there's a bargain.

Two of the mamas.

The goat ladies have continued their family life. There are five babies now. One was in the barn while I was visiting these four happy little characters.

Kids...both kinds here.

Weather Report: Flipflops

Shoutout to all mothers out there in the ether: HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! It is great sharing cyberspace with you.

Home...Again

Saturday, it was Aidan at Kimmel Hall for the cello play-in. Yannick (Yah-neek'), Philly Orchestra Conductor, led the last couple of pieces that the 100 or so cellos played. He is wonderful with a clear, buoyant talent; and, oh so buff in his Captain American T-Shirt. Keoni gave me his Yannick 40th birthday T-Shirt for my July birthday present. I wonder if George Clooney will get jealous.

Sadly, I have no Saturday pictures to share due to finding my iPhone wasn't in my pocket and too late to go back and get it as I travelled to Center City with Wendy, John and Aidan. Keoni was returning from Boston to meet us at Kimmel.

Keoni and Caroline on Friday Prom night in Boston.

Shoutout to Aidan: I'll do better next time!

That this youngster is such an apple in this grandmother's eye is, no doubt, obvious to all. Yes, I see the growing pains of pushing at that envelope, and conflicts that are detritus of youthful experimentations, joys, and  sometimes ire. Perhaps, it is the decades that allow me now to watch with a certain peace and, here and there, throw in encouragement on the positives, and the occasional question that might shed some light or bring a broader view of something tougher. Mostly, though I am just an ear with little comment as he figures it out.

Evidence this youngster is growing into the man he will become came to mind when he related that his equally passionate soccer buddy had brought his grades up at school. He told Aidan he brought them up because Aidan had said to him that he'd be in a better position for a soccer scholarship if he had good grades--now the grades are excellent. What a tribute to both of them! 

Aidan brushing up on his soccer moves. No evidence anymore that there was an ice hockey field at the park.

Sunday brought another trip to Center City. This time, I took the train and met the family there at the storied Union League...

This time another apple of my eye, Keoni, was playing here in the PYO Quartet--the flyer I uploaded a post or two ago. Friends and family were invited this time. A side note: John relates that when he picked up Keoni at an earlier one of his gigs there, he wasn't allowed in the front door to wait inside because he was wearing jeans. It was suggested he use the service entrance. So...now you know about this place.

One of the many salons. This looks into the Lincoln Room.

Some rehearsal time.

Cello man and Wendy.

And with his dad. Yes, he really has grown taller.

Aidan was my videographer with my not-forgotten iPhone this time that captured his brother and the quartet...




I think the music they played must have really been written for such settings as we experienced Sunday afternoon. The music was great and Keoni engaged the audience with a little synopsis of the composer and his times at the beginning of each piece. All those gigs and busking he's done are paying off in more ways than the money in the violin case.

Lots of friends showed up...

Plenty more friends were there, too. I was enjoying meeting them, or re-acquainting with those I'd met before. John had invited some of his colleagues and families, too.

I returned by myself on the train which I really enjoy doing. A very, very interesting assortment of riders, always. On my walk to Jefferson Station there was music of another nature...




Last week and while I traveled to and from Philly this weekend, I kept having a "home" feeling that I'd not yet experienced in PA. Philly's evening, sun-glinted skyline with the full moon rising behind; the row houses from the windows of the car or the train; the shuttered, hollowed-out, old factories; the accent of the man who gave me clear directions, his sure male competence; the trees softening the harsh lines of the old, old city; the river; the train agent who waved off my senior citizen dollar for the ride; new friends nearby; and, now the frogs croaking in this evening's dusk.

Toby is having a snack here on the porch and the family is inside having their supper that John brought from SIG's all-day-long, bountiful food tables. There are loved ones and friends that I miss; yet, they are present as they pass in and out of my thoughts.

I am content.