The last day I needed a cane from the recent knee problem, I zoomed around the local Walmart in search of supplies...

Shoutout to Youth: If you haven't run one of these around a store before, plan on it when your joints or spine ossify. Its fun and definitely a perk to perk up senior life.

The supplies were to mail off a drawing I made of Great Grandson Elijah who is turning 13 this week. Here he is from a recent photo...

You saw Elijah a couple of postings ago.

Here's the pencil drawing as it developed...

Two days in a row there has been sunshine and temps high enough to have the windows open through the afternoons. Hooray! I'd have loved another walk around the farm but find I need to be careful a little longer. 

Aidan's school orchestra had a concert on Friday...

Then Saturday, it was time to suit up and show up in Philly for Aidan's recital. I took the train into Center City...

The Lansdale Station roof-line.

When I reached the destination, I paused for a few minutes at City Hall on my walk to the recital to eat some snacks and people watch...

A couple was walking their Newfoundland. Newfies are conversation pieces.

Mrs. DePasquale, Aidan's cello teacher, has her students' recitals at The Union League which is about as 1% as you can get in Philadelphia. It is a beautiful venue inside and a grand setting for Mrs. D's 17 students' work. 

Warmup time.

Here's the video that Wendy captured of his piece: Lalo Concerto, Movement I...




The pianist made a little flub but they both handled it professionally. Over all, I think it was perhaps a new best that I've heard of Aidan's work. The video is also on Wendy's Facebook page. (For the time being I am off Facebook. I'm mad at them.)

Group pictures. He's not one of the little kids anymore.

Wendy and John after the recital.

Aidan in the hall after the recital.

Colors

The day is an unusual one among those recently experienced. It is in the 70s and I will not think about the prediction of a 35-degree drop tomorrow. Marge has spent the better part of the morning outdoors...

Marge and rake.

Colors. A few peaking out a week ago along the Perkiomen Creek...

Marsh Marigolds along the banks of the Perkiomen Creek.

A "rail trail" to love.

This is along the "Perk" trail where I walked a week ago with a new friend Jason. I just realized I didn't snap a picture of him but here's the other side of the bridge we walked over...

It was a very nice walk and erased the see-saw snow and melts that have characterized about the last six weeks...

One little snow patch left one afternoon two weeks ago...

...the next morning--finding Subaru.

Meanwhile, over in the Midwest my sister Jeanenne was at the St. Louis Zoo with Larry and granddaughter Harper. Thought the little portrait she made of them was especially nice...

Then about midweek after another satisfying walk at the farm with Aidan, my knee said, "Whoa! Stop in the name of the Arbitrary Laws of Senior Living". And the thing swelled right up and became unstable. Grrr. So, elevation, ace bandage, ice, heat, attic-retrieval of walker and here I sit. But, ya know, it is getting better already. Got to pay more attention and as friend Pat says--have a knee box with the paraphernalia for knee protection and treatment handy.

After that brought me up short, I found it was a very good excuse to read still another of the Longmire Wyoming Mysteries. Number 12, in fact. As I've read them through our Pennsylvania winter here, I am encouraged that Pennsylvania does not have Wyoming winters. The blue flowers sprinkling now in Marge's backyard bear this out...