Of bluebirds and socks . . .

We drove along Route 49 over Ekonk Hill to The Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center in Mystic yesterday morning. I wanted to see the place where Kiddo would be spending some of his summer vacation. What a treat even in the early Spring. On arrival I explained to the ladies why we had dropped in and they kindly let us roam around without charge. We didn't stay too long since they were so accommodating but I'm sure Kiddo is going to love his chosen daytimes at this summer camp. Since I'll be picking him up on certain days, I will volunteer to help out with some data entry or office work. This is going to be a good summer. Before we left we went into the little store and I found the neatest book, Helping Billy Bluebird. After bumming money from Puppy's Pop I bought it and gave it to him as a present when we got back to the Ponti. He liked it! Now that is really cool. The watercolors are just perfect and since the illustrator, Angie Falstrom, is from Lyme I don't think I'm wrong when I suggest that we drove by the home pictured in the book. It is also a signed copy by the author, Mary Ellen Caruso. Neato! We drove to Richoni's for lunch and since I had a driver I splurged and had Michael's super duper best Margarita. It's good to have a driver. Daughter made us lunch and we were back on the country roads to Moosup. Good day. Then for a good night I heard from older brother and younger brother; much laughter ensued. Life is good. The only complaint I have today is that my hand-me-down, youngest child knitted socks have worn out. Not sure if I can wrangle another pair but I'm going to try!

Quote: Learning makes a man fit company for himself. ___Young

Our preserve . . .

Doing the supper dishes around six yesterday evening and looking out over the hill I caught some movement on the upper wall. I yelled for Puppy's Pop to come quickly as the sleek red fox was gliding along the old stone wall. Fox stopped and slouched down and I saw movement below the wall. I thought is was a squirrel but it was a big fat woodchuck! The fox stayed put and the woodchuck ducked back into its wall hiding place. The fox then came down and ran across the top of the hill towards Ma Tante Blanche's. He had something wrong with his left front leg but was still beautiful and smooth as he scampered to the wall on the eastern property line. Fox stood there for a while and then lay down for a rest. I've never seen a fox that wasn't in flight. This was a first. I think that we've probably missed a lot of action on the hill because of the tamaracks. Now that they're gone I put out the lights in the kitchen almost every night so I can see the stars. We no longer keep the light on the garage burning so the hill is dark and the stars are brilliant. All these sights make me smile, even laugh out loud.

Young Mr. H. whose parents lived diagonally across the street has been laid off so he and a couple of his brothers are working on the old house. That is a big farm house and I believe that it is older than our home. The barn is in better shape than the house! Of course the barn had been turned into a home umpteen years ago and the present owners keep it immaculate and well landscaped. Not sure what Keven has in mind for his folks' home but it's nice to have them working on it. His parents always kept the property clean but one of the kids destroyed it after the parents died and he lived there with his kids and dogs.

Not sure what we'll be up to today. Maybe take a ride to Mystic?

Quote: Nature does not capriciously scatter her secrets as golden gifts to lazy pets and luxurious darlings, but imposes tasks when she presents opportunities, and uplifts him whom she would inform. The apple that she drops at the feet of Newton is but a coy invitation to follow her to the stars. ___E. P. Whipple

Nickel Creek, Fox went out on a chilly night . . .

Superior evening. . . .

Early evening yesterday was spent pleasantly in Oneco with old friends, wine, delectable hors d'oeuvres and relaxing conversation with a good deal of laughter. Left for dinner in Voluntown where we had excellent meals; two chicken Marsala, one Bourbon Jambalaya, one salmon. On our return to Oneco it was time for chocolate sweets and Lemoncello Crema. Not sure how we can find so much to talk about but it is nice to feel relaxed and comfortable with such kind friends.

When we returned home we watched the end of the UCONN vs Arizona game. Wow, that was a fantastic UCONN win. Today we watched the UCONN women come back from a terrible performance to beat a very good Georgetown. I was prepared for a loss and would not have been upset because they have been playing above and beyond expectations. But they survived with some really great coaching and kids who would not give up. No matter how the UCONNS end up in this March Madness they have given us a great show this year.

We don't usually watch a movie on a Sunday afternoon but Grampa had me buy The Straight Story and since it was sunny yet cold and windy as the devil we stayed in and watched a matinée. What a moving true story about a trip one elderly brother takes on his lawnmower to visit his estranged brother who lives over four hundred miles from him. It is slow paced but a beautiful tribute to humanity. Excellent, touching film.

Quote: Be slow to fall into friendship; but when thou art in, continue firm and constant. ___Socrates

Eureka . . . Pussy willows . . .

I was so excited yesterday when I pulled in behind Richoni's and saw pussy willows starting to bloom in the wild backyard. I retrieved scissors from middle child and cut some for the both of us. I didn't ruin the bushes either, just took a few branches. Hope no one else finds this spot. I'll be in pussy willows forever. Oh, oh! Suppose they decide to pave the back lot? Not going to even think about it. As a matter of fact I don't think the back lot is part of Richoni's land. It's part of the paper road that goes back and connects to the road where they live. Good. That means I should have a safe stash.

I had to laugh on walking into the restaurant. The owners and kitchen help were eating lunch in the side hall and they were all astir as I came in. There were soda and ice cubes all over the floor and of course the only one moving to clean it up was middle child. After cleaning up after a couple of hundred kids at Sacred Heart it was nothing to help out cleaning up the mess in the kitchen hall take out area. On Saint Paddy's Day R.'s sister noticed that the clock above the table in the hall had not been changed to daylight savings time so she climbed on her chair, took it down, set it correctly and put it back up. I recall thinking I should mention that it wasn't put back up properly but decided not to look like I was criticizing anyone and kept my peace. Little did I foresee the comic consequences. As R. and D. plus kitchen help were just starting to eat the clock fell down, hit R.'s large glass of soda, which dumped into his French Onion Soup, sending ice and soda to cover all and sundry before finally ending up on the newly carpeted floor. Not sure my laughter was appreciated as I came in just at the end of the catastrophe but I helped to clean it up and we got everyone back to normal (whatever normal is?) I still see the cascading events as in a YouTube video and it keeps me smiling. I'm sure R.'s sister will never hear the end of the mess she made.

Returning to the restaurant later in the day so Kiddo could say good bye to his folks they sent me home with two fish and chip dinners. I put the fish and chips on a baking tray and put it under the broiler for about five minutes. Wow, the food was delicious and not at all soggy from the long trip home. Have to do that again. Grampa went to Riverview to get Kiddo his chicken tenders dinner which he scoffed up greedily. Later in the evening after some swashbuckling sword play, basketball, Frisbee, and badminton he ate two bags of popcorn while watching Star Wars with Grampa. Can't seem to fill him up lately. He comes in at four feet, fifty-two pounds and very slim. He's really pretty good at getting the ball into the eight and a half foot high basketball net. Lots of fun.

Quote: Bashfulness is more frequently connected with good sense than with over assurance; and impudence, on the other hand, is often the effect of downright stupidity. ____Shenstone

A la recherche du temps perdu . . .

It was spitting wet snow when I picked up Kiddo at school yesterday but he wanted to stay and play in the school playground. I like to have him outside playing as much as possible so I had brought my toque and gloves and although not too many kids had been allowed to stay and play there were six hardy souls. He had a great time freezing, running around, going backwards on all of the paraphernalia and bumping into all and sundry. While he was playing I spoke with a younger woman, still a grandmother, who had adopted her two grandchildren and is doing a wonderful job bringing them up. The parents of the kids were so heavily into drugs that she and her husband felt they had no choice but to take over their care. Fortunate kids, nice kids. As we spoke she was remembering the way she used to play outside in her neighborhood with all the kids around and no parental supervision unless someone broke the well known law. "You can't pick on anyone or hurt anyone." If you were picked on the older kids always came to the rescue and made sure the bully was bullied into submission. Parents rarely came out to see what we were doing. This is certainly true of my childhood. If things did get out of hand, rarely, Ma would send everyone home to cool off and the next day we would all be out playing cops and robbers, mother may I, run my good sheep run, cowboys and Indians, tag, circle tag, hide and seek, baseball, football, hop scotch, jump rope, double dutch, marbles, roller skating and all sorts of made up games. I've put up some pictures of three different gangs I belonged to when I was just an imp. Oh my, we had good times even when there was no money for gadgets or TVs. Wish the present day kids didn't have to limit their fun to organized games with adult supervision. Oh well, I'm certain we only recall the halcyon days of our youth when we reach the beginnings of 70 years. ( At 68 I still feel as if I'm not getting older but the times they are a changing, telling me that I certainly am beginning to see the past with rose colored glasses.) Our parents definitely struggled hard to make a living and keep us fed and well educated. Alors, plus ça change, plus c'est la même. Not sure I have that quote right. Man's character doesn't change just his circumstances. Life is still a wonder to enjoy.

Quote: Time is the warp of life; oh tell the young, the fair, the gay, to weave it well. __Tatler

Slip sliding away/ Lamentations . . .

Just when Puppy's Pop and I have figured out how to save money; tightening up the house, more careful use of our vehicles, going out a bit less, cutting back on groceries, the prices have sky rocketed and we're not saving. It's costing us more to do less. What the heck. Is this inflation? I certainly don't like it. We get no interest to speak of in bank accounts; there are, of course, no wage increases, only increases in our insurances. Somehow I don't think that there is an end in sight. And the politicians want more taxes so they can be the arbiters of who gets our money. Something dreadfully wrong here. Don't know what the solution is but I dare say we've got to kick out the lot of grubby, grubbing pols and just say no more taxes. Get the government out of our pockets and we may survive to eat some tiny bites of cake. Although it may be too late. The cake has been divided up and there are no crumbs left. May have to start from scratch. Tough going ahead.

Went for a walk up the street and was so dismayed. Someone had already stolen my pussy willows and none too gently at that. The poor bushes are all torn up, nary a pussy to be found clinging to a beaten branch. How sad. They won't be back next year if none are left to survive the terrible onslaught. I am stricken. I always left some so they could brighten our Spring days. Butchering is not nice. What a sad note.

So I'll end with a good visit to Preston yesterday where younger brother's wife and I shared coffee and played cards. It's always nice and comfortable at their home. Brother was out working in a friend's vineyards getting ready for the new season. His own vines are doing well.

Quote: Nature is an Aeolian harp, a musical instrument, whose tones are the re-echo of higher strings within us. __Novalis