Bmeandering

Bmeandering

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Corner View: Small Things

The gold finches were not eating from the finch feeder.
Mike had put it out with feed in it from Cincinnati days---very old.
He thought it would be okay.
Yet they didn't 'buy' it.
  He refilled it with fresh ,
but before I could wash it.

So two weekends ago, I dumped it
and gave it a thorough cleaning.
And. . . . . 
the gold finches are eating!

A small thing but it is important to me. 




For more views on small things,
head on over to Francesca's.





Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Hope by Emily




"Hope" is the thing with feathers---
That perches in the soul-----





And sings the tune without the words----
And never stops ----at all-----




And sweetest---in the Gale---is heard---
And sore must be the storm-----




That could abash the little Bird----
That kept so many warm----



I've heard it in the chillest land---
And on the strangest Sea----

Yet never, in Extremity,
It asked a crumb---of Me.

Emily Dickinson


My juniors are studying Emily.

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Musings--Easter and Family


This is the first Easter 
that I have been part of my Ohio grandchildren's Easter.
(Maybe I can be part of  the Texas ones after I retire.)
Easter is my favorite holiday for many reasons,
but it has been 'dampened' for a long while.

Last year I wrote in the last half of a post

I realized  yesterday that I had been holding on to a hurt
and resentment towards my ex and his wife in one area--
Easter.
Unlike Thanksgiving and Christmas
where I readily agree to celebrating
 before or after the holiday
instead of on it,
 I never thought of doing that at Easter.
Granted,  when Doug was married to Mindy,
their Easter weekend was packed full;
however, if I had made a point of having a celebration,
Doug would have made sure they came.

Well the ex and his wife spent Easter in Florida
this year
and his step-brother took his little girl down for a visit,
so Doug was at a bit of a loss.
Enter Mike and me
and a Saturday evening Easter dinner
with an egg hunt afterwards.
Keep in mind, though, that we could not have had 
an egg hunt at our previous home.
Well, I take that back---we could have hidden them 
in and around our neighbor's junk and to- be-repaired cars!
Ha!
(His business is auto body work).


I'll  do a brief commentary on the pics.
Lined up and ready to hunt.

 Dillon and Addy take off together.
(Peyton went in the opposite direction.)
We tried to get Addy to split from Dillon,
because he was beating her to an egg every time,
but she wouldn't listen at first. 

I spotted Dillon through the budding forsythia bush.
I like how Dillon has his tongue sticking out in this photo ---he's really concentrating.

 We finally separated Addy from Dillon and helped her find some eggs.





I posed them on the back porch swing for pictures.
Dillon, Peyton, and Addison (Addy)
                    Here's my wonderful son with his great kids.

Doug has a new girlfriend and she is very nice. She is a lot younger which bothers him, but not her or her
parents.  As for me, I think the numeral does not matter-it's in the inherent maturity than can be found at any age. . . or not.  His last one was closer to his age,but had not grown up yet.

I debated about showing this pic
because of my gut that's showing,
but decided to anyway.
It is what it is and I am who I am.

 They took their 'loot' back in the house and began to open the eggs and discover the treasures.
Peyton always goes off to a side,
but the two younger ones stick together like glue.
There is only two years between each of them,
but Peyton is a 'wise old one' and has been from 'toddlerhood'.



 The Easter Bunny met up with their dad at the YMCA  and gave them their baskets since they would be at their mom's house on Easter.   They were thrilled.  The Easter bunny is much more economical at their dad's house, but that doesn't seem to bother them.  He concentrates on one or two main items and then fills in with little things. They each got a toy or game that they wanted and flip flops or sneakers.





Their dad was happy that they were happy.


Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Corner View: Something to Celebrate


My Ohio grandkids' elementary school has
Grandparents Day during which they have "something to celebrate" -
 their grandpaprents.
It is usually in late March or early April.

This is the first year that Mike and I could attend.
It was wonderful!!!
The place was jammed packed full 
of proud grandparents.

The theme was "Footsteps."
The principal. who was quite funny,
talked about how
our grandkids observe us 
and follow in our footsteps.





 First grader Addison singing in her group and at the her table in her classroom.


 Second grader Dillon making us crack up as he tried to follow the motions to the song.
He asked us if we wanted to go on a scavenger hunt in his room, and of course, we did.  The first task was to introduce us to his teacher and shy Dillon did a great introduction.
Another highlight was showing us his favorite book.

 Fifth grader Peyton.
She also danced in both programs, but I wasn't able to get a good picture of that---too many 'old folks' heads! Ha!
All three were thrilled to see Grandpa Mike.  They didn't know he was coming.



Above is a photo of the finale for the 3-5 grades.
They are each holding up two footsteps.
It was in the afternoon;
 the k-2 was in the morning -- 
an all-day event with a 2-hr. break so they could have lunch.

Today was a terrific day --- definitely something to celebrate!

For more views on things to celebrate
visit Francesca's Fuoriborgo.




Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Weekly Musings--Spring and Daffodils



Spring is a time of wonder
for me.
How anyone can witness the unfolding of spring
after the 'deadness' of winter
(especially one as brutal as this one)
mystifies me.

This spring I am experiencing a double wonder
as I discover what the previous owners planted.

The 'green-thumber' was the husband.
I  don't agree with a lot of what he did,
but I am loving the daffodils
he planted on the fringes of the land.

The above picture is between two bushes
in front of the living room's big window.
I'm not sure what they are yet,
but am looking forward to the revelation!



The forsythia bushes are beginning to bud.



I have brought spring inside.
I bought some fake daffodils
before I realized how much of the real stuff I would have.
All the photos here feature freshly cut blooms.
The fake ones have been relegated to a corner
where the cat would spill the real ones.

Next to last 'big' test is today and tomorrow for my juniors.
If I'm tired of creating, giving, and grading them,
just imagine how the kids feel.
I call this teaching to a test in conjunction with the new common core curriculum
as 'the dumbing down of America'.
Just saying.

I hope this week has begun well for you
and you will continue to find many blessings
interwoven in the days.



Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Corner View:Rejuvenation


 I love flowers.
I love receiving flowers.
I do not see that it is money wasted to send fresh flowers,
because they give so much joy 
even though they eventually are thrown out.
Receiving flowers never ceases to rejuvenate me.
No matter what, I perk up and feel better
if only for awhile---
but that 'while' is savored and remembered.

Here are some bouquets
and portion of bouquets sent me last year.















For more on rejuvenation, hop on over to Francesca's.