It has arrived

Spring arrived a couple of days ago, however, someone forgot to advise Mother Nature.  We do not have any snow where I live, however, even with the temps on the plus side of zero, it does not feel much warmer.  The ground is still quite cold and along with the rain and windy conditions it still feels like winter still has it claws on us.  The forecast for the coming week is indicating it will be a wet one with every day having rain at some point.  

Not much happened in my world this past week other than the normal routine of yoga, housework and sewing.  I did, however, venture out and did some grocery shopping to replenish fruit, veg and dairy for the fridge.  As a vacation to sunny climes is coming up in April I needed to look for a bathing suit, one of which I found came home with me.  No bikini, but one that covers up the not so nice looking bits of an older body, you know the ones that have a little skirt.  

My yearly eye exam was on Tuesday, not to worry as the macular degeneration has not changed since last year at this time.  The vitamins I take on a regular basis must be helping.  Several years ago I had cataract surgery so have only needed glasses for reading or doing close up work.  No additional glasses needed now.  Next appointment a year from now.

While browsing the net, I saw that the Keukenhof Gardens in the Netherlands opened  for the yearly display of spring flowers.  Several years ago my late husband and I visited the gardens and all the flowers and sculptures were beautiful.  He was not a flower lover like I am, but he was impressed with the colours of the flowers and everything in the gardens.  While there I purchased a book for a souvenir, that book is now on my coffee table so that I can take a look any time I want.   Keukenhof will be open until May 10th, so it you are fortunate to be in the neighbourhood and you love flowers, it is well worth the visit.

So what am I up to today,  I will go for a walk before the rain which is expected later today then I will finish knitting a cardigan for my youngest great granddaughter's birthday next month.

Have a great day.

Cheers.

99.9% Gone

 Thanks for some warmer temps and quite a lot of rain during the last week or so, most of the snow has gone.  Only the piles that were ploughed from parking lots etc, and the drifts along the side of the roads remain.   Hope it is not all cleared away to make room for more snow in the coming days, we still have to remember it is March when we can expect almost everything and anything weather wise.

Last Monday March 2nd, I went to see my niece, as she had some things my sister had left for me.  The items that she gave me included some books,  my Mothers WWII Red Cross nurse pin, and some post cards and greeting cards.  The cards were the most lovely things I have every seen.  My Mother must have given them to her some time ago.  

Two were cards my grandfather wrote to his wife, one for a birthday and the other for Christmas.  I never met my grandmother as she died in childbirth, I believe in the mid or late 1920's, so these cards have to be at least 100 years old.  They were made from celluloid and paper with a fine string of thread. Written inside were words from a loving husband to his wife.    

The post cards have no writing on them to indicate who they were from or to whom they were to be given to.  They are made of a very fine fabric with embroidery on it and framed with cardboard.  

I wish I had seen these things before my mother passed as now there is so much information lost.

I would like to display all of these items instead of having them hidden in box, so I am thinking they would look lovely if they were framed.  

It was a nice sunny day, when I went to see my niece and I knew I would not be home for lunch, so I packed a picnic.   Leaving her house I headed to the lake shore, it was still covered in snow and the water was no where to be seen as it was all frozen as far as the eye could see.  It was still very cold, but nice and warm with the sun coming through the windows, so enjoyed my picnic in the car.

Busy with my quilting guild, going out with friends, pot luck dinners, and happy hours, life is good.

Have a great day

Cheers.