SPRING

Winter finally gave way to an eruption of spring. Everything came alive with flowers and blossoms. The already green grass became velvet and lush beyond discription. It truly took us by surprise since it seemed as if winter would never end. It was so magnificent it took our breath away.

This is one of many, many apple orchards in the area.

I pinched off one single bloom and spent the rest of the day in heaven smelling it!

Then the Lilacs! Rochester even has a lilac festival because they are so prevalent.

As wonderful as the apple blossom was.....the lilacs won the fragrance contest! Luckliy they were two different days, so each of them filled me with joy.

Everywhere you look there is another flowering tree. I have no idea what they all are but they are glorious!

This little tree is the only one we've seen like it. It's red was so brilliant.

Three different flowering trees in one picture.

Enjoy....

These are bushes right outside our little chapel. They are beautiful at a distance but then...

Look up close.

These bright yellow bushes were some of the first to flower and they were all over.

Magnificent

These are on the temple grounds. Again beautiful at a distance and......

exquisite up close. They reminded me of a bridal bouquet.

This was a queen of the flowering trees. I found out it was an ornamental pear tree.

These flowers are very large and amazing.

Up close...

Closer yet.

The grass would have little patches of blue in places.

Up close..

Closer...

Flowers everywhere

These are on the temple grounds

Tulips were one of the first to bloom. Again on the temple grounds.

We have decided that the end of the long dreary winter was amazingly celebrated by mother nature with an spectacular celebration in color. I think we will stay! We hope spring was also good to you.

The Wonderful Old Houses of NY

I have been so enthralled by the old houses everywhere we have gone in New York. Occasionally, I have had my camera with me to take a few pictures, although these are not necessarily the best houses nor my favorite. My favorite one is in Canandaigua about 20 miles away on the main street into town. We have never been able to stop to take a picture because of traffic behind us. But these are some examples of what we see as we drive. They are delightful!

I always look at them and instantly go into my fantasy world. In it, we are living in the mid to late 1800's in a grand old Victorian home. We have about three dozen wonderful children. We are a house full of bustling, happy people.

We have many animals and a great garden....and of course hired help that we treat just like family. Did I mention money was NO object.....AH, the joys of fantasies!

We saw this - the King of strollers - on the porch of one of the houses one day and thought it might be a great thing for a couple of our children to see. Quite ingenious! Can you imagine something like this pulled in the 1800's by a little pony? Back to that great fantasy...

I think we could live quite comfortably here. The children certainly could share dorm type rooms.

This is actually 1/2 block from where we live and is being used as the Palmyra library right now. I frequent it quite often. It is for sale.....alas, a small thing called money and lack of youth keeps me from my fantasy.

I especially enjoy the fantasy when it is evening time and the houses are lit up. I can picture the whole family around a great big dining room table eating and laughing and enjoying a delicious meal that everyone assisted the "cook" in providing. Oh, yes, we have a cook, a girl that helps clean, and a grounds man to help with the animals, garden and misc. things.

I have always wanted to be inside of one of these old houses and I got my opportunity when a couple at the temple invited us home for dinner. Their house is not large like this one, but it was very old and delightful inside.

This is their barn where we parked. They use it as a garage and storage area.

Their house is on a side street in a little village called Waterloo, about 30 minutes southeast of Palmyra.

Here is the husband greeting us. As you see, this was last fall.

They said when they bought it about 35 years ago it was a mess inside. As they were raising their family, they took it room by room and eventually had it all fixed up. They did a fine job as you will see. This is their parlor.

The entry way with a curved stairway and lots of children and grandchildren pictures on the walls.

She really cooks on this wood stove and it helps keep the house warm. I can attest that the stove works well. It was a GREAT meal!

More kitchen....

Dining room...

Wonderful fall table setting...

After we ate we roamed the grounds. It was so beautiful - about 5 acres- about the same size as our yard in CO but much different.

Here is a great playhouse for the grand kids. I even wanted to go inside and play!

I had been asking what kind of fruit trees they had here and when they mentioned pear trees among the group, I said I had never seen a pear on a tree. They took me out side and voila....my first pear tree totally equipped with pears (I was a little disappointed not to also see a partridge in it - but you can't have everything). We were able to pick some and bring them home. Yum!

It was a great day. We love the area and the people here. We have even survived our first winter (although we are told we can't be positive it is completely over yet.) But we have had a few days in the 70's although most days are still in the 40's and 50's. But the grass is lush green and many flowers are out. In a few weeks we will even have leaves on the trees and we will once again be totally green. I am anxious for that day!