Whatever Wednesday - Longwood Lily Pads

You gotta explore the new conservatory area and see the giant lily pads. 

You feel like you could scamper across the pond on these lily steps....

or sail away......

so  pretty

 quite magical

Longwood  Gardens is a delight. 

Monday Moments - Longwood Gardens 2026

Every year now, when I visit my sister in Delaware, we head to Longwood Gardens in PA.  She's a member and we can explore the gardens and then enjoy their nightly fountain  show.  This year the theme was Animated Music.  At  9:30 pm, the fountains light up to music and water dance to the music. There are also arcs of water with fire.  It's awesome.   

Meanwhile - here's some August garden glory

This is not part of the fountain show.  

Every corner is magical as we stroll the grounds
 

And me against a huge hedge. 

Plan to stay a few hours to stroll and explore. 

Finally Friday - September 11 2001

9/11/2001 

 Every year, this date just sears the soul.  Ray and I had been in NYC the  week or so before. We had enjoyed baseball - Mets and Yankees, US Open Tennis, Broadway shows, a tour of the World Trade Tower, and so much more.  We  had walked amongst the thousands of New Yorkers just living their lives.  

We  flew back to Texas on September 1st.    2001

Then, a sunny Tuesday, as I drove  to work my radio station KISS FM 106.1 reported a plane flying into a  trade center tower.  Say what?

Got to  work, and our small group gathered around a black and white tv.  Then we watched, with horror, the towers fall. 

chills, sadness, scared, amazement and awe, just every emotion possible and the question....why?.....how?.....now what......?

so much changed

and so much more could change, needs to  change.  Do  we learn from history?  

9/11/2001  Never Forgotten

Whatever Wednesday - Baldwin Book Barn and bonus beach day

Here's the  Baldwin Book Barn in West Chester PA.  It  is a real old barn - very cool. 

and it houses over 300, 000 books.  Yes, you read that right.  Five floors of well curated used books. 

Pick a category, any category and you'll find a treasure. 

Here's the fifth floor just to  give you an idea

Very nifty old barn door

Outside view.  This was SO cool to wander.  Every coffee table book imaginable is here.  

I did not spend money because I was flying and I've been downsizing my collection.  But oh, this was so tempting.  It would be a great place to come do research for any weird topic. 

 And then Tuesday - beach day at Rehoboth Beach.  Gorgeous day.  BUT  - big alert - jellyfish water. Oh yuk - so  damn creepy.  Walking along the waves, you had to really watch  to not step on anything gunky. 

Still worth it - just sat and watched the waves, the seagulls, and cute kids making sand castles. 

Plus - bonus pizza on the boardwalk AND ice cream.   Treat day

 Books and beach - does life get any better? 

Monday Moments - Retired, No Labor Here

It's Labor Day Monday.  I respect all worker bee fights for pay, etc.  However, I'm grateful to be retired and not in the game. Whew!    

So let's continue enjoying my summer adventures - here's a very tall sequoia tree at the Tyler Arboretum. I enjoyed a visit there in  August with my sister. 

and then brunch with Lori.   She is the BEST

cool mural in West Chester

and a little bird's next tree house there. 

fun findings as we wandered. 

Hope you've had a great weekend and good luck on Tuesday with Back to Work.  I'll  just be back to yoga and my regular YMCA schedule.  Rah!

Finally Friday - Tyler Arboretum in PA

More August fun with Lori

A morning stroll at the Tyler Arboretum in PA.   Big chair, little sister
 

Tree house view

a gnome in an old tree trunk

a child of the corn - ME!

Whatever Wednesday - summer fun

I fled to the Northeast in  August  - 9th thru 19th - to escape the heat, to see my siblings, and to just have a change of pace.  Mission accomplished.  

Here we are - me with David and Lori at the Upper Bucks County Historical Society.  Catching up on ancient history. 

Post cheesesteak sandwiches with David, Lori, me, and David's wife Cherie. 
 

This is the famous Trainer's lobster in Quakertown PA.  Trainers was a fancy restaurant that my father worked at as a teen. The lobster was on  top of the restaurant that is now gone. Folks  would come up from Philadelphia to eat here.  Dad was a busboy.   We had a fine time checking out this step back in time at the historical society.  Found our folks' old yearbooks and other listings for them in old records. 

Across the street we toured the Burgess Foulke home.  Very interesting - build in 1812

And this is Liberty Hall 1772.  The Liberty Bell slept here overnight on 9/23/1777 on the way from Philadelphia to Allentown to avoid being melted down by British troops.  At the time it had no crack. 

You read that right - 1777       Damn, I love history and it's  everywhere you turn back east.