Martha's Bit's and Bobs

Here they are. I'm tempted to call them the "Minnesota Leftovers," but that's not really true. They aren't leftovers at all, just stragglers. Dessert comes at the end and it isn't leftover.

Dogs are forever hopeful, even when they know the chances of a handout are slim to none.

One miffed horse. We called her over and didn't even have something as simple as a sugar cube. You can tell she's annoyed.

The Como Park Zoo, which James and I visited on Saturday. There's a spotted cat sleeping in the crevice of the rock.

Monarch at Como Park in St Paul.

Daddy hugs. They're the best.

Helping Daddy weed the flower bed.

Silly Daddy...

How he melts my heart.

Saying goodbye to Grandpa.

Going home again.

The Minnesota Zoo

Who doesn't love a trip to the zoo? I hadn't been in years, mostly because the cost is astro- nomical, but we were blessed by one free admission to the Minnesota Zoo when we visited with Jim and Michele who were given a zoo membership as a gift.

It was a rather quiet, but beautiful Thursday afternoon with sunny skies and summer- like temp- eratures. There were no crowds to fight and most of the animals were out in the open where we could gawk at them without a problem. (I can't understand the purpose of charging admission to a zoo where the animals are always out of sight...)

We enjoyed a wonderful relaxing afternoon together.

 The Minnesota Zoo is full of wonderful statues and sculptures of animals. I found them intriguing. I'm presently wondering if they are the real reason admission is nearly $20 for adults. I don't suppose they were all donated.

The highlight of the trip was our visit with the lynx kittens. They were fairly certain my little grandson was either a playmate or perhaps dinner. They made Austin a little uneasy when they tried to grab him through the glass of their enclosure.

 He found Grandpa's arms to a safe and reassuring place to recover and soon he and Grandpa were "monkeying around" with the cats again.

There hasn't been much going on this week, so I thought I'd catch you up on vacation happenings instead. Besides, some of these pictures are too good not to share.

A Walk About Town

My night out in St Paul with Kristina was fun and so was my Thursday morning out with Kim. Kim took me for a walk, not too far from Grand Avenue, where stately houses lined the street and manicured gardens graced the lawns. It was the perfect morning for a walk beneath the towering shade trees. I'd somehow become suddenly shy about taking pictures, perhaps because I didn't want to intrude on anyone's personal privacy, but it didn't take long for my camera to come out in spite of my initial reluctance. I thought it a shame to miss the opportunity.

We walked down Summit Avenue from Cochran Park to the Cathedral of Saint Paul, down some more streets and around a few corners until I was lost, which is what happens when one pays more attention to taking photographs than to where she is going.

 Not all of the houses where sprawling mansions. I found this little place on Laurel Avenue quite intriguing...

... as well as the verses of poetry stamped into the sidewalks.

When we were done walking, we popped into Nina's Coffee Cafe on the corner of Selby and Western Avenues, across from WA Frost's where Kristina and I had been just  a couple of days earlier. We didn't get silly and laugh quite the same as Kristina and I, but we shared a very nice chat and a cup of coffee and two "not so fancy" (I had a chocolate peanut butter oat bar, and she had pumpkin bread) desserts before going home again.

(I once again overfilled my cup and spilled both cinnamon and coffee down side and onto the table.)

Just Desserts

One evening, a couple weeks ago, my friend Kristina picked me up in her grandpa's car (which is really hers) and we went out together. We perused shops like Bibelot and The Red Balloon on Grand Avenue in the city of Saint Paul. We stopped to check out the Cafe Latte but only looked in their dessert case, and then we peeked in the windows of stores already closed for the evening. We walked from Lexington Avenue at least as far as Victoria Street, all the while attempting to decide where we wanted to stop for coffee and a fancy dessert. We stopped at The Lexington Restaurant but found they had closed their doors. Kristina was disappointed. With minds set on "fancy," we decided to venture on and check out WA Frost and Company. It was definitely fancy, but after sitting on the patio for a long time (which was quite an experience in and of itself with the party lights and mature trees), and having no one stop by to inquire as to what we wanted, we took our leave and went across the street to a totally different adventure.

On the other side of Selby Avenue is Moscow on the Hill, a Russian restaurant and vodka bar. They had coffee, they had fancy desserts, and they had a very nice patio, even if it wasn't quite as breathtaking as the one across the street. We assured the waitress, who was very nice, that we were only after coffee (decaf, please) and a couple of desserts. There were three on the menu; Tiramisu, Napoleon, and Chocolate Truffles. We placed our orders and soon the waitress returned with two desserts, the Napoleon we had ordered, and a plate of truffles, which we had not. Rather than send them back, we asked for a third dessert and soon found before us every dessert on the menu.

We talked and laughed, shared our three delightful desserts, and wondered aloud if either one of us would ever be able to sleep that night. Not too long after Kristina dropped me back off at Jim and Michele's, I got a text message on my phone. It said, "I don't feel so good." I laughed silently, hoped she was exaggerating, and replied back, "Oh, dear," but the next day we found that, in spite of the sugar, we had both slept pretty well.

Minnesota

A little boy in Minnesota stole my heart last week. I fell in love with my grandson, and he fell in love with his grandpa...

James, who had originally planned to drive to Minnesota, decided, just before my departure for California, to fly instead. Our Southwest travel points made flying more cost effective, and also enabled us to help provide our son and his wife with a few tools and materials to do some work on their new house. James passed on the family tradition of buying a ladder for the new homeowner (like my dad did for him) and Jim immediately used it to clean out the gutters.

We went to the zoo, ate meals together, visited coffee shops, played with our grandson, and enjoyed some gorgeous weather.

 It's always hard to say goodbye, even when I think I'm ready to be home again. Now I find myself missing a small child with curly, brown hair, blue eyes, and a captivating smile.

Broken Glue Joints

I read the book, but I'm afraid I may have failed the exam... I could give you excuses, because I was (and still am) overtired, and it has been a very long week, but that doesn't really get me off the hook. My reactions to circumstances are my responsibility and I must own them. I may have prevailed over a missed airline flight, but perhaps I failed when poorly chosen words touched a painful, oozing wound. I tried to answer rightly, but the throbbing ache prevailed, and though I didn't lash out in the way I once might have, I lashed out just the same. What began as a week of rest and refreshment, has ended terribly bad in spite of apologies on both sides.

The "toucher of my wound" did not intend to cause me pain or grief, I knew that to start with, but isn't that often the way? How many times have I spoken a word or given a look that sent an unseen and unintended dagger into the heart of someone? Even someone I love?

 All too often, I'm afraid...

I have excuses and explanations, of course, but all of those matter very little right now. They don't heal the wounds, my own wounds, that festered to start with, and they are not a salve for these fresh wounds either. It doesn't matter that exhaustion or frustration play a part on either side, and it doesn't matter that one or both of us feel "trumped" by the other.

I have a headache and am infinitely more exhausted that I was Tuesday morning when I woke up in my own bed after my arrival home at 1am.

California Apple Pie, a Street Fair, and Fond Farewells

Apple pie is a yummy fall treat no matter which side of the country we call home. Wanda and I bought a bag of granny smith apples on our way home one afternoon and set about building a pie the following day. The crust didn't turn out light and flaky like usual (sometimes that happens), but it was delicious just the same. Don said it tasted just like Grandma's apple pie.

On Friday evening we headed off to a street fair in Monrovia where we discovered a shark as big as the fish that swallowed Jonah, various street vendors, and a yummy Mexican restaurant called Rudy's. I ordered a chicken taco with rice and beans, and a tamale. It was all so good, but my tummy filled up fast and on the way home I was in possession of a small box of leftovers for my Saturday morning breakfast.

Saturday morning came all too fast and we soon found ourselves on the way back to the airport where had first met only a few days earlier. I look a little tired in our final photo, but then again, I was only just beginning to adjust from NY time to California.

My flight out of LAX was delayed by about an hour making my arrival in Denver coincide with the departure of my connecting flight to Minneapolis. I knew before I stepped off the first plane that I was going to miss the next one, but rather than panic, I decided to relax and enjoy a new experience. There was nothing to be gained by getting mad or anxious anyway, so I walked the concourse, bought a lunch, watched people, and took a few pictures while I waited four hours for the next flight out. I wasn't alone in my predicament, and we all eventually made it safely to Minnesota.

 Progress. I am making progress. I didn't stress over a flight delay (at least not much) and I remembered to trust that Someone bigger than me was in control.

California Blogging

I had to smile this morning as I looked through some of my California photos. Wanda knew just how to immediately put me at ease. When I arrived at the airport she was waiting for me at the bottom of the escalator. Before I even found my suitcase, I'd received a welcoming smile and been enveloped in a warm hug. It was a great beginning.

There were pretty lunches (and breakfasts) at Wanda's house. Strawberries and green grapes were served with sandwiches on paper plates, and we sipped iced tea from stemware. It was the perfect blend of plain and fancy even if I didn't notice that particular combination until I came back home. There were plenty of meals served on pretty glass plates and every meal was full of love. I am taking lessons and making mental notes.

Wanda and I wandered thrift stores in search of treasure, visited Wanda's good friend Elizabeth in the home for senior ladies, and had long heart to heart talks over coffee and scones. At night, before drifting off to sleep there was always a warm hug and a kiss on the cheek. Just what my "heart that misses my own mom" needed.

I found myself enchanted by Don's morning routine of sitting in his
rocking chair out on the balcony, Bible on his lap, whispering his prayers for the new day. It reminded me of my own dad, sitting in his patio room in his rocking chair, Bible on his lap, whispering his morning prayers...

Southern California was wrapped up in a heat wave when I made my arrival Tuesday, the 16th of September. It was about 105ºF when I stepped off the plane and reminded me of a day a little over 33 years ago when I arrived in Albuquerque, New Mexico and it was 109ºF. That kind of heat beats down from above and then bounces back up from the pavement to make sure you are "well done" on both sides. It doesn't really matter whether it's "dry" or not, it'll have you feeling crispy in no time.

PS. I "captured" Wanda's elusive butterfly and that thing did not hold still ever! Even at rest he was flapping his wings like crazy. I think it's a swallowtail.