Philadelphia Flower Show and Tell

Well, the weather forecast for Tuesday was spot on...rain, freezing rain, snow and ice developing in the afternoon and evening making traveling hazardous. Several phone calls to the cooperative extension confirmed that the bus trip to Philadelphia was still on... I left the house about 5:20 AM, determined to arrive at the Cracker Barrel parking lot early, so I wouldn't be one of the stragglers onto the bus, but got embedded in a snowbank as I backed down the drive in the dark. Luckily, Dan heard my spinning tires and helped extricate my car using snow shovel, wood ash and gentle nudging from his car. I found a seat near the back of the second bus, and roads were clear and dry as we zipped south. About 4 hours later we arrived at the convention center shortly after the doors opened at 10 AM. When we reboarded the bus at 6PM, Philadelphia and surrounding regions were coated with a glaze of thick ice. The bus lumbered along very slowly through the "rush" hour traffic that was almost frozen in slow motion. Icy, slushy, snowy conditions prevailed until about Scranton. Luckily for me, my son picked me up around 11 PM in the parking lot so I didn't have to drive home on iffy roads over Belden Hill, and I spent the night at his place before returning home midday yesterday when roads were much clearer! Anyway, after the Winter that doesn't seem to end, the flower show was a welcome promise of spring. This year's theme was Celebrate the Movies.

The tantalizing smell of fresh, buttered popcorn permeated the entire show. I stood in line, but balked at paying $5.50 for a small bag, and quickly stepped out of line when I finally reached the front. (Posted prices would've been appreciated!)

This staircase paid tribute to the movie Frozen.

These are photos of original art that grace the Hudson Valley Seed Library packets. I bought a packet of PHS Red Carpet seeds containing a mix of red wildflowers for about $4. ( You can see, I'd rather invest in plants than munchies). Here is a small sampling of some flowers from the show:

And roses galore:

The Butterfly Room (additional $3 fee) captivated me and many others. Upon entering through two ante rooms, we were each given a cotton swab soaked in sugar water, for the butterflies to sip.

A few selfies...Oops! Clark Gable photo bombed one of them!

Burke landscaping had converted an old vintage car into a chicken coop...

A few more show photos...

I meander through the exhibits, checking out my favorites- porch box displays, table settings and Botanical illustrations... I leave a convoluted trail like one of the kids in the Sunday comic, Family Circus. I enjoy seeing all the people flocking to the exhibits, taking care to capture souvenir photos.I hear whining babies and see lots of patient husbands. Many people dress for the show, on display as much as the flowers. One should wear warm clothing since the temperature is generally kept cool to preserve the blooms. Dozens of women wore floral headpieces, probably fashioned in one of the additional make-and-take venues. After awhile, I leave the show to get lunch at the Reading Terminal Market that's just across the street. It's another feast for the senses, displaying every imaginable food...meats, fish, produce, baked goods, spices, sauces, cheeses, kitchenwares, etc. I ordered a spicy jambalaya stew from an authentic looking Cajun place. One of the counter persons did a great job of hawking her menu selections to passersby. Alligator po boy, anyone? I also purchased a half pound of chicken, cranberry, walnut salad from an Amish booth to eat later for supper. Back at the flower show, later in the afternoon, I sit for awhile to rest my feet ( achy from wearing snow boots all day) and listen to one of the many live demonstrations at the Garden to Table venue. I watched a Philadelphia chef prepare a beet salad and lamb meatballs, measuring with handfuls and pinches of various spices.

Next year's theme is National Parks ...should be great!

Treadling in place

At this point in Winter, one gets a bit weary of surviving the cold, clearing snow, managing small household glitches ( snowmelt dripping indoors), feeding the insatiable wood box every hour or so, hanging laundry inside, wearing layers of warm clothes.... But I'm not complaining. Not really. We have plenty of clothes, an adequate amount of wood, our washing machine works, cooking and baking help warm the house.... It just seems like this time of the year, we spend a lot of time just staying in place, like treading water. It's a good skill to have. Its also a good time of year, to have a sewing machine, so I can treadle in place, too.

Snowy Groundhog Day

We have an official snow day today to celebrate Groundhog's Day. It's a good day to hibernate!

"Stand on solid ground"

In honor of MLK day, I'm posting this photo of a lovely tree, that reminds me of a poster from my dorm room ( 40 years ago!). The poster showed a massive oak tree and was captioned, "STAND ON SOLID GROUND." I think MLK stood on solid ground when he stated his beliefs and dreams. My college room poster reminded me that it's okay to be yourself and hold firmly to your own beliefs regardless what's in vogue. Change happens when you hold true to your visions.

I had another poster that showed a mossy, green woodland scene that stated, "DREAMERS LIVE FOREVER." MLK was a dreamer; remember the famous line, he uttered? "I have a dream!" His legacy lives on. Don't give up on your dreams that life can be made better by your actions.

A Change of Scene

Today we visited my daughter who lives near Lake Ontario. What a change of scenery! Ice balls lined the shore, as well as a mix of snow and sand.

We looked like penguins on the icy beach. To our surprise, we discovered ice racing in full action on the shore near Sea Breeze Park. Not far from the noise and action, a lone swan swam in serene circles ( or was she or he doing the equivalent of a human's pacing, waiting for the bustle to diminish?)

From the Porch

I like to take morning photos from our porch. This was yesterday's view:

And these are from this morning:

Yellow bowl

This yellow bowl is sacred to our family. It's part of a set my parents had. My Dad made hundreds, maybe even thousands, batches of bread dough in it. My Mom made wonderful pies and cookies. When I use this bowl, I still feel the connection to them and it nourishes me as much as the bread I make.