An AHA Moment

August 18th came and went. Paul McCartney did a concert in Pittsburgh, and I stayed home. What's wrong with this picture?

I struggled with this. Initially, I knew what I was doing. My daughter was expecting and although it would be early for the baby, that hasn't stopped her before. I was sure if I bought tickets I'd never make it to the concert and that would kill me. I haven't missed one of his concerts in 20 years.

Well, the 18th came. Of course the concert had sold out within minutes of going on sale, so I knew there wasn't a chance. But then tickets went on sale for the 19th. And on the 19th, there were still a few available. I was available. But I didn't buy. What's wrong with this picture? It bugged me all day.

Well, for one thing, I've been to many of his concerts, but I've only had decent, not great, seats one time. This time I really didn't want to go and sit in bad seats again. Even so I still wished I was going. And then something happened later to put all this in perspective.

After the concert, people who had gone, raved about it. And over and over I heard people say, "I'm so glad I got to see him. I've waited 30 years for this!" It didn't matter who you were, TV personality or local resident. Everyone was thrilled for this opportunity. It turns out this was the first time he'd been in Pittsburg in 20 years.

And then I had my "AHA!" moment. Or maybe it was a humbling moment.

Every once in a great while, something happens to make me take a good look at how fortunate my life has been. Many years ago when I was living in Florida the radio station I was listening to had a contest. The winner would win 2 tickets to anywhere in the world. Wow, I thought. I would go to Switzerland, or Australia! I had been to Switzerland once and really wanted to go back. I had a sister in Australia and it would be a great place to visit. The winner blew me away when she excitedly said NEW YORK!!! Huh? Anywhere in the world and she picks a city up the coast? Then she went on to say she had been in Florida for 8 years and had never been home.

Now that caught me off guard. I had to stop and let that settle in for a moment. In the 10 years I had lived in Florida I had probably been home 15 times, including vacations, weddings, and funerals. What would it have been like to never be able to go home? I was humbled. And chastised. I took so much for granted. I became very grateful.

In the last two weeks I've had a chance to re-live that feeling. In my lifetime I saw the Beatles at Convention Hall in Philly, 1964, Shea Stadium, and the Spectrum. I have seen McCartney 4 times while living in Florida. For me, it has become almost a badge of honor to go, not just a joyous event (which it always was, as well). Imagine if I had had to wait 43 years to see him!

Yes, I am a lucky person. My life has had so much good fortune in it. And for all those people who were so excited after seeing McCartney for the first time, I am glad you had my seat. Even a bad seat at his show is a fantastic experience. And the glowing faces on the news after the show reminded me once again how lucky I have been.

A Real Babbling Brook

There is a beautiful park north of Pittsburgh, called McConnell's Mill. It has become one of my favorite places to visit. I've walked part of the trail that follows the stream a couple of times. The park has an old mill that always seems to be closed, so I've never toured it. There is a working covered bridge over the stream. Cars and people can cross over. People can walk the trail on either side. Cars can keep going to the next town.

The whole area is very rocky area and there are many rapids on the stream, but if you follow the trail you will come upon an occasional quiet area with a sandy beach. I've been wanting to take Maggie out there this summer and this week I finally did. It's a nice change of scenery from walking around the neighborhood.

A one way road leads down into the bottom of the ravine to the mill, but there are only 4 parking spaces and they always seem to be full. Above the ravine is a nice picnic area, field, playground and large parking area. A trail and 95 steps take you down to the mill and the trail by the stream. The first part of the lower trail is fairly nice, and somewhat paved, but after about 1/4 mile in it becomes just a trail through the trees and over roots and rocks. Although it's not a hard walk you can't walk it and look around at the same time because it is not a clear path and walkers are constantly navigating tree roots, and rocks. The picture on the left shows a place where a small waterfall crosses the path. The picture on the right shows how the natural rock layers under the surface form a natural, if not real smooth, staircase. It was easier to navigate than it looks.

There are sandy beaches in a few places, but they were all inhabited by families or couples so I couldn't let Maggie swim there. Of course, due to the rocks and the fast water there are signs posted all around for no swimming. I didn't see anybody swimming but kids had fun climbing on the rocks and collecting whatever bits of nature caught their eye.

About a mile in, I finally came across a sandy beach and we walked down to check it out. The shelf dropped off sharply just a few steps in. I kept Maggie on the leash while she swam so I could guide her back to a place where she could climb out. Once she figured it out she jumped in a few times to cool off. I let her off the leash and she charged up and down the beach, but never tried to swim on her own.

Of course the downside of the day was something that seems typical around here. After taking a long walk, navigating rough terrain, I had to climb 95 steps back up to the top where my car was parked. It didn't seem to be a very hot afternoon, but as usual I was covered in sweat by the time we got back to the car. Next time I go I think I'll take someone along who can put me on a leash and let me swim!

The Paradox of August

August continues in typical fashion. We have had gorgeous days of sun, blue sky and warm temperatures. Petunias are nearing their end, but the chyrsanthemums are getting ready to pop. August is a month in which blistering days can give way to cool evenings. We can experience the dog days of summer one week and suddenly get a real taste of fall just a few days later. At this stage of the summer, I am tickled to see my hanging plants are looking strong and healthy. This is rare for me. By now, I've ususally killed them.

Today as I walked I found signs that fall is just around the corner. As Maggie and I walked the trail above our house, I found these beautiful leaves.

My garden is also displaying some signs. My hydrangea, which blooms white in the spring, slowly turns to a deep rose in the fall. It is a normally a beautiful bush and right now it is gorgeous.

There are 2 more weeks of August. One of the biggest surprises for me are the new families of birds under my deck. We have a nest of robins with 3 babies that hatched last week, and another nest of sparrows that hatched as well. I would have thought it was late to start a family! Did you know that baby robins are almost silent, while baby sparrows never shut up unless they are asleep? It's true. Trust me.

August is my favorite summer month. I will enjoy it to the last; rain, sun, cool or warm. Just knowing my hot days are numbered inspires me to enjoy every one there is.

Is It Really (JUST) August?

Tonight the world seems a little cock-eyed. The calendar is confusing. As I sit here typing, my husband is watching the first football game of the season. Football? Really? I like football actually, but it seems to me we don't need a lot of games before September. As if that isn't enough, I realize my daughter who is a teacher, goes back to work tomorrow...August 9! Come this Friday, the kids in her school district will be heading back to school.

It is at times like this I am REALLY glad I am retired. I was a teacher too, and although I lived in Florida for almost 30 years, I never got used to school starting in August. In my day, we always went back to school the first Thursday after Labor Day. August was the best month of the summer. We got out of school in the middle of June. Then after attending camp at Pennington Island (our church camp), for a week, I headed to Connecticut and Maine for the month of August. Those were heavenly days, made even better because I spent them with my best friend. We were so lucky. Usually Wendy and I headed to Maine for two weeks with her family. Then our families would meet, or my parents would come to Maine, and the two of us would head to Connecticut for 2 weeks with my family.

For several years I was able to take my own family to Connecticut in August. My sisters and I would often overlap our families for a few days. The trip from Florida to Connecticut included visits with friends and family as I traveled north. It was always my favorite part of summer. Even after I started teaching, we were able to make the trip and we would leave just in time to get back for school. It was a 3 day drive for us. The first day was a melancholy drive south as we knew summer was over. We'd stop at Nanny's or Aunt Sue's for the night. Day 2 was the transition day for me. By Day 3 as I drove through the Carolina's I would start planning the programs I wanted to promote at school. By the time I arrived home, the transition was complete and I was ready to go back to work.

Unfortunately, school districts started pushing the beginning of the school year earlier and earlier. Going north in August wasn't possible. I had to readjust my outlook about summertime.

Going back to work wasn't actually as bad as thinking about it. The first day back was fun for me as a teacher, just as it was as a student. Seeing everyone, getting the news, beginning the routine... work and school are an important part of our lives. The routine keeps us moving forward.

But August 9? It is days like this that make me glad I have retired. I loved my job, but tomorrow when I wake up, it will still be summer for me. And now that I'm back in the northeast, I'm happy to see that the kids in this neighborhood will still be enjoying summer for another few weeks.

As for Jen and the kids in Florida....Have a good year. I hope the hurricanes steer clear and the year goes well.

As for Football.... The Hall of Fame game is just the beginning. Pretty soon it will be exhibition games and then the season will be on for real. I'm going to enjoy the last days of summer to the full. The writing is on the wall. Fall is just around the corner!

The Sound of a Babbling Brook

I'm sitting here on my newly poured patio, under the deck and listening to the sounds of a babbling brook. However, there aren't any brooks near by.

The sound of trickling water or a running stream is one that I've grown to enjoy over the years, and was a result of having a swimming pool outside our door. When we put our first swimming pool in, we skipped the diving board and went with a sliding board instead. When the pool pump was running there was always water running down the slide and it provided a pleasant backdrop to the normal outdoor sounds. The last pool we had came with a spa, which was a small pool with a bench running around the inside where people could sit and just relax. Kids loved to play in it as well. The spa was above the pool and had an overflow that provided a continual waterfall.

After we moved to Pittsburgh, I found I really loved the idea of having a small landscape pool incorporated into our garden. Earlier this summer Larry and I were checking out pools at Lowe's and figuring up the tab. Hmmm. I wasn't shocked at the price, but looking at the installation made me realize that this do-it-yourselfer was probably biting off more than she (or he) wanted to chew! Instead my eyes lit on a little 2 tier rock garden waterfall. It was perfect and I knew just where it would fit! We are fortunate in that in an area that is all up and down, we have a very flat back yard. However the back yard is lower than the front and there is a small slope at the back edge of the house. My rock garden waterfall would tuck into that slope very well.

After planting my daylillies and mulching the steps last week, I tackled the job of the waterfall. Today I finished it and I am very pleased with the effect. It provides a nice peaceful backdrop as I type. Larry figures the deer will probably enjoy it too. I'm just hoping they don't enjoy my plants too much!

Where did July go??

I was surprised to see I haven't blogged in the last 3 weeks. I knew I was busy, but I didn't realize it had been that long. What have I been doing? Maybe the title of this post should be "What I did on my Summer Vacation!"

We had a lot going on during the first part of summer. We went to Alaska and Chicago in June and then I headed to Florida to see my daughter and her family. In between trips was the usual unpacking, laundry, cleaning the house and getting ready for the next trip. But we also completed one project we've wanted to do since we moved in here. Our new home came equipped with temporary concrete slab front steps and this was the summer we got them replaced with real steps. We also had a patio poured under our deck. That job was done between the Alaska and Chicago trips and as soon as I got back from Chicago, I repacked and left for Florida in the beginning of July.

I blogged about our day in Tampa at the Lowry Park Zoo, but I never told you about the idiotic, hot, but wonderful day Jen and I spent in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! This new addition to Universal's Isles of Adventure was one we had waited for since we heard it was coming. We are both ardent Harry Potter fans. I'm proud to say I read the first book long before it was a big thing. It came to me fresh from the printer through the Junior Library Guild subscription I had in my school library. I was hooked from page one and clearly remember reading the last page, setting it in my lap with a satisfied sigh, and thinking "Wow. That's the first really good kid's book to come across my desk in a long time." But I digress.

As a longtime Florida resident, we knew better than to venture into that park 1) in the middle of summer (HOT?????) 2) when the attraction is knew 3) and everyone is on vacation. But we did. I won't detail the lines except to say there was a wait for everything except the restrooms! Even the shops had waiting lines. I am always impressed at how well theme parks manage crowds. The extent they went to control how many people were in 'Hogswart' at any time seemed ludicrous at times, but was very efficient and we enjoyed our day. The rides were fun. We rode through the castle twice...and for those who assume it's a nice easygoing ride...wrong! The car you are riding in is secure but it's a bit like riding Harry's broom! There are plenty of ways to grow and add features, but for the initial introduction, it is well done.

I was no sooner back from Florida than Larry and I were packing up for a long weekend to Murphy, North Carolina. With Larry's retirement looming, we are starting to look at where we might like to relocate. We probably consider a new scenario every few months, but one thing we both really enjoy is the mountains. Murphy is deep in the mountains with great fishing nearby, which Larry has always loved. We spent a couple of days checking out the area and getting a feel for it.

Now I am home, and I really hope I stay here for awhile! Last week I finally got the area along our new steps cleaned up. I moved a daylily that was being swallowed up by another bush, divided it up and spaced the plants along the steps. I hope they survive. I wasn't sure I would. It seemed so much harder than working in my yard in Florida.

There is still much to do in the yard. Hopefully I will be here through August and can get it all done. At any rate, I'm home until Jan calls. My next great adventure will be to welcome my next grandchild.

And that's the summertime view from here!

Lowry Park Zoo

This week Jen and I took Nicholas to the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa. We hadn't been there in a very long time even though we used to live near there. Larry and I took the kids when they were younger but as they grew up, zoos moved into the background of family activities. The zoo is wonderful now, but I remember how it was the first time we went there. The girls were very young, and there was a children's storybook area with fairy tale statues, a picnic area and walking paths. The animal section was primitive by today's standards. The animals were in cages or small enclosures.

Today the zoo is a first class establishment and often listed as one of the 10 best children's zoos in the country. Because we had a long drive we got there later in the morning. We were there all afternoon and saw a lot of it, but not all. The park is divided into geographic sections; Florida wildlife center, Africa Safari, Wallaroo Station, Asian Gardens and the Primate world. Unfortunately, we didn't see the Primate world which is often the most fun, but there was so much to look at we were worn out by the time we got to it.

It was a very hot day, but no rain which was nice. There were several places dedicated to kid interaction. The aviary had little popsicle sticks with birdseed stuck to them so kids could feed the birds.

A ramp led up to a platform where you could get up close and personal with the giraffes. Jen bought a cookie so Nicholas could feed the giraffe, but then one got up close and personal with her camera!

Kids can feed the fish in the koi pond or stroke the stingrays, but Nicholas kept a good distance from the goats! Smart kid! We watched the manatees eat the lettuce, but the real show was the turtles.

We watched a pair of them and wondered at the realtionship; parent and child maybe? The smaller one swam under the bigger one and constantly grabbed at its foot or underbelly, and occasionally its head. Finally the larger one would turn on the smaller one and nip it back.

The meerkats are so funny. One stood Sentry while the others played. I had to wonder what the sentry was thinking as he stood watching us and we watched them.

The highlight of the day may have been the final activity...playing in the fountains. There were 2 areas where kids could play in the water, but one was the obvious favorite. By mid-afternoon families camped out as if they were at the beach while the kids ran through the water. It was the perfect way for us to end the day.

After cooling off in the water, we headed for the car and the long drive home. It was a very quiet ride home!