This day ended on a high note. Our cocktails in the RV were interrupted by a visit from our oldest son, Sutton, his wife Val, and our granddaughter, Quinn. We stood in the doorway of the RV while they stood in the driveway. It was a much needed interaction, especially because it's Quinn's birthday! She's 12! I told her she had a birthday card and $ hanging from the big hemlock at the end of the Quinn trail. She scurried off, her thin, yet muscular legs defined in her skinny jeans. After returning, she peered in the living room windows at her cousins, Joseph and Justice. All the cousins adore Quinn. She runs the best restaurant from a Fisher Price kitchen that once was hers but now stays with me. Our youngest granddaughters, BB and Esme are her well trained servers. Quinn helps them develop a menu that makes good use of the available plastic fruits and veggies. However, for some reason, whatever I order from the menu, my server, BB, often says, "I'm sorry, we're out of that". I try not to take it personally. When Quinn sits in a child sized chair to color, all eyes watch to see what color she chooses and whether it will be a crayon, colored pencil or marker. Her judgement is highly valued and respected.
At around ten years old, Quinn gave her beloved baby dolls to her cousins, BB and Esme. This must have been a difficult decision as she had mothered each one from the time it became hers. It wasn't unusual to hear her softly talking to her babies when tucking them into bed. As many as a dozen dolls had individual beds and blankets on her bedroom floor. I imagine she knew when giving her babies to BB and Esme, that she wasn't really giving them up, but guaranteeing herself an opportunity to play with them again.
However, don't let Quinn's soft voice and maternal instincts fool you. She can cradle a lacrosse ball and shoot on a field hockey, ice hockey or soccer goal with the best. But for now, she can only smile and wave at Joseph and Justice through the glass while their yellow soccer ball sits idle on the front lawn. Quinn and her older sister have stayed isolated at home in Middlebury since school was canceled. Their mom is an RN and she's taking no chances!
April 4
Looking out and up from my pillow!
Sun greets us at 7 am. 35 degrees.
Bucky and I discuss moving a wood pile and his taking the chains off his 4 wheeler. The coffee ritual is completed. Ever so slowly the blue sky turns to grey, not as grey as yesterday, but enough to dash my hopes of having it warm my face.
It's now, 37 degrees.
The bird feeders were stored away before we left. In a few weeks we can hang the humming bird feeder, but Bucky talks of using up his remaining sunflower seed and rehanging a feeder. We both miss seeing the birds while sipping our coffee in bed. The bears are surely awake, but maybe they have enough fresh shoots and roots that they’ll leave us alone.
A Tufted Titmouse enjoys the restored feeder.
Wisps of feathery clouds travel across Breadloaf mountain resembling snow.
11:00 cereal eaten, bowls washed, milk returned to the cooler on the deck containing the last large chunk of deck ice. Still not sure if the mini-fridge is going to work well enough to keep using it
It's time to walk. Burke and Justice lead the way.
April 5
37 degrees, overcast
The lilac buds look like they would love to pop open. It's surprising how fast Spring arrives with warm temperatures and sun. We experienced "real" Spring when driving through Virginia and Tennessee.
In Texas, Spring green cactus were bursting into bloom. If only we could have stayed longer to enjoy this eruption of desert color.
In Big Bend NP, I chased jack rabbits and desperately wanted to head out across the sand photographing all I saw.
My March hares!
tree like Ocotillo cactus
I suspect these burros walk/swam over from Mexico to greener grass, but they seemed to also enjoy eating cactus.
Prickly Pear
Yuccas were in full bloom.
Follow the Blue Bonnet road!
Classic adobe home on our way to Terlingua, TX. No plant watering needed with this landscape.
