Leaving Out

the nittier and grittier sides of life, I seem to be hopping from one mini-vacation to the next here in this blog.  So I urge you, Reader Dear, to keep in mind that life isn't always a bed of Peruvian lilies  (yes, roses have a lovelier scent; it's true, but I much prefer Peruvian lilies*).

During the past weekend, The Yard Man and I took a flying trip (as in, The Yard Man put the pedal to the metal, and we sped down that highway) to the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.
We have precious friends there who treated us like royalty:

Put us up in a lovely room with a view!
Treated us to not only excellent cuisine, but exceptional entertainment, as well!




(Outstanding performance of the play,"Outside Mullingar"!)

These friends led us on a short escapade by trilling waterfalls.

And, en route up the highway toward home, they led us to rave about our twenty-four hour
(thrilling) visit!



................
*Even the names of this flower are exotic, Reader Dear.  It's also called alstroemeria, or lily of the Incas; (sigh) isn't that lovely?

Adventures in a Display Case

It all started as I strolled along the sidewalks of Chestnut Hill, PA, luxuriating in my tiny vacation.  Nestled there with the gift shops and the art shops and the little cafes was a hardware store. Now, I could see at a glance, Viewer Dear, that this was no ordinary hardware store.  If I had to make a call, I'd say it was also a "telephone shop" (though I'm clearly stretching the cord quite a bit on this one, considering there were no more than two dozen antique phones in that store window.)

Seeing as how I have at least one daughter with a fancy for old  phones, and seeing as how I had plenty of time to fill in Chestnut Hill, I walked into the store.   

...............

(Though I'm a bit red-faced now, Reader Dear,

as there's not much more to this tale.) 

The store-owner led me on an interesting tour

(but did not make a sale). 

I can only say, due to the fact that I was on display in that case, along with the (possibly hapless) owner (whom I was blocking from a speedy exit), I did give some fanciful thought as to how I could lend a bit more adventure to the adventure*. 

*Ah, Reader Dear, much as you may have enjoyed the titillating tale, the thrill of the rendition for me would certainly not be worth the extremes of that red face!**

**Only saying, Dear Reader, I'm not so willing as all that to make a fool of myself!

Here was the Question

The Yard Man asked, "Do you want a little free vacation?"
The details:  He was going to Chestnut Hill (historic suburb of Philadelphia, PA) to spend time promoting the CSA subscriptions (weekly boxes full of Community Supported Agricultural produce) of Oasis (food cooperative where he's the organically-grown-food promoter [and other jobs]).  Er...did you follow all that?  Doesn't matter.  The bottom line:
He'd be working;
I'd be playing!
(A well-appointed room at the inn would be compliments of the woman who owns and runs the farmers' market where The Yard Man would be spending his time on Friday and Saturday!)


Let me just tell you this, Reader Dear Reader, as we (ever so adeptly) leap ahead in time:

The weather was fabulous!





The room was delightful!

The street full of shops was terrific!

 

Having just  spent that vacation, I can decisively tell you this:

I'd have been a fool to say, no!

Seasons Come and

seasons go, and sometimes in the spring there is SNOW!

(Two inches of the stuff today, obliterating the showy blossoms!)
..............