And along came March and VACATION!

This has been one snowy and cold winter, and as I write this at the END of March, there is snow on the ground and chilly temps in the 30s.  It seems as though Winter does not want to let go!  But, it must!  There are peas to plant, grass to fertilize and spring sports to watch in the sun and WARMTH!
Here in a capsule is March and our amazing time in Florida…...

Our first stop in Florida was an air boat ride to go find alligators….hang on to your hats!

We had planned that our only Disney stop while in Orlando would be to EPCOT where there was an HGTV Home and Garden Show going on.  Flowers blooming everywhere.  I learned that my new favorite color combo is purple and red.  Will try it with red and fuchia geraniums.  Here I am with my mentor, Goofy and my EPCOT ticket.

Always good to look up when trying out a new camera.

Jim took the picture, but I edited it to look this sharp.  Such a crowd around us at the time for fireworks to begin!  Wish we had known that we could have gotten a Fast Pass to watch in a separate viewing area where we could have been seated for the show.  Next time.

We so enjoyed our time with Mary and Doug who showed us a wonderful Florida long weekend.  Highlight was the pontoon boat ride they gave Jim for his birthday.  We saw all kinds of wildlife……and manatees!

Lazy way to spend a warm Saturday afternoon.

Manatees everywhere, swimming to one of Florida's many warm springs.

Just before we left Mary and Doug's we visited their beach in West Palm Beach, spending a lovely Monday morning watching flipper sharks out in the ocean.

Did you notice that we are the only ones there?  (Except for a runner who stopped to do some tai chi on the beach near us.)

One of the side trips we took was to the gulf coast of Florida to see Clearwater and the small town of Tarpon Springs, settled by some Greek fishermen long ago who made a living selling the sponges they dove for off the side of their boats.  The town is still known for these divers, their sponges and for the delicious Greek restaurants that line both sides of the street.

One of our last side trips was at the end of our Florida adventure when we spent the day in St. Augustine.  We took a bus tour and spent most of our day at the fort, staying for the afternoon shooting of one of the cannons and meeting a fellow RIT alumnus in the crowd.  He lives in Melbourne, Florida now. 

My picture of some of the architecture there.  I like how I caught the shadow of a palm tree against the building. 

Outside our condo one entire afternoon, this cormorant let me take lots of pictures of him.  Guess he knew I needed the practice with my new camera.

Grande Vista resort in Orlando

Well, that was our March, at least the warm part of it……

Back home we had two more snow storms to contend with!

February in review…...

For a short month,  February was busy with birthdays, sports,  holidays and snow cancellations.

February birthday people were honored at Lisbeth's house on her actual birthday.  Ella turned the big 

1-1 and Jim the big 7-0.  The theme was a mixed Olympics, hoedown theme.  With Jenni's games and Bethany Blues BBQ, we carried it off.  Jim was thrilled with his roast by David, his photo book and a fun questionnaire that the grands did a great job answering.  How well they know their Pop!

Jim on his birthday, sporting his Olympic hat, a gift from the Ashleys.  To celebrate, we went to a movie and ate at 1776 steak house….a special date for a special guy.

Valentine's Day is a special part of February.  These cookies went to a church coffee hour, to a nursing home's residents and to our local work men, repairing chimneys in Westwood.

We love attending sporting events whenever we can.  Just missing a big snow storm, we were in PA to watch Keelyn play indoor field hockey. She and the goalie hug at the end of every game.  At this tournament, the team came in second!

Keeping the feeders full and the suet supplied, keeps us busy when there is snow on the ground.  We love our cardinals!

The February full moon which appeared on Valentine's Day is called the snow moon.  Well-named as this February brought a few big snows and colder than normal temps.

Busy weekend

This past weekend was busy!  We spent time in southern MD with the Hartsigs and watched Layne swim for her Calvert HS team.  Also had time with Will and his family which was cut short as the snowstorm approached and we skedaddled home to stay ahead of it.  Nonetheless, we had a great time watching our swimmers and celebrating MLK weekend in DC.

Layne

Will

January in DC

Tracing the letters

Waiting in line at the FDR Memorial

A sign of spring!

A day at Longwood Gardens

On the very coldest and windiest day of the winter, we travelled with the camera club to Longwood Gardens, home of the late Pierre S. duPont and his marvelous landscaped gardens and fountains.  In the Christmas season the outdoors display a beautiful light show after dark.  Unfortunately, because of the single-digit temps and icy winds, the light show did not happen, nor were the fountains turned on, and we returned home nonetheless happy for all we had seen and photographed.

Some of these pictures are mine and some are Jim's.  This one is mine.  I was taken by the beautiful color of these poinsettias.  All the flowers were taken in the Conservatory, three acres of beautiful displays of flowers.

In the orchid room

A chandelier in the ballroom….one of many.  Also in this giant room was one of the largest pipe organs 

in the world with over 10,000 pipes.

An inside fountain

One of many decorated Christmas trees.  This one is reflected in the  mirror behind it.

In the gray and white room

Amaryllis

Bird of paradise

Apple tapestry floating in a pond…..made of Granny Smith and red apples.

In the tea room set up for morning tea

More orchids…..what color!

One of the men working in the Conservatory turned us on to one of his hobbies….taking pictures of frost on the inside of the windows.  Many beautiful designs.

First snowfall of 2014

It snowed and it got cold and the beach got winter.  Beautiful and still and scenic.

4 1/2 inches

Looks like jewels

We walked to the nature center pond.

snowy playground

Best part of our snowy walk was meeting up with our neighbors and beginning a friendship.

Later, Jim took pictures of the ocean.