A special treat

I heard my alarm go off at 8, but chose to ignore it. I arose about 9. Dad heard me get up so he got up too. Michele was playing on her laptop. Dad and I discussed what to do today and in which order to do it. I looked up estate accounts, probate, etc for Dad. I did some light exercises. He went shopping for the ingredients for cruciferous juice and casseroles. I started preparing breakfast, and Michele read one of her stories to me. Then I got a phone call from a quilting friend whom I met in Korea. She brought her son to space camp in Huntsville and wanted to get in touch with me. If only I were there.... When Dad got home from the store, I hung up and finished breakfast. William gave me a cordless drill and two batteries as an early Christmas present. Then Dad set stuff out for Kevin to make casseroles and juice and had Michele write a list 'cause we'd be gone when he got here. Dad drove us to Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. It was beautiful. Dad paid the admission for the three of us. We walked amongst the plantings. It was beautifully done. Some of the plant signs did not go with the nearest plants or were surrounded by several plants so we did still did not know what we were looking at. I got lots of pics of Michele, who was as beautiful as the flowers. We walked slowly through the butterfly house. I was hoping one would land on Michele, but they kept to the foliage. Then we walked through the rose garden, stopping to smell the roses. Then we found some absolutely wonderful grass. I did not see a sign either to identify it or to tell us not to walk on it. So Michele and I took off our shoes and reveled in the feeling. Ahhhhh. When we rounded the next corner, there were kids playing in a sandbox, and also under a set of creative sprinklers, and some climbing on a knarled tree. She and I wished we were kids again. We stopped to get some water from the vending machines. A little farther, we found what looked like a ground cherry plant. But a lady who worked for the gardens said it was not and showed us the heart-shaped seeds inside the husk. Then she was inviting us to taste different plants in the organic garden. There were blackbeans, kale, swiss chard, nasturtium, malabar spinach (which was vining up strings), corn, etc. And some bitter lettuce that quickly grew on me. We had a good time talking to her as the park closed. So she closed up and took us to see her goats. She told us all about how they eat poison ivy and other weeds. She wants to rent them out as weedeaters. Literally. She had them in a moveable pen eating brambles on the garden property. One was a little baby goat and he jumped like a pogo stick having a great time. Then we had to go. On the way home, we stopped at Subway for supper. There was a flock of geese hanging around looking for handouts. One goose stared at me intently, as if to say “Giiiive the goose your foooood”. His attempt at mind control did not work on me. But people at another table threw them some scraps. When we got home, we saw that Kevin had cleaned. And made two casseroles. Dad was disappointed about the lack of cruciferous juice, but I told him I would make it tomorrow. Michele packed up her stuff and I drove us over to the Damours. We all had a nice chat. Then Al backed Dad's car out of the driveway (a little tricky in the dark), and I drove Dad and me home. Although Dad fell asleep on the way over, he did not sleep on the way back. When we got back, I checked my e-mail, and he cut up one of the casseroles (and likely had other stuff to eat). I skyped with Chris. He talked about some training in San Antonio, and new pics on the “Army Support Activity – Soto Cano” Facebook website. He was in three photos that I could find. I checked on Dad and then decided to post to my blog and go to bed. 

*  Even though I took 70 pictures today, this one was my favorite.  *