Saturday Meanderings

We have arrived safely back in the USA after our 6 day Spring break trip to Vancouver, Canada. It was a spectacular mother/daughter adventure with my youngest child and college freshman, Elisabeth.

Traveling was very enjoyable. I felt as if the planes were the cleanest I have ever seen, plus nearly all passengers were happily wiping down their individual seats with disinfectant wipes. People were sharing their wipes and everyone was cordial and polite. We made sure we were feeling healthy and robust before the trip, so I had no qualms at all about traveling or going out of the country.

Vancouver is a beautiful city. I have never been there before. We were expecting rain every day, but the weather surprised us with 5 days of sunshine and blue skies

Vancouver has limited real estate, therefore has been forced to build up and not out. There is a great deal of new high-rise construction and development. It was so nice to see another booming economy, like we have in our vibrant Phoenix.

The streets were filled with people walking and the restaurant scene was lively and fun. Clean air and tasty water were additional pleasant surprises. Residents are clearly outdoor advocates as there are many places to bike, walk, boat and ski nearby.

It was all VERY normal and refreshing, albeit chilly and windy.

Coming home 6 days later, I was so surprised to see the changes in the yard and garden. We have had a lot of rain here in Phoenix, which is just lovely. My bulb garden was bursting with hyacinths last week and this week the tulips are beginning to bloom.

There were enough fresh snap peas from the garden to make this as an appetizer last night.

The 14 baby chicks that arrived from McMurray Hatchery via mail last week have nearly doubled in size.

The Lady Banks roses that line the front of our property have bloomed and created a wall of pale yellow blossoms.

The first of the hollyhocks are bursting with flowers…..already!

We have had lots of storms and rain here….which is an absolute delight in our dry desert environment. I can almost hear the plants in the garden slurping up the additional water.

Today will be a day of baking bread and making more Meyer Lemon marmalade (see recipe here). A generous neighbor shared his lemons on Nextdoor and I took several from the bag in his driveway. As a thank you, I will deliver a jar of marmalade. Just one of the benefits of living in this wonderful neighborhood.

Which reminds me, my last post was about the impact of smiling. I hope you read it, if not click here. I put my smile experiment into action at the airport and I can honestly say, the results were miraculous. Everyone responded to a smile and several times, it started a wonderful spontaneous conversations, even with the serious Customs employees.

Now, more than ever, we need to lift each other up. I believe that we are a strong, kind and a civilized society. There is much we can personally do to minimize the feeling of helplessness. This is a perfect time to build your immune system. Don’t create your own stress~~it weakens your health and your spirit. Earlier I posted the top 10 things I do to keep healthy (see it here). Knock on wood, but it is working for me. I feel healthy and resilient.

Wishing you a relaxing Saturday. Do something wonderful for yourself and your family. Turn off negative messaging~~you can do without it for a weekend! Sending virtual hugs to all of you.