Blackbird singing in the dead of night,

Take these broken wings and learn to fly

All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to arise.

Blackbird singing in the dead of night,

Take these sunken eyes and learn to see,

All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to be free.

Black bird fly into the dead of the dark black night.

(Lennon, McCartney)

This morning at least twenty-five blackbirds landed in my garden all at once. I have never seen them here before. In the tree they looked like strange black leaves. If I was a superstitious person, I would think it was an omen. When I opened the door to get a photo they all took off to the other side of the property. As I watched the local hawk swept over to the tree where the black birds sat and they began to squawk like crazy. I was reminded, for some reason of the Beatles song.

 That was the theme of this year’s flower show. Here are some photos of floral designs representing scenes in Paris.

Eiffel Tower

Wedding at Notre Dame

The Rose Window

Arc de Triumphe

Phantom of the Opera

A Parisian Salon

Rooster… symbol of France

La Vie en Rose was playing when we arrived and it was running through my mind all day

Had the wonderful experience of attending the 2011 Philadelphia Flower Show. One of the interesting features was the number and variety of orchids. A few examples:

Some of them are like fairy slippers.

I don’t know if they are my best physical feature but I really like my feet. They are pretty average size 8. I like to show them off in pretty sandals so I try to take care of them. I also like to walk so I have to keep them in good shape for that. I love shoes. I have to discipline myself not to keep buying them!

I have been thinking about my grandmom lately. She was born in 1904 and died in 1997 before her 93rd birthday. I was her first grandchild and I heard the story of her delight in my birth many times. There are many things I could tell you about her but I will limit to a few. She was overweight most of her life and except for special occasions, she was always dressed in a cotton housedress with an apron. She loved gardening and was a member of the horticultural society. She was a good cook. Some of my favorite things she made were: from scratch spagetti and meatballs, beef stew with homemade dumplings, fried chicken, coleslaw, home baked rolls. She loved to bake and her scratch cakes, pies, apple dumplings, egg custard and snow pudding were wonderful. At christmas she made thousands of cookies of all sorts. She was “house proud” and loved things clean and organized but always welcomed people to her home. She enjoyed knitting and crochet and made things for all her grandchildren and her nephews children and grandchildren. She was loving and generous. This photo is from about 1960. I am the oldest child in the photo and those are my grandparents. My grandmom is younger there than I am now. Things sure have changed!

It is my husband’s birthday month.

Rita’s opens and gives out free water ice on the first day of spring.

The first day of spring.

Three holidays in Bulgaria… the 1st is Baba Marta … everyone gives out colorful red and white pins and bracelets to wear… you are supposed to tie them to a tree when you spot the first stork … the 3rd is Independence Day … the 8th is International Woman’s day … I like it better than Mother’s day since it includes all women

Some days are warm enough to walk outside.

Daffodils begin to appear… St. David’s Day is the 2nd.

The Philadelphia flower show is the first week.

It is the month my daughter got married… a good memory.

There is a feeling of hope, of new life, of resurrection.