Hi, everyone!
After the cold and snow, my daffodil friends were OK! They started to bloom as soon as the snow melted!
The daffodils on the south side of the house are always the first ones to bloom. Two kinds are in full bloom! My forsythia friend is in full bloom, too! We have yellow flags blooming in our front yard! The power company marked our gas line, but we don’t know why yet!
We had Easter dinner at Joe-san’s. Grandma made a chiffon cake for dessert and I made sure she remembered to take it along! I was happy to see my friends Tilly and Moose-san again! We always help serve dessert!
Grandpa got a new electric chain saw. The Monday after Easter, he and Grandma decided it was time to cut down the two apple trees in front that died last year. Grandma will have to figure out how to string the holiday lights a different way next December! First, Grandpa cut off the branches and cut the trunks down to a stub. Then he cut the stubs even with the ground. Grandma and I stacked the branches by the road and the town picked them up the next morning!
On Tuesday, it started to rain! Grandma took me to the Lamberton Conservatory at Highland Park to see the Easter flower display. It was very pretty!
In addition to the seasonal display, I got to see some old friends! The painted turtles said hello! The orchids and hisbicus reminded me of Kauai!
My favorite croton plant is right next to the door into the cactus room. I said hello to my friends there, too! Minivan the turtle was crawling around in the last room! He kept bothering another turtle, so the staff had to keep picking him up and moving him back to his lunch!
It was still raining when we were done at the conservatory. Grandma said we had time to go visit the George Eastman House museum! Things have changed since the last time I was there! There was a big photo projected in the parking lot! Grandma told me that this was one of the pictures made for Colorama, a display in Grand Central Station in New York city. There was a new entrance to the museum, too!
Before we visited Mr. Eastman’s house, we visited the galleries added on to the back. I stopped to watch an artistic video featuring a luna moth, then I looked at the exhibits of photographic equipment. There was a special exhibit of movie posters, too!
On our way into Mr. Eastman’s house, there were windows facing the Terrace Garden. The garden looks like it is still recovering from winter! We went through the dining room to the conservatory. That’s a big, airy room with an elephant head mounted on the wall. The elephant only had one tusk when Mr. Eastman killed it. He had the head mounted with two wooden tusks and displayed the real one on the floor underneath! The life-size photo of Mr. Eastman was in the billiard room downstairs. Last time I visited, it was upstairs and I could sit right next to him!
The discovery room upstairs has lots of activities that explain how images can look like they are moving. I liked the zoetropes and the phenakistoscope!
It was still raining on Wednesday when we took Uncle Steven and James and Thomas to Strong Museum of Play. It was a good day to have fun inside! Uncle Steven and James and Thomas went right to the Skyline Climb first! James did the zipline over and over! Thomas climbed all over, but he did the zipline, too!
After lunch, we spent time at Level Up, the place where video game skills become physical challenges. James played a vigorous game of dodge ball and Thomas showed his skill at stealth. They both enjoyed doodling on the population growth game. I found a very nice throne!
Before we left, we went to Dancing Wings butterfly garden. I made more flower friends that reminded me of Hawaii! There were lots of people in the garden! James and Thomas tried to summon butterflies to land on them, but the butterflies weren’t interested.
Next Monday, we’re going to have a total solar eclipse. There’s a lot of excitement about that happening. When I went to the Eastman House museum, I saw a big sign right away about the eclipse. Then there were displays about how to watch and photograph it safely!
The Strong Museum had special displays, too!
It was cold enough Thursday night that the rain turned to snow. When I got up Friday morning, there was snow on the grass! During the day, it was warm enough that the snow didn’t stick. If the eclipse was happening now, we wouldn’t be able to see the sun! The weather people say Monday will be better!
Love,
Lion-san