Journal

It started in Baltimore when I arrived at the airport for my flight home and the airport had been evacuated from flight waiting areas - rumor had it that someone jumped over security - can't quite visualize that but in any case someone had breached security. There were about 500 people milling around in the lobby, ticket desk area. People were grumbly but orderly. The one noticeable thing that should be part of the security equipment was a battery operated microphone - TSA people tried to shout information and instructions which only about 25 people really heard. Fortunately, it was only a 45 minute wait and things started moving again. By that time someone had found a mike and they sent people through security based on flight departure - mine left on time.

It ended when I got home and we had no electricity - this used to happen when they were building the road but it hadn't happened in a long time. We sat on the deck until it got dark and then lit candles inside. Of course, I thought it was romantic; Pat thought it was awful to "not be able to do anything"; he wanted to find out what the problem was so he drove around the area looking for the malfunctioning sub-station. Electricity finally came back on around 9:30 PM and then went off again when a storm came through and knocked it out again. Obviously, all is okay now.

When we moved here, I saw a small article in the paper about getting free trees. I like free "stuff" and free trees sounded great so I became a member of Arbor Day Farms for something like $25. Sure enough my 10 free "trees" arrived - they were barely more than twigs and I was skeptical. Arbor Day recommends planting the tree twigs in a sheltered place the first year and then transplanting which I did. Last fall six of the ten were doing okay so I dug them up and transplanted them - not a fun job, but lo and behold the tree twigs are alive and putting out leaves now! I rec'd 10 forsythias yesterday with my membership renewal and need to plant those today - I'm going to plant them in pots or trust to the fates and plant them where I want them to be eventually - the transplanting thing is too much work. One of these days, I'm going to drive up to Arbor Day Farms which is in Nebraska.

Spring days tripped and went back to winter - below freezing a few days ago and highs in the 30's and 40's. Yesterday, though, was sunny and a beautiful, if chilly, day. Potatoes, onions and English peas had already been planted. I planted lettuce, broccoli and cabbage seedlings yesterday and radish and spinach seed. It rained last night - excellent timing.

Pat has done a masterful job in preparing the garden - tilled and then spent a lot of time getting rocks - big and little - out of the garden. This is very rocky country and is a big job to clear. Then he tilled again.

It is always fun to see that plants have returned after the winter - tulips aren't far from blooming, the columbine is leafing out, hostas and iris are poking their leaves up and the bushes planted last fall all have leaves.

After a couple of days of what looked like it would be spring, we had freezing temperatures a week ago and the possibility of snow. Now this week is really spring! Our good friends, Caren and John, are here and we've had very pleasant meals on the deck in the evening. The swallows are back - hopefully they won't build a nest under the deck this year and have it washed away when it rains. The tulips are sad, sad, sad - something, probably deer, has chomped them right down to the ground. We've got the iris and peonies to look forward to.

We went to St. Joseph, Missouri yesterday afternoon to the Patee House Museum. It's a real hodge podge of exhibits focusing on the "Streets of Old St. Jo" with recreated stores and offices - dentist, barber shop, oculist, printer etc. - and rooms decorated ala early 1900's. The museum also has a wonderful collection of horse drawn buggies and sleighs and railroad cars. There is a model carrousel and a real carrousel to ride. It also destroys a few myths e.g. Buffalo Bill was not a real Pony Express rider. It's not a glitzy musuem, just lots and lots or interesting things to see. St. Joseph itself has seen better days - since the stockyards closed several years ago and the big Aunt Jemima factory closed recently the economy has gone south.

Atchison now has a "tea room". Caren and I had lunch there yesterday. It's in an old building downtown and has chandeliers, doilies under your plate and under your teacup and tea is served in a china pot. All very elegant. The next time, maybe I'll go later in the day and have a full high tea with finger sandwiches, scones and fruit.

One of my work sites is in St. Louis - of course that is ideal because it is a 30 minute flight from KC but it is also convenient when I arrive at the airport. I get my $4.00 all day ticket at the "in the airport" metro station and ride Metro Link to the medical school or to my hotel. It is so civilised - why can't more cities do this kind of thing! (OK - I know you New Yorkers and Chicagoans are going to say "we do" but there are a lot of cities that should do it but don't.)

There are five new calves - they ran away when I first went to the fence to look at them but then came back when they realized I was harmless. Cows are funny - they just stand and stare at you - of course, I guess I'm doing the same thing!

We've had several meals with fresh asparagus - not an abundance but enough to have a good taste. Asparagus is so nifty because it just keeps on coming back year after year.

Peas are beginning to climb their trellis, potatoes are up and the broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, peppers, and acorn squash are still going. New additions to the herb garden - ginger mint, basil, chervil, tarragon, salad burnet and garlic chives. Thyme makes a great ground cover.

Planted four lilac bushes yesterday by the old house. The rain this morning should help them get started well.