Traveling

Well,  and what a time it has been!  First of all I want to relate that the little hen I called Baby, did indeed die the next morning.  It was to be expected, however, as Jeff would have been the one to perform the diagnostic necropsy and could not on account of his thumb, I had to bury her without knowing what exactly it was that she had growing in her all the year long.   It was very sad to have two chickens to bury in one week.  I hope that doesn't happen again!
Jeff is back to work.  He has all the stitches out and bandages off.  The steel pin is still in place, holding the bone while it heals, which caused him to have to figure out a new way to hold the comb, and when he did, he didn't look back.  Next week he will have X-rays to determine if the pin can be removed.  Before he had the stitches out we spent three days painting and wallpapering his barbershop---something he has wanted to do for ages but wouldn't take the time off to do it.  All I could think of was the joke about the one armed wallpaper hanger!  I did most of the ladder climbing.  Now it is done and looks lovely and clean.
The very day that the last strip of wallpaper was hung I left for New Hampshire for my sister Katy's house.  She and I then got up in the middle of the night to drive to the Manchester airport to fly to Wisconsin.  This was a trip I had longed to do since Jesse went to Madison, but Jeff is not interested in travel, even to see our son.  Once Katy agreed to accompany me, we made plans!  Madison is a most convient area for Jesse to live in, as our longtime passion has been Frank Lloyd Wright who lived in the area.  He figured prominitely in our travel arraignments.  We spent one entire day at Taliesin, in the pouring rain, happy as could be.

Taliesin in the pouring rain

Jesse also took us around Madison to see houses that Wright designed and built that are still in the private sector.  I think we have gotten our fill for the moment!  It was great.

The "Airplane" house

Most of our time was spent with Jesse and Lisha giving us tours of the area.  So much to see!  One thing we noticed was that they have these great Little Libraries all over the place.  We were so intrigued!  Take a book, leave a book.  Almost every neighborhood had one which was fortunate as Katy hadn't brought anything to read.  She found at least two which she left for Jesse to "return" for her.

One of the many 

They took us to the Botanical Gardens which were absolutely gorgeous, even though only one week before they were under snow!  But a few 80 degree days were enough to make lots of things burst out in massive blooming fits.  One of the many wonderous things they have is a Thai garden with a golden pavillion in it.  So beautiful and unexpected!  It was a gift from Thailand to the University of Wisconsin as the largest population of Thai students in the U.S. attends school here.

Gold leaf coated Thai Pavillion

They also have a huge conservatory which was full of tropical plants and even some free flying birds.  I liked the orchid wall the best.  Actually, the whole thing was pretty amazing!

Lisha, Jesse and I in the tropical gardens

It was a wonderful visit to see where Jesse and Lisha live.  I can see why they love it so--Madision is full of things to do, places to eat and great pubs with delicious beer!  

We arrived home to find that everything had burst into bloom and greenery while we were away.  Happy May, it is such a fantastic time of year.  It never gets tiring.  Jeff started saving out eggs from the hens (only two are laying) and putting them on the counter, so that if Mama gets broody again we will have some of our own to put under her.  Now every day I save out the fresh ones, then refrigerate the  ones that are 3 days old.  It is a sure bet they are fertilized as the poor rooster is down to only three receptive ladies!

On to gardening, washing fleeces, weaving tea towels and enjoying beautiful May.