C Is for Central Park

 

It's spring in Central Park

I had a totally different place in mind last night when I finished my post. We were going to virtually travel from Botswana to the Cotswolds in England. But I was looking at pictures I took yesterday in the Central Park and decided to share another of my favorite locations. My apartment is four blocks from the park and the gym, where I was coming from yesterday when I took this picture, is half a block from the park. Putting the focus on a local site reminds me that there's a lot of beauty and happiness right in my own backyard. 

Central Park in the Winter 

This is one of my favorite pictures of the park, taken four winters ago. I love the brightly colored jackets and seeing that kids will find a place to play, even in the biggest of cities. 

The park includes baseball fields, a theater, statues, fountains and beautiful walking paths. I don't think to walk in the park as often as I can and sorry to admit, I somewhat take this complete treasure for granted. I think 2025 is going to be the year to slow down and smell the flowers in Central Park. 

Biddeston, England

I've still got the Cotswolds on my mind and want to share a few photos of one of the prettiest places I've ever visited, and if it wasn't for my dear blog friend, Sybil, it's likely that I wouldn't have known about it and certainly wouldn't have visited it. After years of exchanging notes, Sybil very graciously hosted me in her home near Biddeston and I got the best tour of this lovely area imaginable. We visited Biddeston during my second visit and also got to the American Cemetery in Cambridge, which was so moving. 

 Main Street, Biddeston 

I felt as though I was in a Jane Austen novel

 Have you had the opportunity to meet blog friends? Besides my visits to England, I've met blog friends in Australia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Arizona. I've also enjoyed sharing New York City with blog buddies who were visiting here. My upcoming trip includes Capetown -- I'm getting in all the C's -- so if anyone is in Capetown, please let me know.    

Most years when I've done the A to Z Challenge I've made a list of posts ahead of time, but so far I've only chosen a dozen places to write about. Even those dozen could be changed at any moment. But I'm thinking of a very fun one for D. Tomorrow, though is a packed day, so D may not appear until Saturday. 

Again, many thanks for stopping by, especially friends visiting from the A to Z. 

As ever, thanks for visiting and enjoy the spring weather. 

B Is for Botswana

B is for Botswana 

In 36 days I'll be on the way to our A to Z blogging selection for B, Botswana. It's one of the four new to me countries for 2025, and yes, Namibia is another country on our itinerary. This trip has been planned since last May and amazingly we're almost on our way. I'm traveling with my college friend and present day neighbor, Betsy. It's been great to be share our planning for this trip. We both will be turning 75 in the next few months and our big event to celebrate is a trip to Southern Africa. We both realize how blessedly fortunate we are to be able to have the ability to undertake this dream trip.  

Mostly Namibia, but Botswana is on the right of the map

We're in Botswana to visit Chobe National Park. A year ago I'd never heard of Chobe and today I can't wait to be there. It has a tremendous diverse animal population, including the world's largest elephant population. There will be a morning game drive and an afternoon cruise and the opportunity to photograph zebras, lions, hippos and giraffes.

One of my favorite mystery series, set in Botswana

Before planning this trip, my only familiarity with Botswana was via Alexander McCall Smith's mystery series, The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. The series, going strong with 25 titles, features Precious Ramotswe, Botswana's best known and only female detective. These are cozy mysteries and Precious solves her cases with common sense and thoughtfulness. She's one of my favorite detectives and possibly, Botswana's best known literary character. If you're a mystery fan, enjoy engaging characters or just want a window into Botswana, I highly recommend this delightful series.  

I was sure about my choice for my B post, but I'm still up in the air for C. I'm leaning to a more familiar spot about five thousand miles from Botswana and a much easier flight from New York. I'm totally excited about the visiting Africa, but less excited about getting there. There will be two long flights -- both ways. 

A big welcome to new blog buddies joining from the A to Z Challenge and of course, always happy to have visits from blog friends of long-standing. It's definitely what blogging is all about. 

As ever, many thanks for visiting and please stop by often.  

 

A Is for Alaska

Greetings from Alaska

It was a close vote, but the choice to begin our travel  A to Z Blogging Challenge is Alaska. Arizona was right behind and there was a vote for Australia, too. I've written about visiting Alaska several times, but probably not in the last ten years. It's fun to be back revisiting one of my favorite places.  

Alaska wasn't especially high on my travel list before my 2008 visit. I was "saving" it for when I was older. Silly me! The scenery was extraordinary and I loved my visit. I came to Alaska via a friend who was eager to visit and I have no regrets. We took a cruise and enjoyed a few days in beautiful Vancouver before and after the trip. I had been to Vancouver once before and I was eager to return.  

The cruise was incredibly fun, both for the activities and the people we met. I'm still in touch with the group we joined with for trivia competition -- we were the ship winners -- and our dinner company, which included two people from Canada and four from Ireland, were delightful. It's close to twenty years and the memories are still warm.

The best whale watching ever!

One of the high points of the trip -- or any trip -- was a photography/whale watching excursion. I went out with a dozen others in a small boat. I've been on whale watching excursions before this, but never so close to so many whales. There were a few moments where I thought the whales might swim right into our boat, as they were so close. Our trip was in 2008 and this was photograph is as good as my limited photo skills and equipment permitted, but I remember thrilling to see five whale spouts in a row.  

I hope you've enjoyed our visit to Alaska. I know I'm happy for the opportunity for a virtual visit. The next post is "B," and we'll be visiting the first of the four new countries I'll be adding to my travel list next month. I've visited a number of times in my reading, so I'm excited to visit in person.

As ever, thanks for visiting and happy travels to us all. 

 

Once Again Blogging from A to Z

Once again Buttercupland is joining the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. I first started to participate in the Challenge in 2013 and have been part of it in most of the years that followed. I skipped both 2023 and 2024 because I was traveling during April. But this year my trip of the year (maybe decade) will take place in May and I'm able and happy to join the Blogging Challenge.

I initially thought that my theme for year was going to be a return to coffee, which has been a popular choice in the past. But the more I thought about it, travel popped into my mind. My trip in May will include four countries I've never been to before and I'd like to share in posts. I've also got a trip planned for November. While this trip is not to a far away or exotic destination, it's been one of my dream trips for a number of years. That's a post to come, too. 

I'll start my Challenge posts on Tuesday, April 1 with A. But I'm leaving the destination up to friends who comment. I love Arizona and so enjoyed my trip a year ago. I'm also a fan of Australia -- great trip in 2018, and Alaska, where I traveled in 2010. What's your choice, friends? It's a Readers' Choice. 

Watching the Australian Open in Melbourne, Australia 2018

The Desert Botanical Garden, Scottsdale, Arizona 2024 

Today was eighty degrees and for the first time in months, I went out without a jacket. It was just a day of errands -- post office, library and the grocery -- but what an amazing feeling. I'd almost forgotten what it's like to be out without a coat and gloves and it was as good as I remembered. What was on your schedule today?

As ever, thanks for visiting and wishes for a good weekend.  

    

Can Real Spring Can Far Behind?

It was spring on Saturday...

And then it was back to winter 

I've got no pictures of our return to winter yesterday -- a lot of rain for pictures -- but it was dreary, cold and winter coat weather. I guess I was overly excited last week when I wrote about spring and thought I wouldn't see my winter coat again. Ha!

It seems the relatively mild weather of the last few winters have erased my memories of what early spring days really feel like, which is winter. Once again, welcome to Fake Spring. I didn't plan to, but I've retrieved my gloves and scarf and even have boots on standby for possible snow tomorrow. Snow! 

I'm surprised that Fake Spring still comes unexpected to me. I've lived through 70 winters that I can remember and 67 of them in New York City and New England. I remember snow in May in Connecticut and yet, I'm still surprised by a cold day in late March.  

Yet, on reflection, I'm not really surprised. I get through the short, cold, dark days of winter and think that it doesn't bother me "that much." But once the days get longer and just a little warmer my entire mood shifts. Add in a few green shoots coming up and I'm a new person, practically humming while I walk down the street. 

I just checked the weather and it's ten degrees warmer than yesterday and the sun is shining. The snow forecast seems to have drifted away and my mood has lifted. But I know that it's still Fake Spring and I will keep my gloves on call. I also know that one day, and that day is not that far away, it will be Real Spring. If Fake Spring is here can Real Spring be far behind?    

On this almost Real Spring Tuesday, I'm off to the gym, the post office and coffee with a friend. What are your Tuesday plans today?

As ever, thanks for visiting and have a terrific Almost Spring Tuesday.

 

It Might as Well Be Spring

 

A sign of the times

Last Friday I saw one of my favorite urban signs of spring, the soft ice cream truck. Some people look for the first robin, but I'd be waiting quite awhile to see a robin, so I'm going with an ice cream truck. Spring -- officially the spring equinox -- begins in a little less than an hour, but for me it began with my first ice cream truck sighting. What is the thing that says spring to you? 

Besides the ice cream truck, I'm loving the longer days. I know there's disagreement over daylight savings, but I'll trade a day or two of disrupted sleep for more light. I feel that I've been given hours to walk and be outside, and it's such a treat. I'm also loving buds on the trees, and the very first spring flowers. Pictures of both coming soon. 

I took my first overnight trip of 2025 last weekend and visited friends in Philadelphia. I haven't been in Philadelphia for years and loved exploring my friends' neighborhoods, Chestnut Hill and Mount Airy. We walked, drank coffee, talked and talked and stopped at one of the best bakeries I've been to on any continent, Machine Shop. We had a sampler of baked goods, but the Cara Cara, a croissant filled with delicious orange creme was my favorite. 

This croissant was as delicious as anything I ate last year in Paris

 and I had some amazing pastry in Paris last year. 

Somehow 2025 is racing by. I'm thrilled for spring and warmer weather, but the list of things I'd hoped to get done is far from getting done. Less writing and less reading than I'd hoped to do and that's my goal for the weekend and next week. Happily I am on track with my walking for the month and consistent with going to the gym. I'm pleased about both of those things. Once again, I'm amazed that exercise is high on my list. What have been the high points of March for you?

As ever, thanks for visiting and happy spring! 

 

(Extremely) Low Spending March (Part I)

 

Pleased to say that I avoided temptation in the checkout aisle at Trader Joe's 

I'm happy that I started 2025 with No-Spending January. I got into a good not-shopping habit early in the year and besides buying Valentines and a few Easter cards and stickers, that was my buying for February. I did buy a pair of shoes -- Clark's for $9.95 and a pair of panty hose for $1.99 -- early this month and that may be my buying for the month, food and household goods excepted.  

But I'm also taking a closer look at my food buying. I already eat most meals at home and very rarely get deliveries, but I realized I needed to look much closer at impulse food buys, like the snacks in the photo above. The foods that line the check-out aisle are often my downfall. They're not expensive, usually not more than three dollars. But I realized three dollars here and three dollars there when I'm at Trader Joe's four or five times a week is an easy twenty dollars every month and hundreds of calories.  

I'm not depriving myself of treats and snacks and an iced coffee here and there, but I'm trying to be as thoughtful with food and snacks as I am with buying "things." I'll let you know how it goes, but I'm looking at saving ten dollars/week without much effort. 

I'm not sure how we got to the second week of March, but here we are, and it's a sunny second week of March. It was sixty plus degrees today and a fabulous day to be out and walking. I started with a dental appointment -- gratefully, no issues -- picked up a prescription and spent time outside with an iced coffee and perfect spring weather. Yes, I'm thinking carefully about snacks, but this was a perfect treat on a beautiful day. Money well spent. 

As ever, thanks for visiting and hope that spring is around the corner where you live, too.