April 2023
Places Visited
I went to the "Exploring Sugar Loaf" program at the Chester, NY Public Library presented by Jay Westerveld. It was very interesting and informative as well as entertaining. He told about the cultural and natural history of Sugar Loaf (NY) Mountain and the hamlet of Sugar Loaf (NY). The stories that audience members contributed added to the presentation.
I also got to go to The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with Brian, Bea and Noah. I was surprised by all of the hands-on activities appropriate and fun for all ages. We also watched a live science show, Liquid Air Show, as well as learn from doing many activities. We had a great time! Afterwards Brian fixed a great lunch, I got to hear Noah play several piano pieces, and we enjoyed visiting with each other. It was a marvelous day!
Rachel, Taran and I took a ride on the Easter Bunny Express run by the Catskill Mountain Railroad and saw the Easter Bunny on the train! It was great. The train started in Kingston, New York and went about 20 minutes into the woods where there was an Easter egg hunt with candy in the eggs. Then the train went back to the station in Kingston. We had a delicious lunch at Savona's Plaza Pizza before going to an egg hunt at Geroge H. Freer Memorial Beach in Port Ewen, New York. One of the eggs Taran found even had a little red car in it, his favorite color. He got a bunny painted on his face, won a sticker and temporary tattoo at the basketball contest, and got to play on the playground. It was a great day!
Brian, Noah, Bea, her mother, and I went to Italy for a week and had a great time! We flew on United Airlines and it was a good experience both on the way from Newark to Rome and back. We dropped our bags at Stow Your Bags for a few hours and then walked in Campo de'Flori, a flower, fruit, and vegetable market where we had lunch. It was close to the wonderful three-bedroom suite Airbnb where we stayed. From the Airbnb it was about a five-minute walk to Piazza Navona and the Pantheon. The Airbnb was also in walking distance to the Colosseum, the Palantine Hill and the Forum and we took a private tour of the three with the guide Sarah. We also took the public bus so we could walk through the Vatican Museum, the Sistine Chapel, and Saint Peter's Basilica. We even ate in the Vatican cafeteria. In addition, we took a day trip in a hired car with driver to visit Hadrian's Villa near Tivoli and Villa D'Este in Tivoli outside of Rome. It has cascading fountains, tall cypress trees, terraced gardens, and a main house to tour. It was beautiful and a highlight of our trip. On a rainy day we took a city bus to Galleria Borghese known for its amazing sculptures. Of course, the museum itself was beautiful as well.
Books Read
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing: A Novel by Hank Green
Brave Enough by Cheryl Strayed
Sinister Revenge: A Veronica Speedwell Mystery by Deanna Raybourn
A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor by Hank Green
The Fear Index by Robert Harris
And Other Mistakes by Erika Turner
How Spider Saved Halloween by Robert Kraus
Three Little Witches by Sharon Gordon
Hey Otter! Hey Beaver! by Brian Pinkney
Rabbit, Duck, and Big Bear by Madine Brun-Cosme & Olivier Tallec
Stillwater and Koo Save the World by Jon J Muth
City of Jasmine: A Novel by Danna Raybourn
13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
Froggy Plays T-Ball by Jonathan London
If Animals Said I Love You by Ann Whitford Paul
The Fish with the Deep-Sea Smile by Margaret Wise Brown
A Kiss for Little Bear by Else Holmelund Minarik
I went to the "Exploring Sugar Loaf" program at the Chester, NY Public Library presented by Jay Westerveld. It was very interesting and informative as well as entertaining. He told about the cultural and natural history of Sugar Loaf (NY) Mountain and the hamlet of Sugar Loaf (NY). The stories that audience members contributed added to the presentation.
I also got to go to The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with Brian, Bea and Noah. I was surprised by all of the hands-on activities appropriate and fun for all ages. We also watched a live science show, Liquid Air Show, as well as learn from doing many activities. We had a great time! Afterwards Brian fixed a great lunch, I got to hear Noah play several piano pieces, and we enjoyed visiting with each other. It was a marvelous day!
Rachel, Taran and I took a ride on the Easter Bunny Express run by the Catskill Mountain Railroad and saw the Easter Bunny on the train! It was great. The train started in Kingston, New York and went about 20 minutes into the woods where there was an Easter egg hunt with candy in the eggs. Then the train went back to the station in Kingston. We had a delicious lunch at Savona's Plaza Pizza before going to an egg hunt at Geroge H. Freer Memorial Beach in Port Ewen, New York. One of the eggs Taran found even had a little red car in it, his favorite color. He got a bunny painted on his face, won a sticker and temporary tattoo at the basketball contest, and got to play on the playground. It was a great day!
Brian, Noah, Bea, her mother, and I went to Italy for a week and had a great time! We flew on United Airlines and it was a good experience both on the way from Newark to Rome and back. We dropped our bags at Stow Your Bags for a few hours and then walked in Campo de'Flori, a flower, fruit, and vegetable market where we had lunch. It was close to the wonderful three-bedroom suite Airbnb where we stayed. From the Airbnb it was about a five-minute walk to Piazza Navona and the Pantheon. The Airbnb was also in walking distance to the Colosseum, the Palantine Hill and the Forum and we took a private tour of the three with the guide Sarah. We also took the public bus so we could walk through the Vatican Museum, the Sistine Chapel, and Saint Peter's Basilica. We even ate in the Vatican cafeteria. In addition, we took a day trip in a hired car with driver to visit Hadrian's Villa near Tivoli and Villa D'Este in Tivoli outside of Rome. It has cascading fountains, tall cypress trees, terraced gardens, and a main house to tour. It was beautiful and a highlight of our trip. On a rainy day we took a city bus to Galleria Borghese known for its amazing sculptures. Of course, the museum itself was beautiful as well.
Books Read
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing: A Novel by Hank Green
Brave Enough by Cheryl Strayed
Sinister Revenge: A Veronica Speedwell Mystery by Deanna Raybourn
A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor by Hank Green
The Fear Index by Robert Harris
And Other Mistakes by Erika Turner
How Spider Saved Halloween by Robert Kraus
Three Little Witches by Sharon Gordon
Hey Otter! Hey Beaver! by Brian Pinkney
Rabbit, Duck, and Big Bear by Madine Brun-Cosme & Olivier Tallec
Stillwater and Koo Save the World by Jon J Muth
City of Jasmine: A Novel by Danna Raybourn
13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
Froggy Plays T-Ball by Jonathan London
If Animals Said I Love You by Ann Whitford Paul
The Fish with the Deep-Sea Smile by Margaret Wise Brown
A Kiss for Little Bear by Else Holmelund Minarik