FUN IN PHILLY

Yesterday morning we fed the cats. Then, jumped in our ol' RAV4 and tooled on up to Philly. "Why?", you ask. Well, of course, it was time for our annual trip to the Philadelphia International Flower Show at Convention Hall. An annual highlight in these years of our retirement! Yahoo!

The theme this year: Paris in the Springtime!

Ahhh, merci, mes amis!

We were greeted at the door by an iconic French clown. No talk. All artful mime and friendly getures.

Characteristically, Pat melted into the flowers....and they kinda hugged her in return.

Tres bien!

Fancy French table setting. Ooo-la-la!

Magnifique!

Lost in a sea of flowers

Daffodils! Spring is in the air!

Yeah, I used to look lovingly at young women.....now at 80 I ogle the flowers. Life evolves....

Caladiums? I dunno. But a whole red sea of them. 100's...if not 1000's! Tres beautif!

Another red sea. By the 100's, 1000's....whatever!

This staff lady's chapeau ensemble matched her personality. In your face. Flamboyant. Ultra friendly.

This guy was about 5' high. So colorful. But you didn't want to get too close.

Hey, daughter Kelly, master's graduate from UD! Your team won an award! Congrats!

Hey, Warren (Chris) 'n Pat! Sure I look tired. You would too....if you had been standing here for 3 days!!! Answering silly questions from Delawareans....like you!

SKYLINE SCAMPS

Pat and I remember....
the first time we ...wended our way (ahhh, corn)....down to the ever beautfiul, always impressive Virginia Skyline Drive and the historic Shennandoah Valley. October of '71. And l'il one year old Kelly was with us.

Where were Kimberly and Michael? They were still living in the far off land of Potentiality.
















Our most recent trip down the Skyline. Just this week. Left Monday, returned Wednesday. Rain and wind, Monday. Tues. and Wed. gloriously sunny Winter days. Even in Feb. the scenery was a #10.
On our way down we wanted to stop at Marriottsville Sate Park for lunch. Closed.

Then, I remembered. The Sisters of Bon Scours Spiritual Center, a few miles down the road. We quietly rolled into their parking lot. And ate our picnic lunch. In the car. Didn't want the nuns to kick us out.
I have fond memories of this place. Beautiful countryside setting. Back in the early '60's I was stationed at the Passionist Monastery in nearby Balto. I would occasionally fill in for for the chaplain here and at the Bon Secours Hospital in town. As monastery vocation director, my job was to introduce interested young people into joining the religious life and priesthood. I sent two young women in their early 20's here to the Sisters of Bon Secours. 50 years later, I forget their names. And we didn't want to go over to the front door....and ask. But I wonder how they fared.

Another of our favorite stops in northern VA is Berryville. A small town on the Shennandoah River and home of the Trappist Monks. A centuries old religious order dedicated to contemplation in the context of Benedictine monastic observance. Plus an unusual vow of silence.
You should see their farmland. Hundred of acres. Whole herds of Black Angus cattle. The monks tend all this. In silence and prayer. Sounds so foreign to our culture. But they still attract vocations. Deo volenti.



Huge monastery out in open country.

And this tiny sign to tell you where you are.








Holy Cross Trappist Abbey, VA










Pat! I'm gonna join them there Trappists.

Pat: No, Chris (Warren)! The Trappists don't accept guys over 75!
Now get down here and let's go to lunch in the next town!

Yes, dear.






We spent the rest of the day venturing down the Blue Ridge Mountain Skyline Drive.

We stop about every half hour at one of the lookouts. In Trappist silence we just stare out at the beauty of it all!

An uplifting three days down south in Stonewall Jackson country.

And, all said and done, it's great to be back in good ol' Pike Creek Valley. Amen!