Readers, Welcome to my blog (formerly Birds, Blooms, Books, etc). I'm entering a new decade taking on the challenge of moving from Maryland after living there 46 years and learning about my new home here in New England in the Live Free or Die state - New Hampshire. Join me as a write this new chapter of my life.

Monday, September 26, 2016

A Worthwhile Cause

Last Friday I attended a luncheon giving to honor those of us who supported a school child in Haiti last year through Community Coalition for Haiti.


My sister, Marie became very involved with this charity first as a volunteer, then as a part time staff member, and now as a full time staffer.


I signed up again this year to support the same little girl who will now be attending kindergarten.  She was a preschooler last year.  My $360 donation will buy her books, provide a nutritious meal, pay for a uniform and school fees.  This is especially important because as in many developing countries, sending girls to school is not a high priority.  If a family has the money, boys attend school first.


CCHaiti has three primary objectives: improve health care, support education and community development.  Read more about these here.


If you too want to support a child, it will be money well-spent.


And the flowers?  They were the centerpiece at the table I sat at and I got to bring them home.

Saturday, September 24, 2016

Saturday Morning at the Library

I got to the library this morning before the 10 o'clock opening time to pick up a book on hold for me. It's a popular spot on a Saturday morning as evidence by the crowd waiting outside for the doors to open.


As you can tell by the architecture its a fairly new building.  It's one of many branch libraries here in Howard County, MD.  Central Library which is walking distance from me is undergoing renovation.  Can't wait for it to reopen.





Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Moved In!

Tuesday was move day, though we got the keys and started moving ourselves before dinner on Monday evening.  Then after dinner with friends at the Columbia lakefront we finished moving all the closets.  Movers did the heavy stuff.  It was all done by 1 pm.

Here is how it looked this morning.  Since taking these photos I've been hanging pictures.

Here's our front door which opens on our foyer.


To the left is the kitchen, dining room and living room.






To the right are the two bedrooms and two baths.


My desk is in our bedroom again.




Dan's is in the 2nd bedroom we call the multipurpose room.  There's a balcony on this side too.





A view on the kitchen again.  That refrigerator was exchanged today for a larger one, and the cabinets were installed over top it.



Here's the balcony off the living room.


We can see Wilde Lake which I love to walk around.


We can see the other wing of Vantage House.


The Columbia Mall is in the distance there.


Looking over the rail is the garden.



Lots of organizing yet to do but its feeling like home.

Saturday, September 17, 2016

What's This? (18)

Haven't posted a "What's This" in awhile but when my brother shared some of his photos with me from our trip to Europe I had to show you this.

What is it?  Can you guess?


The photo was taken in Melk Abbey.  Go to the Wikipedia site to see if you can find a photo very similar to this one identifying what it is.

Dan and I didn't take this excursion from the cruise ship to see Melk Abbey.
Other photos of our trip start here if you missed them.