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The wind is so bright
Tuesday, March 30, 2021 at 08:44PM 
This little person needed rescuing from Sweetness
I entitled this post as I did, because it is a direct recent quote from Dagny.
As in, we had all piled out of church last Sunday morning and were standing under the portico, visiting with a few folks before walking to our cars.
Part of our riverside repast.
I was holding onto my hat (natural straw, with a wide black grosgrain ribbon for trim) because the wind had kicked up and I do not own any hat pins.
Didn't want to lose my lid.
Chicken Waldorf Salad. Recipe link below.
Dagny, squinting into the sun, her hair blown back nearly horizontal, blurted: The wind is so bright!
We all cracked up simultaneously because it was extra cute.
It was windy so we we used weights. Pink ones.
The sun was bright; the wind was strong. Or vice versa. And later on, it rained.
In other words, springtime in the Carolinas. Maybe springtime just about everywhere.
I made Spicy Ranch Pretzels. Recipe link below.
Speaking of losing one's lid, the tiny doll pictured at the top of this post belongs to Dagny. Only, like sundry of her miniature toys, it was left here at one time or another.
It must have ended up in the Lego bucket which lives in the sun room, because last night, Sweetness the Tuxedo Cat was rummaging in there, and found it.
Try and stop me.
In no time flat, Sweetness had separated the doll's plastic hair from its plastic head, and began swatting the "hair" (which on its own resembles a walnut half with pink jelly coming out of one end -- the pink part being the doll's bow) all around the floor.
The doll's hairless body lay several feet away, where it would occasionally earn Sweetness's attention and get a few swats of its own.
Sibi was not best pleased with being on her leash.
This kept the piratey feline busy leaping and pouncing for the better part of an hour.
So after Sweetness had gone to bed, I reunited the doll's body with its hair, and put it on the kitchen desk along with a few other items Dagny has left here over the past week.
This shot was posed.
Today I took the doll's picture next to the ceramic bunny which holds papier maché Easter eggs.
She looks springy and positive there.
TG proclaimed these the best cake mix cookies I've made to date.
That's more than I was all of last week, when I was down with a cold, which made me miserable.
It developed on Monday night, in the form of a scratchy throat, just as our Audrey's birthday festivities were concluding.
Dagny Clare (Dag or The Dagginator) and Sybil Ann (Sibi or The Sibinator).
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday were spent feeling wretched, and doing not much of anything. Friday and some of Saturday were spent recuperating.
But enough about me.
You'll be pleased to know that, while not necessarily qualifying as outrageously epic, our Audrey's birthday was celebrated in a way as to certainly take its place, head held high, in the annals of our multi-parted parties.
It was a sign of the times.
We kicked things off with a picnic on the Saturday before her birthday, at Granby Park in Columbia.
Granby is not as grand a park as Hopelands Gardens in Aiken, where we went for my birthday; not by a country mile.
There was a spring blue sky and spring green trees.
In fact, it has been stripped of some of its features -- namely, play equipment that Dagny would have enjoyed exploring -- due to COVID nineteen, I imagine.
Pardon me while I retch in frustration at the stupidity of that.
Click to embiggen. This was our picnic view. I don't know what the big stone thing is.
Moving on.
Granby Park sits on the shores of the Congaree River, and on this day, despite plentiful sunshine and lovely cool temperatures, it was deserted.
I took this photo of the gang.
At least when we arrived with our picnic and set it up on a picnic table, it was. Later, more folks came to walk their dogs and enjoy nature.
Speaking of dogs, Cherica had brought along their Chorkie, Sibi. Sibi loves to be outdoors above most other things that she enjoys, up to and including chewing on shoes.
This may have been Dagny's first homemade Rice Krispies Treat.
She did not appreciate being in her harness and on her leash, however, and showed it by walking right out of her trappings.
Chad fixed that problem by tightening her harness so that she was obliged to stay in it.
Flowers for Mama on her birthday.
For lunch I had fixed Chicken Waldorf Salad, Crack Corn Dip, Beanie Weenies (standard issue; no recipe, and yes I took the Crock Pot to the picnic), Spicy Ranch Pretzels, Cake Mix Cookies (milk chocolate this time, but again with Bits o' Brickle and Toll House Morsels), and Watermelon Rice Krispies Treats.
The raspberry-colored crape myrtles are already in riotous bloom.
We had two varieties of Flat Out flatbread in case anyone wanted their Chicken Waldorf Salad as a sandwich, and there were baby carrots and celery sticks and Town House Flatbread crackers and Fritos Scoops for dipping into the corn dip.
I had gone all clever clogs and thought to bring pink marbles to weigh the plates down, because it was another windy day. It's better than having your plate flip up into your face or down onto the ground.
If they'd take the harness and leash off, I'd go on over there.
But the day was truly gorgeous and we chowed down with all the appetite one gets from being in the outdoors.
After the meal had been consumed and was cleared away, we sat for a while in a group of benches that formed a U, facing the Congaree, and chatted while we soaked up the sunshine.
Sibi as a cartoon.
Eventually we put everything back into the cars and went for a long walk on the trail beside the river.
In time we felt we'd exhausted the wonders to discover there, and decided to drive a short distance to another walking venue known as the Saluda Riverwalk.
Dagny and me beside the rushing Saluda.
It took us maybe ten minutes to get there, and to find that although this beautiful park has many picnic tables and walking bridges galore, its generous parking lot was CLOSED.
As in, sealed off and empty.
Birthday girl and her best girl.
Everyone wanting to use the park for recreation (and there were many besides us) was obliged to park on the side of the road directly beside the parking lot.
If you can make sense of that, let me know. And no; the parking lot is not under construction or compromised by anything, in any way.
Spanish moss frames the rushing river.
It has merely been closed for an entire year.
There is a building with restrooms for park visitors too. It is also closed.
Saluda Riverwalk.
Never mind that at Granby Park, a mere two miles away (if that) as the crow flies, both the parking lot and the restrooms were open for visitors.
Again; go figure and let me know what you come up with.
Sibi has got all of Mama's attention. Now.
But after parking on the side of the road along with everyone else -- because you know that COVID nineteen only spreads in parking lots -- we maneuvered around the barriers and onto the spacious walkway along the Saluda.
At this part of the river there are rocks to provide tiny rapids, and the sound of rushing water is enchanting.
We love a good walk in fresh air.
Sibi was in her glory as she trotted along at the end of her leash. Erica was glad to let her run because it meant she would not have as much energy for tearing around the house once the party was over and she was back at home.
After walking for nearly an hour, everyone was tuckered out and we decided to call it a day. We would see one another the next day at church.
My lemon blueberry cake layers, cooling.
After Sunday came and went, it was Audrey's actual birthday.
I had set Monday aside for making her birthday cake, a lemon blueberry recipe that I wanted to try because it sounded so fresh and spring-like.
You could tell from the top, what was inside. Lots of lemon zest was involved.
Audrey came over and hung out with me for a while on the day, and I started laying out the ingredients for my cake, and eventually she left to fetch Dagny from school and go home to get ready for the party that evening.
I iced the cake with the lemon cream cheese frosting just minutes before we again met at Texas Roadhouse (as we did for my birthday a few weeks ago), for dinner.
The party flamingo began corralling the gifts early on the day.
We had a delicious meal and an even better time, talking and laughing as we never tire of doing.
Back at home, everyone was too full for cake at the moment so I made decaf coffee for those who wanted it, and we sat around and talked.
Two balloons are better than one.
Eventually we were ready for Audrey to open her gifts, so we assembled back at the table for that ceremonious moment.
TG and I gave her a bottle of perfume that she has been wanting for some time. She seemed delighted.
Bottega Veneta. Enough said.
Dagny (with my help) had selected a few jewelry items from the Time and Tru wall at Walmart. Also we threw in a makeup item we thought Audrey would like.
Andrew and Brittany had sent a pretty necklace.
Audrey's rendition of a Kubrick Stare.
Cherica's offering was a Dash mini toaster that is so cute, I wanted to tuck it away somewhere and hope Audrey would not miss it. Stash the Dash, as it were.
The color! It looks like a tiny retro console TV set.
Group Hug!
Audrey was thrilled with that gift too, as she likes all things Dash.
Erica announced that there was one other gift coming, late in the mail.
We did in fact finally eat the cake. It was lemon blueberry luscious.
So the birthday goings-on will continue until an as-yet unknown date, which is fine with Audrey.
Ah it was a splendid festive occasion! We were exhausted by the time all of that was over.
Only part of the birthday haul.
Isn't it nice to make a fuss over loved ones on their special days?
I think so.
A beautiful Easter to you all.
In a few weeks it will be our Allissa's turn to be fêted, when on Tax Day she turns thirteen!
Those of you who have been following this blog for most -- if not all -- of her life will find that difficult to believe.
As do I. But it is the truth.
First we will celebrate the Lord's resurrection this Sunday. I have a new dress, and shoes, and I will wear an Easter bonnet to church, and bake a ham and a pineapple casserole (link added after Mari-Nanci expressed interest in this recipe), and who knows what all else.
I hope you all have a lovely Easter Sunday and that you will be rejoicing in everything that God has done for us.
Because He is good all of the time. No matter what.
And that is all for now.
=0=0=0=
Happy Tuesday
Reader Comments (12)
Your food always looks so good. And how pretty the rice krispy treats are, too pretty to eat. LOVE this cute little Dash oven! But my favorite photo is Dagny and the dandelions.
Such fun parties you have! But first - Audrey is just so pretty! I'm glad you had such a nice party for her. And Dagny is growing far too fast and is so cute. Erica? I see the bump! So very exciting! Allisa is going to be 13? How can this be?
The recipes look good. I'm saving several.
Yes, God is good - all the time!
But wait - there's more! I knew I would forget something. The rice krispy watermelon bars are so cute!
The title is so cute. I just knew it was a Dagny saying, the minute I read it!
@Ginny ... thank you my friend, and yes I thought the picture of Dagny with the flowers was darling. We worked hard on that one, to get Audrey just so in the background! xoxo
@Mari ... I hope you try some of these recipes! The Rice Krispies treats were such fun to make. Your girlies would like them for sure! Yes Dagny is rather quotable, haaahaha! xoxo
Oh the wind is so bright! Love it! Kids say the cutest things! I can't think of a better way to describe a windy day! Cute about the cat! They swipe anything that will glide easily across the floor! I can't figure out the closings either, Its hit or miss if somethings going to be open! Such crazy stuff like parking lots and a few stores around here have their fitting room closed! (???) Makes no sense! Happy Easter my friend! You all sure know how to celebrate!
@Jeanette ... I know right! Kids make everything fun. Cats do too, haaahaha! I guess Covid knows which stores have fitting rooms open ... I hope you have a wonderful Easter holiday! xoxo
Before I forget, what is in a Pineapple Casserole?????? Sounds very interesting.
Lovely photos, as always. Great time(S) were had by all.
No playground toys, and rest rooms closed and parking lot (!!!!) closed!!!! The madness continues! Grrrrrrrrrr...
But!!!! These weird things, did not stop people, from enjoying the open air and beauty!
We have to take Heart, at these; "Take that! Uncle Joe!" happenings!!!!
I run to the window, when I happen to see people walking/running by here. To check if they have Face Diapers on. And more and more, don't!!!! Hip, hip, hooray!!!!!! Teee,heee,heee...
Love your clothes!!!! Casual with Jazzzzzzzz!!!!
And the pink 'jewels' for holding plates down, in the "Bright Wind"! You do, do everything, with poshness. {Yes that is a word because I looked it up. >,-)}
Happy Easter!!!!!
Gentle hugs....
@Mari-Nanci ... haaaahaaa poshness, I like it! In this case, necessity was the mother of invention! I do like to think ahead!~ Chad and Erica (Cherica) gave me the Edgar Allan Poe sweatshirt because they know how much I love EAP. And it has ravens on it! And do you like my beret? It was just cool enough to need it and I like to wear it when I can.
OK pineapple casserole is a southern favorite and here is a link to the recipe! I hope you try it: https://www.southyourmouth.com/2018/04/pineapple-casserole.html
I like the visual of you running to the window and being happy to see folks enjoying fresh air sans a face diaper. I STILL see folks walking our neighborhood, wearing them ... I'm like, whaaaaa? Don't be dumb! You are OUTDOORS!!!! But like they say: you can't fix stupid. We are taking another lovely outdoor excursion tomorrow and I will report all the deets! xoxo
Hello,
I love your E. Poe shirt. :-)
I have no answer regarding the park. I do have an answer regarding the bathrooms. At least here in Wisconsin, our Department of Natural Resources, soon found out, if you close the bathrooms.. but have the State Parks open.. WHERE OH WHERE are people to go number one and two!!! Oh how I wish Common Sense would come back to those in charge. HA!
Your parties are the best. I want to come to one.
Happy Easter, please share your new dress, shoes and hat.
Love, Carla
@Carla ... Common sense seems to be a lost art! The easily led masses need to WAKE UP and THINK FOR THEMSELVES instead of letting the GOVERNMENT or FACEBOOK or TWITTER think for them! You are welcome any time, at any party we have! We love guests! And I will definitely show a picture of my dress, shoes, and hat, now that you have asked! Happy Easter, my friend. xoxo
I'll think of Dagny now when I'm walking, and the wind blows "so bright"! When our Grandson Jack was about 5, he asked me if he could go outside and get some "fresh airs". He's 16 now, and we still say "fresh airs"! Audrey as Kubrick is wonderful. Happy Birthday to her. Your food continues to make me hungry. I had to get a snack before replying! My Grands would love that krispie watermelon treat. I STILL haven't made the cake mix cookies because my neighbor keeps bringing us treats. I have never heard of Dash appliances, but I could look at them all day - so cute. I'm liking that Dash juicer. Amanda might be getting an apartment for school next year, and that toaster is adorable. Maybe a cute graduation gift? I just got part of a lemon/blueberry coffee cake out of the freezer. Your cake looks more delish, but mine is from a mix. I cannot bake whole cakes for just Bob and I - I must make something I can section and freeze unless the family is coming. Good photos of everyone, including you and Dagny together. Happy Easter!
@Barb ... you had lemon blueberry coffee cake in the freezer? That's amazing! I bet it was so good. I think the Dash toaster would be a fantastic gift for Amanda ... the young folks (and old ones too, apparently) go nuts for these products. So whimsical and yet, as Audrey says, they are workhorses~! I hope you are able to make the cake mix cookies soon ... they are too good to be true and make up in a snap. I learned on this last batch that the absolute best time to leave them in my oven is exactly 10.5 minutes. That makes them JUST the right amount of firm but soft. I know you probably know how to adjust that for baking at altitude! But how nice of your neighbor to bring you treats! And maybe this summer you can make the Rice Krispie treats for your grands. Meanwhile I hope you and Bob have a peaceful and relaxing Easter weekend! Love you my friend xoxo