MOUNT STEWART, IRELAND

Mount Stewart is an 18th-century house and garden in County Down, Northern Ireland, owned by the National Trust. It is situated on the east shore of Strangford Lough, a few miles outside the town of Newtownards and near Greyabbey. It was the home of the Vane-Tempest-Stewart family, Marquesses of Londonderry. The house and its contents reflect the history of the Vane-Tempest-Stewarts, who played a leading role in British and Irish social and political life. The red dot shows the approximate location.

Bottoms up!

Flutterby, er, butterfly

Buzzing.  See the bee?

Duck Bridge

Spanish Garden

The caption read “Mount Stewart Lake and Bridge”, but that’s an interesting ‘bridge’.

Stewart House

Fun

A Kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they were drawing. She would occasionally walk around to see each child's work.

As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was.
The girl replied, 'I'm drawing God.'
The teacher paused and said, 'But no one knows what God looks like.'

Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl replied, 'They will in a minute.'

MAMMALS - ALL KINDS

We all need to get along -- just like all these guys.

See?  Says so.  Right here.

Where dat bird go?

Well, they needed a bath, too.

 Let’s be friends!

Hey!  Let go!  That’s not a toy!

Yes, there is a resemblance, don’t you think?

When he grows up, he can carry some of my stuff.

Your name ‘Westinghouse?  I’m just westing.

Patty cake, patty cake, baker's man...

Just sign here, on the dotted line

Whatcha got to eat?  Fingers?

Fun --

The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary school for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples. The nun made a note, and posted on the apple tray:

'Take only ONE . God is watching.'

Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies.

A child had written a note, 'Take all you want. God is watching the apples.'

INTERACTIONS

Sometimes we interact with other people; sometimes with other forms of life.  For example:

The other day at Avenidas I was making my way at my usual  s l o w  pace to a class on current events.  The young lady who leads the group (hi, Laura) saw me coming, and suggested I needed roller skates.

I agreed, saying I would need three skates; one for each foot, and one for my backside.



***

My little pink and black bird, Chipper, is not at all friendly -- never has been.  As the male bird in the house he apparently feels he can go anywhere he wants, which actually isn’t very far at all.  But he does like to get into Pepper’s cage (the doors are open during the day), which I allow if Pepper is elsewhere.

Now the other morning Pep was sitting in his cage eating, when Chip flew up from the ground.  He walked past the ladder to his own cage, and headed for the other one.

“Chipper, get away from there,” I said to him.  It’s not as if he ever paid any attention to anything I ever said, but he stopped and then backed off.  Okay, that could have been accidental.  But a minute or so later I looked up from my newspaper, and saw Chip once again walk past his ladder on the way to Pepper’s Palace of Properly Prepared Provisions (they each get the identical food), and again I said, “Chipper, get back from there.”  He stopped, looked at me, and turning around, went back to his own cage.  Frankly I was flabbergasted.  In the ten years I’ve had him, he has never shown the slightest inkling that he even knew I was talking to him!  Go ahead; tell me birds aren’t smart.  I don’t believe that.  At some level he knew precisely what I wanted.

BEAUTIFUL IRELAND

We've all heard how beautiful Ireland is.  The following photos are from
County Down in northern Ireland.  As best I can tell, the red dot on the map is the general location of where these were taken.

Strangford Village

Castle Ward
Castle Ward is full of personality. Situated in a stunning location overlooking Strangford Lough, the lawns rise up to the unique 18th century house and its Gothic façade. This fascinating house features both Gothic and Classical styles of architectural treatment, internally and externally. 

 

KIDS ON ELECTIONS

A caucus is something people vote in. Sort of a small booth.

An overwhelming favorite is a candidate that often comes over to the convention and whelms the delegates.

The jobs of delegates is to resent their states.

Noncommittal is to be able to talk and talk without saying anything.

When the radio mentions a landslide, cross your fingers and hope it is talking about an election.

MORE WILD ANIMALS

Various forms of wild life from around the world.

Although I don't think that puppy is terribly wild.

Humor -

The following was actually a commercial I heard many years ago.  I was working late, and had the radio on, when this commercial hit the airwaves.  I heard it a grand total of ONCE!

(As best I remember it)
A couple are driving down the road when they overtake another car.  The passenger says, “Look at all the chrome on the back of that car!”

Then as they pass the other vehicle, the passenger exclaims, “Look at all the chrome on the side of that car!”

Finally they pass the other car, and the passenger says, “Look at all the chrome on the front of that car!  That is the chromiest car I’ve ever seen!”

GARDEN, TACOMA, WASHINGTON

My thanks to Pat who sent me these photos.  I gather that the description was written by whomever took the pictures.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

For years many have passed this house and marveled at the floral display at 3725 No. Vassault St. in Tacoma . Last year there was no display and we had wondered if the Asian man who owns this house was ill. This year the display was back in force and we stopped this past Sunday to photograph it. We went up to the owner and told him how much we had enjoyed his garden all these years and he invited us to tour his creation. We found the backyard to be as beautiful as the front. He is Vietnamese, shy, very soft spoken, and speaks very little English, so we couldn't discuss too much with him about the garden.

View from the street, which always catches our attention.

As you can see a lot of the flowers are in pots. I guess this is so they can be changed easily.

 I wonder if he takes the pots in at night to keep them from being stolen.

Here is the master gardener! I wish we could have communicated.

 Look at how precise the hanging pots are lined up.

Entrance to the backyard.

 And here is the backyard. WOW!

A hand shows the size. It is hard to believe this is one man's work
           and I believe he must work on it every day, all day long.

Humor --

From ‘Dear Abby’

DEAR ABBY:  My boy friend is going to be 20 years old next month.  I’d like to give him something nice for his birthday.  What do you think he’d like?
CAROL

DEAR CAROL:  Never mind what he’d like.  Give him a tie.
***

DEAR ABBY:  I know boys will be boys, but my ‘boy’ is 73 and he’s still chasing women.  Any suggestions?
ANNIE


DEAR ANNIE:  Don’t worry.  My dog has been chasing cars for years, but if he caught one, he wouldn’t know what to do with it.

***
DEAR ABBY:  I have always wanted to have my family history traced, but I can’t afford a lot of money to do it.  Any suggestions?
SAM IN CAL



DEAR SAM:  Yes.  Run for public office.