bird and wild flower puzzling

barcelona box set

wide view of puzzle parts with box and beverages

bluejay up close and cardinal above him

scrambled egg with cheese and toast or what I call a good breakfast made by mom

I was home again this week for a visit with Mom, and we dismantled the Christmas tree and we packed it up together.  I got my laundry rolling right away and ate some lunch and Mom showed me how far she had come working on a  500 piece jig saw puzzle our family friend Karen sent for Christmas. We used to always have a puzzle which my Dad used to find or buy or some how get on a card table to be worked while waiting on meals and guests over the holidays. Karen must remember working on it when she came to visit with her family years ago and helps us keep the tradition going this year. Dad was a great puzzle solver with his Architectural visual perceptions of space and form. Mom finds it a challenge but one she wanted to explore more to sharpen her mind. I jumped in to add my skills which are OK at this sort of work and lessen the struggle it is to work a puzzle alone. The puzzle was spread out on the dinning room table this time so we had to eat our meals on the edge of the puzzle and that kept us both interested every time we sat down to eat during my visit. Mornings I had a hard time concentrating on my ritual writing morning pages with the puzzle in front of me calling out to be worked.  I had to stop to eat a lovely breakfast and this picture helps me appreciate how great having a Mother who likes to cook for her family is.  I took a few pictures of the progress the last day  to share and to compare when I go back next time. As I began the cardinal was all put together (Mom's favorite bird) and most of the blue jay. Some of you know I love watching birds and wild flowers so this puzzle really did ring my chimes. I knew all the names of the birds and have seen them all live and in person many times. The blue bird is maybe the rarest in Washington DC but I did spot a small flock of them while out on a Christmas Bird Count on the big campus of the old soldier's home in 2006. I wonder if there will still be blue birds in DC after they take up part of the soldiers home campus for retail and residential development?  I can say, this puzzle was extra fun and maybe a little easier because of the birds and the flowers I love. 

When I got home to DC, after my visit, I was greeted by a happy partner who helped me unload the clean folded  laundry and carry in the goods from shopping I did on the way home. Soon after we got things in and settled my phone rang and my Dutch pen pal Cor Windhouwer was on the other end asking for me. We have never spoken on the phone but he was so excited at receiving the Barcelona Box and books he said he wanted to call and tell me before he went to bed. It was a great surprise to get a call from him. Now he knows how I sound even thought we have never met. I spent over two years working on the book and box. The result is a new book and box  holding the precious paintings Cor painted on top of the photos his friend Mr. Waelput gave him from a long ago trip to Barcelona, Spain. We didn't talk long on this first call but just enough to enjoy the exchange of our first conversation via telephone. Years of emails and shared art projects make this a very special event for us that rounds out our relationship. I was relieved to hear the package arrived without damage and in tact fully protected from elements and miss handling and Cor was happy to report he loves his special book set. It was nice to hear his excitement about finally having his book of Barcelona paintings home safely and in an original Frederick box and book. 

Later while eating our late afternoon lunch we got drawn into the exciting news of the amazing emergency landing of a US Airways plane on the Hudson River where it was extremely cold. Happily everyone got out alive and mostly unharmed starting off a new year with something more than just hope for things going better. Inauguration in DC is a great unknown. I will be watching from the safety of our apartment and celebrating a change in our fine city and nation.