Sparks Ignites

Many adults still like to play with toys. Now, before I go any further, I am not talking about the strap on variety, or anything purchased at Adam & Eve. I am talking about the toys of our childhood - the Holy Grail of Christmas morning treasures. The wind-up, crank-up, batteries required, pull a string, and push a button, types of toys. The toys we dog-eared the Sears Wish Book over. These were the cherished possessions of our youth, that we fall asleep playing with, or took to bed to cuddle through the night. As a child, any holiday or special event where gifts were received – a toy was always the expected present. If the box inside the gift-wrap didn’t have Kenner, Mattel, Marx or Hasbro stamped on it, I didn’t want it. It wasn’t that I was ungrateful, but what child wants to receive a bathrobe or pajamas as a gift? There are appropriate times of year to expect clothing – like back to school. My dad’s two sisters were very good at giving gifts I never wanted to open. ...

This winter has certainly been more severe, and cold than the last few we have experienced. Many seem to be getting tired of dealing with the snow, and the frigid temperatures. I can understand the need for a little relief from this winter onslaught. I too am growing tired of the cold and the Artic Vortex, and I am also weary of taking my car through the car wash to remove the salt and grime from the treated roadways.   My car is more a combination pretzel/saltine right now than it is a motor vehicle. I have parked my car in the driveway, and animals came up thinking it was a salt lick. I sat two weekends ago at the car wash for forty-five minutes just to get my car through the washing stage of the process. It was the Saturday we reached sixty degrees, so I guess everyone else wanted to rid their vehicles of the layer of salt, while they could enjoy the feeling of spring. I didn’t mind that I was at the car wash for an hour, because I ...

There is an annual event in Philadelphia, and for all its notoriety, there is still an audience that hasn’t experienced its unique beauty and creativity. The event is the Philadelphia Flower Show presented by The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) .   It is the world’s largest indoor Flower Show, and the longest running event of its kind. Held currently at the Philadelphia Convention Center, it is a cultural gem for the area. Even with its publicity, and the length of time it was been in Philly, I still come across people who say that they haven’t been, and have no clue what the Flower Show is all about. It is time for all the flower virgins to blossom, and become enthusiasts for a great event. You don’t know what you are missing! I want to clear up any misunderstandings about what the Flower Show holds for its visitors. I was a former flower naysayer, who thought that the annual Bloom Fest was a bunch of ancient, mainline garden ladies, gazi...

Neither, Gary or I, are really gamblers, so we try to find other activities to occupy our time when visiting Vegas. We have visited Red Rock, Hoover Dam and Valley of Fire State Park on previous visits. We had even traveled as far as Zion National Park in Utah, during an earlier stay. There are definitely natural beauties to discover while in Nevada, and they have nothing to do with showgirls or stripper poles. This visit was about relaxation and ringing in the New Year, so we didn’t need to stray far from Vegas this time. We bought tickets for a concert featuring Kristin Chenoweth. She is a very talented singer and actress best known from Broadway shows, movies, and multiple guest appearances on GLEE. The concert was on New Year’s Eve at the newly built Smith Center. Although she is about three feet tall, Kristin has a powerhouse voice. She sang songs from her career and, of course, sang one of my favorites “For Good” from WICKED. It was a great way to ...