Nature Walk - my new guru Joel Fuhrman, MD - Grace's Party

Couldn't resist taking a pic of this dee-licious healthy b'fast.  Joel Fuhrman, who I'll be quoting for awhile tells us that micronutrients (MN) are essential to ward off diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. MN's are found in vegetables and fruits, seeds and nuts. Greens, he says, are essential for an illness-free life. MN's are not found in animal protein.

What does a cow say, Gracie? A chicken? Fuhrman told a horrible story about how modern industrial corporations feed cattle. They get junk food, not suitable for human consumption, and feed it to the animals.

Scott told me the law firms who sued the tobacco companies are now gonna take on the huge agricultural firms. These are the firms, btw, who bought our Congress, so that Congress passed laws that we're not able to publicly criticize name-brand foods or restaurants on TV or elsewhere.

 Late last summer I bought this crepe myrtle shrub from Galbally Farm. The woman came and planted it for me. She said it would bloom this summer and it has. See the beautiful round berries? Luckily the birds don't eat them, allowing them to turn into beautiful blossoms.

Scott and I went on a terrific walk to Pennypack Trust. Grace? What does a turkey say? I sure wish I could take her to Pennypack, the way I took my own five children many years ago.

Oh, I forgot. I only had two children.

One of the old and beautiful trees at the park.

I was hoping this butterfly, in the center, was a hummingbird when I first saw it flitting by. No need, little butterfly. You're just as charming at the hummingbird. Well, almost.

One of Pennypack's many meadows. The park was well-attended today. We met a woman who wanted to know where the Pennypack Creek was. Well, we told her, we've been here hundreds and hundreds of times and we still can't remember where anything is (except our own two feet). We wished her luck as we set out.

We had absolutely no idea where we were going!

Scott, I said, hurry up and walk in fronta me. I wanna get a picture of the family.

Terrible picture, actually. As we closed in on them, I realized......

"Hi!" I said. "Are you from Russia?"

There was a mama and a papa and a boy and a girl. Two other children were not with them. They've been in the US for 17 years.

Just that morning, on the Times, I learned that Gary Gasparov, former Russian chess champion, had been arrested for protesting the govt's arresting a rock band. An excellent YouTube video showed the protest and the arrest.

When two cops each took one of Gary's arms, he went limp and had them carry him to the huge bus that was filled with protesters.

This is where I say, Fall on your bended knees and be thankful you live in corrupt America instead of worse corrupt Russia.

At least I can criticize my government right here on my

BLACKOUT   BLACKOUT   BLACKOUT  BLACKOUT   BLACKOUT

Oh, darn. They caught me.

Okay, 20 minutes until Columbo.

I know, Lt Columbo, I know, you're coming up with a theory.

Heading back to our car, Scott admires the newly striped lines. When Scott was in his 20s he and his best friend started a line-striping business. The proof is in Scott's garage - all the equipment.

Un-for-tune-attly, the best friend's wife embezzled the money for drugs so the company lost all its money and was left owing money.

Oh, I'll pay it back, says the woman in the high voice.

Yeah right.

This is a house on nearby Quigly Street. I liked the wicker furniture on the front porch.

Ten more minutes to Columbo. Hurry up girl!

This is actually a video of Grace riding this mechanical four-wheeler in her backyard. I was able to stop it and put it in my satchel of photos.

Lots of people came to her second birthday party yesterday including my mom and sister Ellen, some friends and their children they met at Romp n Roll - a pay-for-play place in Willow Grove - and Pop-Pop, Nicole's former cop father.

The three cats - Nudge, Doober and Blank - were also in attendance.

There were three absolutely stunning BLUE birthday cakes of different sizes made by a friend who's a professional baker. Altho I didn't eat the icing, the white cake itself was as delicious as pound cake.

When it came to sing the birthday song, Grace had the same reaction she had last year.

She did not like it one bit!

As everyone began to sing, Grace's eyes opened wide in horror.

"All done!" she cried.

"No like!"

It was heartbreaking. She cried a lot but fortunately calmed down and enjoyed the rest of the party.

She and her little friends went out back where two pools were set up. She adores the water. I sat near them. Grace and little Maya got along splendidly.

When I spoke to Grace she showed me her new tattoo again, Thomas the Train, and repeated that Mommy had washed off James the Train.

Again, I was struck by her amazing socialization.

Someone had posted this foto on FB of Grace in the Living Room.

Just pulled out this photo from my satchel of my Mom and Nicole Deming.

Was at mom's today showing her a DVD of our family movies, the first she's seen of them. You'll remember I got them back many months ago, but neither she nor Ellen evinced any interest in watching them.

We watched on Ellen's new Apple laptop in the dining room. I was writing notes on what the video contained - my marriage to Millard, Donna's marriage to Herman (both of which have been dissolved), my dad's 50th birthday party which included my dead father, dead Donald Farkas (who gave one of our young friends a dirty look), dead Gene Hexter.

But enough about the dead. Lemme go watch Columbo who's still alive in the movies and waiting for me to show up to make his life complete.