Thursday, April 28, 2011

Wild Foods ~ Are you what you eat ?


I did an eleven month herbal study in 1995 which included all aspects of plants, their medicinal and spiritual healing properties, as well as how to make our own herbal remedies from plant parts. Every week we had a section on nutrition which totally turned my head around and I will be forever grateful. I fully embraced food as my medicine; and if we are what we eat, I wanted wild foods in my repertoire. I love to garden, but there are “weeds” that are fun, adaptable, abundant, cost nothing and are delicious. 

But look over here, on the path to the vegetable garden. You are walking on dandelion greens, mallow and wild spinach. They grow wherever they choose; thriving only where the land will support them, plus they come up weeks earlier than planted seeds. Of course a dandelion will often grow out of crack in the sidewalk, screaming to get your attention, “Look how strong and versatile I am, to grow in this difficult situation.  I can help you!”

I began to take note. We did herb walks in the forests, beside the stream, as well as the back alleys of our neighborhoods, learning to identify what is edible and how delicious weeds can be.  If you ever plan on being lost in the woods, make sure that your hiking partner is an herbalist. 

You can eat things that you can barely touch!!  I have nourished a small plot of stinging nettles from baby plants that were a house warming gift from a fellow herbalist. I placed them in a situation where they are least likely to jump out and grab an unsuspecting admirer. Nettle leaves gathered in the early spring before the plants have gone to seed, can be sautéed for a delicious green side dish weeks before my adorable spinach plants are ready for the plate and can be used in any recipe calling for cooked spinach.

Medicinally, nettles are vibrantly rich in vitamins and minerals and are considered to be a marvelous whole body tonic, great for enhancing the immune system and can benefit those who suffer from plant allergies. PLEASE NOTE: Unlike spinach, nettles cannot be eaten raw; they must be cooked, or dried for later use, and make a delicious, nutritious tea. Use gloves and wear a long sleeve shirt when you first gather nettles; I doubt that you will continue with the outfit, but better safe than sorry to get started. If you should get stung, you will be uncomfortable for an hour or so.

Beginners Recipe for Nettles.

Place nettle leaves in a colander and gently rinse with cool water.  Empty into a frying pan that will easily hold what you have harvested.  Add a small amount of water and simmer gently for two minutes or more. When most of the water has evaporated, add butter and gently stir. At this point you can add salt & pepper or sprinkle with your favorite seasonings. I love to add nettles to sautéed minced garlic.
The color green that nettles turn when gently cooked is a gorgeous sight. I hope in this lifetime that you get the chance to experience this.

Annette Price

Reprinted from Food and What Feeds Us, by a Week’s Worth of Women, edited by Jyoti Wind. 2009.

I am offering Bringing in the Wild ~ Discovering Wild Foods
Two dates: May 1st or May 5th  ~ 10am to 4 pm
@ Dragonfly Farm
Contact us at annette@what-wire.com

Eat Well and In-Joy !!  *annette

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Manifestation


The most amazing thing happened to me in the past two weeks; a new-to-me Honda CRV found her way into my heart.  My dear sweet Idgey is an eighteen and half year old Honda Civic that has been a true companion and care taker for me. I love her dearly and feel like I know everything about her … except how long she plans to remain a functioning part of my life. We have shared over three thousand miles together ~ laughing and crying.

This journey of manifestation began with an email from one of my appraisal clients telling about a REALLY big job that was in the pipeline and wondering how I would bid an enormous job like this.  I ignored the email for a couple of days as I weighed the magnitude of the job, the man-hours it will take to complete versus the fact that I am in the final two months of my Equine Gestalt Coach certification program with many important steps still to accomplish. Could I reasonably accept the assignment? I decided that I could and put together my bid. I know that many folks would say beware of starting a project with Mercury Retrograde but the funny thing is, I was born with Mercury Rx . This particular time frame, while annoying as all get out for many people, often treats me kindly.

After submitting my bid, I drove into Boulder to deliver an appraisal to a fellow who was to write me a check which I intended to take right to his bank and cash. I was feeling pretty good about life. I dropped off Idgey to get her oil changed, an appointment that I had already cancelled twice (remember Rx).  After that I joined another a friend for lunch and told him about my intention to land this big assignment.  He bought me lunch. Yeah !!!

When my friend and I arrived back at Hoshi Motor, I jauntily walked up to the counter and was met by my dear friend, Laurie, who owns the shop. After exchanging pleasantries, I causally said, “When you find a really nice $5,000 CRV let me know, I think I am in the market.”  Now I have no idea where the words came from, they weren’t premeditated as I wasn’t really looking forward to the whole car-buying adventure. I have known Laurie for almost thirty years and we have become good friends as she been the primary care giver to my last three Honda’s. 

A very mysterious/incredulous look appeared on her face. “I have it here.”

“What?”

“I have it here on the lot right now. Let’s go look at it.” All three of us were caught up in the serendipity of the moment. I watched in total amazement as she gathered up a set of car keys and we all three walked back into the sunshine of the early afternoon. And there she sat, four doors, four new tires and totally blue.  Laurie unlocked the door, handed me the keys and said, “Take it out for a test drive and let me know what you think.”

It took a few moments before I realized what was happening here. I looked in and noticed it was stick shift. Yeah! A five speed was on my list of things that I would be looking for in a car. My friend and I climbed in and took Miss Blue for a short drive around town. Sweet. Loved it, she ran quietly and after I got used to her clutch things went smoothly.  After a spin around town, my friend and I walked back into Hoshi, and I told Laurie that I loved the car and really was interested. I did not have the funds to buy a car at the moment, but that I had a strong feeling that would change in the next few months.

And then the next miracle happened. My friend said, “You know what? I really think this is a great car. I think this is your next car. I am willing to write a check for it right now and you have a year, interest free, to pay me back. I have done this before and my money is setting in a savings account right now hardly doing anything. I really want you to have this car.”

I am not making it up. Those were the exact words. I was flabbergasted. I replied that would be great but this all happened so fast that I needed to think about it for a day. I really said that; my head was spinning. I did indeed think about it all night and when I called the next day I gave my friend an out, just in case he had changed his mind. But no, he was not emotional about it; he just wanted to do this for me.  And so I said "Yes". I bought a new car before I knew that I was looking. WOW!

Yesterday driving west looking at the mountains, I asked my new car “What is your name?” 
I tossed a couple of ideas out to the universe and then I noticed a large coyote on the side of the road, so totally into his own adventure that he hardly noticed us.
“Coyote Blue.” The words just came to me; I said them out loud and we were both pleased. Her friends may call her “CB” for short.  She is dark ‘late-evening’ blue ~ kind of a purple-ish blue. Sweet.
Life Lesson: Trust that what you need will come. 
Life is good.
Life is amazing.
Life is manifestation.
WOW.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Easter Egg Hunt

Easter Egg Hunt at Kristi’s Lame Dog Ranch. April 23, 2011

I missed the hunt last year and have been looking forward to this year’s event. Imagine my surprise when I woke up Saturday morning and it was snowing. Well in Colorado we like to joke about how fast our weather can turn and I knew that we had a strong chance of sunny skies later in the day. We drive the few miles to my neighbor’s house, unload and saddle up. I can tell immediately that no one is in a big rush, we do indeed have “all the time we need.” So Lakota and I join the group in the large arena and warm up by walking and trotting around and visiting with those folks that I know and meeting some that I do not. The weather is cool but no longer snowing and the sun looks like it might show its face any time now.

Almost an hour after the advertised start time, we are called over to hear the official rules.
1) Horsemanship is paramount and anyone who lacks it will be quickly disqualified.
    You must treat everyone cordially and keep you and your horse safe at all times.
2) You can only bring in one egg at a time. When you find an egg, you must ride back in, dismount, and wait in line to walk your egg into the round pen and drop it in your basket.
3) Only one horse in the round pen at a time.
4) Kristi tells where to hunt as well what areas are off limits.

The rules are simple.  Kristi told us that there are colored plastic eggs with prizes inside, there are also three painted rocks that will win you a special prize, but mostly there are three hundred  4-inch sections of painted PVC pipe that have been scattered around a bunch of pastures totaling about sixty acres !!  Whoooeee!!
Everyone puts their Easter basket in the 60 foot round pen, and for those who forgot there are brown bags you can put your name on. Mine is the plastic orange pumpkin I use for Halloween candy and it is easy to find. We mount up and Kristi does a quick count down and off we go. 

It seems as if a lot of folks are heading towards the many pastures to the south, so we head north. I don’t have to go very far down the lane before I see an orange plastic egg nestled into a large stack of hay. Score! I don’t even have to get off if she will side-pass up to the hay bales and let me pluck it off. She does and back we ride to the round pen. I am the one grinning. There is a big crowd there, many found eggs right off the bat.  I dismount and wait in line. Everyone is having fun and I can tell I am not the only one in touch with my inner child. Did I mention that most of the riders are well over thirty? There are only a handful of young riders, all female ~ they are the ones that are wearing only t-shirts against the cool April morning. 

Lakota and I jog into the round pen, drop our first egg into our basket and jog out so the next person can go in. I guide her over to the fence and climb it to get back into the saddle. It is much easier on her back and my knees to mount in this manner, besides most of the eggs are going to be on the ground, there is going to be enough getting on and off to cost me several Tylenol’s I am sure.

Now here is where it gets really interesting. Lakota and I do not get to ride alone very often out in large wide open pastures. She isn’t too sure of herself and I suddenly realize what a great experience this is for us as a team building exercise. When she is unsure about something I am there to help her understand what I would like for us to accomplish. We dialog ~ it is a communication  ~ more than usual because she is out of her comfort zone. She would much rather hang out with all the other horses just looking pretty. It is just me and her and the dialogs are many. I ask her if she is looking for Easter eggs and she says no. She stops walking, her muscles are tense. She doesn’t understand why we are doing this and asks me over and over if we have to keep going. I remind her that I spend hours and hours working to keep her in good food and comfortable pastures, that we have only been riding for fifteen minutes and I, for one, am still having fun.

Then for awhile she gets excited and I assume that she thinks that if she picks up the speed we will get done faster and that will be the end of this silly exercise. No, that won’t work you see because I cannot spot the little eggs at 25 miles an hour. So the dialog continues. We ride alone, just the two of us; she heads toward some really boggy ground. I am not sure what the attraction is but we explore it for a while. She sees the mini donkeys on the neighboring farm and we go meet them. Does she think that they are her herd mates even after she looks them over? Do all donkeys smell alike?

I don’t have a care in the world about winning the prize for the most eggs found, in fact we actually quit long before the men and the teenagers, but I am profoundly happy to have this chance to ride with my horse in this hunt for silly colored plastic tubes.

The sun came out in short little teases, and then the cool wind stole away any warmth we had accumulated. It took less than two hours for even the most determined riders to call it quits. We gathered around a picnic table laden with pot luck items and counted up the points and handed out prizes. For our two colored Easter eggs, Lakota and I won a carton of farm fresh eggs ~ the fun green and brown ones, a gift certificate to the local feed store and accumulated 170 points.  A swell day was had by all and the food looks delicious. Life is good.

Friday, April 22, 2011

A Lesson in Time


Just the other day someone made a comment about the fact that I never wear a watch.  “That is remarkable” she said, “how do you make it to all of your appointments on time?”
For one moment I traveled back to a long ago event…

I remember it as clearly as if it happened yesterday.  I was standing in front of the elevator door watching the numbers light up as it traveled slowly up and then began its descent.  One of my best friends was back in the hospital, her stomach full of cancer.  I was taking time out from a very busy work schedule, and as I waited I was trying to remember every thing I still had to get done that day.  Then, you see, I would know how long I could comfortably spend with her on this particular afternoon. 

My watch band broke.  My watch slipped off my wrist and fell to the vinyl tile floor and laid there beside my foot.  Looking down at it I suddenly felt lost.  I bent down, picked it up and held it in my hand, confused for a moment as to what to do next.   I was embarrassed.  What in the heck was I worried about?  How much time did I have?  Hell, how much time did she have?  What is time?

As I gazed at the broken watch it spoke to me, “This is a gift. Go upstairs and be with her.  Time is of no importance.”  With a deep sigh, I dropped it into my purse as the elevator door opened in front of me.

((written October 5, 2008;  revised April 22, 2011 -  blogged today to prepare to receive my new CRV))

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Ode to a Honda


I have been taking my Honda cars to Hoshi Motors for nearly thirty years.  My mechanic has become a dear friend; I have her birthday on my yearly calendar.  February 2009 I was having trouble with my car’s heater and I had them look it over during a routine oil change.  As I stood at the counter they gently explained what a head gasket was, and that Idgey’s was going bad.   I tried to keep up a pleasant banter as I questioned them about what to expect and what did this really mean?  The prognosis was grim, “It could last for two days or another two weeks, but it is going to fail you one day soon. You need to start thinking about a new car.”  I started crying on the road home and I cried for days.

My 1st Honda was a little light blue station wagon, I have no idea what the vintage was, but it was used when we bought it before my son was born.  Her name was Old Blue.  My 2nd  Honda was the large square wagon with dark tinted windows; it was blue as well.  It was my office on wheels, had tons of interior space, plus it had high clearance for barreling through the snow.  I always thought of that car as a juvenile delinquent but I loved it.  It was November of 1992 and my family was getting ready to drive to Missouri for Thanksgiving. I took my car to Grease Monkey for a quick oil change the day before we left.  By the time we got to Springfield, Mo the engine was wrecked.  I didn’t know how bad the damage was but I decided to take him to Hoshi as soon as I got home.  We had to add a lot of oil on that return trip.  We found out the engine was blown, but he carried us all the way back to Colorado and delivered us to our doorstep.  I still think of him has Brave Heart. 

I bought Idgey on December 5th, 1992.  It was the first car I had ever purchased new, 36 miles on the odometer, and Bob talked the dealers into free air conditioning.  She is an opalescent light green, the color of the movie, Fried Green Tomatoes ~ one of my favorite books that they made into an excellent movie.  Idgey was one of the main characters so naming my sporty new car was easy.

To me an automobile is NOT an inanimate object.  Every component of my car is made of metals and plastics ~ which are probably compounds of mixed cellular structures.  She drinks fluids and, on rare occasions, may emit a little gaseous fume.  Even if my theory is weak on facts, my conclusion is the same.  She is my friend; she has a heart and feelings.  She has been there for me in the good times and the bad, in sickness and in health.  She has listened as I sing along to the radio, witnessed my tears and absorbed my anger.  I made up a song for her that I sing every once in awhile.  Every year on my birthday we pretend that it is her birthday as well and we go the car wash and get “the works” inside and out;  I pay extra for a squirt of “new car smell”. 

I can barely imagine life without Idgey.  She takes care of me.  Many years ago, coming across Kansas I-70 on a return trip from my parent’s house, I suddenly felt the power disappear.  In front of me was an off ramp.  Idgey coasted up the ramp, we made a left hand turn over the interstate and finally lost all momentum in front of a pay telephone at a convenience store.  She took care of me ~ there is no other way to describe it.  I called Hoshi, they checked my file and told me what had probably happened and how much it would cost to get it fixed.  When I got back home, I called my insurance agent to ask if I could be reimbursed for the tow truck.  “You didn’t need to pay for that, it is included in your insurance!” he exclaimed.  “It is?” I asked incredulously.  “Nothing ever goes wrong with my car so I didn’t remember that.” 


I have often joked about driving her for 400,000 miles, Hondas have been known to do that and we are well past 300,000 miles now!   Even I know that she is probably no longer safe for long highway trips, but I must tell you that she and I made four trips across Kansas a few years ago as my Fathers health began to fail.  I had other things on mind, to be sure, but I never thought for a second that she wouldn’t get me there and back again. And she did - four times in six months.

It has been more than two years since they told me her time was near.  I keep a very good record of all the antifreeze I add and I religiously watch the heat gauge, it will be one of my first warning signs.  I am still getting over 400 miles per tank of gas and she drives up Boulder Canyon like a trooper.  She is my friend, my ally, my office on wheels.  When her time is really up, I have a phone number of a charity that I can donate her body to, and she will continue to serve as a learning tool for an aspiring young mechanic.  I know that is what she wants.   But for now, I will continue to sing her song for as long as she will listen. 


((written July 6,  2008; revised April 20, 2011 -  blogged today to prepare to receive my new CRV)

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Winding Path to a Small Ass - Part 6of 6


Lessons to Learn

We placed the donkeys in the fifty foot round pen which sets inside the north pasture and made sure they were comfortable. I opened up the paddock gate to let Lakota and her friend Polly (the babysitter horse) into the north pasture. They went right over to the round pen to smell and be with the new ones. Polly, a five year old quarter horse mare, ran around the pen a couple of times, kicking up her heels with excitement about the new adventure. Lakota however, was quietly standing beside the round pen; she lowered her head and I could feel the love pouring out of her towards these new friends. Polly quickly tired of her exuberant behavior and settled down to exchange sniffs and meet these new exotic creatures.

While the four-leggeds got a chance to get to know one another through the round pen barrier, Damaris and I ran a strand of white electric webbed fencing below the existing line of the south fence. It was not actually “hot” but it was visible and we needed to make something low enough to keep these little girls from wandering to the grass pastures on the other side. To make sure that they noticed it, we decided to tie  little orange plastic flags on the white fence as well.  We put our tools away and watched the four communicating together. I knew in my heart that there was not going to a fuss.

We opened up the round pen gate and led the donkeys out, closing the gate behind us. I did not want anyone to get confined in that smaller space when they had the whole north pasture to work things out.
We left the halters on the donkeys as a precaution and stepped back to see what happened. Lakota moved up to the donkeys and extended her nose ~ she reminded me of a mother with her babies ~ that was my sense of her energy.  Hillary (Hilde) was friendly towards her but Piñata (Penny) told her in no uncertain terms that she was eight years old and did not need a mother, thank you very much! She turned her little butt to Lakota and backed up menacingly. She did not actually kick out, instead she just hopped her back legs off the ground a couple of times. It was hysterical to Damaris and I, but Lakota read the energy for what it was and backed away from Penny.

For the next week, Lakota followed the donkeys around the pasture at a respectful space. Hilde and she were becoming friends, but Penny needed to tell her off every once in awhile. No one was remotely close to being in harms way, they were establishing the boundaries. I watched them very closely for the first few days, in fact I wanted to quit my job and just “be” with this new herd.

One day it began to rain and I looked out to check up on “my girls.”  I was surprised to see Lakota under the pole barn. Yeah! She typically stands out in the rain ... right in front of her shed ... and gets soaked. If the temperature drops she gets cold, which can lead to shivering, which could lead to a bout with colic. I constantly monitor her during the winter and she has a series of blankets to ward off the chill. I have been known to throw a damp and stinky blanket in my cloths dryer to dry, warm, and fluff it up before I carry it out and fasten it around her torso. Thank the lord for the “Mountain Spring’ scent of dryer sheets to freshen up my laundry room.  

But on this day when I looked closer I could see that Lakota had her two babies in the pole barn and she was angled across the entrance to keep them in and out of the rain.  It was so sweet it made my heart quiver. She finally had a chance to mother another little being. And I gave yet another prayer for my two new darling miniature donkeys. If they could get Lakota to come in out of the rain, then they were more efficient teachers than I.

Of this I have no doubt.
It is undoubtedly the first of many lessons that they have come here to teach us.
And I am ready and willing and open to learn new things.
So be it!

6 of 6 but Not The End.

This is not the end of the donkey stories. I look forward to years of hilarious tales and ass jokes to share with you. Did you know that donkeys have a possible life span of forty years or more? I have every intention of growing old with, and learning from, these two wise sentient beings. I only hope I can keep up!

Monday, April 11, 2011

Winding Path to a Small Ass - Part 5 of 6


Forever Herd

I was reading a book on donkeys the other day which confirmed that we did exactly the right thing the day we brought our two mini’s home. It said that opening up the trailer and giving the donkeys the entire space was good. Chalk another one up for instinct. Live and learn.

When we opened up the trailer at my farm we were not sure what to expect. Would they come barreling out? Would they be lying down? Were they scared or happy? So we opened the doors slowly and peeked in. Nothing could have been gentler. I slowly moved into the trailer fighting my desire to rush in and throw my arms around their adorable little bodies. Damaris and I each held a lead rope and walked with them to the edge of the trailer. We four stood and looked out at the farm; Damaris and I with our feet firmly on the earth. I tried to see it for the first time as if from their eyes, and I saw a few things that might concern me. The main thing that caught my eye was the orange plastic fencing draped around the harrow ~ that looked kind of spooky. Then the young grey donkey delicately jumped out the trailer followed quickly by her elder.  We were off … at a slow meander.

With absolutely no fanfare we walked slowly towards the gate to the north pasture and their new home. We paused occasionally to sniff the air and their little ears resembled antennae searching non-stop for signals. Lakota, my sweet horse, stood in the paddock with her head over the fence observing the slow moving parade. I had been telling her for a week about her new friends and she was ready to meet them. Her demeanor was calm; she was curious not anxious. I had wondered how she would react as she had been terrified the first time we met miniature horses. (In her defense, we were riding in a long parade and our horse group had been staged a few spaces in front of a miniature horse club and directly behind a troop of beautifully dressed Mexican dancers. The women specialized in twirling their long skirts to make perfect circles in the air ~ a marvelous visual for the crowd but very upsetting to Lakota ~ but that is another story.)

On this fine Saturday, Lakota was happy to greet her new fiends. She was expecting them and I knew that she knew that these two little creatures were different.

They were her “forever herd”.

Lakota stood still so as not to scare them. Her eyes were large as she explored them from her side of the fence. As an energy worker I can tell you there was a lot of energy and information flowing between horse and donkey. Damaris and I gently guided the mini’s through the gate and commented on how glad we were that this new adventure was going so easily. Both of the little donkeys wore tiny raspberry colored halters with matching lead ropes. They walked side by side for the most part and Damaris and I flanked to the outside.
We led the girls around the perimeter of the north pasture to show them the boundary of their new territory.  It is well over one acre and enclosed with woven wire fence perfect for their diminutive size. This area is considerable larger than the sturdy pole paddocks where they had spent most of their lives.
I was forming pictures in my head of the two of them romping in the open field, rolling in the dirt baths, and hanging with Lakota.
It was a comforting picture of safety, and community, and my expanding dream of  “heaven on earth.”

… to be continued.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Winding Path to a Small Ass - Part 4of ??

Time to Move

I must admit that I spent most of the forty-five minute drive hoping that I would be heading home with the geldings but it was apparent immediately that the girls had heard my prayer and nuzzled their way into our hearts.  But I did give the little fellows a lot of time to change my mind. The elder gent, all of about eight years and 35 inches, was spotted and incredibly adorable. His younger partner, a handsome little gray of two, was not ready to leave home; he was fearful and even though I sat down on the fence at his level, he would not come up to investigate me. Damaris indulged my fantasy, but she spent most of her time with the owner and rest of the herd ~ she already had her answer!

It was very difficult for the woman to say goodbye to the little pair, so while she haltered the girls we left her alone to make her peace. She went into the house and I opened the back doors of my trailer. We led Hillary and Piñata to the trailer and they looked dubious. Their ears kept up a constant swivel as they smelled the floor mat curiously, eyeballing the shiny white interior.

I have a two horse slant gooseneck trailer that I had wide open for them. Loosely holding their lead ropes I walked into the trailer. We let them explore for a few minutes and then I had a strong sense that it was time to move. Damaris picked up one tiny brown front leg and placed it on the floor mat. She quickly placed the other front leg in the trailer. John literally picked up a little brown rump and slid her in. In a blink of an eye the second mini found herself in the trailer too. I stroked their necks and told them to get comfortable and promised to drive them carefully to their new home.

… to be continued.

Friday, April 1, 2011

A Morning's Tale

Once upon a time in a tiny kingdom known as Hygiene, in the midst of a circle of sacred trees and under the watchful eye of 14,000 foot snow covered peaks, sat the warm and brightly lit Crane Hollow Café.  This charming eatery was visited every morning at the crack of dawn by the local bards and farmers. They arrived one by one and sat at the same table in the same chair by the same picture window, day after day after day.

But one day, the fairy goddess who lived nearby, with a twinkle in her eye, summoned six fair maidens of her court to arrive early and sit themselves at the cherished plank; to sit demurely and discuss horse-doo doo and gardening tips, and the why-for’s of how these two elements most assuredly intermingle.

When the local bards walked innocently through the front door, they were brought up short. The first two stomped in and, after taking assessment of the never-before-witnessed-scene now before them, sat uncomfortably at a near-by round table. The next one in ducked behind the coffee pot lest he be spied by the fair maidens. One fine fellow stood inside the door in utter dismay, unable to gather his wits around him and flustered as to what to do next. One of the gents was heard to exclaim, “how can you read the paper at this little table!”

Finally, to put the gents at ease, the anything by demure maidens smiled at the gangly group and flashed them two brightly printed red posters, upon which was written in very large letters ~ ApRil  FoOLs !!!!
A chuckle or two was shared by ... almost everyone.

Wherever your are, what ever you are doing ~ enjoy the day!