April wasn't cruel at all this year! In fact, we were able to spend some time on the beaches of Maine, and have the pictures to prove it (we were also able to work in an all-too-brief visit with former Greendale parishioner Haven Andrews). That, however, was after several days of Easter Week work at Mom's house in Vermont.

First, though, you start with the Sunday New York Times on the "auxiliary patio" after church.

Penney specializes in using the riding mower to chop down 3 or 4 acres of grass.

Penney is also the designated flower-bed weeder/mulcher (thisd is only one of many!)

Bob specializes in less-delicate work, such as power-washing the wintertime gravel off.

Power-washing also works well at removing moss from the sides-of-the-house brick.

Bob and Penney cooperated at obtaining and inserting new logs into the fences.

There are always plenty of downed pine limbs which need to be cut up and . . .

. . . turned into a "burn pile." (No, we don't usually stay long enough to actually do that.)

There are always "miscellaneous" jobs, such as repairing the flagpole and its mount.

And Penney was able to finish the sweater she had been knitting for granddaughter Olivia.

Penney's work included sweeping up a lot of pine cones from the grass (Bob confected, some years back, a mechanism for keeping them from flying out of the lawn sweeper, which goes on the back of the mower).

We had "grand-dog" Sophie with us, while Andrew and Emily joined her family for a much-needed vacation trip to Florida. Sophie was a good dog, and enjoyed romping on the freshly-cut grass. She even went to Maine with us.

Sophie's crate fit perfectly in the back of "MJ" Bosworth's SUV, which was out ride.

Mom and "MJ" (a longtime friend) awaiting a serious seafood lunch (scallop pie!) at Newick's, near Portsmouth, NH

Equally anxious (for fried clams, however).

The bridge over the Piscataqua River, which separates New Hampshire and Maine.

We stopped at about three or four beaches; this is York Beach, and, yes, Penney got her feet wet!

Penney walking Sophie at Wells Beach, Bob also got his feet wet, but exited earlier!

No trip to Maine would be complete without lighting the Nubble Light at least once!

Walker's Point, summer home of George H. W. Bush (a/k/a "41")

What would a trip to Maine be without a chance to see Haven Andrews? Less fun.

Meanwhile, back in Minneapolis, Olivia's other grandmother was visiting.

(L to R: Caitlin Connery, Sue Connery, CeCe Connery and Olivia Winter)

Bluebells on an early Spring hike in the Cleveland MetroParks.

Alexander (above) and Olivia (below)