Aldie Boy's monkey

This is the new monkey for Aldie Boy's birthday. I think I will call him Aabee which is short for Aldie Boy. He has a very shocked expression on his face. This is because Alden often does shocking things for his age.Soooo Aabee is often shocked ---Alden walked at 9 months, can play a flute like recorder, can ride a horse with one hand in the air and while simultaneously rocking on the horse, can get in all kinds of crashes, can fall flat out on the floor because he looked up at Uncle Skipper, etc

This will be one worn out shock filled monkey--so he is resting in the chair , but still has the surprised look on his face!

Here is a close up--his ears are different so that Rhi can tell him apart from the rest of the gang. His hat is sewed on so Aldie won't lose it.

He now awaits the birthday party for Alden Boy in July!

Black Balsom Mountain

This is one of our favorite places--you get a 360 degree view!! We were hauled up here to celebrate the 32 anniversary of our owners ;-)

Springtime FUN

We got to be reunited with one of our favorite families--and Our favorite Grand Daughter! See how she loves us!

Our 2 friends (part of the Tinsley 3 monkey family) are getting their gizzards shaken out!

Zephir had time for coffee with one of the Tinsley 3's

Then it was picnic time at Duke Gardens--we loved this blanket!

Little Aldie thought no one was watching him get into the bananas and apples--but Zephir and Minkey where keeping their eyes on this little lively imp!

Here we are just having a relaxing moment--ya gotta love that Rhi girl in the pink hat!

The lake and flowers were beautiful--it was a photo op.

Rhi ate an apple with us.

All in all it was a splendish time!!

Charleston Tea Plantation

This weekend we went to the Charleston Tea Plantation---we love this tea!! In the background you can see their old harvester which is from the 60's and is still working.

Of course the best thing about visiting the plantation is that Kim got to get a new teapot--one that is just perfect for her morning tea! However , she usually uses one of Rosanna's tea cups from Seattle.

Here we are sitting in the weeds next to a tea bush. The bushes in this particular plot had lots of old varieties which they were not using at this time.

A festival is coming soon. They will have the first cuttings of the season and it is exceptionally good tea.

This is a picture of some of the older bushes. Tea bushes can produce for hundreds of years. One of the oldest ones (not here) is around 1400 years old!! YIKES.

After the tea is cut it goes onto the withering bed to dry it out (but green teas are not put here)

The Rotovane crushes it up .

Then it goes to the oxidation bed. (the whole process from cutting until ready for bagging only takes 20 hours. They send the tea to Kentucky to be made into bags .....or sometimes to Fairfield ,CT..)

The trees were beautiful.

Here is Skipper and Dad---it was a nice time together!

And here is the ole lady with her prized tea pot!! VERY Happy.

On Sunday we attended the services at St. Phillip's (started in the 1600's).

Monkey Book

I forgot to add this to the post below. This was my gift (Valentine's Day) to the grands--I love , love this book---it is fun to read!!!

A visit to the monkey family at Rhi's was a very nice break!! We had lots of fun!! [although I wish Rhi would put that spider in her hand away.......ha)

The little one loves to monkey around!
Rhi is giving him extra attention!

We had so much fun just playing!!! It is good to be a child again at times, isn't it!?