Spring is still the thing

My sister in-law in HI is missing the tulips and lilacs.  The Lilacs in particular are really spectacular this year.  Theses are the last of my late tulips. Summer is just around the corner as you can see by the poppies cracking and the strawberries blooming.  Mandy here is our  last blast of spring.

 

  

   

      My wonderful neighbors, the Neads, have a really beautiful  lilac bush.

You can see my little garden helper off in the corner of the picture.

        

Here comes summer – peeking through the cracks.

Soon there will be strawberries.

Grand Rapids Knights Of The Round Table

 

Every year the the community service organization The Grand Rapids Knights Of The Round Table sponsors an oratorical scholarship competition.  They hold the competition at the University Club at the top of the 5/3rd Bank Building downtown and treat us to lunch.  1st prize is $1500, 2nd is $750, and 3rd is $250.  The topic this year was “How do we improve education in the United States?” We have competed in this for years and this was the best over all group of speeches I have seen.  It never gets old for me to watch these kids as they grow in their speaking ability.

Andy and Talya on the way in to the University Club.

 

A view from one of the floor to ceiling windows.

 

My students: Alecia, Talya, and Andy fill out their forms.

     

Lew Vandermeer, my colleague at Grand Rapids Christian H.S. brought students as well.  Some of you will remember Lew was the the person who married Clint and I.   

  

Some of the students from GR Christian.

 

Andy and Talya each take a turn to present their speeches.

 

Some of the GR Christian students present.

 

It is Alecia’s turn.

The speeches are over and we wait for the judges to tally the results.

Henry Smitter announces the winners.

Talya won 1st place. Two of the GR Christian students took 2nd, and 3rd. 

The entire talented group of competitors.