Entrance to Michener's Museum. Yes, the author nearly everybody has read.
...and that's where we headed off to this morning and saw some very satisfying art in a great setting that isn't overwhelmingly huge; though the permanent collections' housing/storage is enormous. On exhibit were McCurry's Afghanistan photos that really put me into that country and so did the Jonas Lie paintings of the Panama Canal construction. Also, I enjoyed the Nakashima furniture from the permanent collection. If you click on the link above to the website don't miss the photos of the Nakashima Reading Room. Here's one of his pieces...
One of a kind music stand. This photo is for Keoni and Aidan.
It is peacefully comfortable here at Marge's, and fun having a go at seeing some of the great things around here that Carol, who grew up in Bryn Athyn, has been pointing to that I might go see. Marge is helping make that happen. Yes, of course, is the answer to Do I miss Aidan and family and Toby. Yet, this is fun making life here with Marge.
Today, we hit one of the Farmer's Markets along Old Bethlehem Pike on the way home and scored on some great fruit and vegetables which are in abundance everywhere right now.
Spoiler Alert...
I'm going to tack this on because I thoroughly enjoyed going to see Hell or High Water the other day. (Still am astounded that there is a theater not far away that has closed caption devices.) I liked Jeff Bridges a lot in this one. He isn't a do-over of "the Dude" at all like he was in True Grit. Chris Pine is starting to look more craggy as he is now out of the smooth-cheeked, youth look he had in the Star Trek movies--he had a little meatier role to chew on and did a good job with it. Midland, Texas never looked this good, but that's OK. Clovis (and, I think Portales), New Mexico, made a good stand-in.
Saturday, August 27, 2016
Aidan and I got together for more kitchen table artwork along with more Scattergory, another walk, and some soccer over where his team is playing. His team now has, I think, three wins and one tie--maybe a couple more wins before he was back from Heifetz.
Next week are tryouts for the school soccer team. He and a couple of school buddies were practicing for that yesterday afternoon before Aidan and I split for a meal at the local Vietnamese restaurant that we both like. That, followed by his shower at home after which we took off for the church where Seth had his piano concert. I captured Seth's encore after a wonderful program from this accomplished young man's repertoire playing Mozart, Debussy, and Chopin.
The encore was Claire de Lune...
If you are a blog follower you'll know Seth from times when he plays the accompaniment for pieces Keoni or Aidan are rehearsing or performing or recording. He assists the church music program, as well. What good fortune we all have to know and appreciate this talented, agreeable man.
Besides enjoying drawing, like his brother, Aidan has a very good eye for the wonderful photo op. He generously sent these to me to share with you...
From our Kitchen Table Art...oops a charger wire got in there.
Aidan's sunset at the farm.
It's interesting trying out some of the mediums and tools again...
Water color pencils and watercolor travel box.
Watercolor box open for business.
New pens that Paula told me about. They handle a lot like dip-pen/ink without the spill potential.
Yesterday morning before it got to0 hot out in back.
Yes, sometimes I miss Toby, but feel happy he is roaming the environs at the farm. He came to get his pets after one of the walks Aidan and I took around the farm perimeter. He hasn't forgotten one bit.
As Aidan and I rounded the corner of one of the pastures, the figure of a fawn rose up in the wooded area flanking the fields where it had been tucked in by its mom as is customary for deer who need to go get their water and nourishment. We were careful not to disturb him or her further. As we slipped by we could see its spots.
Life is galloping along. I'm doing something tomorrow that tests my nature by talking before a group, Adult Forum, at church (think grown-ups at Sunday School). I am grateful it is an easy audience and that I'll know many of them. The subject is Playing for Change|Songs Around the World. It went viral 8 or 10 years ago so you maybe saw it or follow their progress via their website. In any case, here is the original recording they made that I still love...Playing for Change -- Stand by Me.
All too quickly, Keoni is away again to MacDuffie for his school year and reports a dorm room this time that is, if not palatial, greatly improved over the digs from last year with an actual living room in the photos he messaged to us. The loss of his wallet played heavily through the week as the urgencies created consumed chunks of his world and his parents'.
Aidan doesn't have to show up for eighth (OMG 8th!!!) grade until the end of the month. Had a pleasurable afternoon with him that included a mini concert in the music room while he played The Swan, a clever card trick, Scattergory, drawing, and stuffing ourselves at the Energy Station...
This is Aidan's dessert. He couldn't finish and neither could I.
It was a pleasure today to hear him play The Swan again at church; this time with Seth accompanying on the piano.
For the Postlude he played C. Saint-Saens' Cello Concerto No. 1 in A Minor with Seth ably accompanying. Seth said they could get together for more of this. Nice.
This afternoon was very satisfying going to an actual movie that is only 15-20 minutes away and has a closed captioning device. Yea!!!! Marge and I saw Florence Foster Jenkins. Yes, Meryll Streep has done another wonderful character. Hugh Grant is way better than I've ever seen him. Funny, I saw this on the stage a few years ago and it was no where near as good as this movie. Streep makes the character believeable without particularly noticing it was Streep. I have really missed going to movies. I love watching what I can on my laptop with the earbuds, but have fallen completely out of the loop on what has been playing except for blockbusters.
Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Right before a trip I've made, Aidan came home from Heifetz and a photo was made of him there that I love, so being his grandmother with a blog, I will open with a something and a who that I love...
Celloman.
Since then there has been almost a week of travel without my trusty pony and laptop. In flight, I feel like one of the huddled masses with my center aisle seat and no way to see the earth below. Well, except there is the service cart and I have access to the facility to relieve myself in privacy.
During that week, Wendy texted documentation of the release of the "chicks" from the barn where they were sequestered. It had grown so hot and humid that it was better to risk the hawks ogling from the fence posts and Toby the Predator than have them succumb to summer's heat wave. (That is persisting as I write.)
Aidan and Keoni performing release. Of course, the pullets had never seen outdoors so there was no dramatice rush to the door...
...only suspicion. These are the bravest ladies.
Some of the cousins, kissin' cousins, and one of my sisters met in Iowa at Marilyn and Alan's to take in the Iowa State Fair. It was the two cousins who were seasoned by years of outdoor bike riding in all conditions, including heat, who fared the best walking through the enormous fair. We're sorry Jim and Kathy missed a turn on the most horrible of the midway-type rides due to a shockingly high ticket price--$30. There was speculation that insurance fees had to be covered.
Marilyn and Alan took awfully good care of all. Imagine, stowing away six people in your home and smiling over coffee in the morning.
The visit's purpose, in theory, was the Iowa State Fair among throngs of people eating from 70 different comestibles on sticks and everything fair-related you've ever imagined with plenty you haven't. I made it through three-fourths of a rice crispies chocolate/caramel/marshmallow treat on a stick; Kathy was the champion with a goal of 10% of the 70 food-on-sticks offerings ranging from the rice crispy thing through salad-on-a-stick that she consumed by the end of fair attending. She actually ate eight things but counting her second rib-wrapped-in-bacon-on-a-stick was vetoed.
(Here is where I'd have put Kathy with her last purchase--good ol' cotton candy but, alas, the photo is missing. Feel free if you have it to send it along to me for posting.)
Now that I am back in PA with Marge and have my laptop once again before me. I'll share some of the pictures--there were lots and thanks to those who shared. No chronology remains in my head; nevertheless, I have a smattering of images to share with you...
At the fair...
State Capitol building where there was parking and a shuttle to the fair. Yes that's gold leaf.
A bazillion quilts. Memorable is this one.
Tall cases in rows were filled with jellies and preserves.
Listening to my feet talking to me, I missed the butter cow, but I love this of Marilyn with this one. We all thought of our Christmas Chia Pets.
This cake contest entry is for Keoni and Aidan.
Remembering the goat occupants of Rhapsody Ridge were the fainting variety before Wendy and John, et al moved in...
...and, here is one of them.
Monday the temp stayed down in the mid-80s. Alan, Marilyn and JM with stick.
At the voting booth. One jar for Hilary. One jar for you-know-who. A corn kernel dispensed to each person who got in line and dropped into the jar marked Clinton (or the other one). Can't say which was ahead.
Rest stop for Kathy and me.
Around Marilyn's...
This was bare two years ago...just some scruffy grass and a tree. Yes, Marilyn is a wonderful landscaper.
Kathy.
Marilyn and Susie with one of several puzzles that went on the whole time.
Alan and Jim contemplating the garage door lifting device repair.
Jackie at her laptop. The smile sustained throughout the weekend about the happy news of a new home purchase.
The garden goddess.
Susie played for us, but the sample song I recorded was a failure because the locusts outdoors were so loud that the sound is far from pleasant as it turned out.
Locust shells on a tree in the back yard.
Jim solves many problems. This one was a clean-up of Jackie's computer.
Listening to Susie...
.
We took in the Saturday morning Farmer's Market. Photos were meh, but a sketch survived...
Nancy's old friend is Reverend Jan at a nearby Presbyterian Church where she and I attended to take in Jan's service and message. Later we had lunch with Jan and family...
Reverend Jan.
Nancy and Jan.
Jan's yard...
Monday, August 8, 2016
Summer relented a bit some of the past week. At least, you could tell it some mornings...
It is nice out on the patio.
...so much so, that it was fun to sit a draw for a bit. And, that began a sequence of drawing times. So nice. More on that later.
The tiger lilies were over as fast as the Dutch Iris were in the spring.
Keoni's couple of weeks with the Dali Quartet Summer program led to several performances over this week. Part of his role there now is mentoring the younger players. Puneeth, a friend of Keoni's from PYO whom I chanced to meet on the train from Philadelphia a couple winters ago, is doing the same at Dali. He is following two masters now at Georgia Tech--the violin in their orchestra and Chemical Engineering. It was a treat to see him again at Dali. I met his mother this time.
Puneeth and his mother.
You'll, no doubt, be surprised that Keoni is playing viola. He has branched out and continues with both.
And I captured a quick sketch of Keoni...
Another treat was seeing Aidan again back from Heifetz in Virginia. They drove most of the night in order to have Sunday back at the farm.
11:30 a.m. Sunday. They're pretty tired. Aidan played his cello though so I could hear the difference the three weeks made. Yes, indeed! there is a wonderful difference. Beautiful.
Aidan says Heifetz was great and he learned a huge amount.
And let's not forget about soccer. Tomorrow, there is a game. He only missed two games as the team did more practice times before the games began last week.
It was fun getting to spend a little time with each of these young men. I had a picnic lunch with Keoni on Lehigh University campus--we had a nice walk looking for eateries before scoring some lunch to eat back at the campus.
At Lehigh's Zoillner Arts Center
Tomorrow will see me start putting together some belongings for a trip to the Iowa State Fair and lots of visiting with cousins, sister Susie and our kissin' cousins.
It is Monday, the first day of a new August. The last of the stuff at Rhapsody Ridge was moved or dealt with today. Actually, the sense of a great hump of moving activity surmounted, came late Saturday afternoon. It's all falling into place since.
The bed is made, has a new headboard and is very comfortable...
Social Security web site isn't letting an address change happen. Something's gone wrong with it. I decided after three days of trying, to call them. It's the first time I've heard, "Your wait time will be approximately one hour and fifteen minutes".
A number of cranky things like that still await but most are done.
Today, driving here with the last of my belongings I saw a wolf!!! I almost slammed on the brakes but didn't and saved myself a rear-ending. Nevertheless, I was able to slow quickly enough to gawk and confirm my astonished wonderment seeing him or her. It was the same sort of feeling that I had when I saw the Snowy Owl and years ago the Mountain Lion. The moment they pop into view; a certain feeling--is that really what I'm seeing, really? really? and something then that says yes it truly is. They are indelible moments for me.
Friend Paula in Tucson started a twitter account called Sonoran Sketchers. She is posting the recent drawings she did and some from other's contributions of that theme. Look there for one of mine from my Tucson days--a couple more of them will be added soon, too. I'm particularly fond of the article she posted there called Sketching for Travelers: Reasons to swap your smartphone for pencil or paint.
