"OH, YOU CAN'T HELP THAT," SAID THE CAT, "WE'RE ALL MAD HERE."
--Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
Saturday, December 30, 2017
Before New Year's thoughts overtake me I want to share another Christmas Day message from Keoni and Aidan...
Our family Christmas story was a bit subdued from other years but no less satisfying. Maybe the better for its simplicity.
Christmas morning at the farm.
It was with a bit of nostalgia for the Southwest that I hung up a chili wreath from Valerie and Tim on my hearth at Marge's.
Along with his violin, Keoni brought home his newest acquisition; a wonderful viola on loan to him from a foundation. I love the sound from it... Ah me, definite nostalgia going on now remembering Keoni and Aidan's conservatory sounds in the farmhouse...
It is snowing powdery stuff across the territory here. There are no tracks from the pussycat patrols that daily pass by the patio here. Just snow happening. Soon I'll take the big broom and sweep it off the walks and my pony Subaru.
Over in Tucson Carol and Janie are celebrating their buddies Montana and Joe Stylish returning home after a couple of pastured years in Tubac waiting on Carol and Janie's joint replacement recoveries. Here are a couple of Tubac photos Carol sent...
The rain is falling and laundry is in the magic machine that cleans without an agitator. Occasional great sighs have alerted me to its work. I am reminded of a great marine animal behind the utility door.
We are deep into the month of Winter Solstice, religious remembrances of our sources of hope and promise, and time markers that put before us visions of what happened, and turns us toward what could be new. In the present, we have what is before us today. For that I count my blessings: One, I am still here; two, my grateful list illuminates abundance; and when I get to three I'm no longer in specifics, it melds into boundless reflection.
The wash machine just sang its tuneful signal that it is finished with the light colors. Time for the darks.
In the realm of specifics, Keoni made it through the Atlanta airport chaos the morning after the big power outage there. He was actually pretty much on schedule when he arrived in Philly. One evening, Keoni and Aidan called and said they were in the area and would like to stop by. What a treat! It all felt so natural and so welcome. And, with Aidan at the piano and Keoni on Marge's chair lift...
the evening devolved into laughter...
Later, after they'd gone home, I whipped up some cookies...
Yes, that's butter.
...and drove over to the farm to participate in the Annual Bolding Christmas tree decoration time. Mostly, I watched as lights and decorations were hung and enjoyed the moment, Wassail, cookies, and good company.
Over in Missouri, Clarence was asleep under Jeanenne and Larry's tree.
One day, I moved furniture around again. This time, downstairs. Some specifics...
Shoutout to Marge: Thank you, for being a wonderful house sharer.
Sandy sent us a photo of the rubbing we did of Grandpa Steinbach's name at Ellis Island using a pencil from a passerby and a cash register receipt...
She also sent a couple photos of her recent drawings...
Stepping outside in the somewhat more urban surroundings here in Quakertown, it is always welcome hearing geese, looking up and watching a group fly by...
It is impossible to not smile when Sebastian, Fancy, and Frezz greet me at the barn lot gate...
Despite this little white flower bravely blooming away in the backyard, winter came anyway.
The flower has a name but I don't remember it. (Lower mid-right.)
A couple days later the early morning looked like this...
Off to the side yard (left off camera), one-by-one each morning up to four cats come across the open adjoining barn area to parade between our dwelling and the next door neighbor's, each patrol timed a little differently so as to avoid encounters with each other in the narrows between the two houses. One old fellow of vast street experience lumbers through and systematically marks the bushes as he wends his way. A younger female occasionally makes a try for one of the resident squirrels so tantalizingly spiraling up and down the trees.
Advent is here and 2017 is close now to becoming history. Marge arrived in Charleston this afternoon safe and sound and without encountering serious problems with the eastern seaboard snowstorm. A text from her remarked on a couple of lonely Confederate flags flying out in the middle of nowhere. No sign of the holdouts who put them up.
Keoni is taking care of some gigs before he returns early next week. Aidan only has the days between Christmas and New Year's Day to kick back. A very short break for him. He went to work on a gingerbread house a couple nights ago and sent a picture...
...then, he ate it.
Before she left for the south, Marge made many batches of a confection that has the name "crack" in it. Crack Cookies I'm calling them. She unpacked an amazing pile of ingredients...
Marge gifted the cookies far and wide. We both got some tasty nibbles but exercised remarkable control of consumption before they went out the door.
Jeanenne has shared the latest from her kitchen island watercolor studio...
Several days later, Sandy sent a snap of her endeavor...
Now, who knew that these women, my sisters, would take up brush and pencil and turn out such good renderings! None of us are spring chickens and it's somehow wonderful this suddenly sprang forth. You just never know what might be in the next mile traveled.
The stores are full of people. I know we all cluck and complain about the commercialization of Christmas and while it's true there's a lot of money to be made from and spent on the gift part, maybe it's time to remember the three kings who got the ball rolling a couple thousand years ago giving fine gifts at the birth of a little boy, and the wonder about the star, and all those predictions from even longer ago, and everything else. Sort of cosmic when you think about it. So maybe the gifts are part of it. A marker, a talisman, a reminder.
...for following this delivered from here in Penn's woods. This is catchup time, for sure, but where to start... As you know from earlier posts, my sister Sandy is staying nearby for a November visit. The month has seen us enjoying tourism, celebrating birthdays and holidays, enjoying music performances from the high school to Kimmel Center, astute haggling (Sandy--not me, I'm terrible at it) for the better antique price, and general visiting.
Wendy's birthday dinner and Sandy captured a couple of photos...
Happy Birthday, Wendy!
John.
Aidan dishing up the cake and ice cream.
Birthdays finished for a few days, Sandy and I went gallery hopping in Quakertown. Tobin's was all outdoors and the studio locked up. Plenty to look at though over about 25 acres of property on the edge of town.
Meanwhile, Marge and her sister celebrated football in Boston.
From the Music Desk:
Aidan's high school (yes, OMG, he is a Freshman already) orchestra first performance of the year.
Wendy, Sandy, and Cello Man post-performance.
On my walk from the train station to meet Wendy and John (they go early for Aidan to be at the rehearsal) near Kimmel Center in Philly. There was a craft show going on at City Hall. I almost got a hat from this lady. She also displayed a friend's art work.
Hat Lady.
We finished the walk to Kimmel to hang out until performance time...
John and Wendy enjoying a little mutual appreciation time.
Aidan's debut performance with the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra (PYO).
Celloman at work, far right.
It was sunset when the beautiful concert was over and I walked back to the train. Wendy and John took Aidan home in their (almost) new Volt.
Skating at City Hall.
Marge and I went to visit Sandy at her interesting rented farmhouse one afternoon...
Coming down the steep hill by the house after a walk around the property.
A highlight of Sandy's November stay was our limo ride (compliments of Sandy!) to Jersey City...
... for one of the two ferry landings operating to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. Reservations were filled up from Battery Park in NYC. Turned out to be EZ-PZ from New Jersey's Liberty State Park landing...
Sandy, Wendy, Aidan, JM, and Mickey the driver's thumb.
Thank you, Sandy.
Getting our logistics on.
Sandy with Lower Manhattan backdrop.
Geese with Lower Manhattan Backdrop.
It was a beautiful day. Layers of outerwear made us comfortable as a slight wind picked up now and then.
...a ferry...
We're on the way to Ellis Island.
Hunting for Grandpa Steinbach's name.
Found it!
Anton Steinbach. Panel 422 if you visit Ellis someday.
Everybody whose ship csme to Ellis was processed through the Registration Hall.
Aidan in front of the same building his Great, Great Grandpa Steinbach went through.
Another ferry hop to...
Statue of Liberty
Headed to the very tight security.
We had tickets to climb up to the top of the pedestal. They were sold out for the crown.
Nuts and bolts hold her to pedestal.
Aidan's pano of Lady Liberty and Manhattan.
Sandy and Wendy.
Ellis Island from the pedestal.
We're heading back now at sunset. NYC in the afterglow.
We gathered two days later at Wendy and John's for Thanksgiving...
Keoni was home. He is also the proud owner of a double case to hold the violin and viola. No more buying an extra ticket! (We hope!)
Turkey emerging from the brine.
Turkey emerging from the fryer...
Turkey carving.
Aidan practicing his turkey carving skills.
Another wonderful Thanksgiving and just for fun we gathered for another dinner yesterday at Sandy's. A sort of goodbye to Keoni going back to college for three more weeks and to Sandy heading back to Missouri on Thursday.
The boys were at it with their music yesterday that they brought along to Sandy's...
Part of the audience.
Later in the day we heard from Jeanenne. She sent along some watercolors she was working on...
The month is fading from the oranges and yellows to the next season though it still is unusually warm. The box stores are mostly red now so it must be nearing Christmas. I hope you had a fine Thanksgiving wherever you spent it. I sure did.
We'll be saying goodbye to Penbuck Farm very shortly.
Meanwhile, cold mornings are the norm. The fish cling to the bottom of the pond. And there is much to be thankful for.
