Bless Your Heart

...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.