Scary Fun

Just a few of us

There is nothing like a good Halloween pumpkin carving party to bring family together and rejuvenate the artistic soul! The weekend was all about family and fun and we all had a ton of it. It's wild to see us all together. That is a typical turnout on a Sunday for dinner. Its hard to believe we all fit at the dinner table.

Doing makeup on my brother-in-law

I was, of course, the evil baker Mrs. Lovett from Sweeney Todd and I thoroughly enjoyed getting into character. I had a blast placing my meat pies all about the party. Although I didn't win the best costume awardd (Aunt Mildred really did look much better in her costume than I did) we all agreed, if there were a "Best Prop" award, I would have won it for the pies.

Want a pie?

Pumpkins carved and lit ready for judging

For my pumpkin carving I chose to go the traditional route. See the one in front with the happy smile? That's mine. There was so much creative energy at this party, and many cool designs chosen, but I just didn't want to think about design so I went for the five minute cut out and sat there soaking in the energy. Of course the wine helped in this task! LOL

My little hero

All around, a fantastic weekend and Halloween isn't even here yet! There are two more parties to attend and with all this going on I feel that November will be here in a flash!

Martha Clara II

Outdoors at Martha Clara

Columbus Day weekend is our pumpkin pickin', wine tasting weekend in Long Island, New York. A few of us cousins started this tradition last year and when the start of fall rolled around again we all decided that a return to the Martha Clara vineyard was definitely in order.

The weather was superb and I have to say that there is nothing like a big ol' picnic with wine and cheese and good bread in the middle of a field on a old fashioned wooden table. Everyone that was there at the vineyard (and it was packed to the gills this weekend) enjoyed watching their children play with everyone else's children. I mean, everyone that was there enjoying the succulent varieties the vineyard had to offer, watched ALL the children play together. I have yet to go out to an event that has the same comradarie and friendliness as the weekends at Martha Clara. It's one of the reason we drive about 2 hours to get there every year. There is just something about family and wine and relaxing in the outdoors.

Gorgeous pumpkin haul

Right before the sun set we headed on out to the pumpkin patch to pick the choicest pumpkins. I think we could have taken every one of those pumpkins home. They were all so beautiful and I'm really looking forward to carving one up as a jack-o-lantern with Francesco. The others will eventually get eaten in my annual pumpkin stew which is served in the pumpkin shell. It's a very dramatic dinner served with homemade herb bread. Mmmm....

Festive Rest
Pencil drawing from sketchbook

Of course, a trip out to Long Island is always super inspiring to me and this morning I woke with country mice on the brain again. This time they were frolickin in the patches. I stole a few quiet moments alone to pencil down my thoughts. My mind is racing with ideas and my hands are tinglin to get back to work so I better calm both. Happy Columbus Day!

Happy Harvest
Another sketch from this morning

Storytime

A quick snapshot of me and my brother JJ

When I was younger I couldn't stand my little brother. He seemed so fragile and whiny to me. I always thought my parents liked him best. Overhearing how my father was excited to finally get his boy really put the mischievous wheels in motion for me. Rotten apples, aluminum cans and even smooshy caterpillars were all used as ammo for one little blond moving target. My arm then was dead on.

As the years went by we became closer and a true friendship started to evolve. One annual ritual we both adored was our family trip to Dorney Park. With picnic baskets galore and the hibachi we always made our way through a welcoming Alfundo past the big turn on the Journey To The Center of The Earth ride where we plopped all our food and belongings on colorful picnic tables near the last dip of the "big yellow" roller coaster. Every few minutes we delighted in watching the passengers scream as the coaster cars came zooming past us. Once in a while we'd find some lost change from coaster patron pockets which was quickly used on skeet ball in the arcade.

Detail of one of the beautiful rides
at Knobles Park

Over the years this park lost its charm. It's very commercial now and is no longer the Dorney of my childhood. It was a loss for us and my heart sinks every time I think of my son not being able to enjoy the amusement park my brother and I once loved as children.

Recently, my parents found a new park to visit and for two years now we have enjoyed the sounds, sights and yummy delights of Knobles Park. It is a family run park that has captured the days of old. This past weekend my brother and I got to relive our childhood together while watching my son enjoy his first amusement park rides. We both agreed that although the memories of Dorney linger with sadness, new memories are a treasure too and I'm so very glad we had this past Labor Day Weekend to share with one another. I walk away with amazing new memories and can't wait till next summer when we can enjoy all the fun stuff Knobles has to offer again. Love you J.

Getting Away

We packed our bags and headed out to PA to see my folks on Saturday. It was a wonderful trip full of fun and lots of laughs. I had intended on visiting some high school friends for drinks, but found myself getting involved with family and before I knew it the weekend was over and we were back on the road heading back to Brooklyn.

I took my sketchbook, but only opened it to stick my cousin's business card inside. I haven't seen cousin Cathy in, gosh I'd say, over 15 years! We pulled up in front of the house just as she and my uncle were pulling up. It was a great surprise and a most welcome reunion.

Look out for that umm....orb?
Photo by Francesco

I didn't do one artistic thing all weekend. The only one getting artistic this past weekend was my son. He made some really fun Play Dough sculpts and had a ball with my camera, which I also had no interest in using.

I love to watch him walking about the house centering in on a subject. Many times my husband and I are the subject of his muse and we ham it up to make him laugh that silly laugh he has. If you have kids you know the laugh I'm talking about. It's the one that comes from the depths of their little souls and it automatically makes you feel happy. It's pure joy. It's pure positive energy that is beyond infectious.

Despite the laughter and hammin' it up he actually took a pretty good shot of us and I wanted to share it cause I'm proud. He got us in the frame and it's not a bad comp., but hmm....what the heck is above my head? Is that a dust orb or something else? Veeeery interesting. It's the only shot on the camera from the weekend with something "odd" in it. It sure makes the imagination go wild.

New Week

"You love the roses - so do I. I wish
The sky would rain down roses, as they rain
From off the shaken bush. Why will it not?
Then all the valley would be pink and white
And soft to tread on. They would fall as light
As feathers, smelling sweet: and it would be
Like sleeping and yet waking, all at once."
~ George Eliot

Its a quiet and slow Monday morning. My coffee finds me thinking of the new week. What goals must be accomplished this week?

* do something special with Francesco
* do something special with hubby
* finish alborozo
* finish those fairy wings for JAH
* get to the PO and mail out lots of lingering items
* think about another blog giveaway
* spend time just being silent and listening
* let my mind wander on silly things
* play some old cassette tapes

Should be a great week.
What's one special thing you are doing this week?