Trees Down

My daughter V's sister-in- law just posted 35 pictures walking around her neighborhood in Long Island.  The devastation is too hard to comprehend.   It appears that a large percentage of the large, mature trees could not hold on, and did not survive the fury of Sandy.

  The good news is that the people we love are unharmed,  though probably frazzled and frayed at the nerves!   Both V and Matt's house survived, as did Matt's parents.  Thank goodness for that!!

Still not much power there,  but Matt's office on Long Island has power, so they could charge up their various devices, smart phones, etc.   Daughter said she was going to the gym, because they had power.  So there must be pockets.

I'm sure the area will never look the same, and oh how long it will take to clean up!

She must have stopped by V's house.   This one made me smile, rather than cry!!  (though it may be too dark to really see.   Cooking by helmet on a gas stove.

Scarecrow

Youngest daughter said to me on the phone:  "Mom, would you make me a scarecrow?"

"I don't think I have any idea how to make a scarecrow,"  I answered.

"Well, you could figure it out.  You can make anything!"  she said.  (goading me)

So, I Googled it!  And sure enough, there was a video with step by step directions for making a scarecrow.  It seemed to me to be a huge project, including the need for a bale of hay!   Daughter V wanted it for her berry bushes, because the birds eat up her berries.  This is not a Halloween decoration.   She said there were probably other, less daunting ways to make a scarecrow. 

After sleeping on it, I envisioned how I might do such a challenging task.   I worked on it today, while waiting for family members to arrive for a visit.  They were delayed several times, so I just kept working.

So here she is, my first ever Scarecrow.  I'm not sure she looks very scary,  buy, hey, who knows, maybe the birds will be intimidated.

I'm actually quite proud of my creativity!

 

When I was working on it, it was stretched out on a long table.   I did tell Gerry not to be startled by the body in the basement!

Harvest Sunday

Almost every church of which I have been a part has celebrated some form of Harvest Sunday, when the chancel is decorated with flowers, fruits, vegetables.   At least visually,  I think it is my favorite Sunday.   It brings to mind abundance, God's creation,  thanksgiving.

Today was harvest Sunday where I worship.  There was a considerable bounty on display, with everything from huge sunflower seed heads, to potatoes, to corn stalks, to pumpkins, feathers, and chrysanthemums.

And as a benediction to that, we enjoyed the monthly fellowship meal with a whole range of choices in soups and sandwiches.

God is so good!

Jersey Boys

Without a doubt, the Jersey Boys show that we saw today was the very best musical theater I have ever seen.  And I have seen dozens and dozens of productions at various places over forty plus years.  This show reminded me of all the reasons I fell in love with musical theater to begin with.

It was clear from the audience reaction that I am not the only one who had such a positive reaction.  The crowd literally roared with approval.

For me, there are a variety of reasons why I would call it the very best.  Of course, I would have more appreciation for the music since much of it came from my era,  songs of the fifties and sixties.  It was delightful to actually know the words to many of the songs.  But the quality of the music could move one of any generation.  I have no doubt that it has and still does.

The production itself was done with a variety of multi-media elements.   The Jersey Boys were often on stage singing, and there was a Jersey Boys orchestra providing the music. Various other musical instruments and groups floated in and out of the stage setting.  A portion of the stage would become a large screen and video clips from the actual historical Four Seasons would appear.   The casting was so magnificent that when the historical clips appeared on screen,  I was absolutely convinced that it was a video of the current actors on stage!   Even the details of the height of the Four Seasons singers was considered in the casting.  The singer/actor who played the part of Frankie Valli sounded so much like Valli, that I could not believe my ears.  And what a unique sound that was!

Since the story was based on the true account of the Jersey Boys lives and musical careers,  it included much about their failed relationships, their loyalty, their flawed characters.  It was filled with tragedy and triumph, humor and pathos. It was fast-paced, highly entertaining, full of song and dance. I was never bored, even for a moment.

Another exceptional part of the experience was the Landmark Theater itself, a magnificent old grand movie palace.   It was built in 1928, functioning even during the silent film era.  Apparently, after many stages of renovation there was a re-opening event in 2011.

What a delight!  I am beyond words to describe how much I loved this show.
Thanks to the daughter who insisted I go!

Fall Foliage

A Trail in the Woods

We enjoyed a lovely leaf peeping journey to the Adirondacks yesterday.   We traveled to Old Forge and stopped along the way to view lovely sights, take pictures, eat lunch, hike Bald Mountain, and so forth.

We had intended to take the chair life excursion, but it was only open from Wednesday to Sunday, so that did not work out.

The colors were far more brilliant than seen in these pictures.  It was the peak there, and lovely indeed.

I am adding here a few more photos of the sights we enjoyed.

Maybe Fourth Lake

The Bald Mountain Climb

Near Chittenango Falls