One Beautiful Saturday – Two Free Museums

Photo: a view of the back of my Honda Fit with my electronic recycling. The large piece of furniture is an old radio/stereo. I backed the car up to the garage door, hauled the stereo over to the back of the car and tipped it into the cargo area. I put a blanket down so the car would not get scratched. Piece of cake.

The Plan
The original plan for last Saturday, Sept. 26th, was for me and Barbara to gather up our electronic recycling and head for the Trash Museum in Hartford. In the process of cleaning out every nook and cranny in order to move, I am amazed at the obsolete electronic stuff I had accumulated. I don’t know what Barbara’s excuse is. ☺

As I was reading the morning paper, I saw a teeny tiny news item about Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day with FREE admission to over 400 museums nationwide and over a dozen in Connecticut.

First I got on the phone to Barbara to see if she was interested in having a day-long adventure. She was. From there I got a list of museums and chose two definite destinations plus one “maybe”. After printing out the Free Admission “tickets” we were ready to go.

Recycling
We arrived at the recycle center on Murphy Road in Hartford about 10 o’clock. The guys who were taking the stuff out of cars were a great bunch. When they got the old stereo/radio out of the car they all stood around to admire it. Every one of them said the same thing: "My grandmother had one like that.” Very funny.

Wadsworth Atheneum
We bid them adieu and headed for the Wadsworth Atheneum (the oldest public art museum in the United States). We spent a couple of hours lost in the art of Degas, Cézanne, Renoir, Monet, Manet, and van Gogh. There were more but I can’t remember all of them. Of special note were the huge canvases by John Trumbull (from Lebanon, Conn.; the son of Gov. Jonathan Trumbull) depicting scenes from the Revolutionary War. I wish I had taken notes…I don’t want to name the works hanging there because I’m not 100% sure of the scenes depicted. (I know, I’m a lousy reporter!)

We saw the works of so many masters I went into culture overload. We also saw sculptures from Egypt and fine china and porcelain from around the world.

Two hours is not enough time to see everything. We found we were going from room to room to room and having no idea where we were…finally coming out to where we started.

Parallel parking
I have to boast here…I found a tiny parking space on the Prospect St. at the rear of the Atheneum and parallel parked on the first try! Hadn’t had to do that in years, but it all came back to me once I started the process.

Lunch
We left the Wadsworth and headed for Farmington to visit the Hill-Stead Museum. But first we needed to have lunch. We planned ahead and had our picnic lunches with us. I thought it would be pleasant down by the Farmington River below the Millrace Book Store. We went down the stairs, jumped a small ditch and proceeded to spread our blanket over a fallen tree. Lunch tasted so good.

On to Hill-Stead
Neither of us had ever been to the Hill-Stead Museum. This past summer I thought of attending the poetry in the sunken garden on Wednesday nights, but never made it. I don’t know how much time we spent looking at the collection of Monet, Degas, Cassatt, and Whistler along with photographs of the family and local life. The history of the Museum and the Pope-Riddle family can be found at the museum’s website. We also toured the sunken garden which was being set up for a wedding later that afternoon.

It was now after three o’clock and time to go home. A grand spur of the moment adventure! My kind of day.

Nighttime Visitors

This is what I saw when I went out to get my Sunday newspaper...raccoon paw prints from a small puddle toward my front steps. I had already seen the bird feeder in the back yard where my raccoons apparently had been bouncing on it. The plastic things that hold the lines closer together were on the ground and the feeder was hanging mighty low. They had bounced some seeds onto the ground, but as far as I can tell, they don’t eat the birdseed. WHY DO THEY KEEP COMING BACK NIGHT AFTER NIGHT? If you are a regular follower of this journal, you remember a year and a half ago (Wednesday, April 9, 2008 Sports and Wild Life) I posted pictures of their paw prints on the windows of the storm door going from the kitchen onto the deck. That was neat!

I hope the folks who buy this house are not afraid of wild life…that the thought of having raccoons visiting at night doesn’t frighten them. Other things that might cause some folks concern: an occasional fox, wild turkeys, deer, rare coyote vocalizing, summer-time critters (slugs, worms, spiders, chipmunks front and back).

Whoever buys this house, I hope they continue feeding the birds. Of course that brings us back to the raccoons. Perhaps the new owners will put up a barrier the bandits can’t get past. That I would like to see!

Yesterday’s News

Literally yesterday's news.

Dolores and I went all the way out to Ashford last night (Friday) for poetry. We didn’t expect to know anyone, but…

When we walked in Rob (who hosted ArtSpeak at Peaberry’s in Simsbury) was there and recognized Dolores and me. He also remembered the bump and grind performance (to musical accompaniment) I did reading my poem, Why Condo Associations Won’t Allow Clotheslines. Remembering that night at Peaberry’s always brings on lots of laughing!

Then, I turn around and who should be coming in the door but Deb and Kurt Ravenwood from Manchester. (RAVENWOOD HOLISTIC WELLNESS CENTER,
 199 West Center Street, Manchester CT 06040
, (860) 432-2081, deb@ravenwoodhealing.com). They knew people in the band and were there to be supportive.

THEN, after I read my poetry some of which referenced South Windsor, one of the open mic musicians, Justin Ford, came over to me and said his father, Robert Ford, taught History in South Windsor (high school) from 1969 to 1993. They lived in East Windsor and Justin went to the East Windsor schools. Justin’s mother is Charlote Schlicting (I knew her cousin Eunice). Justin now lives in Ashford with his wife and 2 daughters. He’s a builder, cabinetmaker and blows a wicked blues harmonica! Does guitar and sings good, too.

Talk about a small world?

A word about the band and the music at the Ashford Library. The music was much like we experienced at Peaberry’s…mostly improv and jamming. That lasted until Justin got up and joined them on his harmonica with some blues. Then they finally started sounding like they were playing music. Without Justin and his harmonica (and later his guitar) the band was not holding up too well.

Two other open mic performers were two of the cutest young ladies playing flute. Oh, my, how they could fly up onto that stage from a running start…so full of energy. They played well and when there was a minor problem they handled it like it was nothing…like playing in their own home instead of in front of an audience.

An interesting night in Ashford.

For Sale

The next chapter in my life has officially begun.

The For Sale sign went up this morning and the first showing was held between 3:30 and 4 p.m. this afternoon.

It’s weird coming back home knowing someone had been in my space. I did have to laugh though…someone knocked Nameless, Faceless Baby Doll off her ladder and couldn’t (apparently) put her back. She was lying on the bench when I came home. ☺☺ I wonder if she freaked someone out. My kids don’t understand why I have her around…they think she’s a spook! No way. I found her. No one else wanted her. She belongs to me! Maybe I should secure her to the ladder so she won’t get knocked off again.

I was grateful that someone turned off almost all the lights as they went through each room. I turned every light on before I left to create a cheerful atmosphere. Also had a classical CD playing softly on the stereo. Hey, if it gets me an offer I can’t refuse it’s worth it.

A Very Busy Day

The day started with my putting all the junk out front.

Then it was off to Kathy's for a picnic. Jess and Matt were there and Matt had a special gift for me and Hissy...her name on a decal! I had my choice of red or blue and I went with Fit Blue. Hot! I can't thank Matt enough.

From there I went into Hartford to picnic with friends. There were lots of people, lots of food, 4 dogs, and lots of love to go around. Sandy and her husband, Mike, and her son, Mike sure have a great group of loving friends...a reflection of themselves.

It was good to get home and relax. A happy, busy day has come to an end.

Hissy Proudly Wears Her Name!

Hissy is now official...no butts about it. She proudly wears her name on her butt. Thanks to Matt, we were able to officially "brand" her today.

I have already gotten the response I was after. Coming home from the Hartford picnic, a couple of guys in a truck read her name and got the joke. It was so much fun knowing I made someone laugh today.

Click on the photos to enlarge...it's easier to read her name.

Matt teases!