Tag: art

The last 2 weeks…

On By Jo Mayne CaseyIn 2018, Christmas, Christmas at Sonnystone 2018, Photos, Sonnystone at Christmas, updatesLeave a comment

It seems like forever since I’ve blogged, but with good reason.  I always feel a little guilty when I don’t keep ya’ll up-to-date with the latest coming and goings around the Acres, but sometimes life is just too full of Now to stop and write about it…and that’s all right with me.

Olivia played the piano beautifully at her recital on the 8th.  The grandkids are sure growing up fast… I have a lovely video of her performance of “Belle”, but WP makes it difficult to upload videos, so all you get today is a pic…

We flew to NYC on the 11th…remind me not to take the earliest flight on earth next time.  We arrived early enough to pick up Eliza from school, the first time I’ve visited there.  She took the next two days off to hang around with us…

Early our first morning, we took the subway to Rockefeller Center for the NBC Studio Tour.  It was so incredibly cool.  At the end of the eye-opening tour — who knew the SNL set was so small? — the do a video of a “late night talk show”.  I can’t take the time to upload it to wordpress and you probably wouldn’t watch it anyway, but Eliza was the announcer and I was the guest.  It is hilarious.  So fun.

We spent Thursday hanging out, decorating the tree and playing games.  Emma was there, too, but Emma will be 13 next month…if you know what I mean…

Friday both girls were back in school.  Eric, Melissa, PawPaw, and I spent the day traipsing through the Oculis and over to the Whitney to view the Warhol exhibit.  It was as good as Warhol, but I thought there might be more…  Seems like I had seen many of them already…am I getting jaded?

Or maybe it’s because NYC surrounds a person with art…like here on the High Line…

Saturday morning found us at Radio City Music Hall for the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular, our annual tradition.  This was the 14th visit for my daughter and me, and the show has changed for the better.  I told them last year we needed to just concentrate on the dancers and they took my advice.  They added new music, new choreography, more light-show stuff, while keeping the old favorites…though they don’t do the Santas with mirrors anymore.

 I just realized that my obsession with the Spectacular is as strong as my obsession with Disney….okay, not quite, but I do tend to repeat my good experiences again and again.

 

 

We flew back home Sunday and spent Monday doing laundry and at the grocery store.  We’ve had Samantha for the last 2 days and that’s as much a workout as walking NYC.  Olivia’s out of school now, so they’ll be here for a sleepover tonight.  I still have to buy gifts…and get these witch nails manicured…and get more food…

Our Christmas with the Jrs. will be this Sunday and by Monday the sound of the silence will be strong…  I’ll have plenty of time to write…

 Jingle All the Way…

Peace

Photos from the Daytrip

On By Jo Mayne CaseyIn week-end wrap-upLeave a comment

Saturday, Nashville, IN

Bean Blossom Covered Bridge

While strolling through the shops, we came across Reliable Vintage and a fella named E.R. Spiegel. He is third generation owner of the shop and specializes in photography, fine cameras, and “antique curiosities”. He noticed my camera and launched into a tutorial, ending up selling me a polarizing filter. The purpose of such a lens is to change the way the camera sees light, so that there is more vibrancy in the colors. It’s still a little early for the leaves to have changed colors much, but I got a few experimental shots.

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It’s subtle, but I think it’s going to be fun to work with it, especially as Autumn colors peak here at Sonnystone.

Hope your week-end was fun!

The Trip, abridged…

On By Jo Mayne CaseyIn RandomLeave a comment

I love New York City in autumn.   It’s such fun to stroll through Central Park, crowd-watching and listening to jazz while still getting your nature-fix…

Or to visit the Whitney and the unique Robert Indiana exhibit…

Times Square, Broadway Shows, the Rockettes, The Freedom Tower, Lady Liberty..it’s all there  waiting for you….

If you’re lucky enough, you have a daughter who sings with the NYC Philharmonic Chorus and she gets you a really hot ticket that you could have sold for a profit but you keep it and feel your soul stir as you listen to Bach, Handel, and Mozart’s Requiem….

And all of that is a certainly a wonderful reason to visit New York City in autumn…

But for me, the Big Attraction of the Big Apple,  the stars of my visit are these little girls:

This Family…

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Thanks, Jose’ Fam…See ya real soon at WDW…  (don’t forget to activate your wrist-band)…

xoxoxo

Spring Break 2013, redux

On By Jo Mayne CaseyIn RandomLeave a comment

It was quick.  Despite the airline cancellations, the weather was merely rain and I cruised into NYC Monday evening, right on time.   Arriving at the Jose’ Casa, I was hugged and loved by all.  As usual, Melissa and I were up all night talking, catching up.

Here’s the background:  my daughter is the assistant director of music (or something like that) at St. Joseph Catholic Church-Yorkville.  While I”m not so sure of the title, I know that it involves a lot of practicing and performing, as well as some organizational duties that probably go unnoticed, but take up lots of time.  Holy Week is a marathon for any church musician (I can testify) and in addition to all of that she was finishing the St. Joseph School yearbook (where Emma attends) to send to the printers.  All of this is to explain that I was Nanny jo-jo this week…   Emma had an unexpected day off of school on Wednesday and only a half-day on Holy Thursday, off again on Good Friday, so I earned my keep and had an absolute blast.  The weather, though not sunny-sweet, was spring-ish enough that I only needed a sweater   on most days and not even that on Saturday.

Eliza is 2 and talking up a storm, obsessed with the movie “Despicable Me”, good-natured and smiley;  Emma is 7, a school-girl who helped me with her sister, reads like a champ, and is always my best buddy.

I love the Metropolitan Museum of Art and visit it nearly every time I go to New York, and I have Never had a visit that I didn’t walk around Central Park.   With Eliza and Emma as faithful companions, that’s all I need…

At the Metropolitan Museum of Art

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A little morsel…

This trip was enhanced by Fried Olives…I loved them and stopped at Cavatappi’s three times!!  to enjoy them…obviously, I wasn’t alone…

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hanging out at home

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Central Park

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After we had scootered through the park, we came up with a diabolically clever plan to surprise the parents with Easter baskets!!!  We stopped by the neighborhood Deals store and stocked up on candies (and bunny ears for the kids).  Emma was so excited and it was difficult for her to keep the secret, but when we presented the gifts at dinner that evening, Melissa and Eric really didn’t suspect what we were hiding.  It was so great–I know that’s a lame word, but it was something I can’t describe too well–to see how thrilled Em (and Eliza a little bit) were to Give a Gift…  It was simply joyful…

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Of course, their parents were thrilled, as well, and dessert was even sweeter with all the Love flowing around the table….

I flew home last night, arriving back in Nashville 35 minutes early to pouring rain…

But today, Easter Sunday, we were all in church—the Joses in NYC, the Casey, jrs. here with us at Redeemer…and the middle beautiful grand-daughter delighted me…

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I know that it’s cliche’ to talk about how much I love being a grandma—all of my peers agree that’s it’s the Greatest.  But I can’t help it…I’m just so grateful for my kids and their kids–and don’t forget my wonderful husband, who makes it all possible.

Thanks to the Lord, who has blessed me far greater than I deserve…

Public Service Announcement…

On By Jo Mayne CaseyIn RandomLeave a comment

I am proud to announce an addition to my family of blogs: Rave On Madwoman. The site was born quite a while back, but I wasn’t sure what I wanted to say…couldn’t find Her Voice, you might say. I did some Live Blogging there on Election Night, 2012, so you may have visited at that time. It has been completely revamped and is ready to be the movie, book, music review arm of my blogging. I’m also planning to publish some interviews there. Sonnystone Acres will return to being a journal of my home and family life. Growing Every Season, my gardening blog, will continue to keep you caught up with my growing habits…

I’ll be connecting Rave On to Facebook, so my FB friends can decide whether to click the link or not. To my fellow bloggers who have followed me because of my scintillating movie reviews…please follow me over to http://www.raveonmadwoman.wordpress.com/.

Thanks so much!!

Oscars, grandkids, birthdays…

On By Jo Mayne CaseyIn Random2 Comments

What did you think of the Oscars?  I will have to watch Argo first chance I get, but I’m more interested in seeing the Others:  Les Miserables, The Life of Pi, and that Silver Linings looked like a good one, as well.   I don’t understand why the Academy has their host do a 20-minute opening—why not just start the show with a little film or something?   At any rate, I didn’t think Seth McFarlane was too funny, but I wasn’t ever offended.    Too bad, but the Golden Globes and the Grammy Awards are usually a much better production.   That said, it was Wonderful to hear Barbra Streisand and Shirley Bassey sing again.  I didn’t understand why they did the Chicago bits, but it was good fun.  I rather enjoyed the ” Boobs” song&dance.  There were a lot of pretty gowns;  George Clooney is finally looking older;  that Kristin Chenowith was obnoxious.  Best Bit:  Adele.  She’s a real Winner.

After buzzing from brewpub to brewpub in Indy on Saturday, I was rather obnoxious myself at the Museum of Art.  Seems I wasn’t supposed to take pictures of  The Art, but I argued that I only took pictures of my Grand-daughters…don’t you agree:?

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they’re dancing on the Art…

We had such a wonderful day…

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I spent perhaps a little too much time last year dreading turning 60, but now that the Big Day has Been and Gone, I Scoff at Age:::HA!!  It was just the beginning of Jubilee year, so don’t put away your dancing shoes and keep your mugs handy—I’m gonna wear out that tiara!!!

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review of drood

On By Jo Mayne CaseyIn RandomLeave a comment

cousin lana and i were back at UE this afternoon for the musical “the mystery of edwin drood”.    it was monty-pythonesque and we laughed all the way through.  if i had to criticize, and i think critics are supposed to, the sound (again) was off for a rather important person, rosa bud.  missing dialogue due to sound problems during the last performance of the show makes one wonder:  didn’t anybody else notice..?  UE always impresses, though.  the roles of princess puffer and john jasper were particularly well-done and the “chairman” was hilarious.

rupert holmes’ play-within-a-play was originally staged in 1986 or something like that and it won a lot of tonys, but none of the songs got stuck in my head or made me want to download it.

one of the best parts of the performance was the choreography, and i thought that even before i noticed who the choreographer was…  you guessed, ricki smith newman.   she has such tremendous talent and has shared it with so many young artists (and old ones, too, i suppose)…evansville productions would have been so much less without her.   someone should do a tribute to her…!

i started to take cousin ronna along, but got a late start after church.  hey, ronna, we’ll take you to our christmas outing, for sure…

let’s jubilee…

On By Jo Mayne CaseyIn RandomLeave a comment

I am officially declaring my 33rd year of marriage, 8/15/12–8/15/13, a JUBILEE YEAR… 

it works pretty well with my compulsion to have everything equally divisible by 3, since my 60th birthday will be included in that year

i wish our culture celebrated jubilee years like the Hebrews did…every 50 years was a year of rest, all slaves were set free, all debts were cancelled, all land was untitled.  can you imagine?  the roman catholics celebrated a jubilee year every 25, but all they gave out was indulgences (passes to heaven) and i’m pretty sure you ultimately paid for them.

what i had in mind was more on the order of the queen’s jubilee, though, with lots  of Events…multiple venues…lots of adulation from the crowds…music..art…party-ing…rest/peace…

selah…amen…