If ever there were a perfect weather weekend, this past one would be it. Oh my! For multiple years I did an art festival on Mother's Day weekend, and let me tell you, the weather was generally brutal. Mayfaire is great for the location, and the people, but most artists around here call it "the bake at the lake" and it lived up to that moniker and then some the years I did it. I almost wished I were doing it this year so I could enjoy the show! But alas, we did other things, and while not as much as some folks, it was a lot for us.
With that in mind, I did the yard on Friday while Bruce was at the job site. He sent me photos of the progress, and how he keeps it all straigh,t is beyond me! He has been working so hard that I thought a good day out would be just the ticket to revitalize his spirits. Before we get to that, here's a photo that may just gross you out, but then again, perhaps it will be an aide to some folks.
If you, like me, have had trouble with snails eating your plants, give this idea a go. The Hostas I planted last year were coming up again, however, the snails were chewing big holes through the tender shoots. I put a few bowls of some crummy beer we had in the refrigerator out, and by golly, it's working!
Friday night this old couple went out on the town; not in any conventional sense, but we did hit three spots in one nigh,t so that is saying a lot for us. First stop was FAVO to visit with Cheryle. Oh how things have changed since I first showed there in
October 2012. For one thing, all of the studio spaces are very spiffy, and they even have air conditioning!! Plus, what was once used as a big gallery space is now a SEWING studio!
Four industrial machines, two Janome, and two Juki, brands that I'm only just now hearing about. The pictured woman above was working on a huge order for Disney. Amazing!
Don't quote me on this, but I think it is next month that Cheryle is having a one woman show at a gallery in Altamonte Springs. She's been working on a new series for that show, and B is shown here chatting with her about it.
Apparently the pastels are very hard to keep neatly contained in their above box! I wish we could have stayed longer, but onward we were meant to go.
The next stop was the Orlando Museum of Art where Tonya was holding her annual fundraiser for Parkinson's disease.
Part of a larger initiative called Team Fox, she solicits donations of both fashion and art for a silent auction. Not only is she trying to help others, but she herself is a victim of the disease. She loves fashion, looking like a million bucks in her black and white gown.
When she came by last week to pick up a few pieces she brought along her highly gifted, not to mention adorable, son Chase. He picked out this one which they paired with a super cool shirt.
I so hope it found a home! Speaking of looking like a million bucks, Michelle and Dave knocked it out of the park. I was dying over her gorgeous shoes!
Not that I can wear that kind of shoe, but she sure can rock them every day of the week. They are super sparkly which the photo does not do justice. If you are a male fashionista, Dave's shoes are pretty darn nice as well.
From there we went to someplace entirely new and different for us.
Claddagh Cottage Irish Pub on Curry Ford Road, not too far from our home was featuring a band called
The Bronx Boys. Gosh, why not? By the time we arrived seating was mostly taken up, so we are way in the back.....good place, and good sound.
However, we were too late for their kitchen, or as I will weave into this narrative soon, "late fer dinner."
Saturday morning was bright, mild, and gorgeous. Our first stop was to see a new Bill project and visit with them. There is always a new Bill project which makes us happy to know that one of our sons likes building things. From there we made our way to Apopka to attend an Orange County sponsored Bluegrass festival. Never having been to one before we first walked up to check it out before Bruce returned to the car for our folding chairs.
The weather was fantastic, the bands even more so. For a $4 per person admission we listened to about five bands. All were good, some better than others, but hey, what do we know about bluegrass anyway? Nothing is what we know!
Every now and again, Thelma would get up a do what she called flat foot dancing.
Blackwater Creek, pictured below, includes a husband and wife duo who have been married even longer than Bruce and I.
It is hard to describe how low key the event was...quick change of bands, as in no more than five minutes in between, along with musicians, when not on stage, jamming in the parking area.
Do they even call it jamming in bluegrass?
Following Blackwater Creek, a band came on stage called, Late Fer Dinner. Both Bruce and I were so impressed with the fiddle player, I took some shots of him,
as well as the whole band.
The woman on the end introduced the band members, and when she named the fiddle player, we looked at each other in amazement. Fred Burkey, a former resident of our HOME!! When they finished their set we went up and introduced ourselves to Fred. He and his family lived here from 1978-88!!
Two more things about him--he also worked for Darden, retiring in the last few years. AND, he used to be band mates with our brother-in-law, Danny, my sister Lisa's husband!!! I remember the first time Danny visited our home twenty years ago, he told us how the band used to practice in what we call the sunroom, also known as Bruce's office for the last five or so years!! How crazy is that?
A little later on a girl band came on, Ramblin' Rose Trio, made up of two sisters, and a daughter.
No longer strictly bluegrass, after the loss of their Mother and another sister, they did a mean version of
The Devil Goes Down to Georgia.
Sitting under the moss covered oak in dappled shade, listening to great musicians pouring their hearts out was a really special way to spend a perfect Saturday. The festival has been ongoing for about twenty years, and now that we know how good it is, this won't be the last time we attend! Throughout the day we heard a peacock squawking, and as we were driving out he showed his colors!
The girls made a brunch reservation for 11, meaning no church for us yesterday morning. Instead I took a bike ride and was not disappointed in my owl search. The owlets...
Aren't they getting big? You can hardly tell the difference between them and their parents. Well, there is a tiny bit of fuzz on their chests but not much. I decided to assume this was Mamma owl in a nearby tree, being Mother's Day and all.
While I was talking to her (!!!), one of the owlets flew across the street...
So cute!!
We met Bill, Fallon, and David at a restaurant in the Plaza building called Kasa. We ate more than we should, but had fun while doing so! Bruce took a photo of me with two of our boys.
Try as we might, we cannot get Bill to smile in a photo! Fallon remarked he was going to have to practice doing so for the wedding photos. Date to be determined. :)
Michelle was feeling under the weather, so she stayed home, and I can hardly blame her. They were busy beavers this weekend too, attending a Derby party, followed by another one. That sort of things seems to come in bunches doesn't it? One weekend not a thing to do, the next, more than you can fit in.
Mr. Peck got a tiny bit carried away with Bloody Marys, so he napped when we got home while I did a nice Face Time chat with Matt in London. Then, if you can imagine for us, we had another outing. Yup, this one was fun, but sad--our friend Pat is moving to North Carolina next Saturday, so instead of our usual Hill's Happy Hour, the Hills opened their home for a going away party. The photos are still on my camera, but don't think you are going to get away without seeing them next time I sit down to write!!
Returning home, there was a message from Jonathan. The gorgeous weather began giving way to HEAT and I was bushed so it was just a bit of texting with him. I told him I knew he loved me and we would talk soon. What kind of Mother does that? This one who took a cool shower and went to bed!
And so the week begins,
Gail
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