FUN FIRST FRIDAY ARTWALK

My day was filled with the normal feelings I have been experiencing since Wednesday and then some ~ one of my readers wrote in comment that it sounded horrible.  That is true ~ but I failed to tell you that those were the good side effects ~ if they can be call so.

Despite how I felt, I was determined to fit everything in ~ opting to begin with my first ever Christmas Tree Lighting in Park Square, the various ArtWalk Exhibits, and the opening/after party at the Whitney Gallery.

My son was hungry so I had switch up my plans regarding the usual late dinner as is customary on ArtWalk Night.  I still had to take a shower, I got caught up in an old movie and needed to see the end before doing either.

He was going to his brothers so I could not bargain with him in regards to a late dinner anyway so I jumped in the shower and then we began dinner prep broiling a simple steak and nuking a couple of potatoes ~ quick and easy.

I began the broiler and he seasoned the meat ~ I thought he put the meat in the broiler after seasoning it, but when I was upstairs getting dressed he asked me if I wanted him to put it in ~ (he had already begun the potatoes for me) so he basically cooked dinner.  I was such a scatter brain!

When I headed out it was raining slightly which meant that I may have made the wrong choice in coats.  Although I had layers and a hat and gloves some coats I prefer not to get wet ~ and this was one of them!  I continued on hoping for and eventually receiving no rain or what did fall being insignificant.

I was excited about getting out of the house after the past couple of days.  I was not disappointed at the tree lighting ~ enjoying a free hot cocoa from Patricks Pub as is traditional from previous years.  After the countdown the tree was lit and Santa arrived on the Fire Truck.

That was my cue to leave and begin phase two ~ ArtWalk.

I headed off to the MarketPlace Cafe where Nancy Meissner had on exhibit a display of oils and acrylics which had an excellent use and blending of color adding a wonderful touch to her paintings.

I have seen Nancy's sketches in a previous ArtWalk a couple of months ago and was really impress with her work back then.  She is someone to keep an eye on ~ wonderful talent!

Both of her styles of work are well worth the viewing for sure!  Be sure to head to the MarketPlace and check them out.  The food is pretty good as well ~ the paintings will be up for the entire month of December ~ a nice addition to holiday shopping Downtown.

I saw my friend Cindy working so I stopped into the Amazing Pavilion to see when she was getting out of work ~ she is always fun and likes Art as well.  Just my luck ~ she was out in 15 minutes so we made plans to meet up when she was finished.

I checked out a couple of places ~ one was closed and the other had a flag but no Art ~ some days you get a hit and some you miss!  Never discouraged ~ I just headed up to the Crawford Square where there was a group showing at the Kinderhook Real Estate which had many interesting pieces.

I saw Brenda from Brenda & Co. Caterers and she said she had Art and Clam Chowder.  Two of my favorite things to be sure!  I have fond memories of tracking down the best Chowder between Western Mass to Rhode Island to Boston over the course of a summer.  I am happy to find a nice bowl of Chowder downtown.

Michelle Sylvesters layered pastel drawings of rusted and abandoned trucks and her comparison to the trucks with elderly people made me have to look her work over a second time.  ( I am backwards and have a habit of looking at displays in reverse and then read the artist statement ~ hence the second look.) Not something I plan to be sure but it occurs over and over again!

I remember when I first saw the works of Michael Rousseau I think I had to look at least 5 different times. The work was so beautiful and compelling to me.  Each time noticing something new or different.  Sometimes you can't get enough of a good thing.

The Onota Building has a wonderful Christmas Display which I noticed on Wednesday, but cannot get enough of!  Sure to put you in the Christmas Spirit it is a wonderful inclusion donated by the Allegrone family at 74 North Street.

The snowflake lights decorating North Street ~ with the double arch and the music made it almost perfect ~ if only the rain had been snow!  I am sure I will see that before they change the windows!

I stopped into Steven Valenti's Clothing for Men and saw a group showing entitled "Let it Snow" showcasing paintings and photography by Denise B. Chandler, Gerard Natale and Marion Grant.  Some wonderful works as can be expected to be found anywhere and always a delight to chat with Denise!

I ran into Cindy while I was enjoying a wonderful slice of Lemon Cake at Mary's Carrot Cake with Marguerite Bride at the Gallery 25.  I love Marguerite's work and company as well and it was nice chatting with her before the crowd trickled in.

We headed off to two stores so she could get her after work supplies before heading off to the Whitney Center for the Arts where "Whimsy" was on display.  17 illustrators, sculptors, painters and cartoonists from around the world working in a whimsical vein.

As we headed across Park Square to admire the still lit Christmas Tree the rain began to take on a icy and biting feel to it.  We carefully made our way to the gallery.  There were lights flashing outside for effect coming from the second floor.  We were trying to figure out what it was as we were making our way towards the gallery.  A nice touch.

It is always nice to go to the Whitney Gallery.  The are new but they have such a skill with picking appealing artists and works to show.  Today was no different.  I fell in love with the drawings and sculptures!  I loved the dolls ~ their expressions and costumes were amazing!

We chatted with some people and had a good time.  I was getting tired and my friend was getting hot so we headed out into the night after saying goodbye to a couple of people.  As always it was a wonderful time and I continue to look forward to many more good times there in the future!

It was finally snowing!!!!!  We walked out the door into these gigantic blocks falling from the sky!  It wasn't too cold which made it even nicer!!!  I love snow ~ hate cold but love snow.  My experience in the past was that snow was good ~ it was like insulation and made it warmer.

Nowadays I do not find that we get enough snow and with the addition of these mad strong and powerful winds it is a lose lose for me!!!  I would be a bear and hibernate all winter except First Friday ArtWalk if I could!!

I would miss seeing all of the wonderful works of art ~ last and not least Scott Taylor and his wonderful and colorful new works I got to see ~ along with the fresh paint he was laying on his easel.  I am a huge fan as you know of his work and it just keeps developing into a ever more appealing visual delight!

One of the benefits of my life ~ watching great artists get better!  I have a number of artists I have been enjoying and say Cudos!  I am enjoying this part of my journey to be sure!

It is late and I am totally wiped.  I hope it makes sense ~ every word has been a typo practically ~ hope I didn't miss too much.  Bear with me this trip will soon be over ~ tomorrow will be the taper to three pills.  Not expecting much different from today or yesterday for that matter but keep your fingers crossed for me.  

SUMMER ~ FUN AND FRIENDS!

It has been one crazy busy week full of unplanned fun, friends, meals and an awesome workshop thrown in to boot!  It feels like a month since I had a minute to sit down and recap it has been so non stop busy, but not in a frantic, stressed or rushed kind of way ~ more like ~ wow ~ is it really Thursday already??

I was thankful to not get caught in the rain at all this week and also to accomplish some much needed housework and was even able to flip the switch on my very high ceiling fan in the great room (with a spotter) standing on a table with a milk crate on it armed with a broom to flip that silly switch ~ oh what a difference proper air flow makes!

My avocado tree is growing in leaps and bounds ~ finally got it in a bigger pot with more room to grow those roots big and strong and it already has a hat of new leaves growing out the top of its stem.  I am amazed to have succeeded in NOT killing it!  Yeah!!!

I for one am in an awesome mood, having had a bit of company to cook for and converse with and hang out on the deck and catch the rays or the breeze depending on the day.  I made a huge omelet yesterday after my friend Mike and I did some errands hoping it would take away some of the lag I was feeling (it didn't help ~ but it tasted really good for the 4th omelet that I have ever made in my entire life!  (I am not a breakfast person ~ but sometimes you just need an omelet!

I have to be careful about overdoing it.  Especially in the summertime where we have a tendency to be more active, as too much exertion will throw my pain into higher levels and then I can't live my life ~ fearing I had overdone it the day before, there was nothing to do but listen to my body and give it a rest yesterday afternoon.

I had a workshop on E.F.T.  It is short for Emotional Freedom Technique.  Elizabeth Paris was a wonderful coach!
EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) is a drug free therapy that helps with anxiety, weight loss, PTSD and much more. EFT is an evidence-based therapy that is being used by millions worldwide. EFT has been described as emotional acupressure, gently decreasing negatives emotions and allowing our amazing bodies to heal themselves. This gentle, yet powerful technique is turning heads. Don't miss out on your chance to experience EFT for yourself! 

Hosted by Margaret Lively, Holistic Wellness Coach & Founder.

What a great workshop!  I, along with 7 other women met last evening at Decades of Health ~ strangers for the first 5 minutes, but united in that room for the two hours we spent learning a new tool to relieve stress and "peel back the layers of  junk that accumulates by life in general!

I am not a "New Age" fanatic but I do believe in energy flow and balance and your body storing and holding on to toxic waste and blocking the flow of energy which is bad.  This technique uses a series of tapping and talking and it does reduce fears, physical pains.

Interestingly enough for me personally, as I was tapping a slight headache on the emotion anger which turned into a guilt over my bringing my dog to the pound instead of giving him a good, long, happy life as I promised him when I rescued him as a puppy 11 years ago to a deep sadness connected to many things, but ultimately went back to my early childhood and the dissolving of my early life with both of my natural parents.

It was very enlightening!  I cannot wait to practice this technique regularly to fully uncover my core self (which I have been working on for what seems like forever) but has only been the past thirteen years of my life!

I thank Margaret Lively for hosting the event!  It is funny, the day she posted the workshop, I had just read an article in a waiting room about E.F.T., which I had found extremely interesting.  When I came home and turned on the computer the event was listed and I was feeling compelled to attend, although it came at a bad time of the month and prior to my money.

I remember sending her a message and saying I really wanted to attend and doing something I never do and asking if I could pay her after the event, an hour later my son checked the mail and there was one piece ~ he said it's a check ~ I was like ~ no way, it is a bill...he opened it and it was a check!!!

If the universe was sending me a message for me it was "Here you go ~ you NEED to do this!"  I sent her a message back, feeling stupid at even having requested a favour in the first place, telling her to disregard the last message and sign me up for sure!

Sometimes, you don't just get what you want...you get what you need!  It was funny, I did not even have the normal general anxiety I usually experience going into a new experience with strangers walking into Margaret's beautiful office with the Art still adorning the walls from the previous Art Walk....

I live near the Common and the drummers were in the park yesterday when I went through, drumming and dancing ~ not a care in the world in preparation of the parade.  People are out walking and socializing and generally in good moods.

Along with the drummers, I ran into my friend Cindy, whom I accompanied to the store and then she came over and hung out with Thomas and I while I made some awesome Chicken, onion and pepper wraps for a late dinner.

During our conversation it came up, that one of our new local business ( a women's clothing shop) on North Street was half empty ~ she did not believe me,  (it had only been there for a month maybe six weeks), I told her, at 4:00 there were two things in the window and the racks were empty ~ 11:30 at night we are heading up the four blocks to check it out...surprise ~ now it was even emptier ~ curiouser and curiouser... it will be interesting to see if they moved or just left ~ too bad too as they had some cool clothes and not too expensive either!

My friend Cindy and her husband have a huge aquarium in their living room with what seems like 100 fish in it ~ apparently their fancy guppies reproduce like mad.  This is a good thing for me, as we were thinking about starting an aquarium and now it will be a reality thanks to my friends!  I cannot wait!

All and all it has been an awesome week!  With the fourth of July coming up ~ the parade, the people and the parties it should be a great week to come as well!