25th Annual Melbourne Art Festival

Mike the DJ holding up one of David's t-shirts
my little palm tree painting (with a little glare on it)
view towards river from patron booth(what looks like the end of the parking lot is actually the river; it's in between the property and building you see in the background) Street views

It was a beautiful weekend in sunny Florida...and perfect for the 25th annual Melbourne Art Festival. It was a little hot...but early morning and evening were perfect...and there was a good breeze all weekend. Fortunately for us...my brother had a set-up in the back of a downtown restaurant...so we got to relax in air conditioned comfort and had a real bathroom steps away..(.no trips needed to the Port-O-lets...that are a blessing when you really need them....but I was so glad I never had to go near them this weekend!) Also...his show was in the meeting room of a Martini & Tapas bar...so delicious food was available (for purchase) right next door! Like any annual community event...you tend to run into just about everybody in town at some point during the weekend...and this year was no exception. Lots of familiar faces...but some people I haven't seen in years were also there. It was fun. John and I participate in the Patron program...so among the benefits is $ to purchase artwork. I did my part...haha! I got a nice carved fish for John and a painting for myself...and then I found the super deal...a woman had some small...4x5? could get up to measure it...but that would require getting up,, paintings of palm trees...for $15.00 ! The details were pretty good...I think I actually liked her little paintings better than the larger more expensive ones. (turns out my friend Gayle also purchased one...except hers was $20.00; which we discovered when we walked around the show this afternoon and compared notes.) It was a nice way to spend the weekend. Next week we get to hang out down at the park in Melbourne Beach...during the annual Founder's Day celebration...can't wait!

One fish, two fish.....

David holding up one of the fish

David in the boat with one fish................................................Ron and John with big fish
This cooler is full of fish...no ice!

Mark with small fish
John with big fish
Ron & Roy at the cleaning table

One fish , two fish here's a few more fish..... What can I say...John & friends have been the kings of the dock lately...Each time the boat goes out they seem to catch a bunch of fish. The neighbors are loving it... lots of fresh tuna and mahi for everyone!

John reminds me of his mother who used to make a batch of soup (good soup! I miss it) and then bring a jar around to her neighbors to share it. When the boat pulls in the driveway...everyone starts calling or stopping by to see the "catch of the day". Yesterday it was a couple of small tuna and 17 Mahi...all about 15 lbs or more....most probably 20-30 range and one whopper...we were sure was 50...turned out to be 45 LBS. (all the guys decided they were going with 54. ha!) It took Ron (who volunteered to clean them all) 4 hrs of non stop work to clean them! Needless to say...Tim, David, John and Ron (yesterdays crew)slept well last night! It has been a great fishing season so far!

Top Movies

Listening to NPR the other day I heard they were asking people what are you listening to? reading? watching?....so I'm wondering if I heard that one day and wasn't really paying attention....and that's what made me come up with my lists? You never know?
at any rate....I have some time to myself...so I'll give the list of some of my favorite movies.....
It's really difficult to narrow it down to 10....but I think these are my favorites...most watched, etc.

1. Anne of Green Gables - (with Megan Follows, Colleen Dewhurst & Richard Farnsworth)(all parts)- I LOVE this movie.. I like it better than the books I think......I've watched it so many times and I laugh and cry every time and I just love it!( Some day I want to go to Prince Edward Island. There is a cruise that goes all along the St Lawrence River....stops in Boston, NYC, Quebec, PEI... the heck with Green Gables .....I could be Anne of the Cruise Ship!) :D

2. Last of the Mohicans - there's a war going on...people are getting shot, hacked up etc, but Daniel Day Lewis is so HOT! in this film, who cares! HA ha.

3.Pride and Prejudice -I like the book, all the movies, but I like the latest on with Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfayden. Oxygen Network seems to show it every month or so...and guess who watches it...every time!

4.Shakespeare in Love - great acting and always good for a laugh...and speaking of laughs......

5.Young Frankenstein - sometimes a funny movie is even funnier when there is a person with a great laugh in the audience.....you can't help but laugh too! I went to see this movie with my brother David....who thought it was hilarious....he took me with him the second time he watched it and he started laughing before the movie even started....and what can I say...anytime I need a good laugh I can watch this...or even just talk about it with someone else who has seen it too!...("Take the candle out!")

6.Elizabethtown- I know some people think I'm strange because I like this movie...but it has a GREAT soundtrack and I just think it's funny. Maybe because it came out during a time in my life when I was attending or helping plan more than a couple funerals..(rest assured...no tap dance routines or flaming birds were involved) (I am laughing just thinking about it)..it was some comic relief!

7. Breaking Away- The father is too much. (the eenie foods) I really like this story.

* I'm cheating on this one
8. Peter Pan and Finding Neverland- I love Disney's version...and I ride the ride every time I go to the Magic Kingdom....I just always wanted to jump out the window and FLYYYYYYYYYYY!
and I love Finding Neverland....when the little children are in the audience and giggle and get all excited about the show....I just love it!

9.Sense and Sensibility- I like the story and the acting is great.

10. Little Women- with Winona Ryder and Susan Sarandon...if you look at my favorite books...you will see March by Geraldine Brooks...it's a story about Mr. March and reading it makes me picture scenes from this movie in my head.

* I might have to make a whole separate list for comedies....because there are some great ones...but I won't go on and on.

Earth Day

Nestled under the
Eaves a
Song-filled ark of
Twigs and grass



Green leaves overhead, a
Rug of green under foot,
And the air between
Sweet with the green
Smell of spring.

April 21st - Holocaust Remebrance Day

Okay since it's National Poetry Month and tomorrow is Holocaust Remembrance day.. and I have a poem to share. I saw this poem about 19-20 years ago on a trip to DC to visit Jen. John watched the girls and I went for a few days by myself...and stayed with Jen..(.when she lived in Vienna)
We had a great time the whole trip. We got to visit all the museums when snow had shut the city down...offices, schools, etc were closed...but the museums were open. It was a great time to go...hardly anyone was there.l I went to see one of my favorite exhibits in the American History Museum... the first ladies Inaugural gowns....Well I've been there when you could hardly see anything...but Jen and I were in the room with only a handful of people. So we had a chance to really look closely at the dresses and accessories, etc. I don't think I will ever get to see it like that again. We also saw a fabulous exhibit at one of the museums (can't remember which one) from the Sultan Suleiman (Sp?) Gold crowns encrusted with jewels, hand painted books and again things I doubt I'll ever see again. During that trip we also visited the National Children's Museum and somewhere in our travels...we saw an exhibit from the new (at the time) Holocaust Museum that was opening soon.
There were photographs, etc that would just break your heart... a documentation of the 6 million Jews that were killed (as well as others)but the one of the things that stayed with me all these years was a collection of poems that prisoners in the concentration camps had written that were on display. The one I am going to share just really struck me...how could someone in such a horrible place, cold and starving...... still have such hope and faith that things would get better. I have wondered many times since then if I would have the courage and strength to survive....and I wish I could say YES! but I just don't know............
This poem was written by a young woman/girl:

From Tomorrow On

From tomorrow on, I shall be sad

From tomorrow on!

Today I will be gay!

What is the use of sadness----tell me that?---

Because these evil winds begin to blow?

Why should I grieve for tomorrow---today?

Tomorrow may be so good, so sunny,

Tomorrow the sun may shine for us again:

We shall no longer need to be sad.

From tomorrow on, I shall be sad----

From tomorrow on!

Not today: no! Today I will be glad.

And every day, no matter how bitter it be,

I will say:

From tomorrow on, I shall be sad,

Not today!

Motele (*she did not survive the camp)

Jenifer July 23,1963 - April 19, 2007

Cheryl, Jen & Ellen dancing?posing? both!

Lindsey, Bridget, Brenna & Jen

* All of us except Martha

Jen & Rob

Jen & Rob & Paul

Cheryl & Jenifer , friends since the first day of first grade

Aunt Jenifer & Brenna

Aunt Jenifer & Megan

Celebrating Shane's birthday

"Those we have laughed with,learned from, leaned on, and loved most

will live on in memory forever."

I just wanted to share a few photos and a few words in memory of my sister Jenifer, who died two years ago today. The photos remind we of what a beautiful person Jenifer was. These are (mostly) from John's 50th birthday party in December 2005. Jen was pretty sick at the time...but the pictures show her smiling, dancing, laughing and just being Jen! The year and 3 1/2/ months following this get-together were pretty difficult....one thing after another and a lot of pain....but she stayed pretty positive. It's not quite as hard to think about her without wanting to cry....but I miss her ; especially when something funny comes up and I'd love to be able to laugh about it with her.(see the post about the towels) However...when I do think about her...I can hear her in my head.....so she's not so far away after all.

*as you may know...I love music and I almost always have music on in the background...as I do now...

and it just so happens that a perfect song for this post just played on my Ipod.

"From Where You Are" by Lifehouse (which is a perfect song when you need a good cry!)

and I'll just finish off with a verse from that song.......

I feel the beating of your heart

I see the shadows of your face

Just know that wherever you are

Yeah, I miss you

And I wish you were here.

something to go with the next post.....

part of a little poem....

Animal crackers and cocoa to drink
That is the finest of meals I think
When I am old and can do as I please
I think I shall always insist upon these! :)