November Belongs to Autumn

 

I've been on this rant in the past, but in this exceptional COVID-19 pandemic year, I'm reiterating it even more vociferously - it's November and the entire month is blanketed by the autumn season. It is NOT winter, it is NOT the Christmas season. I firmly resist any attempt by the retail industrial complex to convince us that it's time to leap squarely into Christmas decor and celebration (and, of course, product acquisition) before giving the appropriate time and attention to which the harvest season and Thanksgiving are entitled. 

Here in the United States of America, we cannot and should not leap directly from Halloween to Christmas and give short shrift to the season and singular holiday that prompts us to reflect on our blessings, the gifts of Mother Nature, and give thanks for them. I LOVE autumn in the Northeast, where I was born, raised and still live. (I also happen to have been born smack in the middle of the autumn season, so that might be part of my personal affection for this time of year...who knows.) There simply is nothing like the stunning colors of autumn and you won't find them in many parts of the country that don't have the array of trees that change from greens to stunning reds, oranges and yellows at this extraordinary time of year. And while, yes, it signals the end of the growing season, what a way to go with a spectacular display of colors!

While I'm not so enthusiastic about the leaf-raking that follows this astounding display, it's a small price to pay (and good exercise). 

In this year, in particular, it seems that the retail industrial complex did not gear up for autumn as much as it was in a mad rush to push Christmas upon us in September. Granted, they were pushing autumn in August (when many of us were enjoying sand, sea and warm temperatures). I remember being dismayed back when I was in high school that retailers were foisting woolens, plaids and tweeds in clothing fashions upon us while we were in sleeveless cottons and shorts. I understood the season was coming, but it was at least a month or more away and I didn't need to prepare for it that far in advance. Maybe it was needed by the students who were heading off to college, so they'd have the items they'd need to be warm, but the rest of us could easily have waited. I just never liked being rushed and I still don't, but I like even less having the season that I love the most practically ignored and rushed on and off the store shelves in a blink of an eye. Why? 

Why can't we enjoy autumn for as long as it's with us? I love autumn, and my favorite holiday of the year, let alone the autumn season, is Thanksgiving. It's not about religion, it's simply about being thankful and enjoying the season's bounty - cooking, food, and dining with family and friends, or just being on one's own and celebrating quietly. Any way one does it is fine, but because we're not being pushed to exchange gifts by buying stuff, the retailers don't shove it in our faces with the zeal that they dedicate to Christmas. It annoys me no end, and even more when the autumn harvest season is almost ignored. 

So I'm just here to remind all that autumn matters, Thanksgiving matters, and to stop and think about what it means to you and what you have to be thankful for. It's not about buying stuff. It doesn't cost anything. Celebrate that.

    

New Month, New Snow?

It was early in the morning of October 30, and, just as predicted by the local meteorologists, we awoke to a one-inch dusting of the season's first snow and the freezing temperatures that invited it. That was the bad news if you're, like me, not a snow person. It's pretty for a minute, but after those 60 seconds, I want it gone. The good news, it was gone by the end of the day as the sun's warmth was just a bit too much for it to last. Pretty at first, but I was glad to see it go as I still have leaves to rake up before the real winter weather sets in.  

It's rare, but not unheard of, for snow to hit here in my area of eastern upstate New York. Back on October 4, 1987, we had a freak October snow storm that took trees and limbs down with abandon as they had just started to turn and still had most of their leaves, knocking out power and blocking roads and causing widespread damage that permanently altered the landscape. This year, the rains had already taken some of the leaves down, so, fortunately, there weren't many left on the trees to wreak such havoc.

Given the adjustment of the Daylight Saving Time window, we changed back to standard time early this morning. I'm not a fan of the return to standard time but at least it's a bit later on the calendar than it had been, but November 1 is now the soonest that it returns to our lives. Next year, in 2021, it won't occur until November 7. That's just fine with me as I'm not a fan of darkness at 5pm. I like my afternoons lighter later and my mornings light by 7am. Actually, I like the long daylight of June and July, when it's light early in the morning and later in the evening, too. Alas, Mother Nature and her growing season can't accommodate that, so I, like everyone, will have to deal with the seasonal daylight adjustment. So be it.

Before the contrasting colors of autumn are gone for good, here is one more October image to try to hang onto the last of the autumn season's annual display. Enjoy, because the early darkness of the evening has arrived...

 

 

Finally Fully Prime Foliage

 For the past two weeks or so, a friend and I have been taking short scenic drives for leaf peeping as the colors finally had begun to reach their peak stage of brilliance. One morning, we drove to a state park in the region with a scenic overlook near the area's highest elevation toward the northernmost tip of the Catskill mountain range. Not as dramatic as the high peaks of the Adirondacks, across the Mohawk River valley below and to the north.

 

 

 View north to the Adirondack Mountains on the horizon, far in the distance, across the Mohawk River basin.

There are lots of opportunities to see the array of colors that Mother Nature provides during October in my region of eastern upstate New York, but, after some study, it became apparent that not only were the colors this year particularly loaded with brilliance, the best times to see them at their most intense and striking were early in the morning and late in the afternoon. Those were the day parts when the sun's rays illuminated the leaves at a more acute angle than during the midday hours when the sun was at its highest in the sky. The leaves simply were far more dull in the middle of the day. So not all jaunts were as satisfying as others - time of day and the availability of sunshine were key factors for the most satisfying views of autumnal leaf splendor.

This is a fleeting time in autumn, when the leaves are changing so dramatically, before they fall to the ground and leave us with the stark landscape of winter for the next several months thereafter. If you're able, and you have access to such a stunning display where you are, go out, see the beauty that surrounds you before it's gone for another year. So few sights are so dramatic and so gratifying...and don't cost anything to enjoy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

      

Okay, Autumn, come ahead

With the official arrival of autumn on September 22, the leaves on the trees in my area of the Northeast suddenly responded as if a switch had been flipped and the change from varied greens to blazing oranges and brilliant reds began to evolve right on cue. I was lamenting the sudden rush into autumn on September 1, the start of meteorological autumn, but we had a bit of a roller-coaster of a weather month along with this wacky pandemic year. It was warm, then it was cool and slipped quickly into downright frosty at night during one weekend mid-month. Then, as if to say, "Sorry, we didn't really mean for that to happen just yet", the cold snap faded and the perfect mild late summer/early autumn air that makes for glorious balmy days and nights just cool enough to afford the most comfortable sleeping slid into the mix.

We've been half-way out and half-way into autumn for most of late September, but we're nearly all in now. Mild days, cool nights and leaves changing all around. In another week, things will be more reds, oranges and yellows than greens and with a good rain and a bit of wind, those leaves will be hitting the ground and going all golden yellows and, before we blink, it'll be November. Until then, I'm savoring all we get in this most fickle but beautiful of seasons of the year...welcome, autumn. So glad to finally see you.

  

 

 

 

Not so fast, Fall!

 

What's the rush to get to autumn? It'll be here in just three weeks, but I'm in no hurry to break out the fall decor and change over from summer. I'm just not, because here in eastern upstate New York, this is the best time of the year for perfect weather - mild, not horribly hot or outrageously humid. It's simply  lovely, so I revel in this time of year and am planning to make the most of it, even though travel and access to some of my favorite activities are more limited than ever, thanks to that dreaded virus.

I've been fortunate to be able to enjoy good health after an issue earlier this year. I'm so glad that's behind me and I can do all of the things now that I was able to do before that annoying health hiccup. Phew! So, I'm taking advantage of this prime time to get outside, deal with some maintenance issues around the house and just be glad that we've got a few more weeks of great weather before things start to get a bit nippy. Mind you, I do love autumn here, as seasons go, but I'm in no hurry for its arrival. I'm still in a bit of disbelief that it's already September. How did that happen? The summer - that glorious season that couldn't get here soon enough back in mid-February - literally flew by this year! It's beyond crazy.

So, even though travel has been severely constrained this year, I have stayed busy with tasks at home, fun things (and a few not so fun things) all has kept me busy. I guess that's how the summer season flew by so quickly when I was busy doing other things. So, for the moment, I'm taking a few days while it's beautiful outside and am just enjoying these golden days of the late summer season before the colors start to change and remind us all that the frosty, snowy winter is not all that far off... 

 

Hello, August!

View to east of Atlantic Ocean from north side of Rockport, Massachusetts (c)

Given that 2020 has been an unusual year, to say the least, it's no real surprise that it's already August - the "dog days of summer", as the saying goes. After nearly two months of warmer than usual temperatures, including several heat waves where temperatures hit the 90s routinely, it's finally more typically summer, with warm days (not so scorchingly hot) and less humidity that could be cut with a knife. I'm hoping that we've seen the worst of summer and we can relax and savor these perfect summer days. Even if it's raining, I don't mind. We do need the rain and, for the mos part, my lawn looks reasonably healthy thanks to the rain we seem to get weekly. It's a good thing.

I confess, having endured an unexpected health issue (not COVID, fortunately) that emerged unexpectedly in late May, I am finally feeling like myself again, with the issue now resolved - hopefully never to return. It does take a sudden reminder that one shouldn't take good health for granted. I have to admit that I haven't assumed my health would remain as reliable as always - I do remind myself that I've been very lucky to have avoided major issues over the years and have enjoyed fairly good health, but the moment one's health is compromised, everything seems wildly out of whack. I am glad my issue ultimately was resolved, but it took some doing to get there, so I'll be keeping an eye on my general state of well being to help ensure I remain well, as I really dislike having my good health compromised.

So, now, the first half of summer has passed, so I'm taking full advantage of August, glorious August, to enjoy the summer season to its fullest. I'm attending to my much smaller garden (a casualty of my earlier ill health), and reveling in the warm sunny days and gradually cooler nights to celebrate the best part of summer for the next six weeks before the winds of autumn push us toward the year's next season. Admittedly, early fall is my favorite time of year - the coolere weather and beautiful changing colors, but late summer is second best. Before the stores start loading up on Christmas items. (I heard one local crafts emporium already was breaking out the holiday decor - noooo!) As a teen, I remember being so annoyed that the stores started breaking out the autumn fashions - the woolens and plaids that were unthinkable in early August...Christmas in August is downright heresy!

Enjoy these wonderful weeks of August, as they, too, will be gone before we know it and we'll be wishing it was still June and we could have a do-over!  

An Atypical Fourth of July Holiday in the Pandemic Era

As the coronavirus pandemic marches on, there has been much progress and effective "flattening of the curve" here in New York State. Other parts of the country, where residents have been far less vigilant in adhering to the recommended safety protocals, are now experiencing a resurgence in the virus. Why is anyone surprised by this?

At the risk of sounding heartless, what did folks in the south and southwest expect? Honestly. This isn't brain surgery. It's NOT a hoax. The virus is real and it can be deadly. Many thousands of people already have died. How hard is it to wear a mask or appropriate face covering to help ensure that you don't infect others? It's a no-brainer, but so many people are simply in utter denial about the seriousness of this pandemic, and it's simply beyond comprehension.

Understandably, many annual fireworks displays have been cancelled and other seasonal July 4th events also will be deferred until 2021 as mass gatherings are still too risky. As an alternative, I've posted my watercolorized photo of a display of small flags in a planter sitting on top of a bridge barrier in a small community in my area as my summer season header. I've also pulled out a few of my own small flags and have put them in my own planters for a little traditional all-American holiday color.

Enjoy the holiday and, if you can, stay home and be safe until it's no longer necessary! 

The Uncommon Triple Crown

A contemporary watercolor interpretation of William C. Robertson's 1868 historic print "The False Start" features the grandstand of Jerome Park in New York in the background. Jerome Park, no longer in existence, was the first site of the Belmont Stakes in 1868.


As everyone knows by now, thanks to the global pandemic that has plagued much of the world, this is a year like no other when it comes to traditional sports. That includes the oldest organized sport conducted in the US: Thoroughbred horse racing, which dates back more than 300 years in the Colonies.

Racing's renowned Triple Crown, a concept focusing on 3-year-olds running "classic" distances between 1 3/16 miles to 1 1/2 miles, was established relatively recently (in the early 20th century vs. the 18th century).

In the modern era, the Triple Crown consists of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, in early May; the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland two weeks later in mid-May, and the Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, on Long Island, three weeks after the Preakness. Held over a span of five weeks, the Triple Crown culminates with the Belmont Stakes. At 1 1/2 miles, it is the longest of the three races and is often referred to as the "true test of the champion." While there are longer races on the annual racing calendar in the US, the Belmont typically is the only one 3-year-old horses of either gender is likely to run and few of them ever race that far again in their careers.

Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, racing was interrupted in most areas of the country for several months this spring, functionally eliminating many of the usual prep races that owners and trainers use to prepare and qualify their promising young horses for the Triple Crown races. As a result, racing was postponed at all three of the race courses that host each of the respective Triple Crown races.

The first to reschedule was Churchill Downs, which postponed the 1 1/4-miles Kentucky Derby from the first Saturday in May until September 5. Pimlico indicated they, too, would be postponing the 1 3/16 miles of the Preakness Stakes from mid-May to October 3. The Belmont Stakes subsequently was rescheduled for Saturday, June 20, instead of a week earlier, and it will be run at a reduced distance of 1 1/8 miles instead of its traditional 1 1/2 miles. So the Triple Crown race that usually occurs last and the longest in the sequence shall be first this year and will be the shortest this year only.  

In the meantime, a number of promising candidates for one or more of these races have fallen by the wayside due to minor injury or more serious ones that have ended their racing careers. One gets the sense that this year's Triple Crown will be like no other and it's anyone's guess which horses will emerge as the top three-year-olds in this very odd year of 2020.

Tune in and watch on June 20 to see how things will shake out at the Belmont Stakes and which other contenders might also move forward to the other two legs of the Triple Crown when they do occur in late summer and early fall.

Lilac Time Again

 

It's just past the middle of May and the lilac bush in my front yard is full of fragrant blooms. Oh, how I so love the scent of lilacs! These are the traditional, glorious lavender-colored ones - simply gorgeous and they smell divine! (The bees are enjoying them, too.) I've managed to maintain this long-established bush - in the years that I've been here, clipping the nearest branches loaded with blooms to ensure that more appear next year and beyond. They don't last all that long on the bush or in a vase full of water, but they are wonderful for the fleeting days they are here. They're just heavenly!

 

The coronavirus response marches on and I'm happy to report we're making a major dent in its progress in New York State. Some areas of life are being "re-opened" gradually and very carefully. We have only ourselves to blame if the virus cases increase as we slowly revert to a semblance of life as we knew it. Some industries and businesses have had their restrictions eased and are returning to operation, while others are taking incremental steps to get there - slowly, but surely.

Other areas of life as we knew it will not be returning this year - it's too soon and larger crowds cannot be accommodated safely, so no larger concert venues with extensive seating, and no audiences or fans at larger sporting events, though I'm happy to report that horse racing will be returning to New York on June 3 at Belmont Park after a six-week delay. Efforts also are underway to allow training in Saratoga, hopefully by mid-June, and eventually racing there, as well, starting as originally planned in mid-July through Labor Day if all goes well. Only essential personnel will be permitted on site - not even horse owners - but there is discussion on ways that owners might be allowed to attend when they have horses running. It would seem to be only fair as there is no racing if owners don't supply the horses to trainers to race them. Who ever would have imagined this would be an issue and needed to be carefully planned for it to occur? Wild, but very glad to see horses be able to race again.

Saratoga is known as a racing town and over the past 20 years or so the city and surrounding towns have enjoy a real estate boom, with properties values well outpacing the greater region. The good news this year is that with no fans allowed, the cost of hotel rooms and rental properties is expected to be a bit less costly because of the lack of demand compared to a typical summer racing season. That should bode well for those who must travel here for the racing each summer as it shouldn't be quite as costly for them. Either way, I'm glad the horses will be returning even if we can only see them from afar and on TV or online. 

Hi ho!

View east from the Whitney Viewing Stand, built in 2013 at the homestretch of  Saratoga's "Oklahoma" training track

 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of horse racing in Saratoga Springs

The training track  and barn complex is located directly across Union Avenue from the renowed race course.

 

May Flowers

And here we are, a month since my last post imploring folks to stay safe and stay home. Since then, we've advanced to wearing face masks in public whenever we can't effectively be "social distanced" (6 feet away) from other people. Since most of us have to at least venture out occasionally for necessities, whether groceries or other items/tasks, the face mask is an important piece of attire.

People get so testy about their "personal" freedom being invaded, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. Unnecessary exposure to a potentially deadly virus, and an early, unanticipated death is not on my agenda. I'll wear my mask. When I get inspired, I'll do some creative versions, but, for now, a simple white one will do the job.

Fortunately, a few essential businesses are open that provide groceries and other household supplies, so a picked up a few pots of pretty pansies, because they are always so cheerful after a long, cold winter. The first two pots I picked up were more pastel in tone, with pale yellow and lavender rather than the usual bold, dark purple and bright sunny yellow, but I found those at another location a week or so later, so now I have more of them to cheer me each day. They're currently still in their pots and in the photo below they were just sitting in my big green planter next to my garage door, waiting to be planted. 

Before I could plant them, the weather went wacky, so I haven't planted them in larger pots yet. It's still unusually cold here. It has been a bit erratic for spring weather, so I've brought all of the pots of pansies inside for a bit until the temps stop dipping into freezing. And yes, a few days ago, on May 9, we did get the dusting of snow that was predicted. We rarely get snow after March, but when we do  it doesn't last long. Still, we've only had a few really lovely warmer days in the high 60s to low 70s. Oh, how I miss those wonderful warm spring days! They're finally due to return later this week and, hopefully, that means they'll be lingering for the next month until summer appears.

While it's unlikely we will see a return to "normal" life or activities in my region this summer, with many events and activities cancelled, postponed or shifted to virtual, there is a gradual loosening of business restrictions in some areas of my state where the virus impact wasn't as significant and its spread was more easily contained. That's not the case in my region, though I expect we'll get there eventually. It's still a trying time, and I continue to keep myself busy as usual at home and donating to causes that are important to me that help others who are more severely than I am. It's the right thing to do and I'm glad to be able to do that. I will look forward to doing more of the things I enjoy when the situation allows.

As the pansies remind us each spring, life will go on...be well, be safe and stay home if you can.   

 

Easter in a Time of "Social Distancing" for Safety and Health

My carved wood bunnies with "scarves" anchored with little red wooden hearts clearly are not adhering to the recommendation that we keep a safe distance of 6 feet apart from other people, and wash our hands regularly, wear protective masks and even gloves, to try to stave off contamination from the rampant conoravirus that has now spanned the globe. If the lack of a cure or vaccination from this virus isn't incentive enough to embrace the dictates of practicing good hygiene through these vital safety precautions, I certainly don't know what is.

It's medical science people, not a hoax, and certainly not a joke. Thousands of people have died in the state of New York alone, and more than 100,000 around the globe. As I noted in my last post, I already spend a good chunk of time here in the "Great Northeast" indoors during the winter, so accommodating a directive to stay home except for absolute necessities (food and medicines) wasn't, and hasn't been, that hard for me to do. But, in certain parts of the country, I'm mind-boggled by the lack of belief, and, as a result, the lack of practice of these basic health and safety directives by so many of the population -- and, equally scary, their elected officials from the local to the state level - who are in utter denial about the risk of this insidious virus and are unwilling to curtail certain civil liberties in the interest of public health and safety. It's a pandemic - no one, but no one, is immune here or anywhere.

Honestly, this virus doesn't care about your political beliefs and to ignore the recommendations of people who spend their lives establishing expertise in the nature of this infectious disease because "it's only in certain areas" is to live, effectively, under a rock that won't protect you or anyone you love. If you won't do it for yourself, do it for those you care about and particularly those who are most vulnerable in our society - the elderly, who generally have weakened immune systems, and those with pre-existing conditions that make them more suseptible to infection.

Seriously, people, too many already have died because we didn't get out ahead of this disease here in the US, and many more will die if we don't do everything we can to protect against it individually AND collectively until the risk clearly has diminished. Don't be in a hurry to get back to "normal" life until the experts tell us it is safe to do so. This virus is NOT adhering to your personal agenda.

Don't think for a minute that because it's "not in your back yard," you're not at risk. It is inevitable that it will be where you live in due course if it isn't obviously there yet, and when it does emerge, it will do so with a vengeance. Do what you can now to help prevent that from happening to you and those you love, or at least from affecting more rather than fewer people. No one should have to die because they didn't take the necessary precautions to protect themselves and those they love. Ignore those safety recommendations at your own, and their, peril.

And, oh, be thankful that on this Easter Sunday, if you're able to spend the holiday enjoying it and not being among those directly affected by a deadly virus that is very clearly in our midst, or worse yet, that someone you know is one of those who we lost to it.

Be safe, be careful and stay home.          

Staying Parked as Spring Arrives

My apologies for not posting in March, but, as you all know (unless you were living out of the range of modern communications technology for an extended period) things got very crazy shortly after the month began with the eruption of coronavirus pandemic hitting our shores, and my state, in a very big way. We have been advised or directed or ordered to stay home, avoid people and practice "social distancing" to help stave off further spread of this dreaded virus for which there is no current cure at present. Its symptoms can range from mild and to fatal and it is not to be treated lightly. Protective actions must be taken to avoid contact that could result in contracting the disease and/or contaminating others, particularly those most vulnerable. It's simple good hygiene behaviors and solid public health safety measures and they are essential to practice.


I am thankful to report that I have been careful and, so far, I am fine, as are those I care about deeply, but none of us can be too careful. Masks and eye protection are the order of the day when going out periodically for essentials, as are.staying home except to pick up necessary groceries. I have spoken with friends routinely and, to be honest, staying home is my typical modus operandi for most of the winter season anyway, so it's not that difficult for me to abide by the latest recommendations and dictates involving leaving home. I don't go out unnecessarily in winter - I don't want to - but now, staying put at home is a bit more challenging when the early earmarks of spring have brought the much needed warmer temperatures that beckon one outdoors. I simply go outside onto my patio and into the yard and do some of the tasks of post-winter clean up and bring the garden supplies out - pots and planters placed in the sun for another season of planting and growing the herbs and flowers that are my favorite way to enjoy the spring and summer seasons at home.

So, I'm gearing up for the emergence of spring. The bird (mostly squirrel) feeders have been put away, and the hanging planters have been brought out and will be re-filled with fresh potting soil. The wooden chairs will come back from storage and the hose has been put outside. I even power-sprayed the winter's grime and grunge off the patio, ready for another season of warmth.

Virus self-isolation or not, I'm ready for life to re-emerge in plant form, at least. We'll get there eventually, but, for now, patience and a bit of industriousness to endure the constraints of this most unusual start to spring...

Be safe, stay home, and, if you can, focus on the things you've always wanted to have the time to do at home because that time is now. This, too, shall pass. 

It's Leap Day! That special quadrennial date that arrives at the end of February, tacked on to year's second month to "keep the calendar" on track. It has to do with adjusting the calendar periodically to to ensure that annual seasonal events occur at about the same time each year, so an additional day is added to the calendar every four years just to ensure that happens. It actually began in Roman times, so you can thank Julius Caesar...really.

It's also known in some corners as "Sadie Hawkins Day" when ladies ostensibly are given leave to propose marriage to their chosen beaus. To be more politically correct in this 21st Century, it really should be a date when any female has leave to propose to their chosen partner...male or female or somewhere in between., a right they should have th ability to act on any day of the year, and not just on a one that only arrives on the calendar every four years.

In my region, a nice trend began a few years ago called "Leap of Kindness Day" - a day to encourage people within a community to use this extra day of Leap Year to do something kind for someone else. That might just be the best idea of all, not just on Leap Day, but something to keep in mind and act upon every day of the year, every year.  

Go out and make your Leap Day a good - and kind - one!

Mardi Gras 2020 ~ Laissez les bon temps rouler!

No sooner do we celebrate Valentine's Day and President's Day and it's time for one of the most fun cultural holidays of the year - Mardi Gras! While still rooted in religion like Carnival in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Mardi Gras in the US has evolved beyond its purely religious origins to become a wide-ranging celebration of  the marvelous traditions of music, food and revelry found in the deepest part of the South - in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The official poster of the 2020 Mardi Gras celebration was designed by artist Andrea Mistretta and is available to purchase online here: 2020 Mardi Gras Commemorative Poster

I had a chance to visit New Orleans more than 25 years ago and it was a wonderful experience. There is nothing quite like the culture of New Orleans and one should make the effort to visit there at least once, and preferably more often. While I wasn't there for Mardi Gras, I did visit the renowned "French Quarter" and heard some fabulous jazz played at the very rustic but legendary Preservation Hall and strolled around that historic district's marvelous and distinctive architecture.

Over the years, I have picked up mementos of my original New Orleans, including postcards from the original visit and I continue to add few items that I have stumbled upon elsewhere. I always enjoy bringing them out each year to recall those fond memories of that initial trip to the "Big Easy". It's always a treat to see them again. I pulled a few pieces together in the photo below and added them to my mantel to celebrate the holiday this year.

 The postcard at the rear in the photo is of "Mr. Ed", a handsome mule wearing a classic, flower-bedecked straw hat as he pulled a carriage on the streets of the city. Although I expect the Mr. Ed depicted in the postcard is probably no longer with us, such mule-drawn carriage tours are still available for those who wish to see the sights of New Orleans at a slower pace.

I picked up the Mardi Gras rooster mug and the classic purple, green and gold Mardi Gras beads on separate visits to my local Goodwill. They both epitomize the marvelously colorful celebration that is Mardi Gras.

Mardi Gras - or "Fat Tuesday" - is the symbolic Christian religious celebration that occurs just before the start of the 40 days of Lent on Ash Wednesday, the next day, that continue until the arrival of Easter Sunday. Mardi Gras marks the culmination of six weeks of revelry that began on Epiphany (January 6 - 12 days after Christmas) and continued until their culmination on Mardi Gras and Lent begins the next day on Ash Wednesday. 

I also think of Mardi Gras as a celebration of all things New Orleans, a city rich with history and culinary traditions combining the best of its original French heritage and the indiginous Creole and Cajun cultures of the region and of Louisiana. Marvelous local dishes like jambalaya, gumbo and crawfish etouffee (stuffed crawfish), and the more recent specialties like blackened redfish popularized by the late chef Paul Prudhomme, and other fine foods.

Among the most celebrated of traditions is the use of dried and roasted chickory to make a special blend of "coffee" or added to roasted coffee beans to create a distinctive and smooth coffee popular in New Orleans and environs. A popular cafe in New Orleans, the Cafe du Monde (or "world cafe"), now with many locations around the city and the greater region, is known for its special coffee blend and its marvelous sweet pastry treat, beignets (or "ben-yays") - deep fried square pastries dusted with powdered sugar. Cafe du Monde coffee and its special beignet mix can be ordered online, along with other New Orleans specialties from the cafe's website here: Cafe du Monde Shop.

It should be noted that New Orleans (not Seattle) was instrumental in the initial importing of coffee beans to the US and remains the country's pre-eminent port of arrival, according to this 2017 article from Thrillist.com:

"Since the 1700s, coffee beans poured into New Orleans from Cuba, the Caribbean, and Latin America, and today the Crescent City is the country’s most prodigious java-handling port, with some of the world’s largest silos to store it. In 2015 alone, 250,000 tons of coffee came through the Port of New Orleans, enough to make 20 billion cups of coffee. It’s thought that New Orleans’ historic easygoing attitude is what created the mid-morning “coffee break” in the 1920s, when business owners would skip out of work throughout the day for a cup."

The Cafe du Monde website also provides this fascinating history of the French Market in New Orleans and the French Quarter:

 

The location of the French Market and of New Orleans dates back to the Choctaw Indians, before the Europeans settled the New World. The Choctaw Indians used this natural Mississippi river levee location to trade their wares to the river traffic.

The early European settlers came by boat to this location to sell produce and dairy products. The City of New Orleans was established on this location of the Mississippi River in 1718 by Jean Baptiste LeMoyne. This old New Orleans is called the “Vieux Carré" [Old Corner] or French Quarter.

The French Quarter has a collection of old buildings that exhibit the architectural styles of the countries that once held power in Louisiana. At one time or another, Louisiana has been under the influence of the French, Spanish and British governments. The first French Market building was put up by the Spanish in 1771. This building was destroyed by a hurricane in 1812. The following year it was replaced by the building which now houses the Cafe Du Monde. Back then it was known as The Butcher’s Hall. In the 1930’s the Works Progress Administration renovated and added to the French Market buildings. The French Market now comprises of seven buildings anchored at the Jackson Square end by the Cafe Du Monde and on the other end by the Farmers and Flea Market sheds.

Enjoy this annual celebration of Mardi Gras and all things New Orleans and Laissez les bon temps rouler (Let the good times roll) on this most colorful, tasty, wild and crazy holidays of the year!

Vintage Valentines and a Tasty Treat

I thought I'd written here previously about vintage Valentine cards, but in reviewing the posts I've written in the past 11-plus years of blogging - yes, 11 years! - I only did a few February posts in total, and only one of those specifically featured a Valentine card, but it was 10 years ago! So, I am compelled to make treasured Valentine cards the focus of this post.

The one Valentine card that I did post back then was this classic, multi-layered vintage card (above) that I've had for years. I think my late mom gave it to me about 35-40 years ago or more, because she knew how much I liked those old-style lacy, Victorian-inspired cards, even if this one was newly printed at the time. It doesn't unfold, but it is three-dimensional, which makes it intricate with a lacy, gold filigree on the bottom layer, stylized flowers - lilies, mostly - on the middle layer, and cherub cupids with arrows and birds in a heart-shaped top layer.

This tapesty design, on a card made by Caspari, is inspired by a historic, circa 1500 French tapestry titled "La Dame a La Licorne" ("The Lady and the Unicorn"). This portion is part of a group of six tapestries woven of wool and silk in Flanders that are considered among the greatest European works of art from the Middle Ages. It's exquisite as a card, so I'm sure the real thing must be simply stunning. I think I purchased this card myself, but that, too, was at least 30 or more years ago.

Pre-dating both of the cards pictured is this image of one of two boxes of Hallmark Make-Your-Own Valentine's Kits that I've kept for more than 50 years. This one is the newer one of the two as the cover of other one suffered some damage over the years, but I did tape it back together. Both of them were sold in the 1960s and I used most of their contents - honeycomb hearts, feathers, plastic "rubies" and other ornaments and textured papers - to make Valentines myself. I remember I used glue from a bottle of amber-colored LePage's glue for paper to stick the various bits and bobs onto the cards to create unique Valentines for my friends and family. My creative crafting life started early! Note that the cover of this box shows a price of $1.50! Although they're no longer made by Hallmark, one can occasionally find a box of Valentine components from the company, but you'll pay far more dearly for them now. I saw one more recent box than mine priced online at $20 plus shipping. No surprise there given how scarce they are now, but they were great fun to make!

Finally, I had to share these wonderful French porcelain "coeur a la creme" molds. (Coeur a la creme means "cream heart" and is pronounced: "kur ah lah krem".) The perforated heart-shaped molds hold a cheesecloth wrapped chunk of softened and sweetened cream cheese - a classic French chilled dessert. The cheese mixture is folded into the mold, which is lined with cheesecloth, and placed in the refrigerator to drain (hence the purpose of the perforations) until it is chilled and the shape set. That results in the beautiful heart-shaped mound with the distinctive texture of the cheesecloth's impression when un-molded onto a pretty plate to slice and serve with berries or a drizzle of whatever sauce one desires. I have these molds in two sizes and discovered, when I took them out of the box the other day, that my set of pretty, red wicker heart-shaped baskets happen to be just the right size for each mold. Aren't they fun?!

For a straightforward and tasty recipe for coeur a la creme, I recommend this one from the inimitable Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten, from her Barefoot in Paris cookbook.

Barefoot Contessa's Coeur a La Creme Recipe

I love that the treasures and keepsakes in my Valentines storage box always bring back such wonderful memories of childhood and the many years since.

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P.S. If sweetness isn't your "jam", you also can tempt your beloved by making a savory version of coeur a la creme. Just eliminate the sugar and vanilla and add scallions and some fresh herbs, including dill and chives, coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. Ina offers this tasty version - topped with Major Grey's chutney (from a jar - no need to make your own), that's perfect as an appetizer served with crackers:

Ina Garten's Savory Coeur a la Creme

Enjoy!

 

A Month of Brilliant Reds

I've always loved Valentine's Day since the time we'd exchange cards as kids in school. I still love the home-made ones, as well as the store-bought versions, and particularly the incredibly elaborate, multi-layered faux Victorian ones that would gradually unfold into three-dimensional confections of romanticsm. So fun!

As I've noted here before, Valentine's Day provides those welcome pops of vibrant reds - the rich rubies, crimsons, cardinals, vermilions, cinnabars, cerises, and the innumerable variations that lean either toward dark pinks or purples - to break up the monochromatic tones of January and propel us into the literal heart (no pun intended) of mid-winter. The photo above is an assemblage I pulled together last year using pieces I had at hand, including the pine cones, which ties them into my earlier January natural greenery and pine cone theme that I find so restful after the intensity of the red-and-green dazzle of the holiday season.

I can't recall where I got the twig heart basket, but the little red-and-white dotted pin cushion was made for me years ago by my oldest and dearest childhood friend (since first grade and right through to high school graduation). A special little gifts like that is a real friendship keepsake. The red tray was a thrift shop find - it's bright yet not screamingly red, and while is has some minor dents, they just give it that vintage character that's appealing. The blue and white checked pottery bowl with a single red heart came from Pottery Barn, but I think it, too, was a thrift shop find some years ago. Near that is one of a set of Pimpernel coasters with fox hunting scenes and among many that I've also had for years, and they're all sitting on an old vintage army trunk that originally belonged to my dad, so World War II era.  I painted red and white when I was a teenager in the mid-late 1960 to use as "tack" trunk for my horse stuff, long before I ever had a horse, and eventually as a storage piece in my college dorm room, but I've had it in each of my homes ever since. Currently, it's  in my living room holding all of my CDs and cassette tapes and occasionally it serves as a coffee table. I'll always have a place and a use for it.

I haven't opened my Valentine's Day storage box yet, but I'll do that this weekend to mark the arrival of February, and will set out some of my other favorite red and heart-shaped pieces to brighten things up a bit for the month. One new item I picked up yesterday during a quick errand to replenish my supply of nuts and corn kernels for the local wildlife was this nice pair of bright red ceramic soup mugs with plastic covers, just the pair of them, from a local thrift shop. They hold 16 ounces and are immaculate, yet marked at just $1.49 each, but were on sale for a whopping 75 cents each since it was half-off day - what a fun treat enjoy during my annual celebration of the month of hearts, flowers, love and brilliant reds.

These mugs are a great option for a hearty cup of chowder by the fireside, or a for serving of comforting oatmeal in the morning, or a tasty stew to keep warm on these chilly winter evenings. So many options, and while Spring will be here soon enough, we've got the frosty month of February in the meantime endure, so adorn it with your favorite shades of red!  




      

And We Begin Again...

It certainly isn't a surprise as another year has ticked by, but it's always a little daunting when that year launches a new decade, as well. Welcome, 2020...I hope you bring us all good tidings and cheer to last all the year long.

I have enjoyed the holiday season thus far, spending time with dear friends nearby who are as much like family as my relatives, all of whom live far away now. It doesn't bother me at all, but it's interesting that they all followed paths that took them to lives spent in places far from where all of us were born. I have never felt compelled to leave this region of eastern New York, even though I've stated here more than once that I'm not at all a fan of the winter season's cold and snow here, but, fortunately, winter is only three months of the year's 12 months, and those remaining nine months of spring, summer and fall are that part of the annual cycle that gives a certain balance and pattern to my life.

The arrival of spring after a long winter sleep for Mother Nature's trees and plants, and the warmth of summer that is rarely so oppressive for any extended period, and the glorious color display that is autumn - which I truly love best - are simply parts of life here that I would not trade for living anywhere else. That change of seasons is so worth being here and winter is the time I get to re-charge and plan for those other months. I won't say I'll never leave here in winter, because I would love to spend time somewhere warmer for a few weeks or months as I get older, but I know I wouldn't bolt until after the holidays, for sure.

And there are some fun things about winter that I like no matter where I am. Valentine's Day is such a lovely tonic, with its infusion of bright reds, its heart-warming sentiments of love and affections, and, honestly, who can resist those pretty, multi-layered vintage Victorian-style Valentine's cards that were, and still are, so pretty? I always loved those as a child, and still do. I only have one or two, but I have a few other keepsakes from the Valentine's Days of my childhood that make me smile each year when I bring them out.

My year really is defined by the seasons and the holidays that occur within them. They are reminders of days, weeks and months that keep annual traditions alive, and allow me the opportunity to exercise my creative inclinations as I set  seasonal or holiday tables for small gatherings, or toss a pretty pillow on my couch to mark a certain occasion or to change the color palette for a new season.

My approach after the holiday season is to scale back on lots of reds in January, but to keep deep, rich greens - dark forest and muted olive - and embrace the calmness of winter's natural elements - evergreen boughs and pine cones in pretty containers as reminders that spring really isn't as far off as one imagines.

As the calendar advances and I shift the decor in my home to reflect this shiny new year and season, I'll be sharing some of my favorite things starting with these four plate settings that I assembled during the holidays. They are mostly newer items from my collection except for the octagonal taupe plates that appear in each image ("Dots" by Martha Stewart Everyday with a dot-beaded edge), but they all serve as a reminder that you don't need to spend a fortunate to create an inviting table setting. I originally picked up those taupe MSE plates as part of a 20-piece service of four 5-piece place settings that I found at my local Goodwill for a song about 10 years ago.

The faux wood chargers (underplates) and the plaid charger in the last photo each came from Big Lots. They're both stylish and affordable and a reminder that you can find great, attractive and affordable things at places like Big Lots, Target and similar retailers with moderately priced items. Of course, I have found all manner at things at thrift stores like Goodwill, Salvation Army and smaller, local next-to-new nonprofits and consignsment shops - don't pass up stopping and shopping there! You'd be amazed what people donate or consign - there are many great bargains to be had!

 

These salad plate below with the inset quail, rabbit and deer vignettes within the red and green "plaid" border and hounds in tan within the white inner border are from Noritake's "Royal Hunt" pattern that I bought on eBay on Christmas day. I have loved that pattern for years, but never owned any as I already have plenty of Christmas dinnerware, and I didn't need more dinner plates or full sets of any dishware, but I love creating an interesting table with some of the basic pieces I already own as the base and adding just a few pieces from another pattern, like these salad/dessert plates. It's so much more affordable to buy just a few of the smaller pieces and mix and match them to compliment my existing pieces.

The plaid dinner plate in the first photo above (which has a white center not seen in that photo because it's obscured by the taupe salad plate) and the salad plate in these last two photos below are brand new from 222 Fifth's "Wexford Plaid" pattern that I found at HomeGoods in my area  right after Christmas.

I wasn't looking for plaid dishware at all, but I love traditional plaid, being a big fan of classic wool fabrics like woven plaids and tweeds, etc., so I succumbed to the charms of this pattern with its reds and olive green. I knew it would compliment my existing pieces and would work in table settings from autumn clear through the holidays, mid-winter and well into March, where it's still fairly cold and snowy here, before I start craving the freshness and lighter feeling of spring florals.

I also have several sets of flatware, one in sterling that I inherited, and several in stainless, including a service for eight of casual stainless pieces with turned, natural wood handles that would work quite nicely with these more casual, "lodge-like" settings. I have just four plates in certain patterns, but I can create a table setting for up to eight people simply by alternating them with four complimentary plates in a different pattern, which is a nice bonus of having pieces that work well together.     
 

So, while I'm gradually putting away my Christmas decor, I'm not abandoning the cozy, warm feeling of nesting that is evoked from these nice chargers and combinations of plates. I'm looking forward to continuing to use them during the next few months before I put "winter" away for another year.

Happy New Year to all, embrace the new year and the decade of the "20s" wherever you are, and thanks for reading!