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The Ukazoo Journey-“Snapshots and Memorabilia”

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Marble Hitting Forest Floor

The Ukazoo Journey-“Snapshots and Memorabilia”

Sixth week of Ukazoo Art Exhibit

“Marble Hitting the Forest Floor”

 

Concerning the Ukazoo Art Exhibit, Mac, who was rushed to the hospital moments before leaving his home to attend the Opening Exhibit is now home after four days in the hospital. Doing well.

To work out an evening to meet with Mac and his wife Laura at the Ukazoo Exhibit, I have scheduled an informal closing reception Saturday evening, April 12th. This “meet and greet” is for anyone yet to see the art exhibit, those who were unable to make the opening, and guests who would like to drop by and pick up purchased art. I will be there from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., at which time I will start the packing up process. Again, it was a wonderful Opening, March 15th and thank all those that attended.

 

On a Ukazoo Journey “Snapshots and Memorabilia” note:

One final manila envelope lay at the bottom of the box of mail I had retrieved from the Post Office after my journey. I put off opening it till after the Opening Reception.

Picking the envelope up, I spotted the New York postmark and remembered my stop near Saranac Lake in the Adirondack Park where I posted Slide 29-”Reflection”. The contents, similar as the other manila envelopes I received by mail, was a letter and in this case a print, rather than a photograph.

The letter was from “Morning Dove Among the Clouds”, one of the owners of “Unity’s Soft Comfort to Heavenly Dream &Taste Bud Sensations” (Bed & Breakfast). Morning, I knew from my visit, was a exceptional sculpture artist with a great many of her pieces placed about the grounds of their inn. I was unaware Morning also, infrequently, worked with oils and had a few of her paintings adorning the walls at the Inn.

Morning wrote, that feeling rather proud of her hubby for helping her with the re-doweling of the spherical limbs of her outdoor sculpture at the Reflection Pool, she decided to paint a “this is what I feel” interpretation of her husband, “Marble Hitting the Forest Floor”, aka Butch. Morning made a few prints and sent one to me, which I have included in this post.

In closing, her letter mentioned that Butch says hi and wanted me to know that guests of the retreat were so glad he changed his healthy alteration of s’more’s back to the original recipe of chocolate bars, marshmallows, and graham crackers and that he will never, ever, tinker with the ingredients’ again.

 

Art notes:

All images and text are copyright Craig L Haupt

Postings of “Ukazoo Journey” Slides are every Monday Evening.

New arrivals to the “Journey” please view:

FaceBook: Craig L Haupt  –  “Journey to Ukazoo Album” or

Blog: http://www.craiglhaupt.com  –  “Journey to Ukazoo”

See “Slide One” for a brief synopsis.

Ukazoo Art Exhibit of New Art Works, March 15, to April 12, 2014, at Ukazoo Book Store, Towson, MD 21204

Closing informal reception-Saturday April 13, 6:00 to 8:00 P.M.

 

The Ukazoo Journey-“Snapshots and Memorabilia”

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BlueSphere, GreenMan

The Ukazoo Journey-“Snapshots and Memorabilia”

Fifth week of Ukazoo Art Exhibit

“Blue Sphere, Green Man”

 

Regarding the Ukazoo Art Exhibit Opening Reception held Saturday, March 15, 2014.

A few days ago I wrote an open letter to members of a Thursday evening painting group I am associated with.

Thursday, March 13, two days before the Ukazoo Art Exhibit Opening Reception they offered to bring a dish to share and/or a bottle of wine to the Reception. I didn’t refuse.

The letter I sent to painter’s group, expressed that I was overwhelmed by their offer of support and help with the Art Exhibit and how wonderful it was to know such a exceptional group of painters/friends.

The same sentiments can be said of all the family, friends, and guests that attended the Opening Reception, Saturday, March 15th.

I have a small place and with the setup I have to work on art, the space is not conducive to entertaining company. Under these circumstances, the art exhibits I host, have become my vehicle for not just sharing the art I create but more importantly “my party” to connect with family and with friends I have met over the years. It also allows me to meet additional guests new to my artwork.

With hosting this event, I hope I didn’t make too many social grafts as I met/didn’t meet, introduced/failed to introduce, or cut short a conversation here and there to meet a new arrival, etc.

I enjoyed the evening immensely and regret not being able to spend more time with each of you.

Thank all of you for attending.

Last, but not the least, one unfortunate event of the evening was the absence of two close friends, Mac and his wife, Laura. Mac had helped me that morning hanging the artwork for Saturday evenings exhibit and later that evening, just five minutes before leaving their home to attend the opening, Mac was rushed to the hospital due to having a mild stroke. I was made aware of the situation during the reception, and the duration of the evening, while enjoyable on one level, was shrouded by a cloud of concern with his condition and knowing I would be informed if things would have taken a serious turn. I drove directly to the hospital after the exhibit to visit Mac and assured he was doing much better with additional testing still to be done.

Thanks to Todd and Lois for giving me updated information on Mac’s condition and location.

 

On a Ukazoo Journey “Snapshots and Memorabilia” note, I found another photo I took while visiting an Art Gallery in Bowling Green, Ohio.

I had met a couple just as I arrived and Harlan, the husband, not an art aficionado, let his wife Harriet to do most of the wandering around.

I saw Harlan a little later when I wandered out to the Galleries sculpture garden. With several of the garden sculptures being interactive pieces and Harlan finding one of the these sculptures having a small incorporated shelf that looked inviting, he sat down to wait on Harriet. Settling in, Harlan showed little movement as he blankly gazed ahead while engaged with his own internal meandering thoughts.

Becoming such an unmoving part of the sculpture, several people had inquired with the gallery owner that if the price of the sculpture included “Harlan”, they were interested in purchasing it.

I took this picture just before Harriet, ready to leave with a newly acquired small painting, had quite a laugh when she found Harlan. Still sitting in much the same position as she last saw him an hour ago, Harriet jokingly informed him that the sculpture was interactive not in-active.

 

Art notes:

All images and text are copyright Craig L Haupt

Postings of “Ukazoo Journey” Slides are every Monday Evening.

New arrivals to the “Journey” please view:

FaceBook: Craig L Haupt  –  “Journey to Ukazoo Album” or

Blog: http://www.craiglhaupt.com  –  “Journey to Ukazoo”

See “Slide One” for a brief synopsis.

Craig L Haupt’s Ukazoo Art Exhibit of New Art Works, March 15, to April 13, 2014, at Ukazoo Book Store, Towson, MD 21204

 

The Ukazoo Journey-“Snapshots and Memorabilia”

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Island of Spheres.....

The Ukazoo Journey-“Snapshots and Memorabilia”

Fourth week of Ukazoo Art Exhibit

“Island of Spheres Surrounded By Sea Serpents”

 

The next manila envelope at the bottom of the now almost empty box of mail had a confusing Postmark with just a series of letters and numbers which read “DZT4736L^-^B471c”.

Opening of the envelope produced similar contents as the envelope I received from Idaho, a letter and accompanying photo. I recognized the author of the letter immediately-“Henri”, the dad of the waylaid family I met outside of Roswell, New Mexico (Slide 10).

Besides opening greetings, Henri informed me that their communication equipment had finally been fixed (a found “bobby-pin” inserted between two circuits provided an electrical pathway to the main signal relay system) and contact with home had been restored.

Henri’s letter went on. “Back ‘Home’, relieved to hear our voices after 66 long earth years, our parents then held a bake sale to raise enough money to buy and send an upgraded star system computer app to chart a return course, plus, by Shipping-Pods, enough fuel for the return trip. ‘Home’, being a planet of vast areas of water, with a network of domed cities resting on numerous islands. Enclosed is an aerial photo from our long awaited approach to our home/city, ‘B471c’, which translates to your language as “Island of Spheres Surrounded by Sea Serpents”.

Henri explained, “One evening, when the city was build, four thousand earth years ago, a group of young space cadets were flying back from a flight-school graduation party. Noticing, that from above, the curled red connecting bridges to the smaller perimeter security spheres looked like the tongues of sea serpents ready to eat the spheres. Over the next several years, what began as comments said in jest, the residents’ gradually adopted the name for our city.”

Continuing to write, Henri, also noted that the space travel went smooth, but they did make one stop. A ’must’ stop for the family.

“During our earlier years in New Mexico, we ordered ’Delivery’ from a place we had heard about called “Spaceburgers” because of their “first order-free delivery” offer, but, while wonderful burgers and fries, we could never afford the $11,345.14 delivery charge for any subsequent order. The intergalactic trip home wouldn’t have been complete without stopping for another of their universally famous burgers and fries. The kids also had a great time meeting the local inhabits of the planet.”

 

“Wish you the best with your upcoming Ukazoo Art Exhibit. Keep well my friend.”

Henri and Family.

 

Such a coincidence, I will have to write back one day about my getting to eat one of those famous “Spaceburgers” (Slide 15)

 

This is the picture they enclosed.

 

Art notes:

All images and text are copyright Craig L Haupt

Postings of “Ukazoo Journey” Slides are every Monday Evening.

New arrivals to the “Journey” please view:

Blog: http://www.craiglhaupt.com  –  “Journey to Ukazoo”

See “Slide One” for a brief synopsis.

Ukazoo Art Exhibit, OPENING ART RECEPTION of New Art Works, Saturday, March 15th, 2014, 5:00 to 8:00 P.M., at Ukazoo Book Store, Towson, MD 21204

 

The Ukazoo Journey-“Snapshots and Memorabilia”

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The Butterfly

The Ukazoo Journey-“Snapshots and Memorabilia”

Third week of Ukazoo Art Exhibit

“The Butterfly”

 

As I worked my way to the bottom of the box of mail, sitting flat were a couple of manila envelopes. I opened the first one, post marked Idaho.

Enclosed was a letter and a second, tad smaller, manila envelope. I opened the letter and a smile crossed my face. The letter was from one of the Park Rangers I met during my stay at the Nature Observation site in the Idaho Panhandle National Forest.

An Interlude: For those new to the Journey to Ukazoo, this ‘Stop’ was Slide 20, “Caterpillar”.

Leonard, one of the on-site rangers, wrote to give me an update on the rare caterpillar they had secured during my stay. Leonard mentioned that everyone was doing well and once the ‘very hungry’ caterpillar was acquainted with his new surroundings and unlimited access to his favorite food, Leonard busied himself with standard protocol to file a report on the Caterpillars’ capture/exchange events and agreements that had ensued. It was during the Caterpillar’s metamorphosis into a Butterfly that he received a follow-up email from the ‘Higher Up’s’ in Washington, informing the Park Rangers, once finishing our observation, we were to disregard our promise to “Bob” and his friends of releasing the Butterfly.

The Government email continued to inform us, we would receive, arriving by a military helicopter courier, an Army issue parcel of supplies/tools and an enclosed Six Chapter, 44 page SOP (standard operating instructions) booklet. According to this email, once we took procession of the parcel, the butterfly would be sedated using chloroform and a very, very small hankie. Upon sedation, using six Army issue, 1 3/16” plastic straps and following the SOP’s Chapter two, 17 step instructions on the correct procedure to fasten the straps to each leg, the Butterfly would be safely held on an Army issue 8” x 8” muted green foam-core board.

We were then to insert Butterfly and board into the Army issue 8 1/2” x 8 1/2” combat-tested clear plastic case with uniformly spaced air holes and attached combination lock. Once locked, burn the paper slip containing the secret combination and bury the ashes in a three foot deep hole using the supplied standard Army issue folding shovel. Pack the plastic case in the Army issue 10 1/2” x 10 1/2” cardboard box with aligned matching air holes. Per Chapter five, seven-step instructions, fill the surrounding one inch void borders with Army issue green packing peanuts-adhering to the Step Six warning not to impair air channels. Return any unused packing peanuts along with shovel in the separate self addressed mailer.

Once accomplished, affix the supplied mailing label and return the box to Washington for further extensive testing of the Butterfly, related to any military weapon advantages’ that can be extracted.

Well, Leonard’s letter went on, all the rangers and park personnel, involved in the agreement/promise with “Bob” didn’t hesitate to voice their opposition with breaking their word. A plan  formulated and we used the Park’s backhoe to rip a hole out of the corner of the building that housed the “just released Butterfly”. We took a picture of the jagged gapping hole and sent it off to Washington with a letter explaining how, during the night, an equally ‘very hungry’ renegade alligator chewed a hole in the side of the building and ate the caterpillar before he morphed into a butterfly. Thus, we are extremely sorry to write, we will not be able to sent you anything other than return of the parcel and SOP booklet. Furthermore, request additional funding to launch a new, but we fear unfruitful, search for a replacement of the now devoured caterpillar.

Closing, Leonard’s letter mentioned that before the “release the Butterfly” party, which “Bob”, his friends and their wives attended, we took a few pictures of the Butterfly. Enjoyed your visit here and sending you one of the pictures. Since we told our ‘higher up’s’ a fib, please keep all this between us.

As I have, on a few occasions during the Journey to Ukazoo, been asked to keep something ‘under my hat’, rest assured a secret is safe with me.

This is the picture of the Butterfly they enclosed in the smaller envelope.

 

Art notes:

All images and text are copyright Craig L Haupt

Postings of “Ukazoo Journey” Slides are every Monday Evening.

New arrivals to the “Journey” please view:

Blog: http://www.craiglhaupt.com  –  “Journey to Ukazoo”

See “Slide One” for a brief synopsis.

OPENING ART RECEPTION of New Art Works, Saturday, March 15th, 2014, 5:00 to 8:00 P.M., at Ukazoo Book Store, Towson, MD 21204

 

The Ukazoo Journey-Snapshots and Memorabilia

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The Kiss

The Ukazoo Journey-“Snapshots and Memorabilia”

Second week of Ukazoo Art Exhibit

“The Kiss”

 

Looking through the slowly diminishing box of retrieved mail, that had accumulated at the post office during my journey, I spotted a small box nestled in the corner. The return address was from Rhododendron, Oregon.

It was from Max and Melanie. Fond memories of a three day impromptu music fest on their apple farm came to mind. As I opened the box and peered at the contents, I remembered two small occurrences during of my short visit. The first, during my days of in and out of their home, I happened to notice, scattered around the rooms, a collection of beautiful, unique, ceramic Salt & Pepper shakers.

The second item of note, was, when Max and I went to gather additional apples for the growing assemblage of family and guests, we passed a small knoll near the apple orchard. Cut into the side facing us, was a crude stone laid, earthen pottery kiln. I questioned Max about the kiln and a nearby wooden state-of-disrepair shed. Max related how, years ago, Melanie had been heavily engaged in making pottery. One of her particular interests, beside the dozens of bowls, vases, and cups she made for our home was a series of salt and pepper shakers. Other home and family responsibilities came to the forefront back then and Melanie ceased to spent time with clay, and her kiln and shed has sat unused for years.

 

The note, accompanying the items in the box read:

 

Craig,

Hope your journey to Ukazoo was successful and you enjoyed the apple tarts. Max and I will always appreciate all the help you provided during those three crazy wonderful days in late September. With all the family members and friends that stopped by, old times/good times conversations were floating around continuously. A recurring topic of those reminiscences was my years ago flurry of pottery making.

After all the goodbyes and the approaching holiday season, Max and I toyed with the idea of dusting out the pottery shed and reworking the earthenware kiln to make some new cups and bowls, as well as my favorite, salt & pepper shakers, again for gifts. We did it! Enclosed, as a small token of thanks for your help and friendship is a set of salt & pepper shakers. Of all the designs I came up with, this one reminded me of the artwork you had shown us in your portfolio.

All the best,

Melanie and Max

 

P.S. If you are ever able to stop in again, let us know and we will have some apple tarts ready for dessert.

 

This is a picture of the small set of Salt & Pepper shakers I lifted from the box.

 

Art notes:

All images and text are copyright Craig L Haupt

Postings of “Ukazoo Journey” Slides are every Monday Evening.

New arrivals to the “Journey” please view:

See “Slide One” for a brief synopsis.

OPENING ART RECEPTION of New Art Works, Saturday, March 15th, 2014, 5:00 to 8:00 P.M., at Ukazoo Book Store, Towson, MD 21204

 

The Ukazoo Journey-Snapshots and Memorabilia

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Purple Haze-White Flower

The Ukazoo Journey-“Snapshots and Memorabilia”

First week of Ukazoo Art Exhibit

“Purple Haze, White Flower”

 

While unpacking, I was looking through the pictures I had taken during my journey to Ukazoo and turns out there were a few extra pictures I had taken and put aside.

All of my four stops in Maine during this journey, have been at Inn’s I have frequented in previous years and have become good friends with the hosts of these inns.

During my stop in Damariscotta Mills, Maine at the Mill Pond Inn, I was put to work.

The Mill Pond Inn visits have become rather unique, in that every time I have driven to Maine to stay there, I make sure I include my carpenters tool box in my packing list. Somehow, on my first visit to Mill Pond Inn several years ago, Billy had asked for a hand with a small project around the Inn and I assisted. Since then, it has become an ongoing ritual that when I get there, Billy always has a few projects lined up for the both us to work on.

From the helping with relocating a dishwasher to their outdoor bar, fixing a door, to working on putting together the stage for local bands playing at the annual Damariscotta Mills Fish Ladder Restoration festival, I have enjoyed time spent being a part of these projects.

This past stop (Slide 33, “For You My Love, Flowers”), the project, Billy and I were working on, was getting some under-brush cleared out near the waters edge. Jack also lent a hand while his wife, Myrna, their three daughters and Brandy were in the town for lunch.

I worked my way behind a rather large dense bush and spotted several flowers that were not common to the area. I took this picture of one small flower with the close-up lens and then continued with the clearing out project. I had forgot about it till now.

 

Besides the unpacking from my journey, I also had to work with getting artwork ready for the Ukazoo Art Exhibit.

What was to be just one Two Month long Art Exhibit at Ukazoo Books, featuring new Oil paintings and Watercolors has changed in format to become Two separate Exhibits. In order to respond to requests of seeing Art images and the corresponding stories from the Journey on display, 16 selected images and the matching text were installed yesterday, February 16th at the Ukazoo Bookstore. Thank you Mac, for your help. These images/stories will be on display till March 14th.

 

The Second Exhibit will start on March 15th. I will change the Exhibit to display the new art work previously planned and have the Opening Reception. Hope to see you there, to either see anew, reconnect, or meet those for the first time.

 

Art notes:

All images and text are copyright Craig L Haupt

Postings of “Journey to Ukazoo” Slides are every Monday Evening.

New arrivals to the “Journey” please view:

FaceBook: Craig L Haupt  –  ‘Art page’, “Journey to Ukazoo Album” or

Blog: http://www.craiglhaupt.com  –  “Journey to Ukazoo”

See Slide One for a brief synopsis.

Opening Art Reception, Saturday, March 15th, 2014, 5:00 to 8:00 P.M., at Ukazoo Book Store, Towson, MD 21204

 

Journey to Ukazoo-Slide 37

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Hanging Up My Hat

Journey to Ukazoo

Slide 37 “Hanging Up My Hat”

 

From Ocean City, Maryland to Baltimore/Ukazoo, I am only three hours away from completing my “Journey to Ukazoo” and as anxious as I am to get there, I opted to drive North towards Pennsylvania. Over the next few days I did one and two night layovers at a few B&B’s with day trips to museums and sightseeing.

A Thursday visit with a local artist group resulted in an extended stay at one Bed & Breakfast, when one of the artists pointed out an ‘almost touching the ground’ loose tailpipe on the van, that would need replacing.

This morning, after retrieving the van, I did my final packing of the trip. Said my goodbyes to the hosts of the last B&B I will stay in (at least for this journey) and headed home.

I must say I was a little apprehensive that, during my long absence, a rather large “we sell everything you could imagine at prices so low your eyes will pop out” store and accompanying thousand space parking lot, spouted up as my new neighbor.

As I made that last turn, whew!!! No big store, no airport installed, 18 hole golf course, or civic arena for the World Wrestling Federation. In fact, not any changes at all, almost as if I have never been away. Go figure.

I’m home!

I have been on the road for 36 weeks and what started out as a simple journey turned into an experience I will never forget.

Yet, in my excitement to begin my trip, there were some things I did happen to “forget”.

I forgot to put a stop on my mail. My mailbox was jammed solid, so full that the Post Office issued their own stop and taped a note on my mailbox to “bring a large box when you come”.

I forgot to send back my “by mail” movie, thus another note taped to the mailbox, “If you ever get tired of watching that movie, please send it back and we will send another one”. I forgot to take an “intended for a quick chill”, can of Root Beer out of the freezer. I now have the delightful task of chiseling out a root beer frosty from the freezer walls.

Before doing any unpacking, I paused for a moment, reflecting on the first picture I took to begin the journey, me “Steppin’ Out”. It seemed only appropriate to set up the camera to take a picture of me arriving home but there must be something in the air here at home because this picture encountered the same problems as the first one I took on June 3rd.

I still sport a beard and mustache and the hair, or I should say, again, “lack of hair”, is fairly accurate, albeit a touch more gray.

As I get settled back in and make ready for the Ukazoo Art Exhibit, I want to add a note.

Looking over the small mound of mail, I noticed several small boxes and large manila envelopes sporting return address labels from some of the places I stopped during the Journey to Ukazoo. So while the “Journey” has ended, I will, for the eight-week duration of the Ukazoo Art Exhibit, share some additional “snapshots and memorabilia” each Monday.

Thank you.

Art notes:

All images and text are copyright Craig L Haupt

Postings of “Journey to Ukazoo” Slides are every Monday Evening.

New arrivals to the “Journey” please view Slide One for a brief synopsis.

Opening Art Reception, Saturday, March 15th, 2014, 5:00 to 8:00 P.M., at Ukazoo Book Store, Towson, MD 21204

 

Journey to Ukazoo-Slide 36

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Raise You Two Clams

Journey  to Ukazoo

Slide 36: “Raise You Two Clams”

 

After leaving Connecticut, rather than a more direct route to Ukazoo, I veered to the East and stopped in Ocean City, Maryland.

At week’s end, while sitting in a local tavern, enjoying the company with a few of the regulars I had met during my stay, we quelled our conversation to listen to an interview on the radio, hosted by a local DJ, DJ Batman.

DJ Batman plays music, lots of great music, but today, in-between tributes to two classic bands, he slotted a 15 minute interview with a local area college professor. The discussion centered around the professors in-progress Thesis about what Maryland Blue crabs actually do during the winter months.

Well, the six of us, already in a very loose “got some time on our hands” mood, called the radio station during the question and answer segment, to avail ourselves to the professors suggested underwater quest for answers. Keen as the offer sounded, the good professor did a back-track on his grand plan, admitting it was far too cold for him to do any diving and he was very much content to get his information off the internet.

Well, that wasn’t fair, with our curiosity now primed, we announced over the airwaves, without considering logistics of such a project, we would tackle this issue ourselves.

DJ Batman, intently listening to our call to action, seized the moment, and promptly put out an on-air request for donations of any equipment, supplies, or help we might need for our underwater endeavor. Filtering into the Radio Station, over the next several hours, were scuba diving outfits, lights, rope, a couple of tents to warm up in after the dive, hot chocolate, even a couple of donuts. One of our group, Gerard, wanted the kind with sprinkles on top.

With DJ Batman setting up an on-location remote, on a nearby pier, to provide listeners with live updates between songs, it was only natural that he started off the event by playing “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay”.

The bay still iced up from a recent cold front, we had to cut a large entrance/exit hole. Of our group, Briggs and Cosmo volunteered to stay behind to keep the ice from reforming around the hole and work the guide-lines hooked to each of us. Gerard, Poole, Newman and I, donning wetsuits, air-tanks, facemasks, and my camera, also took some soft-glow flashlights, as to not startle the underwater residents.

At first, we only spotted a few small groups of crabs, some just relaxing, others conversing with a few fish on their way to school. As we proceeded onward, we noticed the crabs lifted an upward turned claw to their mouths.

Of more interest was a couple of crabs, sitting on rocks, reading books. One, a short story, entitled “Chicken Necks, Do You Really Need One.” and another, a novel, “Soft Times/A Hard Life ”. Again, as we continued on, each crab put a claw to their mouth.

The most intriguing sighting was near the end of our dive. As we looped back around for our return, we came upon a foursome of crabs playing poker. We paused, to watch the hand play out. I took this picture as the final bets were being made.

Newman, gave a slight hand signal, directing our attention to our left, where we noticed the one crab concealing an extra Ace. Noticing ours eyes shift, the other three crabs, always alert to picking up on a “Tell”, did a shuffle to the left and right to check out the nature of our interest.

Seeing the partially hidden Ace, their front claws shot upwards churning the water, becoming livid by the audacity that one would cheat. They banished him from the game. Retaining his forfeited clams, the three crabs offered them to us for our part in unintentionally solving how he was winning every hand. As they packed up their remaining clams, departing to find another player, they turned and each put a claw to their mouth.

We finally got it. Clearly a gesture asking us to maintain a silence about our witnessing the activities of crabs during the winter months, we nodded our agreement. Not a word!

 

Art notes:

All images and text are copyright Craig L Haupt

Postings of “Journey to Ukazoo” Slides are every Monday Evening.

New arrivals to the “Journey” please see Slide One for a brief synopsis.

Opening Art Reception, Saturday, March 15th, 2014, 5:00 to 8:00 P.M., at Ukazoo Book Store, Towson, MD 21204

 

Journey to Ukazoo-Slide 35

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Alna's Quilt

Journey to Ukazoo

Slide 35– Alna’s Quilt

Leaving Maine, I had called ahead to reserve a room at a recommended quaint Bed & Breakfast, just inside Connecticut, hosted by Andy and Jen Trapunto.

Checking in, an air of confusion swirled around the inn with Andy and Jen also tending to an onslaught of several unannounced groups of Andy’s relatives inquiring about accommodations for the week. The root of this commotion was Andy’s grandmother, Alna, who resided in an attached addition to the inn, and her upcoming 100th birthday festivities.

Earlier attempts, by Andy and Jen, to host a large family gathering to celebrate her birthday failed logistically by previous commitments and distance, so Andy arranged a small end-of-week gathering, for Alna’s birthday, with just his and Jen’s parents.

This state of confusion was initiated when a growing number of brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, cousins, etc. decided on a spur of the moment that Alna’s birthday was too big a deal to brush aside, but forgot to make Andy aware of their change of plans. With no advanced notice, there weren’t enough rooms available, and now Andy feverishly worked the phones finding extra rooms at nearby inns.

Over the next two days, all the family members gathered at Andy and Jen’s for several meetings to work out a new game plan for the party and with numerous introductions and “what do you think” discussions, I found myself drawn into their fold.  The relatives, a composite of different ages, professions, and life styles, brought with them the friendships, the laughing, the reminiscing, as well as the bickering, and disagreements typical of all families. I felt at home.

With accommodations and coordination of the party worked through, the months-ago-idea of everyone chipping in to purchase just one “from the family” gift seemed a lost cause. With over 30 family members present, trying to decide on “one” gift, grew into an evening of escalating, sometimes tense, fruitless suggestions.

Off to the side, near where I sat, Cindy Lou, a 10 year old great-grand daughter, quietly raised her hand. Caught off guard by the cuteness of this polite gesture, everyone fell silent and turned her way.

Bringing to light that the blanket Alna uses for her frequent naps, around the inn, is old and tattered, her suggestion was simple, “We could make her a new one”. Everyone maintained their silence, pondering whether this was just outright silly or a brilliant idea. It was Andy who broke the silence. He sided with brilliance.

Jen quickly elaborated, that plenty of scrap material was on hand for a wonderful free-form patch-work quilt. Batting and whole-cloth’s for top and back are still stored in the attic from bygone quilting bee’s. Several members of the family have done quite a bit of sewing over the years and this would be an excellent opportunity for the younger members of the family to learn the art of quilting appliqué. We can all be involved, even if just contributing a stitch or two, you can still help by measuring, cutting, preparing meals, and general errands during the quilt’s construction.

One by one, everyone embraced the idea.

Over the next four days, while it was impossible to keep the making of the quilt a secret from Alna, the  reason for the quilt certainly was. Even Alna’s few offers, between naps, to help sew on a few designs, added to the fullness of the project. It was completed just hours before the party.

After the cake and ice cream, it was only fitting that Cindy Lou carry the quilt over to Alna.

I took this picture after Alna sat in her favorite cushioned chair and they gently covered her with her new quilt.

Just before she drifted into her nap, she looked up, with tearful eyes, and to everyone gathered around, she said. “Thank you, I couldn’t have imagined a more wonderful gift, and every time I run my fingers over this quilt, I will feel this week of togetherness and the love of everyone in this family”.

She closed her eyes for a second then added “Oh, by the way, would someone stop in the room later and give me a nudge, I don’t want to miss my before-bedtime nip of Sherry”.

Art notes:

All images and text are copyright Craig L Haupt

Postings of “Journey to Ukazoo” Slides are every Monday Evening.

New arrivals to the “Journey” please see Slide One for a brief synopsis.

Opening Art Reception, Saturday, March 15th, 2014, 5:00 to 8:00 P.M., at Ukazoo Book Store, Towson, MD 21204

Journey to Ukazoo-Slide 34

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Canoe Ride

Journey to Ukazoo

Slide 34-”Canoe Ride”

Stopping in South Berwick, for the fourth of my four stops in Maine, I checked into the Academy Street Inn. Eyeing a sign-up Brochure in the parlor I penciled in my name for a three-day, middle of the week, camp-out/canoe excursion at a nearby lake, along with several other guests.

To compact the amount of vehicles used for the trip, I shared a ride with a couple and their two children, Ross and Ava. During the in-route conversation, I was informed that besides enjoying a camping adventure with the kids, they were also revisiting the place they first met 14 years ago. Ross, their son, was especially excited because he wanted to use his newly acquired rod & reel, originally owned by his great-grandfather, now handed down to him from his dad.

At the lake, I set up my tent near their site and we did a buddy thing with meals and chores.

Posted on several trees around the camp sites were the recreational do’s and don’ts. All the usual, lifejackets, no alcohol, etc. but down at the bottom in large bold letters:

WARNING!!

Lake is Home to

“Big Moe”

Very Large, Dangerous, Elusive Fish

Extremely Fond of Cheeseburgers

Do Not keep any in your boat

After, ironically, having cheeseburgers for lunch, I overheard Ross and his sister jokingly plotting to take a leftover cheeseburger on the canoe ride to try and catch “Big Moe”. Once cleanup was completed and the group prepared to take the canoes out, Dad took a well worn ukulele he had used to serenade Mom during their first date. Out on the lake, their canoe leisurely drifting, Dad was now lost in his singing, and Ross, with a surprised Ava peering over his shoulder, hooked up his fishing line with a cheeseburger he had secretly pocketed and cast it into the water.

Glancing over from my canoe, I saw Ross’s fishing line tug.

I quickly grabbed the camera and took this picture as the line pulled taut and up came “Big Moe”.

With Ross, struggling to hang on to the rod, Ava turned around and franticly started yelling to get dad and mom’s attention. The bow of the canoe started to tip up and out of the water as “Big Moe” kept pulling down on the line trying to free himself. Not wanting to lose his prized father-to-son fishing rod, Ross resisted his mom and dad’s pleas to release the rod & reel. As everyone started to slide down in a ‘Titanic’ moment, and the curved rocker at the stern inched below the water’s surface, Ross had no choice, he let the rod go. In that instant, “Big Moe” and the fishing rod disappeared beneath the surface and the canoe, tension released, arched forward and down, slapping the lakes surface with a jolt. Shaken and wet from the spray of water, miraculously, everyone remained in the canoe.

That evening, with the rest of the group turned in for the night, I heard two distinct noises while sitting on the pier watching the stars.

The first noise was Ross wandering out to the pier. Sad about losing his rod & reel, he couldn’t sleep. While we recounted the day’s adventure, the second noise occurred. In the water, a splashing sound. Directly in front of us, with hook, rod, and reel still attached, was “Big Moe”.

Big sorrowful eyes begged us to take the hook out. Having the longer reach, I carefully removed the hook. At the same time, Ross used a nearby pole to bring the rod close enough to the pier for him to retrieve. With that accomplished, “Big Moe” lowered himself slightly into the water and back up again to suggest a thank you. Then he remained, patiently waiting. It was Ross that figured it out.

Quickly running back to the campsite, he quietly got two leftover cheeseburgers from the cooler and returning, did a gentle toss of each to a very appreciative “Big Moe”.

Another thank-you dip and submerging, out of sight, “Big Moe” swam away.

Art notes:

All images and text are copyright Craig L Haupt

Postings of “Journey to Ukazoo” Slides are every Monday Evening.

New arrivals to the “Journey” please see Slide One for a brief synopsis.

Opening Art Reception, Saturday, March 15th, 2014, 5:00 to 8:00 P.M., at Ukazoo Book Store, Towson, MD