This 'n' that and a little bit of the other
Has it really been over a month since I posted an entry on LJ? According to my handy-dandy, sometimes overly helpful welcome page, that appears to be the case. So, that said, I guess I should scratch around and come up with something even mildly interesting to report.
Weekends at this end have been busy, busy, busy what with all the seasonal festivals, shows and day trips around the tri-state area. We've visited the Walters Art Gallery, the Baltimore Museum of Art and, most recently, the Delaware Museum of Art - the first two offer daily free admission and the third Eric and I took advantage of their Free Sundays one glorious afternoon. While I'm all about funding the arts, these days (and on my shoestring budget) $12 a pop is a bit much.
The Brandywine River Museum is next on the list, because we both need our fix of Wyeth art viewed in a restored 19th-century grist mill (N.C. book illustrations for me and Andrew barn/farm scenes for him).
The Delaware Saengerbund (Oktoberfest) was fun too. As in past years, I was able to inhale my usual quota of bratwurst and German potato salad. I also managed to abstain from jumping up on stage and joining the folk dancing, though my beer-fueled brain was sorely tempted.
Visited my old workplace last Friday night for their annual Juried Exhibition. I tell ya, it's true about what they say about how you can never go home again. The turnout this year - which during my time at the Cecil County Arts Council was consistently above the mark - was, to put it bluntly, quite pedestrian.
The high quality of artwork just wasn't there. No big, elaborate paintings or sculptures. No bold splashes of color or pieces that drew you in and made you go "wow!" Everything was just so small and frugally executed. I asked a few of the veterans what had happened in the six years I was away and they all pretty much just shrugged their shoulders and told me a lot had gone down - funding woes and the like. Sad, really, when you think about it. Although I did manage to reconnect with a few contacts that I'm hoping might turn into a full-time position at a non profit organization, because the newspaper biz is a dying animal that just isn't a good fit for me anymore.
Got tickets in the mail for the Stoudt's Brewery Microfest the other day, so that'll be more beer tasting and bratwurst eating. Huzzah!
Randomly, after a rainy-day outing to Hershey's Chocolate World, I have discovered that their Dark Chocolate Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Cherry Cordial Kisses are amazingly awesome.
And, just to show that I do manage more than consuming drinks made from hops and barley, I've decided (after seeing a notice at my local library) to knit some scarves and hats for the homeless for Christmas. Nothing too elaborate or time-consuming, since I've got my own projects I need to complete, but what with the quick patterns I've found on Ravelry (yes, I've become a fiber art lemming) and the easy but attractive designs I have on hand here, I should be able to do some serious stash busting and do my part this holiday season.
Weekends at this end have been busy, busy, busy what with all the seasonal festivals, shows and day trips around the tri-state area. We've visited the Walters Art Gallery, the Baltimore Museum of Art and, most recently, the Delaware Museum of Art - the first two offer daily free admission and the third Eric and I took advantage of their Free Sundays one glorious afternoon. While I'm all about funding the arts, these days (and on my shoestring budget) $12 a pop is a bit much.
The Brandywine River Museum is next on the list, because we both need our fix of Wyeth art viewed in a restored 19th-century grist mill (N.C. book illustrations for me and Andrew barn/farm scenes for him).
The Delaware Saengerbund (Oktoberfest) was fun too. As in past years, I was able to inhale my usual quota of bratwurst and German potato salad. I also managed to abstain from jumping up on stage and joining the folk dancing, though my beer-fueled brain was sorely tempted.
Visited my old workplace last Friday night for their annual Juried Exhibition. I tell ya, it's true about what they say about how you can never go home again. The turnout this year - which during my time at the Cecil County Arts Council was consistently above the mark - was, to put it bluntly, quite pedestrian.
The high quality of artwork just wasn't there. No big, elaborate paintings or sculptures. No bold splashes of color or pieces that drew you in and made you go "wow!" Everything was just so small and frugally executed. I asked a few of the veterans what had happened in the six years I was away and they all pretty much just shrugged their shoulders and told me a lot had gone down - funding woes and the like. Sad, really, when you think about it. Although I did manage to reconnect with a few contacts that I'm hoping might turn into a full-time position at a non profit organization, because the newspaper biz is a dying animal that just isn't a good fit for me anymore.
Got tickets in the mail for the Stoudt's Brewery Microfest the other day, so that'll be more beer tasting and bratwurst eating. Huzzah!
Randomly, after a rainy-day outing to Hershey's Chocolate World, I have discovered that their Dark Chocolate Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Cherry Cordial Kisses are amazingly awesome.
And, just to show that I do manage more than consuming drinks made from hops and barley, I've decided (after seeing a notice at my local library) to knit some scarves and hats for the homeless for Christmas. Nothing too elaborate or time-consuming, since I've got my own projects I need to complete, but what with the quick patterns I've found on Ravelry (yes, I've become a fiber art lemming) and the easy but attractive designs I have on hand here, I should be able to do some serious stash busting and do my part this holiday season.