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Bakelite, Books & Rain (Finally!)

May 30, 2016 at 9:18 am by Claudia

I know a lot of bloggers don’t post on a holiday or simply post specifically about that holiday. I, on the other hand, like to read blogs every day of the year and just because it’s a holiday doesn’t mean that every moment of my day is taken up with that holiday. When the pickings are slim, I feel let down. It’s like that ‘nobody’s around’ feeling in a neighborhood. Sort of unnerving.

So, what the heck, I’ll post as if it were any other day. Sort of.

We went to our neighboring town of Rosendale yesterday to have brunch at my favorite vegetarian restaurant – or almost vegetarian – the Rosendale Café. (Don has played there several times.) Oh, what a scrumptious brunch! Great music in the background; it sounded like Stephane Grappelli and Django Reinhardt and it was perfect for a leisurely Sunday brunch. Then we stopped by our friend’s shop, the same shop where we found our chair last week. I came home with these pieces of bakelite flatware.

5-30 bakelite

Yes, another thing I collect: Bakelite. I actually haven’t purchased any bakelite in a long time, but these three pieces were intriguing. Love the serving fork on the right and the grapefruit knife in the middle. Any ideas what the piece on the left is? A whip? A potato masher? If you have any ideas, share them here!

Then we went to visit Jesse at Postmark Books, my new favorite bookshop. And this time, I actually bought some books.

5-30 books

Jesse pointed out the Scandinavian mystery on the left. It looks very interesting. And I’ve been wanting to buy Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Between the World and Me for a long time. I’ve heard nothing but raves about it, with one blogger going so far as to say if you were only going to read one book this year, this should be it.

I took more photos of the shop and I’ll most likely post them on Just Let Me Finish This Page tomorrow. Oh, and Jesse does ship, for those of you who asked.

It’s rained all night long and it’s easing up now. More rain and storms tonight. I’m happy that the plants are getting some much needed moisture.

Here’s a picture of the two gadabouts:

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(Taken at the Rosendale Café.)

I’m getting grayer by the minute. So is Don.

Of course, we remember today all those who lost their lives in combat, in war, and under friendly fire. All of them gone too soon.

My fervent wish: No More War.

Happy Monday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

Filed Under: bakelite, books, bookstores, collecting 48 Comments

Too Darn Hot

May 29, 2016 at 9:12 am by Claudia

Cripes. It’s been so hot here that we are under an air quality warning and have been for the past couple of days. It ‘felt’ – according the the weather report – close to 100 yesterday. Where the heck did Spring go? I’ve been staying in, just venturing out to keep water in the birdbath (they are drinking and bathing there almost constantly) and to water my seeds and potted plants.

All the rain that was predicted last week never materialized and we could really use some. I hope that tomorrow’s predicted rain comes. The birds, the animals, the plants, the grass – they all need a break.

5-29 catmint

The catmint has really taken off – purple blooms everywhere.

5-29 yarrow

Yarrow that has self-seeded over by the Chicken Wire Fence Garden.

5-29 clematisvines

Clematis twining and looping and blooming.

5-29 windchimes

Wind chimes moving gently in the breeze – when there is  one.

I read a book in a day and a half. It’s titled Security  and it’s by Gina Wohlsdorf. On my Kindle in eGalley form, it is un-putdownable. A high-tech thriller so well plotted and written that I was mesmerized. I’ll write a brief mini-review on Just Let Me Finish This Page today. It will be published on June 7th. Don was out doing a gig last night and there was nothing that interested me on television, so I just kept reading. And then I picked it up this morning and finished it. I love having a nice chunk of time in which to lost myself in a book. It’s the best.

Is anyone, other than Melanie, seeing ads that block the text or photos? I don’t mean the drop down ads that are sometimes above the first post. Those do open up and expand but are easily closed back up. I don’t seen anything on any of my browsers and I use Safari, Chrome and Firefox. I think it might be adware that’s on her browser, but I want to check with the rest of you.

Happy Sunday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

Filed Under: books, flowers, garden 32 Comments

Opening Night

May 28, 2016 at 9:37 am by Claudia

I’m getting started very slowly today as we didn’t get home until 1 am from the Opening Night of Anastasia. It was a long day – driving there took almost twice as long as usual because of the Memorial Day weekend, I suspect. I almost gave up, thinking we should just head back home. But oh! I am so glad we kept going.

I cannot tell you enough how glorious this musical is. Opening Night was one of the most magical nights I’ve even been a part of, and I’ve been in theater for, ahem, many years. I am sitting here, this morning, in my blogging chair, remembering bits and pieces of the night, snatches of songs, magical moments onstage, the roar of the crowd at the end of certain musical numbers, the cheers and foot stomping and bravos that filled the theater. Don was completely enthralled. He couldn’t stop talking about it and said it’s the best show he’s seen in years.

I love the cast, a group of super talented actor/singer/dancers with big hearts and a wonderful, positive attitude. I love Darko, of course – his brilliance is a given. The music and lyrics, the libretto, the choreography, the music direction, the costumes, the set design, the lighting, the projections – are superb. I grew up acting in musicals. They are my first love. And what I love about the musical theater are the lush, gorgeous songs of the greats: Rodgers & Hammerstein, Rodgers & Hart, Frank Loesser, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Kander & Ebb, Jule Styne, Jerome Kern, George Gershwin….what I don’t like is the Pop sound in a lot of recent musicals. I avoid them like the plague. Musical Theater should be larger-than-life, it should take you to a different place, a place where the feelings and emotions in a moment are so big, so momentous, that the character just has to sing.

Anastasia  does that. Oh, how wonderful it is to witness something like this.

We spent some time at the party afterwards and then, about 11 pm, headed home. Not much sleep, but so worth it. It’s headed to Broadway sometime in 2017.

5-28 clematis

Before we left for Hartford, I noticed the clematis was blooming!

5-28 clematis2

As is the Lamium.

5-28 lamium

With these 90 degree temperatures, I suspect a lot of blooms are going to pop open. Staying inside with the A/C on today. Don has a gig tonight, poor guy, so he’s trying to sleep in.

Happy Saturday.

ClaudiaSignature140X93

 

Filed Under: Broadway, garden, Hartford, music, theater 34 Comments

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Welcome!

Welcome!

I live in a little cottage in the country with my husband. It's a sweet place, sheltered by old trees and surrounded by gardens. The inside is full of the things we love. I love to write, I love my camera, I love creating, I love gardening. My decorating style is eclectic; full of vintage and a bit of whimsy.

I've worked in the theater for more years than I can count. I'm currently a voice, speech, dialect and text coach freelancing on Broadway, off Broadway, and in regional theater.

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