Archive for November, 2010
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Christmas in Peninsula: A My Town Monday Post
While a lot has changed since this photo was taken in the early 1900′s, the Peninsula United Methodist Church still sits on the corner of Main and Locust, it’s renovated steeple punctuating the sky.
Horses and buggies have been replaced by cars and trucks, and few people chance walking down the middle of Main Street any more. Folks in our neck of the woods take their holidays seriously. The Garden Club has been decorating the bridge over the river called Cuyahoga for a long time. And merchants and residents dress up their homes and store fronts for the season.
Our Elements Gallery, along with the Peninsula Art Academy, are inviting artists to donate artwork to Heart, Hands and Home, our gift to the women who are serviced by the Battered Women’s Shelter of Summit and Medina Counties. The artwork will be given to women and children for birthdays, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and the winter holidays. Stop in and visit us and the PAA for artist crafted items throughout the holiday season.
The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad runs a special seasonal train, The Polar Express, complete with elves and hot chocolate. They also partner with Heritage Farms, a family owned tree farm that is more than 160 years old. Folks can take the train into town, choose their tree, stop in the Village to shop and get back on the train; the tree they have chosen is loaded on the train for them. Many families have made their trip to Carol and Kim’s tree farm an annual tradition.
On Sunday, December 5, from 1-4:30 pm, flutist Debora Roznovsky and organist Hazel Broughton will present a series of 4 petite concerts at the historic Bronson Memorial Church on Main Street. This Christmas concert and sing-along are a gift to Peninsula’s residents and visitors.
This little Village, nestled in the magnificent Cuyahoga Valley, sits along the river by the same name. It’s a place where you can walk up the hill to the post office and the library; you can explore the side streets and trails and still have a lot to see. The Village of Peninsula, built by the hands and hearts of generations, gently resisting change since 1837.
Come back during the rest of the week; I’ll be posting more photos of the Village dressed in it’s holiday finery. And, as always, feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone, (o), to let me know you’ve stopped by. Take a look at My Town Monday to see what others have to say about the places they call home.
Giving Thanks
“i thank You God for most this amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes”
~~ee cummings
Today we embraced our new traditions, as we shared a simple meal, and raised our cups to remember. And it was good.
Wordless Wednesday: Late Edition
Gratitude
Gratitude:
[grat-i-tood, -tyood] –noun the quality or feeling of being grateful or thankful
??tud, -?tyud/ 
This is a word I think of often these days of reflection. Days thinking about those we’ve lost, and what we’ve gained. This will be the first Thanksgiving without my beloved mother-in-law, she who said that the turkey wasn’t done until it fell off the bone; and who made the pies and strudels for dessert. It will be a day without our children, one of whom will be finishing her studies in NYC; the other will be with friends in Kansas City.
We will be serving memories next Thursday, with a side of gratitude, and reflection for dessert. Let me know if you’d like to join us. There will be plenty of room at the table.
Wordless Wednesday
Music for Monday
It was the first Tuesday in November, significant for a variety of reasons: election day, the return of my #2 daughter from Seattle, and assorted folks spending assorted days and nights here at our palatial country estate. Our daughter has a friend whose sister, Carsie Blanton, is a musician. She and her base player, Joe Plowman, were going to be opening for The Weepies, and were going to say with us while they were here. They arrived first; #2 daughter was still at the airport. We talked for a bit; then Carsie and Joe headed to the family room to play. The sweet sounds of their lovely music filled this old house.
We were fortunate to be gifted with 3 of Carsie’s CD’s. She told me to listen to Buoy first, since it’s her favorite. I did, and then listened to the others. What a treat.
Take a look at Carsie’s tour schedule; if she’s playing in your neck of the woods, try to make it to a concert. You won’t be disappointed.
As always, feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone (o), to let me know you stopped by.
Goodnight Moon: A Wordless Wednesday Post
From Hearts to Hands to Home: A My Town Monday Post
I have loved the form of a fan for a long time. It is complete by itself, and yet it is part of a larger whole, a circle.
This is how I see myself, and the rest of my family of man: we, too, are complete as individuals, and are also part of a larger whole. Seeing the world from this perspective has been an interesting way to go through my life. I am so aware of the pain and the challenges; and this also gives me a chance to see the incredible beauty on this planet. It enables me to be acutely aware of the connectedness we share. We really do all live in the same town, you know.
And so Heart to Hands to Home, gifts to the women and children who are served by the Battered Women’s Shelter of Summit and Medina Counties, was born. We have supported the work of the shelter for many years by donating our good seconds. These items have been given as gifts for birthdays, holidays, Valentine’s Day and Mothers’ Day to the women and children who benefit from the shelter’s services.
This year, we, along with the Peninsula Art Academy, invite other artists to join us in supporting the shelter by donating our good seconds of functional, decorative and wearable art. Work from our hearts through our hands to their homes.
The mission of the Battered Women’s Shelter is to lead the community in the prevention of domestic abuse by providing emergency shelter, advocacy and education throughout Summit and Medina Counties, all in an effort to break the cycle of abuse and help promote peace in every family.
The agency is the only one in it’s service area providing protective shelter to families experiencing domestic violence. With a 90-bed capacity between Summit and Medina counties, it provides over 17,000 nights of shelter per year. Approximately 1000 women per year, seek a support group in their community to help point them in the right direction and let them know, they are not alone.
Items may be dropped off or mailed to Elements Gallery, 1619 W. Mill St, Peninsula, OH 44264, by December 16th.
This is an opportunity for all of us, in our towns, to give to others in our communities, because giving is receiving. This is where We The People can demonstrate the Power. Of. One. Where, when we make a difference in other folks’ lives, we make a difference in our own.
As always, my friends, please feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone (o), to let me know you’ve stopped by. And take a moment to visit My Town Monday; you’ll see what our neighbors have to say about their necks of the woods.
And the Winner Is:
Last Monday, I asked readers to identify an item and it’s use. I should have specified the intended use of the object, since the suggestions folks made were just as valid as the one I had in mind. The winner of my high tech drawing (where I drew a name from a hat) is Laura. She correctly identified the cherry oven rack puller, although I’d love to see it used to crochet, fly kites and hang from spinning wheels.
If you’d like to own one of these fine kitchen tools, stop in the Gallery, or use the contact form at the top of the page.
And, as always, feel free to leave me a comment, or a stone (o), to let me know you’ve stopped by.
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