Yesterday we beat the heat by going to the Henry Ford Museum.P likes the silly cars in Richard Scarry's Cars and Trucks and Things that Go and never believed me when I told her that I had seen a hotdog car. She was quite surprised when we walked into the museum and saw this car right at the entrance.
They have a collection of doll houses too. I liked the kitchen sink in this one. And that little baby in the walker was just TOO cute!
I love the Dymaxion House that is on display there.
Just look at all of the NEW materials that are in there.
The fabric in this 1950's shirt is pretty fabulous, I think.
Here is P in the seat on the bus where Rosa Parks was arrested. Yes, they have the actual bus on display and they let you get on and have a seat.
The bus is restored complete with mid century advertisements.
A day in an airconditioned museum was just what we needed. I enjoyed all of the mid century goodness on display.What have you been doing to beat the heat?
Thank You
Sara, Ian, Lisa, Steve, Jed, Nathan, and Rick, I am SO glad that you live, play music and teach in our hometown. You all do great things to make our community a wonderful and musical place to live. You inspire all of us. You provide impressive music events which are gifts for all. You teach and make it possible for us to have music events by people of all ages. You help the young build skill and confidence. And you encourage them to come together in diverse groups to make music and new friends.We appreciate you. You are all shining jewels in Chelsea's crown. Thank you.
Movie Night
Movie night means more than just watching a movie. To me it means popcorn, knitting AND a movie!Some of us here really like our popcorn. I have been loyal to one national brand for a really long time. A few weeks ago, however, I saw some RED popcorn in our store. In addition to being red it was also locally grown so I had to give it a try. Am I glad I did? You bet! It has a much better taste; it actually tastes like CORN!Yesterday we tried their white popcorn. This popped even better and had a great corny taste.
There's another reason to support local - it might even be better. This is!Oh, and the knitting.I finished some socks for B. They are basic men's crew socks made from Mountain Colors Bearfoot yarn.
I also started some fingerless mitts. I love this pattern. It is an easy to memorize rib pattern that I can even manage during an action/suspense film!
The mitts are from the leftover yarn from this hat.
Kandinsky Circles
Yesterday in Art Club we made concentric circles based on Wassily Kandinsky's Squares with Concentric Circles. I think they turned out great! A few of the kids finished. I saved them so that we can put all 12 out next to each other for the kids to see. They look super put together for a larger piece of artwork.
Everyone seemed to enjoy making these.
We love all the bright colors.
A Day at the Park
If the weather is nice,
P and I sometimes go to the park after school.
I find lots of interesting things to photograph.
I like the old paint and textures of the worn equipment.
P likes the park too.
Mondays at the park can also include an interesting "Bench Monday" shot.
Sporting New School Shoes
It seems like summer just flew by but here we are at the end of summer vacation. This is our last weekend before the start of school. I took Miss P shopping for some new school shoes this week. She loves the Mary Janes. They are just what she wanted. She also got some sneakers for gym.
This week we also went to open house at school, met her teacher, found her locker, and toured the school.She had a few play dates with friends.
This weekend the weather has turned crispy. It is sweater time and the leaves are falling. I guess we really can start to think about going back to school.I have also been making back to school plans for myself now that all of the children will be in school. I'll be teaching some art classes at the Chelsea Center for the Arts. I'll be the visual arts teacher for the Arts go Round program and will also be teaching the Youngest Artist series. So, if you are local and have little ones looking for some art experience please sign them up. I think we'll have a lot of fun. In the future I hope to teach some needlework and quilting classes there as well.Maybe I should get some cute new Mary Janes too.
The Best Ride EVER
It's fair week! I love our local fair. Really. I love almost everything about it.I love that it is run by volunteers. I love the way it brings the whole community together. I love that it is right before school starts back up. I love that no matter which day you go you will see many of your friends. I love that you can go in the morning before the rides are working and just stroll around and watch the animals. I love that you can enter items for judging. I love that kids of any age can enter things. I love the friendly competition of the homemaker of the year.We didn't enter anything from our garden this year. This is one of three tables of garden produce.
I didn't enter any canning this year either. There are more entries on the other side of this display.
I entered a bunch of quilts, knitting, and other needlework items. P entered some sewing and drawings. We did well with our entries and got a bunch of ribbons and prize money!In a way the fair is a bit like New Years. We make resolutions that next year we will enter more things. We will have flowers and enter them. We will try entering baked goods. I will try for homemaker of the year. But usually we are scrambling the day before the entries are due and trying to remember anything that we have made and can submit.Yesterday was opening day for the fair. The fair starts with a kid parade from downtown to the fair grounds. The kids wear costumes and decorate their bikes. P walked with M and his girlfriend this year.After the parade reaches the fairgrounds there are kid activities in the arena. There is a trike pull where the kids ride bikes loaded with milk crates filled with gallon jugs of water. There are also races. P participated in the sack race but did not want to do the three legged race. The kids all get ribbons and tickets for the rides.When the boys were little we would all ride the Ferris wheel before heading home. P had her sights set on the carousel and could not be convinced to ride the Ferris wheel.She rode the carousel horses twice. The second time was after dark! On the way home she told me that the horse ride was the best ride she has EVER ridden.
It is the ONLY ride she has ridden.Scenes from year's fair are here and here.
goin' with the a-go-gos
We had loads of fun with the a-go-gos!We toured the Jiffy Mix factory.
They really gave the big selling push for their mixes. Yes, you can buy it by the case.
Hairnets are required to go on the factory tour. Don't we look cute?
I wish we could have taken pictures on the factory floor. I love the old machinery and all the conveyors going from one place to another. The box building and filling stations are really fun to watch.I enjoy being a tourist in my own town.
We went to the famous Manchester Chicken Broil. 14,000 chicken dinners in four hours. What more can we say?
We got some fantastic coleslaw with our meal. Apparently the recipe is heavily guarded.
We saw the fairy doors in Ann Arbor.
I always enjoy peeking into the fairy shop to see what's for sale. There are always a few baby teeth in the display case.
We picked blueberries
and hung out around the house.
I am so glad to have gotten the chance to meet the a-go-gos in person!
I hope they have a marvelous time on the rest of their journey.
Thoughtful Sunday
"You will find that the conditions at a fair will surpass your wildest dreams."Charlotte's Web, E. B. White, 1952
A Day at the Fair
I love fair week!I like the community effort that goes into making it happen.
I like looking at all of the entries and knowing so many of the people who made and grew things to enter.
I enjoy the festive colors.
I enjoy the animals and knowing many of the kids who raised them.
I like the variety of sights and activities.
I enjoy seeing people I have not seen during the summer.
I enjoy the activity that brings so many people together to support their community.
I love the fair but I am glad it is only one week in the year!
