Bob Mc Peek left us two weeks ago. I met him when we moved to G'ville in 2019. He was just a quiet, nice guy in yoga class.
We put on little Halloween parade every year. When Nancye and Bob showed up to watch it in 2021 I needed more people in it. I asked them to march and they graciously agreed.
Bob was our Blue Robot.
We'll march again tomorrow but, like the rest of Gainesville, we'll be missing Bob McPeek.
Art makes people happy. That was abundantly evident when a group of us put on a neighborhood art show yesterday. It took place at the United Church of Gainesville on NW 5 Ave.
Everyone had a great time and we raised over $650 for the local Food4Kids program.
Most of the action took place inside.
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| Twenty-six artists displayed their work |
While others chose to display their creations outside, in the patio, on a perfect fall day.
Heidi Stein got us in the holiday spirit with her Krampus sculptures.
He's the mythical Eastern European figure who punishes children who are bad.
Our friend, Uta, presented a wide variety of her amazing creations.
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I threw in a few of mine as well.
This was a different kind of show. One where you could sell art...or not. This display -one of the best- had all sorts of incredible, colorful wool sculptures.
Nothing was priced. When I asked the artist how much her blue felt hat costs she told me, "I have no idea. I don't sell my work". She then offered to teach me how to make one.
The ultra-talented Malika Green sold many delicate French macaroons but what really caught my eye where her shoes!
It's like seeing flying pigs, another story I picked up yesterday, but I'll save that for another column.
Our first show was terrific. When we do it again next year come join us!
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It was a lovely, all-day affair on the groom’s family's farm.
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| Francesca with Elder Buswell |
After the wedding we headed to Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom to enjoy an outdoor performance of the Bread & Puppet Circus.
Francesca sharing bread with Peter Schulmann. He and his wife, Elka, started B&P in 1964.
In the sixteen-acre field behind us another pageant began. A chorus sang as Mother Sun rotated like a large, lazy galaxy.
After that another distant drama took place ending with a fifty-foot flying dragon swooping in to eat the evil doers.
An ancient barn shelters hundreds of puppets from 58-years past.
Their gift shop sold what they call “cheap art”, hand-made prints to help finance the circus’ sixty-person staff.
After hours of mind-blowing entertainment we retreated to our BnB in nearby Glover, VT.
An outstanding breakfast can brighten any day.
We enjoyed one at the historic Busy Bee Diner in Glover. It's been owned and operated by women since 1932.
Denise’s pancakes were as big as hubcaps. Her brother, Jerry, keeps the Bee in fresh maple syrup (“The best, she said, very dark!”).
Heading four hours east took us to the coast of Maine. Bunches of Coconut Grove friends have summer homes there.
We stayed in both Demariscotta and Belfast. Our gracious hosts took us hiking on pristine islands off-shore.
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| Hiking on Hog Island |
In Round Pond we met Buddy, a lobsterman who will be marrying a writer we admire on Saturday. Inside "The Captain’s House” (photo above) there is still much the seafarer’s old things including his tools, a two-seat outhouse and this crazy hat.
Our buddy Paul is all over Belfast. He owns an upscale indoor farmer's market, a marina, and the Belfast Yacht Club.
You can join the red-clad club if you own (at least) a canoe and pay a $2 fee.
Next to the club the presidential yacht, "Sequoia", is plastic-wrapped and awaiting restoration.
The 104-footer served as the "Floating White House" for eight administrations, from Hoover to Carter. It's been stuck in Belfast for three years.
Our friends,Tom and Meg, are turning this elderly Belfast school into a 11,000 s.f. residence.
It seemed every wall had large windows or blackboards. Thankfully, the cafeteria line was short.
We think we over-booked on this trip. It seemed we were trying out a new bed almost every night.
We spent last two in Boston with Francesca's brother and his wife. The architects live in the city's "Little Italy" which is called The North End.
On a tour of MIT's Haydon Library. It's one of many buildings we saw designed by their firm, "KVA".
The North End was like visiting a small Italian city. Who knew you could cram so many red-sauce restaurants, Italian bakers, pasta-makers, and butchers into eight-square blocks.
They party with celebratory “feasts” every week.
Each features a colorful parade, lively music, and wine flowing freely. There was still white confetti on the ground from the "97th Annual Italian Feast of the Healing Saints Cosmas and Damian" a few days ago. They’ll be feting St. Anthony this weekend.
In Bean Town we were surrounded by history.
We trudged up Bunker Hill, went down inside our oldest war ship, the USS Constitution, then toured the house of Paul Revere.
Paul on his horse next to North Church.
I wish I could have been one of them. These epic summer adventures have left me with one less tooth.
Finally our freedom trail has taken us back to Gainesville. We look forward to being free to do nothing, to going nowhere, and to sleeping in our favorite bed again.
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Hello Neighbors...Welcome to the latest
RATTLESNAKE CREEK GARDEN CLUB NEWSLETTER August 22, 2022
As you well know, It's been too hot to grow anything but okra so I've been holding off the garden news. I do want to say though,
VOTE TOMORROW AS IF YOUR CITY DEPENDED ON IT!
Many of you have cast you ballots already but if you have not, vote tomorrow for the candidates that have promised to do their best to roll-back the city's ban on single- family zoning. If you need advice on this, call or write.
Our University Park Neighborhood Association sponsored a zoom gathering recently featuring most of the local candidates. You can view it on their website. Also we had two candidate gatherings in Florida Park. Brenda and Dan had a meet 'n greet in their back yard and our last garden club meeting featured a two candidates discussing the
zoning issue.
Our neighbor, Christian Newman, is hoping to represent us on the city commission. I suggested that he use this in his campaign. He thought I was kidding. I know that once elected "Super Chris" will do a great job and all he can to rectify the commission's terrible zoning decision last month.
HONORING OUR PANDEMIC HEROES
I'm working on a project to thank G'ville's essential workers, The folks who put themselves at risk to get us through the "worst of times" since March of 2020. We have asked the Mayor to declare October "Essential Worker Appreciation Month". "EWs" will get concert tickets, restaurant discount coupons, and other cool stuff.
Essential workers include educators, retail employees, anyone providing medical services, the GRU guys, police, firemen, retail people, sanitation workers, nursing home staff, and so forth.
If you'd like to be a part of this project, or, to offer something to show "EWs" our gratitude, let me know.
THE A. QUINN JONES CENTER, A Local
Treasure
We have an amazing place three blocks east of Florida Park, a historic site where you can learn about our city's history, and, take in an occasional concert.
The A. Quinn Jones Cultural Center is open most days at at 1017 NW 7 Ave.
Why not walk over? They have a terrific art exhibition up through September 30th., "Blues Pioneers". Many of these musical giants passed through
Gainesville at one time or another. Bo Diddley lived nearby y'know...
Saturday night we took out-of-town guests to one of their outstanding outdoor concerts on the back patio. "Sheba the Mississippi Queen" and her accompanist, took us through blues favorites like "Hound Dog" and "No Good Ugly Man".
The shows are free and fun. Our guests were amazed. Check out their website, Aquinnjones@cityofgainesville.org.
UPNA'S PARKS INITIATIVE
Florida Park has no parks. University Park only has the Parker Park on weekends. Your neighborhood association is trying to do something about that.
PARKER PARK
UPNA'S Parks committee met with school board representatives last month. They own the five acres of public land (mostly woods) west of Parker Park.
UPNA retained a graphic designer to create materials for our school board presentation.
RATTLESNAKE WOODS
Have you noticed the wide swath of vegetation cleared out in Rattlesnake Woods (on the west end of NW 14 Ave.)?
That's 75,000 sq. feet of public land (a "right of way") that belongs to the city. One portion of it is 55' wide and it runs from the end of 12 Rd. all the way to the creek. We have asked the city to make that this public land a park as well. It's a great idea but seeing something like this though will take considerable work and perhaps many years.
Here's sketch to show you our public land in "the woods" (X'd out). Our property there (technically a "right-of-way") is almost as large as a football field.
Why don't we at least put in some benches and replace exotic plants with natives?
FLORIDA PARK'S THIRD ANNUAL HALLOWEEN PARADE will be marching again on Monday, Oct. 31st, at 5:30 p.m.
This year we'll have two marching bands, one for actual musicians and one for the rest of us. Let me know which one you'd like to join.
I will direct you to the appropriate band rehearsal site.
Tony went pirate last year.
RAINBOW BRIDGE WILL BE LOOKING GOOD AGAIN We thank the neighbors who have volunteered to give it a new, colorful coat of paint. Eddie and his family were there last weekend making the green steps as bright as the surrounding foliage.
FINALLY, THE GARDEN PART
Have you ever noticed the pineapples growing by our driveway? It takes two years, y'know, but after that you can
harvest one and save three dollars.
Our first Hawaiian gem finally ripened and it was delicious. It's one of the few things we grow that the squirrels don't eat first.
That's it from NW 12th Rd,
Glenn,
for the RCG Club
305 299 5607
