Of Seasonal Poetry, Vineyards, Music, Food, Ghosts, and Enchantment to come…

Fall Colors at Peak, October 23, 2011

Since the SHM performance, there has been a diverse range of creative experiences that tend to spark new ideas, which eventually influence the scope and spirit of aaduna.

On October 21, there was a fine performance by Omanii Abdullah, a Syracuse based poet, performer and educator in Waterloo, NY.  An imposing and gentle man, he read from his books “I Wanna be the Kinda Father My Mother Was,” “Nobody Eats Fried Chicken Like Black Folks Do” and “This is Gonna Hurt Me a Whole Lot More ’n Hurts You (webpage:www.omanii.com).

View of Cayuga Lake from Route 89

On October 22, Lisa, her cousin Anne and I visited Knapp, Cobblestone and Goose Watch Vineyards along Cayuga Lake for an afternoon of wine tastings and music and the chestnut festival at Goose Watch, and ended the evening in Auburn dancing to Brass, Inc. a nine member rock ‘n’ roll band that bought interpretations to the music of Earth, Wind and Fire, Stevie Wonder, Chicago, Tower of Power, The Temptations, Huey Lewis and others.  I was floored when the band explored classic soul with James and Bobby Purify’s, “I’m Your Puppet”, Wilson Pickett’s, “Mustang Sally, and Eddie Floyd’s, “Knock on Wood” to cite a few.

Due to another commitment, missed Patricia Schwartz’s 65^th Birth Day fete on October 23^rd where she read from her new book, “The Loneliness of Squash, and Other Writings: flash fiction, creative non-fiction, and prose poems (Blue Heron Publishing) and her friends read a poem of theirs at the ZuZu Café in Seneca Falls, NY.  Pat will be doing a variety of readings and free poetry classes throughout Central NY in the next few weeks.  Pat can be reached at fireflypoet@sage-thyme.com

And there have been wonderful dinners with friends at regional restaurants where chefs are kicking it with seasonal delights, and when that happens the home cooking gets launched towards new recipes and experimentation.

The Ghost of Seward Past - Photo by Lisa Brennan

The Seward House Haunted Walking Tour along South Street, Auburn, NY

Last night, Lisa and I went on a Haunted History Tour sponsored by the Seward House Museum.  That event added to our knowledge of local cultural history and how our immediate neighborhood and surrounding homes were “victims” to acts of murder, untimely deaths and other ghoulish mayhem…all of which have current homeowners convinced that the things that go bump in the night [and day] are real and not imagined.  

Syracuse University Carrier Dome



Auburn High School VanGuard Marching Band



This afternoon, ventured off to the 38th New York State Field Band High School Championship Show held at Syracuse University's Carrier Dome.  It is amazing as to the number of talented teenagers who play music and perform for their high schools.  While my local high school (Auburn) did not take first place, they fascinated the audience with their program, "Tales from the Crypt, Revenge of the Vampires" that included the following selections:

• "Toccata and Fugue
• "Tales from the Crypt"

• "Night on Bald Mountain'                                             
• "Ice Dance"
• "The Time Warp"
• "Funeral March"    

Looking forward to Sheila Applegate’s free Tele-class “Co-Creating 2012” on November 1st at 7 PM (EST).  You can register for this event by visiting www.sheilaapplegate.com

I am sure your community has a wide variety of seasonal events that will spark your creative spirit and give you the opportunity to interact with writers, actors, musicians, docents, chefs and other creative folk.  Take advantage.

Stay creative.

bill

Irish Clam Chowder, Dinner at 77 South

PS Last night (Saturday,) Lisa did an original homemade Irish potato/leek clam chowder for dinner and baked her signature apple pie.

Another thought, friends let me know that it snowed in NYC, New Jersey and Washington, DC/VA (snow and rain mix) on Saturday.  And it was just a gloomy and damp day where we live, no snow and we are in snow country!  Go figure! 

Stella's Diner, Syracuse, NY

Today (Sunday) was a beautiful fall day.  And if you are in, or near, or plan to travel to Syracuse, NY, check out Stella's Diner.  Had dinner there tonight, and like aaduna, it is more than what you might expect.