Trick or Treat

This Halloween was really different. Camille watched old horror movies with Caslon and Lindsay. Lucien had a dress rehearsal for Esther. Yves was luckier. He and Nadia trick or treated with Gabriel and Gael then ran off to the subway for Turandot.

Gael and Gabriel loved the decorations at Chelsea Market and the special treats.

The house behind went all out covering their brownstone with a big spider web.

The Muffin, the Fox, an Ent and an Elf.

The little fox

The Pumpkin Patch at Abingdon Square

I wasn't a witch as my shadow shows but a unicorn.

Pumpkin Carving

A tree carved in Manhattan.

The pumpkin carvers.

Caslon and Camille working out their tree.

Yves working on mucus...

Lucien working hard.

The Muffin and the ???

All done!

Window in the Village.

Halloween Wedding

Lulu and Hlynur's wedding at the Jalopy Theater. Lulu asked all her friends to give flowers for her dress. It came out beautifully.

There was amazing entertainment. Stacey and Costain and other pottery people were there.

Yves was very disappointed that he was singing Damnation this evening. We all had such a fun time. Everyone was dressed up.

Damnation of Faust

Camille, Lucien and I saw Yves sing as one of the four angels at the Met this evening.
He looked radiant, in his white costume, with his hair down, high above the stage on a platform.
We could hear him sing. He is on the upper left.
It was beautiful.

La Focaccia, 20th Anniversary

This evening we were pleased to be invited by Nathalie to dine at La Focaccia, in honor of their 20th Anniversary. We really enjoyed the evening, except that Nathalie and Alex were not there, though we envy your overseas life. As usual the food was amazing and the service lovely. Thank you. Happy Anniversary. Here is to the next twenty!

Long Shadows of Winter

With the small snow flurry and the long shadows, winter seems to be here, or is it?

Gael had a lot of fun running ahead to show that his shadow was taller.

The Hitchhiker

Camille setting up the hitchhiker by Dave Paul of the Merlin Tree, ready to spin. We were very impressed talking to Dave Paul who clearly has a passion for his craft. I became interested after speaking with another vendor who was spinnning on one and she just couldn't say enough about how well it works and how he keeps caring for his work after it's sold. Camille liked his humor, the foot shaped pedal and the the thumb out.

Llamas

This one was ready for his photo...and waited patiently to be sure we got it!

These two were loaded in a mini van for the ride home. A family walking by with their llamas stopped to tell us how they use to do the same before they got a trailer. We were amazed that they would get in at all.

Sheep and Wool Festival

We finally decided to only go for Sunday this year. Yves was thrilled as he could come, finally. Then in the end of course Saturday was sunny and Sunday wet, can't trust the weather predictions, but definitely too cold to camp, even without the predicted snow.

We all watched the Pumpkin Chuckin' Contest with the trebuchets. They all were very close to their targets this year. Camille and Caslon walked around looking for wool. Ellen and I checked out the Sheep to Shawl contest and all the entries for the other competitions. Hmmm....maybe next year....

The children played in the hay maze a lot modifying it as they went. The pot pies were sold out but we had baked potatoes and the French artichokes. The children had a lot of candy in the children's pavilion! At the end of the day we all visited the animals.

Not last out but our car did look odd in the middle of the road with no one else around.

The Tooth Fairy and the Tree Elf

Gael lost his first tooth on Sunday. When he finally put it under his pillow he was very pleased with his dollar and his tiger's eye rock. Later while the big brothers played at Wayfinder, we went to the secret place with the hollow tree. After the big storm many trees were gone but Gael and I were so happy to see the hollow tree standing.

Fire Starters

Our last activity before packing up.

Sunlight in the Woods

Fabulous Funghi

Burning Bowls

This is such an amazing activity. By tending the coals heaped on the wood you can burn a cavity to create a bowl. Very hypnotic, watching the coals, blowing on them to keep them burning, but not too quickly or the wood might crack when it cools, scraping out the ash and refilling with fresh coals. Relaxing. Destruction and creation.

Gabriel had some wonderful guidance from the father of one of the counselors.