Celebrating Two Years

Sunday was my toddler's 2nd birthday. On Saturday, I said, "It's your birthday tomorrow. How old are you going to be?" And he said, "Be two!" On Sunday, I said, "It's your birthday today. How old are you?" And he said, "Be two!"

Happy birthday, my sweet two year old! 

In the "Portrait Studio" at the Crescent Park Carousel

Not so sure about riding the carousel.

And remembering back two years... 

18 Tishrei 5774 

Celebrating Light

For our third annual Halia Hope Wertheimer Memorial Outing, my teenage son and I took a day trip to New York City to see the James Turrell exhibit at the Guggenheim. Fittingly, the exhibit opened on Halia's birthday, and it closes on September 25 so we just got in under the wire.

Waiting to get into the Guggenheim

It was an amazing exhibit, though not easily described in words. We were obedient and did not take any photos of the exhibit itself, but there are plenty to be found around. They can't capture the dynamic nature of the exhibit, but the photos are interesting and beautiful and give a little idea of what it was like. 

The Official Guggenheim Photos

Photo from the Guggenheim

I wished that I could have had the exhibit to myself for a day. It was so mesmerizing and meditative. As it was, I was with a sometimes antsy thirteen year old and hundreds of other people! Still, for a few spells, I let myself sink into the work and be carried away by the shifting light and optical effects.

Expansive. 

Uplifting.

Moody. 

Sbtle.

Ethereal. 

Shifting. 

Bold. 

Pulsing.

Hullucinatory. 

Powerful. 

james turrell 

aten reign, 2013

daylight and led light, dimensions variable

© james turrell

installation view: james turrell, solomon r. guggenheim museum, new york, june 21–september 25, 2013

photo: david heald © solomon r. guggenheim foundation, new york

16 Tishrei 5774 

Sukkot

Chag Sameach! 

This evening is the second night of Sukkot, and we celebrated by eating our second meal in our sukkah, which James constructed out of broken fence parts as an add-on to our deck. It is our first time having a sukkah and attempting to celebrate this holiday somewhat properly. (We used to eat a meal in the fort part of the play structure in our backyard for one of the 7 nights of Sukkot.)

Each dinner has been quite lovely until the mosquitoes have come out in force, and we beat a hasty retreat!  

We may try to go back to the sukkah later this evening, with the hope that the mosquitoes are dusk-loving creatures and will leave us alone in the dark. The weather couldn't be lovelier and I look forward to sitting outside under the moonlit sky, listening to the chorus of crickets. 

16 Tishrei 5774 

Caratunk

I returned today to my weekly habit of taking a walk at the Caratunk Audubon Refuge, my most beloved woods.  It had been a few months since I was last there because the mosquitoes and ticks had been reigning supreme. Fortunately, their heyday seems to have passed and I had a lovely walk on a glorious day.

The highlight today was spending time at the stream, continuing to contemplate the "narrow bridge."

I first crossed the stream on a narrow bridge.

 I made my way around to another crossing, and I realized that the stream was low enough that I could cross by stepping stone instead of bridge. It was great fun to find each step, never quite knowing if the stone would wiggle or not, and to take my time as I went, pausing often to appreciate the reflection in the water.

  15 Tishrei 5774

Playing

Some markers called out to me to play with them today, so I did. I wasn't too satisfied with the result, but scanned it anyhow and then played with it a bit on the computer. It's interesting to see all the different ways the same image can appear.

14 Tishrei 5774