Our 2019 Christmas card features three snowflakes Lori crafted from borax and pipe cleaners, a test for a craft project she brought to the grandkids recently.

There’s no disputing it at this point: Newfield has started deploying Winter. We hope it’s at least a proper job of it–useful for snowshoeing, skiing, etc.–and none of that wimpy cold dreary gray eternity we sometimes get.

Our neighbors down the hill put up their Christmas lights just in time for the first substantial snow of the season.

Lori was experimenting with an air-dry clay craft she could work on with the grand-kids. Everything went smoothly with the colorfully-painted cupped hand until Lori tried to pack it up. A finger broke off and Lori tried to repair it with glue and a band aid.  Unfortunately the glue didn’t take and the finger fell off.  It did so in a revealing way.

The resulting gesture created with the failed repair made the piece more, um, Lori-esque. More than likely she herself made the same gesture when she discovered the flawed repair.  (Or at least robustly vocalized a similar sentiment.)

Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life

– Oscar Wilde

Lori and I enjoyed a long-weekend visit with Naomi and Rich (Lori’s brother) and their children and grandchildren (all above average) in North Wales, PA (a little north of Philadelphia).

Among the highlights, we spent a day at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, particularly enjoying the featured The Impressionist’s Eye exhibit and the Yoshitoshi Japanese woodblock print exhibit.

Elsewhere in the museum, I was very pleased to see several well-known Thomas Eakins paintings–he was a favorite since my childhood. And of course there were other numerous immediately-recognizable masterpieces from all over on view.  We didn’t have time to take it all in but that’s why we apparently can return for more another time.

Lori and I enjoyed our annual long-weekend jaunt down-state where we visited with Stella who expertly (and fearlessly) drove us in to Manhattan on a couple days for touring, museum-watching, eating and drinking. New York City seems to be in a frenzied building boom every time we visit. We explored some of the more recent projects including The Shed, The Vessel, The Oculus, and the World Trade Center 9/11 Memorial.  Then it was off to old-favorite museums and new-discovery restaurants.  What an amazing place.

The Vessel nesteled between high-rises as seen from Hudson Yards.

The Oculus, replacing the PATH station destroyed on 9/11.

The Oculus viewed from the 9/11 north tower Memorial.

The Oculus interior.

Lori and Stella at South Street Seaport in front of the Wavertree. Built in 1885, it was the last sailing ship built of wrought iron.

Rembrandt self portrait at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, displayed as part of the Dutch Masters exhibit.

The American Wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Stella poses with “Reaching Jaguar” by Anna Hyatt Huntington. Señor Lopez of the Bronx Zoo was the real-life jaguar model for this sculpture.

Stella emerges from shopping at Zabar’s, a must-do on the West Side.

Lori dodges the paparazzi on Riverside Drive.

Lori and I had the great pleasure and privilege to visit Venice for a week. We thoroughly enjoyed the extraordinary city and learning about its history, art, and culture.

Basilica of St. Mark at night

Approaching Santa Maria Della Salute

Vivaldi concert by The Interpreti Veneziani in the Church of San Vidal.

Basilica of St. Mark

View from Ponte dell’Accademia looking toward Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute along the Grand Canal

View along the Grand Canal from the Rialto Bridge at night.

Water taxi ride from our hotel back to Marco Polo airport included lovely neighborhood views from the canals.

Lori “retired” in 2018, I  (part-time) un-retired, and we had a very good year with many worthwhile experiences and lots of fun times with friends and family. We’re planning on making an even better 2019. We hope you do the same!

Paul began a part-time job as court clerk at Newfield Town Court.

Detail of the arms and filaments of the jellyfish in a beautifully-done Monterey Bay Aquarium display.

These trees are covered with Trentepohlia aurea; the orange coloration results from carotenoid pigments in the algal cells.

Lori is color coordinated on the Monterey Bay Coastal Trail

It took Lori about 3.2 milliseconds to completely adjust to retirement. Of course she’s now busier than ever.

This Fall rainbow appeared at the tail end of a brief heavy sleet storm.

We tried our hand at electric scooters, terrorizing the back streets and alleys of northern Dallas.

Corning Museum of Glass, always a favorite experience.

Georgia O’Keefe’s Hawaiian paintings were on display at the New York Botancal Garden

We thoroughly enjoyed a spectacular exhibit of Alberto Giacometti’s works.

Lori refired a mug to improve the glaze, something she does occasionally with some success.  Coming out of her kiln, it didn’t look the way she expected.  It is interesting though…

She is dubbing this the start of her Potter’s Tears Collection.

Four of us former zipperheads (i.e., IBM employees) visited the Bundy Museum of History and Art in Binghamton NY and thoroughly enjoyed it. The main attractions is the Queen Anne style Victorian house built by Harlow and Julia Bundy in the 1890s. The Bundy brothers started the first ever time recording company which became quite successful and, through various mergers and acquisitions, eventually became IBM.

Our museum guide was well versed in the house, its history and restoration, the Bundy family history, life in the late 1800s, and the whole evolution of the time recording business. The museum includes a nice display of many of the clocks, scales, and other devices made by Bundy Manufacturing Company through its incredible evolution.

The museum also has an improbable collection of other things related to Binghamton history including a lot of Rod Serling/”Twilight Zone” memorabilia, and a complete barbershop that used to serve the clean-cut Endicott IBM employees from 1940 through 1982.

The museum also features rotating displays; we saw some interesting artwork from a local (Endicott) artist and some (rather unfortunate) installation works by Binghamton University students scattered around the mansion.

It was a fun and fascinating couple of hours for us.  We recommend it to anyone in the area who might have an interest in Victorian homes, life around 1900, IBM origins, Rod Serling, old barbershops, or “interesting” art.

Decorated for the holidays, this original staircase in the Bundy Queen Anne style Victorian home dates from the 1890s.

Bundy Museum of History & Art

One of the many time recording machines on display in the Bundy Museum which provide exmples from the companies that eventually merged with Bundy Time Recorder, eventually becoming IBM.

From the “Living Doll” episode of the Twilight Zone, this doll is among a large collection of Rod Serling memorabilia at the Bundy Museum. Serling was born in Syracuse NY but spent most of his youth in Binghamton NY.

Originally O.K. Barbershop, it was located in Endicott directly across the street from IBM. The contents of the shop were saved when it closed in 1982 and are now on display.

Well this is it: we’ve witnessed the official beginning of Winter as cars start running off the road onto our property.  This morning’s was the first but certainly won’t be the last. If I recall, we had four cars run off our road last Winter. Fortunately, so far no injuries but that luck will run out eventually. In the Spring we’ll do rut repair assessment after the Winter adventures.

First car runs off the road onto our property this season.

A car is removed from our property after running off the road.