I went to my first Major League baseball game this week! I know, I'm not sure how I missed this all American pastime but I did. My only explanation is that I spent my summers at a cottage on a lake, far out of reach of Tiger stadium. Anyhoo, when my sorority alumnae group planned a night at the ballpark, I couldn't wait to sign up. Twelve or so Thetas met for dinner and then walked across the street to the game. Play ball!
The T-Mobile stadium is open air and felt so grand when I walked in, that my oohing and ahhing caught the attention of the attendant and he sent us over to get my "first time at a Seattle Mariners' game" certificate. How could I not?
The stadium has a retractable roof, so the majority of the game was in the fresh air. I took this photo from open area on the 3rd deck. Hello Seattle! When it started to rain around 9 pm, the roof slowly and silently slide closed. That is a modern marvel!
When I was planning on what I would wear to the game (Mariners' colors are blue with a bit of green & the weather would be in the high 50's), I regretted not having any Mariners garb. I was driving when I remembered that I had my Dad's baseball charm. It was in his desk drawer my whole life and as a girl, I was most likely to wear a charm, so my mom said I could have it. It says "Champions 1951" and he would have been 18 years old that year. Was he on his high school baseball team? I need to ask his brother if he can remember a significant baseball event in Mount Clemens, Michigan in 1951.
I strung it on a chain and wore it to my first real baseball game, 68 years after "the championship." Isn't that wonderful? I think my dad would have thought this was great.
#seattlemariners #seattleblogger #baseballfan #sentimental #kappaalphatheta #thetakites
This week I filled the walls of an art gallery with delight. My mom lives in a wonderful apartment building for seniors and someone from the programs department saw me carrying a Delight tote as a purse all the time. When we showed her that I had designed 50 different covers it opened up a fun discussion about art and beauty. Wouldn't it be fun to take over their gallery and have a little party for its debut.
In my business, I have photographed and designed magazine covers for my imaginary magazine, Delight. My mom had about 25 of them glued to foam core and displays them as art. I love them as art and as a warm weather day bag. You can see them for sale online in my Etsy store here.
I have to say, my work looks beautiful when it fills a room (here are some of them on my kitchen island as I prepared for the show). I haven't seen all of my Delight covers in one place in years and it made me feel proud to look at them as a collection.
A huge part of my reason for an imaginary magazine about Delight is to encourage people to think. To read the article titles and question whether they would want to read that article or try that suggestion. I often make up something to see if it resonates with people. For example, "needlepoint maps" or "Fig & Brie Tart with Balsamic Ice." I am trying to provide something to consider or try.
At the gallery opening this week, one of the residents was completely taken with the idea of a magazine called Delight. She loved that I thought of it. She loved that it wasn't a real magazine (though I told her that a lot of people do read my blog, which is a lot like publishing magazine articles.) She loved that I made so many different covers. And she understood what I am doing with the power of suggestion. When I showed her this magazine cover
she declared that she would love a fig & brie tart! I hadn't made it and she hadn't tasted it, but the joy it brought to her was real. It made every moment of preparation worth it and I am so glad that as I tried to mix and mingle, I was able to connect with her.
Many residents came to the gallery opening and seemed pleased that it would be on display all month. I have photographs and Delight covers on every wall and I know that's a lot to absorb. I wrote little descriptions below many of the images, to help give some context. "This was taken in northern Michigan." "This picture highlights edible flowers - I took this photo and then I ate it." Little comments to help the residents understand my perspective and my art.
When it was almost over, one of the women took my hand and said "This is wonderful; take every opportunity that you get." Yes ma'am.
#seattleblogger #artgallery #sentimental #photography #photographshow #momentsofdelight #annereeves #thiscreativelife
