Last in the Rat Race

Sunday was our unofficial Art Adventure Day.

Kate and I started off by “finding” the last of the three lions of University City. In celebration of our ‘burb’s 100th birthday, nine artists painted lion statues which the city subsequently placed around town. Some time last month, there was a scavenger hunt for those interested in discovering the locations first. We missed that boat entirely, but have had a good time discovering them in our own time. (more)

Next on the adventure trail: bunnies.

While STL likes to trumpet about new developments, few ever deliver to your expectations.

This one blew us away.

The Citygarden sculpture park is beautifully designed, totally walkable, scenic and – this is the most amazing part – user friendly. Not only are you – adults, kids, dogs – invited to stroll along and touch the pieces, you can actually climb on, in and through much of the installations.

For kids, it’s an amazing way to experience art. Seeing, touching, hearing… The stuff begs to be played with.

For us, the only downside was the prevalence of pooches that day. I spent half of the morning racing after Kate as she asked the 100th person if she could pet their puppy. Finally, when confronted by a baby Rat Terrier (dear god, there couldn’t be anything cuter on the planet!), she lost her mind and tried to pick it up and carry it around. The owner was trying to intervene, as was I, so we finally had to just pick up and leave – as in I had to pick Kate up and physically carry her off, out of the park. (Our family is not known for graceful exits.)

The sculpture park left such a good impression that the only way I got Kate to calm down was to promise to go out to another park…

While I hadn’t been to Laumeier Sculpture Park since high school, I remembered it fondly and thought I could find our way there.

We stopped for gas and a snack (all the while the guy from “Food Inc.” reminding me to never buy food where you buy gas). With the abundance of crappy choices, each one more decadent and fattening, Kate walked out with a Special K protein bar – chocolate and peanut butter. How funny is that? “Candy bar?” she asks. “Well, ok…”

On to Laumeier.

After spending the morning entranced by the Citygarden, I was understandably let down. For each sculpture on this 150 acre property, there were at least two signs per piece reminding visitors: “do not touch the sculpture” and “do not climb on the sculpture”.

It was still lovely – with plenty of room to run.

But the no-touching thing bugged us. And we just couldn’t stand it at the end…

Tell me that face doesn’t make you laugh…

or maybe more like “Flash Dance”… put down your dress, girl!

Each summer, Mike’s siblings gather for a weekend together. No gifts, no agendas. Just time together with the sibs, their spouses and kids.

This year’s adventure destination: Woodward, Oklahoma. Hometown for all and still home to the senior sibling and her family. I know, I know… it’s no Enid, but we managed to find fun, nevertheless.

The weather was spectacular (while STL alternated between hellacious heat and downpours).
The food was plentiful (enough so that I found myself sincerely contemplating a P90X commercial yesterday).
The boys got in some golf. Shocking.
Everyone enjoyed the company.

Kate and her closest-in-age cousin were a riot. Six months apart, yet similarly assertive and stubborn. I thoroughly expected an explosion as they butted heads. Nothing. Hm. Didn’t know what to make of that…

We broke out the sprinkler at one point. Takes you back, doesn’t it?

(You can’t help but notice the huge gap in the suit bottoms. I hadn’t anticipated water fun this weekend – it is Oklahoma afterall – so we grabbed the only non-princess gear at the Wal-Mart Superstore, and she was set. Apparently, she’s not yet a 4-5…)

(Mark, Kirk, Rick & Mike) They clean up pretty well…

Last weekend, MRA and I traveled to the Hudson River Valley for a wedding. A dear friend of us both and golfing pal of Mike’s was marrying a woman from that part of the country. All of the golf guys and spouses were attending and actually serving as groomsmen. Accordingly, golf was scheduled. Twice.

We flew into NYC and drove north. Let me just state for the record that I was blown away.
1. I had no idea the drive would only take an hour.
2. That said, just an hour out of the city, you can easily find yourself in an amazing slice, no swath, of nature.

Who knew?

So, the boys were off to golf Friday morning and I was left, amazingly, alone. Dear god, what to do?!? No one calling me for marketing materials. No husband hounding me to pick up the dry cleaning. No child shouting “Mommy” every other minute. Whoa…

The bride had circulated a list of things to do/see while in the area and the Storm King Art Center sounded sufficiently intriguing. A recent article in the NY Times about Maya Lin’s “Wavefield” sealed the deal.

The hour drive even further north was lovely. Woods, streams, bluffs, and West Point along the way. Radio choices to shame STL. GPS to insure I wouldn’t get lost. (although the NeverLost gal did seem to get a little peeved when I tried to detour to Bear Mountain… after the 7th suggestion to make a “legal u-turn,” I quietly cursed the be-otch in the box and turned around – back on path to Storm King – i thanked her later).

Just as I arrived, friends from the wedding called to invite me to lunch at the Culinary Institute of America. Some of the best food in the country. Hm… no. Thanks, but no. I’ve found God’s country and I’m off to trek.

Parked, left cell in car, grabbed camera. Off. Hm… camera is not responding. WTF. First time traveling with it. Maybe it got bumped. Broken. ARGH!!! With directions into Cornwall and the nearest CVS, I found a new battery and success. (whew)

While I’m not a huge fan of sculpture – it’s usually pretty modern and stark for my liking – the juxtaposition of some of the pieces in this environment was pretty damn breath-taking.

While there was a tram that toured groups around the 500 acres, I had eaten enough crap for b’fast that the walk would do me good. Crossing fields, walking along streams, I felt like a kid again. Back to the “free range kid” notion – I was one and this brought it all back. (Man, I hope Kate can get a taste of this some day.) I saw wildflowers, geese with goslings, turtles, frogs, and the random group of school kids on field trips trying so hard to be cool that they totally missed this stuff. Mostly, I was alone. ALONE. I suppose I am an “I” on the old Meyer-Briggs scale after all.

I chatted with a volunteer at the wall, waiting for one of the school groups to pass. She was probably 70+ and very sweet. Funny. Asked if I knew anything about snakes. “Enough to stay away,” I said. In retrospect, her job would be a pretty nice gig for a couple of days a week.

In addition to the tram, there were paths through the fields. In addition to the paths, there were trails through the woods that surrounded the property. It was awesome. I heard water and followed one of the paths through the woods, down a hill. Although there was a little part of my brain screaming “BAD IDEA” it was easily ignored. Surely there aren’t too many mass murderers hiding in the woods at a sculpture park. (need to stop watching “Law & Order” and put James Patterson down for a while)

Here was the reward.

Wow. Cool water, warm sun, and not another person around.

In my view, art is only as enjoyable as the effect it has on the viewer. I like art that makes me smile – whether that is due to a laugh or a sweet sentiment it inspires. I found an ear in the woods. No, not a fresh-off-the-murdered-human ear, but a 4 foot tall silver sculpture. It made me smile as it reminded me to listen to the woods. The birds singing. The crunch of the leaves and branches on the path. Coming out of the woods, I saw this on the hill.

Tell me that wouldn’t make you laugh! It’s like Pac Man on a hill.

Here’s my own humble photo of the installation that brought me to Storm Center. My pic doesn’t do it justice, and, quite frankly, the Times photo was a bit better than the real thing. But it was cool.

That’s it. The rest of the weekend was full of fun, friends and laughs – the kind of laughs that cause you to check your make-up b/c you laughed so hard you cried. At one point during the rehearsal dinner, MRA was on the edge of making a speech. We wanted to keep Kirk a friend, so we held him back. I don’t remember the progression, but someone likened my husband to a hemorrhoid at one point. “Kelly is the PreparationH.” I’m the salve for my husband the hemorrhoid. You gotta know Mike.

MRA has been traveling A LOT lately.

For the past 6 or 7 weeks he’s been off to Virginia or Maryland for a couple of days each week. Generally, we’ve managed just fine. Some nights, I watch a little too much tv. Some mornings, Kate ends up in bed with me. Mostly, though, daily routines continue until he comes back home.

I wonder, does Kate really think she can pack herself up and go with him?

You’re all aware of Kate’s annual caterpillar fascination… Yesterday we discovered a simple truth:

One caterpillar = interesting, perhaps even a little cute & charming

20 caterpillars in a bug-catcher = the stuff of nightmares and Edgar Allen Poe stories

Yick.

Spring has sprung and Kate couldn’t be more excited. Last spring, our kid discovered all of the joys that come with finding caterpillars IN HER OWN BACKYARD! Talk about never-ending thrills. They’re on the patio bricks, the table, the chairs, the side of the house, the light fixtures. Everywhere.

The first one arrived last weekend.