Memories Spark Of Coney Island

Memories Of Coney Island

     When I was seven years old I spent two weeks one summer with my Grandma Anna. She lived in a high rise apartment in Coney Island which was approximately three or four blocks away from the boardwalk. Those two weeks became one of the most memorable summers of my life. At that time my grandmother had eight grandkids or so. I was the fourth oldest of the brew. Our Grandma Anna was a one of a kind, warm loving, generous person & it was really special to have her all to myself. Her stories were the funniest, & she would make me laugh far into the night. During my visit she would take me on the elevator train passing by Yankee Stadium as we traveled to the Bronx to visit my cousins. Other times over those two weeks my cousins would travel in from wherever they lived in the city to visit with us.

     Today my husband & I took a Sunday jaunt into Hartford to see the Coney Island exhibit at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum Of Art. And so the memories began to spark.

Above is a caricature of Mae West & Jimmy Durante from the Coney Island exhibit.

           During the summer the borough of Brooklyn would have fireworks at Coney Island once or twice a week, every week. All the kids of course would be downstairs outside in front of the buildings to oo & ah. Often times as the fireworks disintegrated in the night sky they would call out a kind of pasta with each & every sparkling blast-  macaroni, spaghetti, rigatoni. I didn't particularly like this naming game, but I was the visiting kid from Connecticut. It was their turf, their game, & macaroni always won!

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre

The Arts What's Not To Love!

      Our 2014 Christmas gift came up on the calendar. Our son M* had presented us with two tickets to the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, at the Bushnell in Hartford, Ct. In twenty plus years I've seen them perform three times. All through the decades Alvin Ailey has remained vibrant & current. Their productions are always an uplift as they continue to share their creativity & message of hope.

Vapors

Vapors

She left her family in the dust

when old age crept

they too were gone

gone from indulgence

& abuse

the dramas of a life

her elegance

now haggard,

worn

there was a time this

woman

wonder

glittered

glowed,

in love,


the distant life we long

a swept arm's length

a painful past

engaging

healing

hearts.

3/5/15

***

This poem is inspired by the truth of Caroll Spinney, in keeping with his audience presentation & film, I Am Big Bird, of which I am forever thankful.  

*****

Once again I find myself returning to an ongoing life project Poetry A Muse In Motion, in keeping with the challenge my son M*set out for me some years ago. 

Big Bird's Main Man

     We were in that audience on Saturday February 28th we treated ourselves to a thrill~n~a half~!

*******

     As parents starting out in the early 70's Seaseme Street was a mainstay in our family's TV viewing. In the early 50's just out of being toddlers my husband, I & all the kids we knew were weaned on television. Howdy Doody, Roody Kazootie, & Winky Dink are just a few of our very first viewings. Later on Flippy The Clown, Captain Kangaroo, & Mickey Mouse Club. TV occupied a large space in our collective lives. No matter the section of the country, or which neighborhood we lived I could pretty much say 99% of us were tuned in.

     Carroll Spinney's documentary movie,  I Am Big Bird was presented to our community for it's premier showing this past Friday February 28th at our beloved local Bradley Playhouse.

     I of course was aiming to go, & my husband gave me a why not. Luckily tickets were still available when I called that Saturday morning. I had a choice between the far back seating on the first floor or the balcony. I chose the balcony which proved fantastic & fun!

          That's Caroll Spinney, Big Bird's main man, doing-

Oscar The Groch.

     There was a reception with fantastic refreshments donated by the generous restaurants in downtown Putnam. My husband S* shared a taste of his cream puff with me. I was still in line heading towards the stage area. My aim was to meet Carol Spinney just to say hi. S* the quick one of our twosome broke into a long going conversation in the receiving line which helped make it possible for me to meet the man of the hour. It was a sweet thrill, & most heartwarming. I thanked him for all the enjoyment he's given us on behalf of our three sons & our grandchildren too. He then turned to me as I was walking away, & in his Big Bird voice called out,  Say hello to your sons & your grandchildren for me!" OMG, it made my day~xo!

   I Am Big Bird is a must see documentary. It holds much more than any of us would imagine. We laughed, we cried. It's a powerfully sweet story that any person could relate to. 

Caroll Spinney is 82 years young. With his unique personality he continues to give life to Jim Henson's Big Bird. A most loving vibrant soul. A man for all seasons who continues to touch hearts.

~xo~ 

  

Going Retro

     We're beginning the process of doing a little house cleaning. Our out of town fam*~xo, are coming in tomorrow for an extended visit. We haven't really gotten into the heavy duty house cleaning since the winter holidays, & here it is March. Though it's been one of the snowiest winters in the northeast, in all honesty, thankfully for us the complaints on this end, as of yet have been minimal. We're still healing from the loss of my husband's brother. Rich was the oldest of my husband's siblings, & not a day goes by without us having him in our thoughts. With each passing of a loved one we are forced to face our own mortality. To live on. To the fullest.

     It took my husband S* a really long time to get us hooked back in with a turntable, but with persistence, & patience our collection of albums once again are fully assessable. CD's will never quite do it. We the peeps of the 60's Generation like our music on vinyl. This morning S* flipped on Fleetwood Mac's Rumors, which is a fave album. We saw them in concert at UCONN in the mid 70's. All I could say is they were, & are consistently awesome!

     So far our one person plow team is doing ok, that's my husband S* of course. The truck he uses is thirty years old. No heat, no dashboard, a kaput exhaust, but all four tires are armed with chains. It's gladiator time fighting the elements. He's also got his nifty-iffy cell phone in case there's a problem. Getting stuck due to a steep curve is a dreaded event, & at times a frequent occurrence. On the up side we're not complaining [as of yet], for the skiing's been great! 

Winter's Last Leg

     When March arrives it's always a relief that the long reach of winter will soon release it's grip. Though the accumulation of snow seems miles & miles high, it's never as bad as we talk it up.

     We've learned to embrace it you see, for better & for worse. It's who we are, the people of the north all aglow under the rising star of the east.

     Working at keeping plowed out & warm. And trekking, always trekking, facing every day in whatever lies ahead. Will it snow or won't it snow? That is our question.