Lesson 331: Expect the Unexpected

Happy weekend, Readers.
Eloise has two words for you.
Holy snow!

Erie, Pennsylvania,

the Snow Globe Reigning Champion of last season,

got it's first kiss of winter weather.

Man was it a smooch.

Ellen played photographer,

and captured this pile up over a seven hour period.

7 am

noon

and 3 pm.

Mother Nature left my city with a record breaking 

Early Snow Total of 12.5 inches!

When you live in Erie, you learn to expect the unexpected.

As much as I dreaded digging out the 

hats,

scarves,

and

mittens

this early,

the landscapes have made for some beautiful photo opportunities.

This scene outside of Klein Elementary reminded me of

Narnia and the Lamp Post.

It's neat to see the yellow leaves against the bright white.

The leaves are usually gone by the time the snow comes.

I should have seen it coming.

You can learn a lot from observing wildlife.

I've learned that if you are ever vacationing in a tsunami region,

and you see monkeys and elephants moving to higher ground,

haul your @$$ out of there!

Here is this lone goose on the pond.

She's all by herself.

Her buddies headed south.

She missed the memo.

I named her Eloise.



I was curious to see if the heavy snowfall had an impact on my newest curiosity.
Harborcreekers--have you spotted unexpected sight?

Somehow, this chunk of branch was cut and caught between two wires.

It's been hanging there on Clark Road for nearly two weeks.

As you can see in this photo, 

it survived the foot of heavy, wet snow.

When it falls, I want it!

I have plans for making either an end table or a campfire seat out of it.

Locals, let me know if you spot it on the ground 

and call me right away.

Talk about a thick skin!

Speaking of thick skinned,

I spent this evening with the most thick skinned who walk among us.

Tonight was my daughter Natalie's Miss Shining Star pageant,

a special night for special needs girls.

The dictionary definition of "thick skinned" is this:

1.  insensitive to criticism

2.  not easily offended

The girls who get their turn in the spotlight are often the subjects of ridicule.

Told they can't do something because of a physical disability,

 



or a mental limitation,



makes it seem like they would suffer from self-esteem issues.

But they don't!



These girls are happy.

They love attention.

They value friendships as much as any person would.

They are sweet, kind, and excited about what's to come next.

Most importantly,
they have the love and support from their
families,
friends,
and communities.

Thank you to all who take a moment to look beyond the disability.

Ask yourself, 

What are they here to teach me?

What can I learn from knowing them?

Natalie and her friends have taught me this:

If you expect an event like this to be dull and boring,

think again.

Expect the unexpected.

Take a minute out of your life and get to know someone with lesser ability than you.

You never know what you may be missing.

Jordan, a young man with severe autism rendering him speechless,
has found a way to express himself--
through his fabulous artwork.

Think how blank our walls would be without Jordan and those like him.

Beautiful!

In between beauty pageants and snow shoveling,

I've been working on my Family History/Cookbook/Photo Album

The Cookwizardry of a Peculiar People.

I've been tapping into my mother's compilation of family history,

all neatly organized into three ring binders.

Through the reading of these books, 

I've learned where I came from.

Yet, at the same time,

I can't believe a genetic link exists.

Here is an example of one of my scrapbooks:

Nothing is neat,

or even.

I hate straight lines,

or using scissors.

Everyone documents their history in their own way.

There is no right or wrong way to do it.

This way is just Eloise Style.

While searching through my mother's books,

I found some things that have prompted further research.

If I was more organized, 

I'd purchase a small notebook like a news reporter 

and start asking Dad questions about his Coast Guard information.

Dad--with scars on the head?

Hmmmmmm

It's hard to believe this precious little boy

would ever get a scar on his head.

No scars for this Boy Scout.

My dad looks so much like my nephew Jack in this photo.

Here is my dad, making the face he does at me

when I have to walk across the yard to tell him that I

backed into the broad side of his barn...

again.

Photos prompt stories.
Stories are good things.
Eloise says to remember that.

When I asked my father what the deal was with the leash,

he told me his mother used to tie him to the cherry tree out back
because he liked to be outside,
but had a tendency to wander,
hence the harness.

We should have known then, that Dad would end up working 42 years as a welder--

he sported beanies in the 1940's, too!

I discovered my mom was a cutie.

She's the one one the far left of this photo.

Many say I resemble her.

I never saw the similarity myself until I found this photo.

Dang!

I could have WON that safety slogan contest!

I've looked through lots and lots of photos of me and Kenyan.

This one is is my favorite.

Me digging for buried treasure,

while Kenyan sat watching me, eating Pringles.

Some things never change.

Kenyan is not as sedentary as she used to be though.

Here she is last week on a taper run.

Little Pop of Blue is going to run the Rock N Roll Marathon out in Las Vegas on Sunday.

Good luck, Little Blue, with you next 26.2!

I've continued on with my quest for strong, digging arms.

Eloise is nearly done with the 58 Day Wellness Challenge.

I'll report more on the challenge and the changes I've made next week.

I can tell you one hint--

I've added lots of color to my life as a result.

Color from plenty of vegetables,

and color from THEM:

My crazy and congenial teammates.

I could win this one!

Expect the unexpected!

I have lots of things to do this weekend, so it is time for Eloise to get some shut-eye.

Enjoy the photos from the week set to one of my favorite versions of Amazing Grace,
by guitarist Josh Wilson.

It's bound to be one of your favorites, too.
Even if you are not a fan of Christian Music,
you just may like this one.
Expect the unexpected!

Peace be with you, Readers.
Eloise

Lesson 330: Newvember

Welcome to November, Readers!

November is the  month where we think of nature closing up shop for the year--

the calendar page of the last hurrahs before winter dormancy.

Days in November in Erie are as different as night,

and day.

Albeit cool, some days are splendid.

Sweaters,

and boot socks,

and fingerless gloves holding warm drinks.

Then the winds come and nature loses its color along with its hours of daylight.

We return to our houses and make preparations for the winter ahead.

Instead of thinking of things old and dying,

I renamed November NEWvember this week.

There are so many new things Eloise is enjoying.

Here are a few:

Sam signed up for a NEW activity:  Cub Scouts.

My rough and tumble son is learning the laws of the Scout Code.

Honor.

Integrity.

Loyalty.

Brotherhood.

The first Pack Meeting was a hit.

They got to bowl with pumpkins

and some pigs showed up for petting.

BOOM!

My boy was SOLD!

Sam's NEWvember thing is kicking.

He's moved beyond tackling and has been inspired by Penn State's kicker Sam Ficken.

Known as Fricken Ficken to fans last year

for four missed field goals in one game--

Sam Ficken become a clutch teammate this year.

Too bad the rest of the team couldn't come through.

Four losses in a row--but we can't blame Sam this year.

Our Nittany Lions just ain't jellin'.

My Sam is ready to take his place.

His Daddy has not only been teaching him about kicking techniques,

but also guiding him on mental toughness and focus needed to be a clutch player.

Ellen got a new shirt for NEWvember.

Way to go Sue and your amazing fight against ovarian cancer!

We are proud to have your shirt here in the Lamp Post.

When Ellen's not sporting the shirt for ovarian cancer awareness,

she is desperately searching her body for rashes and plantar warts.

Ellen has first period pool class this quarter

and is seeking a way out of it.

She even asked me to run over her pinky finger with the four wheeler last weekend.

A person can't swim with a broken finger, right?

Natalie found a NEW pass time.

My girl loves to peel fruit and vegetables.

Natalie can work a peeler like no other.

I say this with all seriousness:

If you want homemade applesauce or real mashed potatoes this holiday,

drop off your goods at the Lamp Post and head to the grocery store to get the rest of your Thanksgiving dinner staples.

Natalie will have your apples and potatoes peeled for you when you return to pick them up.

Natalie's Miss Shining Star Pageant is next week.

Miss Shining Star is a beauty pageant Harbor Creek High School organizes for 

girls with special needs.

This year the pageant is on Friday, November 14th, 6:30 pm

in the Harbor Creek High School auditorium.

A $5 ticket buys you entry

and a night of the most heartwarming performances you'll ever see.

See Eloise for details.

My ultra talented photographer friend Clicky, aka Matt Kleck in the Real World

posted the link below on my facebook timeline tonight.

It is a good reminder of how God always provides a strength for a deficit.

Here is Stephen Wiltshire, a young man with autism,  at work:

Here is the link to his website and a little more information about this man,

who has an amazing ability.

http://www.stephenwiltshire.co.uk/New_York_Panorama.aspx

Stephen was born in London to West Indian parents on 24th April, 1974. As a child he was mute, and did not relate to other people. Aged three, he was diagnosed as autistic. He had no language and lived entirely in his own world.

In October 2009, Wiltshire took a 20-minute helicopter ride over New York City, then (as reported in the Daily Mail) created an 18-foot panoramic drawing of the city's skyline from memory:
[An] astonishing 18ft drawing of the world's most famous skyline was created by autistic artist Stephen Wiltshire after he spent just 20 minutes in a helicopter gazing at the panorama.

The unbelievably intricate picture was drawn at Brooklyn's prestigious Pratt Institute from Stephen's memory, with details of every building sketched in to scale.

Landmarks including the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building can be seen towering above smaller buildings after just three days in his spellbinding creation.

Listening intently to his iPod throughout the artistic process — because music helps him — London-born Stephen uses only graphic pens as he commits his photographic memory to the high-grade paper.

I just purchased Stephen Wiltshire's 2015 calendar.

I can't wait to hang it in the Lamp Post.

Speaking of calendars,

the NEW Erie Bank Calendar came in the mail.

Try as I might, I still didn't get a month page this year.

Honorable mention again.

My photos are featured on the back page.

The best thing about having two identities is that I enter contests twice.

Elaine made got a mention for the bowling,

and Eloise was honored for her shot of the pavilion ceiling at Waldameer.

I am determined to find the shot to make a page next year, darn it all!

While I'm waiting for that perfect moment when the universe and my lens align,

I'll keep working on my new book.

It is a cookbook-slash-family history collection titled:

Cookwizardry of a Peculiar People.

I've got a killer cover for it, but I'm keeping it a secret until it's release date--

(yes--it will be a free read, online).

I'm plugging away at it.

I've learned chronicling family history and copying recipes is time consuming.

I thought I was doing fine until my mother showed me this book this week:

It is the family history of James Casey--the man who built my parents house in the 1800's.

The thing is this thick!!

My parents gave the author a tour of my childhood home,

which is one lot east of the Lamp Post.

The author sent my parents a copy of the book.

My parents even got a couple of footnotes in the book!

The story of the cup found hidden in the wall of my parents' home is true,

and will be chronicled in Cookwizardy.

Eloise was kind of hoping it was the Holy Grail.

If it was, my parents threw it out.

Bummer.

For the Erieites that are familiar with the area surrounding the Lamp Post,

this horse is standing in the Six Mile Cellars parking lot.

the Lamp Post now sits to the left of the photo, right behind the horses @$$.

This barn stood where my dad's pole barn now sits.

My childhood friends probably remember our haunted walks through the foundation.

I was a storyteller back then, too.

Sam has taken quite an interest in the history of my homestead.

He'll never forget the time he's spent with Grandma talking history.

I am going to send him 67 steps east the next time he wakes at night,

now afraid of the ghost of James Casey.

Sam can cuddle with his grandparents for security.

If you want to try something new for NEWvember,

come and try a Team Adrenaline workout.

Each workout is always new and fresh.

We lost the daylight this week for our outdoor workouts,

but Doc brought us glowsticks!

If you want to try a workout, contact Eloise.

The first one is always free.

Dr. Krauza is also giving away two more Barber Beast on the Bay registrations

for new attendees.  It is to your benefit to come out and try one on the next two Tuesdays--

November 11th

and 

November 18th.

I'm staying away from sugar because I am part of the 58 Day Wellness Challenge.

I did allow myself one indulgence on Halloween.

I had one of these:

Minis?

Seriously.

I thought of a NEW name.

I'm calling these Reese's Crumbs.

My Mother's Day gift 2010 fake Princess Kate replica ring

is nearly the same size as a Reese's nugget.

Good grief.

Americans are the fattest people on the planet

consuming (lots of) the smallest of things.

I'm not a fan of insurances. 

Most of us live in fear and are insurance poor

(including me).

But, I really loved this Allstate commercial I saw this week.

Check it out.  

It's a great message beyond the need for insurance.

Allstate Commercial--Don't miss this, CLICK HERE

Don't miss the photo story this week, as well.  It is set to the song Scarecrow by Alex & Sierra--the debut single from the X-Factor winners I loved.  Thank you to Carley's mom for allowing me to use her photo for the cover shot.  She had one of the cutest costumes this Halloween.  A $5.88 flannel shirt and some raffia ribbon is all it took to make one cute scarecrow.

Live in truth, My Friends.

Enjoy the photos and the song,
ELOISE