Viewing and creating works of art

Dolores and Hugh were busy last week with a visit to Winterthur in Delaware and a "paint-off" in Western Maryland.

On Wednesday, Hugh reports, they joined a coach tour sponsored by Trinity Church to tour Winterthur, the family estate of three generations of the DuPont family. The 1,000-acre estate and its mansion are preserved as gardens and a museum. "The current exhibits are a wonderful show of antique needlework and an exhibit of the costumes from the TV show 'Downton Abbey.' Both were worth the trip," Hugh writes.

Dolores adds that she and Hugh have never watched "Downton Abbey." "Everyone (on the trip) was all gaga about it, and some were appalled that we had not seen the show!

"Anyway, we really enjoyed the day," Dolores adds. "We saw the fantastic costumes, which were really presented with great style. An adjoining gallery had a marvelous show of New England 18th Century embroidery, so that was a real bonus!"

The next day they decamped to their home at Deep Creek Lake, and on Saturday, Dolores went to Grantville, Md., to Spruce Forest Artisan's Village at Penn Alps for a day of plein air painting. It was the "second annual" event; Dolores also participated in the first, which was held to mark the 200th anniversary of the stone-arch Casselman River Bridge. "I guess they aren't waiting for another 200 years," Dolores remarked.

About a dozen artists took part in the event. Dolores notes that such events are "now a BIG deal. I am invited to plein air events about once a month now. I have worked outdoors for over 35 years, and now suddenly it's a 'plein air event!'

"I painted one of the buildings in pastel. It all fell into place nicely as I worked, and to my complete surprise, I won second prize."

A charity run and a family visit on Cape Cod

It was another busy weekend for the Cape Cod branch of the family. Tish and Gerrit both ran in the annual Mighty Meehan 5K race, a benefit for leukemia research.

The weekend also saw a little family get-together, as Owen's cousin Nanette paid a visit from Shelter Island.

Halftime is performance time, in Ohio and Conn.

The University of New Haven Marching Band made its football-season debut this weekend in Connecticut, with Andy on the tenor-drum line. Meanwhile in Ohio, the Hilliard Darby High School marching band played its second half-time show of the year.

Cathy sent along these game-day photos of freshman Stephanie and senior Christopher.

And from West Haven, Conn., we have these photos of Andy at the UNH Chargers' Division II home opener. Dan and Julie weren't at the game, but these were posted on the band fan club's photo-sharing site. Some are from practice, some from warm-ups and a couple from the halftime show.



The marchers did not wear their uniforms on Saturday due to the hot, humid conditions - hence the t-shirts and shorts.

Christopher, Stephanie march together

The 2014 edition of the Hilliard-Darby High School Marching Band made its public debut Friday, performing at halftime of the school football team's first game.

Here are senior Christopher and freshman Stephanie in the band's new uniforms as they prepare to head to the field.

Stephanie, right, with band mates

New owners for old family home

Aug. 29, 2014

Forty-eight years (and 25 days) after Dan, Lorraine, their four children and pet beagle made this Yonkers house their home, another family purchased it on Friday.

For Dan, Kathy, Brien and Kevin, it's been a difficult process emptying the house and preparing it for sale, but there was a sense of pride and accomplishment in being able to pass it on to new owners. As Kathy told the buyers, "It's always been a happy house."

File photo: May 1, 2014

See previous article: Buyer found for family house

Christine and Dan attend Hampton Classic

Horse lover Christine and her dad attended part of the Hampton Classic Horse Show in Bridgehampton this week. They spent a couple of hours watching riders practice with their horses on Monday, then returned to watch a full day of competition on Tuesday.

Dan enjoyed taking hundreds of photos of the beautiful animals. Here are just a couple dozen of his favorites.



SIDEBAR: On Monday, the ASPCA put on a presentation about rescue animals - pets purchased from shelters, horses purchased from auctions. To promote their adoption, animal advocate and NBC correspondent Jill Rappaport launched a campaign called "Pies for Paws," hoping to repeat the success of the ALS Association's "ice bucket challenge." Here Jill, already pie-ed, finds a willing volunteer in professional rider and Hampton Classic competitor Georgina Bloomberg.

Lizzie starts 2nd year at Elon

Owen and Tish accompanied daughter Lizzie as she returned to North Carolina for her second year at Elon University. Tish posted this photo of a "wonderful evening with Lizzie's friends and their families. May all the girls have an amazing second year at Elon!"

Dolores in annual Rehoboth Art League show

Cape Gazette photo

August means Rehoboth Art League Show for Dolores, the show's former chairperson and long-time exhibitor. The photo above, showing Dolores talking with a visitor from Virginia, ran in the Cape Gazette. 

The 41st annual show was held Aug. 9-10 and 16-17 and featured more than 130 artists. Read the Gazette's article here.

Our Roster of Scholars, Fall 2014 edition

Here's our annual back-to-school rundown of teachers and students in our extended family. Please let us know of any errors or additions.

STUDENTS:

Patrick - Fourth year at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

Lizzie - Second year at Elon University in Elon, N.C.

Andy - Freshman at University of New Haven in West Haven, Conn.

Christopher - Senior at Hilliard Darby High School in Ohio.

Shannon - Junior at Catholic Central High School in Troy, N.Y.

Stephanie - Freshman at Hilliard Darby High School in Ohio.

Xander - Second grader at Battlefield Elementary School in Fredericksburg, Va.

TEACHERS:

Kathy - Teaching science at the Heschel School in Manhattan.

Mary - Director and head teacher at Stillwater Head Start in Stillwater, N.Y.

Shanna - Teaching at the Ann and Andy Child Care preschool in Elmsford, N.Y.

Who are we missing? Let us know!

Is it summer, or fall? Some of us are back to school

While some of us are still in summer mode, Christopher and Stephanie started the new school year today (Aug. 19). This is the year that both are at Hilliard Darby High School, Christopher as a senior and Stephanie as a freshman.

They're not the only ones getting their school year started this week. As previously reported, Andy is already at University of New Haven, where marching-band camp will lead into freshman orientation later this week. Liz will be heading back to Elon University later this week, and others will be starting in coming days. We'll run our annual Roster of Scholars soon!

Andy gets early start at University of New Haven

Updated 8/18 with more photos

Andy has moved into his dormitory room at University of New Haven, where he's joining the Class of 2018 as a computer science major. He arrived a week before the general freshman move-in because he's joining the school's Chargers Marching Band.

Parents Dan and Julie dropped Andy off on Friday (Aug. 15). As they took their leave, Andy was meeting his new mates in the band's drumline.

The next day, he was out on the field practicing with a set of tenor drums, as seen in these photos taken by the leader of the band's booster club.

More summer fun and music with Gerrit and 28

Saturday was another busy day for Gerrit in his roles as Minister of Fun (a.k.a. Recreation Coordinator) for the Town of Dennis and Rock Star in the band Twenty-Eight.

The day began with the town's annual Sand Castle Contest on Mayflower Beach. One of the most impressive creations was this volcano, complete with dry ice to simulate steam emitting from the crater and the "lava pool" at its base.

That evening, Twenty-Eight played the final show of its Summer 2014 Reunion Tour, at The Sand Bar, a waterside pub.

Conveniently, Saturday was also the night for a fireworks display on the beach near the Sand Bar -- "so we had a perfect view prior to the 28 show," reports Tish.

Learning to use the force at Jedi Academy

How's this for a summer class? During his visit to Disneyland in California this month, Xander enrolled in an introductory course at the Jedi Training Academy.

At the conclusion of the course, Xander received a certificate declaring him "a padawan, a student devoted to the ancient training of the Jedi knights."

Xander meets an old friend in L.A.

Xander greeted old pal Pooh Bear during a visit to Disneyland this week. Xander and Marie are in California visiting Marie's mom.

Hard-working musicians at Band Camp

Chris, Stephanie and their fellow musicians in the Hilliard Darby High School Marching Band have completed a week of Band Camp at Heartland Conference Retreat Center in Marengo, Ohio.

Rehearsals continue at their school this week, where classes begin next week. Their first football-halftime performance is on the 29th.

This is saxophonist Chris' senior year, and clarinetist Stephanie's freshman year.

Friends & family celebrate Nanette's birthday

Family members and long-time friends gathered at Nanette's Shelter Island home on Saturday to celebrate her birthday just a little bit early.

Daughter Courtney was visiting from Florida. Nanette's brother Larry was visiting from Boston (on a rare break from either teaching at Boston University or traveling the world). Brother Emory, who also lives on Shelter Island, joined the party along with his friend Robin, on holiday from New Jersey. Cousin Dan and his wife, Julie, also trekked out from Jersey for the occasion.

Many of Nanette's friends were in attendance, including some that she has known since her teenage summers on the Island and some from her Florida days.

All enjoyed a fine feast and an absolutely beautiful summer evening, with a nearly full moon rising over the cove behind the house.

Courtney records the event

Shelter Island pals

Courtney took this photo of the "super moon" the following evening.

Squeezing in some summer in Noyac

On a quick weekend visit to Noyac, Dan, Julie, Christine and Andy spent a pleasant evening dining out and then visiting at Kathy's summer home before she headed back to the city.

"This shaped up as the only weekend this summer when all four of us could get out to Noyac together," writes Dan.

"Although the weather was dreary, the rain mostly held off, and we were able to visit some of our favorite spots."

As a bonus, Christine's friend James, who was on his way from New York to Rhode Island, took a little detour to join the gang on Sunday afternoon. Christine introduced him to the wildlife on Jessups Neck, where he learned to feed the chickadees.

Side note: Scallop shells, which had seemed to grow scarce on the shores of Noyac Bay for a number of years, are abundant again, presumably reflecting a scallop resurgence in the bay.

Stephanie joins Christopher in HS Band

Going into her freshman year at Hilliard Darby High School, Stephanie is joining her brother, Christopher, as a member of the school's award-winning marching band. Christopher, a senior, plays saxophone, while Stephanie plays clarinet.


Their season has already begun: They spent last week in Band Camp at the school, and boarded buses Sunday to head to "away" band camp at a retreat center. The school year begins Aug. 19.

Stephanie is sporting a new hair style, after donating 12 inches of her locks to Beautiful Lengths, a partnership between Pantene and the American Cancer Society that provides wigs for cancer patients.