Memorial Day Weekend / TdL / School EOY / USS Silversides / The Raising Sand Tour

Hi everyone: Sorry it's been a while since I posted, but here is a fresh new set of blog entries for you. Enjoy the pictures! Cheers, P. :O)

The Raising Sand Tour (06.17.2008)
Michael really wanted to go see Robert Plant in concert at the Fox Theatre but couldn't get the tickets he wanted. He ended up talking to his sister, who said, "Why don't I call Alison to see if we can get tickets to the Detroit show?" Marilynn just happens to be Alison Krauss's physician back home. She made a few calls, and it was a done deal. We had great seats, and the music was great! We were lucky enough to meet members of their backing band as well as T Bone Burnett and Alison. It was a wonderful night! If you want to see the other pictures, let me know. Cheers, P.



Robert Plant & Alison Krauss | "The Battle of Evermore"


Robert Plant & Mr. T. Bone Burnett | "Who Do You Love?" (Tribute to Bo Diddley ~ RIP)


Robert Plant & Alison Krauss | "Black Dog"


Troop 863: USS Silversides (06.15.2008 - 06.16.2008)
Troop 863 spent Father's Day sleeping in the USS Silversides submarine in Muskegon. I think everyone had a great time spending time with one another. I got to sleep by one of the torpedoes, too. Very cool! On the morning after, we went to PF Hoffmeister State Park and had a nice picnic lunch as well as visit their nature center. Some pictures for your viewing pleasure below...

(l) Dockside view of the USS Silversides.
(r) The Captain George tugboat. It's yours for $ 60,000!


(l) Our beds. My bunk and Michael's bunk is on the very bottom. The kids got to sleep in bunks near their friends.
(r) Troop 863 Group Picture!



School EOY (End of Year - 06.13.2008)
Another school year has come and gone, and another picture in front of the Farrand School sign.



TdL - Tour de Leelanau (05.25.2008)
During the Memorial Day weekend, we were Road Marshalls at two stops (the Homestead & Kolarik / Jeleniak Roads). We were there at the beginning of the race in Leland and watched the end at the casino

(l) Kids on the old tree stump in Leland before the race.
(m) Kids at the Start Line.
(r) The riders are ascending to the finish line at the top of the small hill behind the kids.



Memorial Day Weekend (05.24.2008 - 05.26.2008)
Over Memorial Day weekend, we hung out at the cabin, went to Blackstar Farms & Leelanau Cheese, fished and Minnie caught another Easter Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly.

(top left) @ Blackstar Farms: The kids are by the horse stable.
(top right) The grape vines at Blackstar Farms.
(bottom left) Minnie & his butterfly
(bottom right) Yummer on the boat pier

Troop 863: DIA Trip ~ Part II (03.15.2008)

OK ... Lest you think that I forgot about the kids, here they are!


I found couple of great gift ideas at the DIA store.

Troop 863: DIA Trip ~ Part I (03.15.2008)

I was SO excited that we were going to the DIA after the renovations were complete. It was really worth the wait, and I highly highly recommend anyone visiting the Detroit to go to sixth largest art museum in the United States. There is ample parking at the parking lot behind the DIA (next to the Detroit Science Center) which is $ 5.00 all day on the weekend.

Everything was well laid out, and the "eye spy" features for many of the rooms kept the kids entertained. All of my favourites were proudly displayed. I took a few pictures with my little Kodak snapshot camera which turned out only OK, but I do hope you enjoy the point of these masterpieces. Cheers!

From the DIA's Central American Art exhibit: (Yes, those are war clubs with a sharp nail-like object sticking out in the third picture ... OUCH!)



(L) From the DIA's Egyptian exhibit, this is a close up of an Egyptian Hieroglyphic.
(R) Outside of the Egyptian exhibit was this work which was composed of different types of wood.


From the DIA's African exhibit:
(L) Camel Riding Seat
(M) Pure Gold for the Village Leader
(R) Palace Door from Nigeria (about 1920)


From the DIA's Asian and Modern Exhibit:
(L) Money Tree Yao Qian Shu (yes, please!)
(M) I've always liked this picture of this boy by Otto Dix.
(R) I overheard part of a docent's conversation about this painting which represents an African-American male as a hero. Apparently, many people stood in line to see this work of art when it was first acquired by the DIA.


(L and R) Picasso
(M) Picasso: Woman Seated in an Armchair / Femme assise dans un fauteuil (1923)


(L) Henri Matisse: The Window / Interieur au myosotis (1916)
(M) Henri Matisse: Poppies (c. 1919)
(R) Henri Matisse: Coffee / Le cafe (1916)


(L) John Singer Sargent: Photograph of the artist One of my favourite artists... a genius!
(M) John Singer Sargent: Judith Gautier (1885)
(R) John Singer Sargent: Madame Paul Poirson (1885)


(L) John Singer Sargent: Mosquito Nets (1908)
(R) John Singer Sargent: Home Fields (c. 1885)


Another personal favourite artist of mine...
(L) Thomas Gainsborough: Sir John Edward Swinburne (1785)
(R) Thomas Gainsborough: Sir John Edward Swinburne (1785)


(L) Gustave Courbet: Bather Sleeping by a Brook Baigneuse Endormie (1845)
(M) Pierre Auguste Renoir: Woman in an Armchair / Femme Assise dans un Fauteuil; Lise (1874)
(R) Paul Cezanne: Madame Cezanne (c. 1886)


(L) Vincent Van Gogh: Bank of the Oise at Auvers (1890)
(R) Vincent Van Gogh: Bank of the Oise at Auvers (1890) ~ extreme close up!


(L) Vincent Van Gogh: The Diggers / Les Becheurs (1889)
(M) Vincent Van Gogh: Self Portrait (1887)
(R) Vincent Van Gogh: Portrait of Postman Roulin (1888)