Busy, Busy, Busy

Spring is morphing into Summer in a nice way this year. We've had some nice, not hot or humid, weeks in our lead-up to June.

Last week I spent some great time with Mom, first in Cary, then here in Charleston. I was very happy that she was pleased with the SummerFlies Again shawl I knitted for her. We picked out the yarn and the pattern at a knitting shop in Cary last fall so it wasn't a surprise, but neither of us knew how my rendition of the pattern would turn out. I think we were both pretty pleased.

Completed and ready to block in about 6 weeks.

This yarn, made of bamboo, is a good weight and very sweet to knit.

While we were in Cary we went downtown to the new NC Museum of Natural Sciences. We were very impressed with what a good museum this is  -- very interactive, very tech driven -- it reminded me of a long-ago visit to Epcot. Our very favorite thing was a Butterfly Room -- fairly small, but outfitted as a rainforest and full of butterflies imported as chrysalis from Costa Rica.

My favorite, which we got to see very close-up, was this Owl Butterfly -- it is about the size of the palm of your hand -- and the inside wings are this brilliant blue.

The outside wings of the Owl Butterfly show where he got his Owl name -- these markings remind me of Victorian lace patterns.

Mom came back to Charleston with me on Memorial Day and we did a couple of Piccolo/Spoleto things -- one at the church where we went to open and close the church for a Roads Scholar program featuring Gullah singers from Georgia. (Road Scholar programs, much like Elderhostels, have a whole catalog of educational/cultural 'vacations' we probably should look at more closely.)

We also saw A Midsummer Night's Dream by the Columbia City Ballet -- and that was a real treat.

Neither of us had seen a ballet for a really long time -- and this one was light and beautiful. Puck was adorable and enchanted Bottom was ridiculous.

I love this poster from a different production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Looking through images related to A Midsummer Night's Dream I realized that many productions go back to our butterfly theme for sets and costumes. This production leaned more on flora/fauna and lights to create the forest of the fairies. Puck's costume was mostly glitter.

Mom has returned home now. Duncan and I have a busy week ahead doing our volunteer duties as ushers for Spoleto performances. Tonight we hear Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn (I have never heard Bela Fleck and always wanted to, so I'm happy this worked out.) Wednesday night we usher for Lucinda Williams (another one I've wanted to see) and Friday we are at a Daphne du Maurier play, My Cousin Rachel.

Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn

Lucinda Williams

Saturday night, unrelated to Spoleto, Art Garfunkle will perform in the sanctuary of Circular Church, and Duncan, Sandy Witman and I will "work" that event.

And, our 8th anniversary is Tuesday. Should be a good week.