deviantART: by:LorriAnne

http://LorriAnne.deviantart.com/journal/21009571/ Wed, 15 Oct 2008 22:15:04 PDT

For the past 12 years I have spent the first weekend in October perusing the St. James Court area of Old Louisville. IÂve performed on street corners, had the best crab cake sandwiches you can get south of Maine, browsed through, and even purchased some of the most incredible art IÂve ever seen. What could bring all of these activities together with such regularity? The Saint James Court Art Show.

I remember the first year I went to the show in 1997. I was a freshman at DuPont Manual High School and studying at the Youth Performing Arts School. The art show is a huge fund-raising opportunity for the school every year because of itÂs proximity and abundant parking space for show-goers. We were always out of school that day for an in-service day so it was the perfect arrangement.

I spent my first St. James Art Show with a group of four other singers from my school choir, singing madrigals in Central Park. The money we collected was pooled and added to our fund-raising totals for the day. This year as I remembered those happy high school years singing in the park I noticed how many other street performers have taken up residence at this yearly event. From a barbershop quartet and a Jazz Saxophonist to the littlest violinist I have encountered yet. There was music everywhere you turned which was a fitting sound track to the stunning visuals of art and artists that engulfed your eyes.

The little girl playing violin was concentrating ever so intently on her very slow but dedicated version of ÂJesus Loves Me.Â When I stopped to take her picture she faltered for a moment. Her mother, who was sitting behind her, urged her to keep playing but this little performer insisted that theÂcamera was distracting her.Â Both her mother and I laughed and I replied that when she became a famous violinist people would be taking her picture all the time. The little girl smiled and started playing ÂJesus Loves MeÂ with all the zeal she could muster.

Among the familiar faces of artists that return each year there were some very impressive newcomers. Among them was a man named Michael Rawson from Ohio. Mr. Rawson carves rocking horses. When I came upon him he was sitting on one of his rocking horses, eating ice cream, and smiling. If there ever was a ÂrealÂ Peter Pan, I imagine he would look something like this. I was so drawn to him that I asked him right then if I could take his picture, ice cream and all. He laughed and there may even have been a little blush in his cheek, but he heartily agreed.

My last stop was to the Hosey Farms booth for some homegrown, raw honey. I bought my first jar of honey from them last fall and have been hooked ever since. I am especially fond of this honey specifically because itÂs produced here in Louisville. If youÂre like me and suffer from seasonal allergies this honey is heaven sent. A tablespoon of local, raw honey helps allergy sufferers by exposing them to local pollens in a non-harmful way. This in turn increases your bodyÂs natural defense mechanisms that protect you from those sneezy, itchy eye, snuffly allergy attacks. Plus, HoseyÂs Honey simply tastes delicious!

After a long day of looking at art I was certainly ready to find a nice comfy chair to rest my feet. It was another great Saint James Art Show and I canÂt wait until next year!

BTW: If you are looking for some awesome webcomics and/or graphic novels you should DEFINITELY check out:

The Dreamer
by

(and if you like it you should donate so Lora can keep up with her awesome weekly updates!

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The Phoenix Requiem
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Cathars... ]]> =LorriAnne A Trip to the Pumpkin Patch http://LorriAnne.deviantart.com/journal/20756785/ http://LorriAnne.deviantart.com/journal/20756785/ Tue, 30 Sep 2008 09:46:02 PDT

Sunday afternoons are perhaps the best part of the week. I always find myself relaxing with a good book, preparing for the week ahead, or like this past Sunday spending some quality time with my family. This weekend we all decided to head up to Joe HuberÂs Family Farm and Winery for some home-cooking, wine-tasting, pumpkin-picking good times.

Apparently, the rest of Kentuckiana had the same idea in mind for their Sunday afternoon as well! When we got there were bombarded by the cacophony of children running around looking for their perfect pumpkin for Halloween carving, parents chasing said kids, and people generally enjoying the wonderful weather, albeit a little on the warm side.

For those kids who were looking for that perfect pumpkin the choices were endless! There were painted pumpkins big and small, ÂFreakyÂ pumpkins which looked as if they had peanuts growing on their skins, gourds of every imaginable variety, and those classic ÂCharlie Brown and the Great PumpkinÂ pumpkins that every kid dreams about. Pumpkins were everywhere, on tractor beds, in bushel bins, in the market, and people were picking them in the fields. There was surely a pumpkin for anyone and everyone.

Beyond the pumpkin patches there was still more fun to be had. HuberÂs Winery is set aside a large lake stocked with Koi, Catfish, Blue Gills, Snapping Turtles, Swans, and a wide variety of Ducks all paitently waiting to be fed by you. So that was our next stop.

I have an affinity for turtles so I spent the majority of my pellets attempting to get out far enough fo them. The only problem was the turtle I was aiming for was significantly slower than the fish or fowlÂ So it became a team effort! My boyfriend distracted the fish and feathered fiends with his food and I fed the turtle. All the while IÂm cheering on this silly reptile, saying things like ÂGo Turtle, donÂt let the Swan get it!Â and ÂYou can do it Turtle, just a little farther!Â

IÂm pretty sure one of the other families on the wharf thought I was a nutcase. In the end, the fish still got more than the turtle but I felt a sense of accomplishment for the what I was able to get to him.

Our last stop of the excursion was HuberÂs Winery. If youÂve never had their Spiced Apple Wine, believe me, you are missing out. The wine is the turning point in the year for me. I know summer is over when HuberÂs has their Spiced Apple Wine again. They also have a TON of other varieties there, and not just wines, they also have a huge selection of brandys as well. We had a fruit and cheese tray (all of which was made or grown right there at HuberÂs) and shared a bottle of the Vignoles, a semi-sweet white wine. It was a great ending to a great day.

Until next time!

BTW: If you are looking for some awesome webcomics and/or graphic novels you should DEFINITELY check out:

The Dreamer
by

(and if you like it you should donate so Lora can keep up with her awesome weekly updates!