Flower Art Show - Celebrating Spring

Looking toward the opposite end of the hall this is what you see as you stand at the entrance to the hall designated as our Art Gallery. More about what you see further on. Last fall when picking paintings from those done by our residents I suggested to fellow Gallery Committee members that we withhold any that were of flowers with the intent of creating an all flowal art show to be hung just when we couldn't tolerate one more bit of winter. By the arrival of spring due to the productivity of our artists throughout the long cold dreary winter we were pleased to find ourselves with a plentiful supply of paintings from which to choose for the anticipated flower art show.

As we made our selections we found that the pictures available to us were in deed lovely harbingers of spring. So lovely they inspired us to expand our opening reception into a celebration of spring at which time we would not only honor our artists but also the people in our community who have particularly enhanced our lives here by what they have done with flowers. Thus special invitations went to a couple who have for several years created a huge oval garden planted with a variety of beautiful annuals from which we were all allowed to pick flowers, the members of our Landscape Committee, and a lady who has become known for the number of small bouquets she distributes throughout our small village to those celebrating birthdays or anniversaries or who may need perking upfor one reason or another.

The weeks just before the show was hung my particular responsibilities kept me busy as I framed ten of the recently completed paintings, sent out invitations, made labels to identify the paintings and name tags for our honorees, created posters, and arranged for the reception including flowers for table decorations.

Now back to those pictures at the top - twelve beautiful paintings based on calendar illustrations which had as their inspiration Monet's garden. My job was to figure out an arrangement for hanging that would be more pleasing to the eye than in a long straight line. To do this I ended up taking all twelve pictures to my apartment, placing them on my floor and experimenting with assorted layouts until I had one that suited me. Actually it was thinking about that oval garden that gave me the idea. Since it's been up people seem to like it, so it was well worth the time and effort.

On the morning of April 4 our entire commitee was on hand to assist with hanging the fifty-five pictures we had chosen. We were pleased that the favorable comments began even as were hanging the pictures. It took us several hours to get all of them in place to our mutual satisfaction. When it was finished we had assembled a kaleidoscope of colors ranging from pale pastels to brilliant reds, greens, purples, and oranges with all of the shades in between.

They ran the gamut you would expect to find in a large flower show (the kind I was privileged to see when I lived in the Philadelphia area and could attend their fantastic internationally recognized annual flower show). We had the twelve bits from Monet's garden; we had a beautiful pink dogwood tree in bloom in a local church yard; we had a tiny clump of snow drops heralding the end of winter along with bouquets, both large and small; mixed and single blossom; as well as a number of single specimen blossoms of many vibrant colors. We also were privileged to have what you wouldn't find at an actual flower show: several paintings done by artists who shared with us their special vision that allows them to see more than the ordinary eye perceives when looking at flowers in a garden.

Since the show has been up we have had the usual fickel April weather here - lots of gray skies and rain. We have even had to cope with tornado warnings and a power outage lasting for almost twelve hours. So it's nice to know that spring has arrived and remains constant in at least one spot. Although Easter Sunday here dawned as a gray grungy day we had a lovely spot where we could walk with our many visitors without getting wet. I know that's where my family and I headed for a stroll after eating brunch in our dining room.

Brunch at Kendal

Of all the meals at Kendal, the one Susan and I most enjoy is Sunday brunch. It's served from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., thus accommodating both those of an active bent who want to have a late-morning meal before setting off on an afternoon excursion, and those of a more leisurely cast of mind who prefer to spend their entire Sunday mornings and early afternoons at home, pajama-clad perhaps, drinking their coffee while reading their way through the multi-sectioned Sunday paper or catching up on email and web offerings (often with the TV chat shows purring in the background). Happily, the range of hours also suits the needs of church-attenders of all stripes. Susan and I tend to be part of the noon-hour crowd at brunch.

The fare at each brunch has its predictable features. There are muffins, bread, rolls, and bagels. There is an array of jams and jellies. There's an egg-bar, where a staff member stands ready to prepare eggs to order. And I shouldn't omit the omelets, the waffles, and the selection of vegetables, berries, melons, and fruits. But each brunch also has its special treat on offer. Yesterday it was a juicy roast beef, but some Sundays it's fish or fowl, and sometimes the staff complements the scheduled menu with an option of blueberry pancakes.

Another joy that brunch brings is the arrival of many visitors into our midst. It is, of course, not uncommon for friends and relatives of residents to be dining with the community on weekdays, but on weekends their numbers proliferate. The families become larger, as the children of residents arrive together to enjoy Kendal cuisine, and still younger children – grandchildren and great grandchildren of residents – arrive on the scene to take up the challenge and fun of navigating their way among the various food and dessert options. These guests lend a vibrancy to our brunches that is palpable and exciting.

Susan and I tend to be predictable in our choice of brunch foods. We go first for bread or muffins, toasting and buttering and jamming them to taste. Then we like to get our eggs, usually scrambled but occasionally fried over easy. To go with the eggs we generally choose from among bacon, sausage, and home fries. After that, we like to get a bowl of fruit. If we're feeling hungry or just adventurous, we might top the meal off with a dish of ice cream or a piece of cake or pie. Meanwhile, though Susan and I usually prefer to choose a table for two, we have conversations with friends who are seated nearby or making their way from one serving station to another. At brunch, as at all meals, there are staff members standing ready to help residents who need assistance in getting their dishes to their tables.

It's hard to put my finger on what makes a Kendal brunch so satisfying. In part, it's the food itself – ample and delicious. In part, it's the atmosphere of relaxed friendliness, the opportunities to swap thoughts with neighbors (and it turns out that lots of Indian fans are suddenly emerging in this spring of baseball wonders). In part, it's the evidence that the Kendal family includes a whole range of people who, though not seen here on a regular basis, want and mean to be part of a community that is home to people who are dear to them.

The Kendal Bus

I just saw the Kendal bus going past my cottage on the way to the grocery store. The bus makes two trips to the grocery on Tuesdays because senior citizens get a whole five percent discount on Tuesdays! The bus also stops at the dry cleaners and the drug store. John and I still have a car and drive, but sometimes I am tempted to go by bus because Tom, the driver, loads the groceries from the carts into the bus and then, when the bus gets back, he carries each of the marked containers straight into each individual kitchen. What service! Some residents like to shop at the mall in Newark, so on Friday either Tom or Dick drives the residents to the mall. Imagine when the weather is cold, and it is dark, and there are a few snow flurries, but you really, really want to go to that special concert at Denison. Well, the bus will be waiting outside the main Kendal building and someone will help you climb on, and then you are transported to Swazey Chapel and dropped off right at the entrance. And after a lovely evening of music, you walk out and the bus is at the door and takes you home. We do take advantage of that sometimes and leave our car at home. There are also necessary and not such fun trips to the doctor either by van or bus. But I will not write about those. I would rather talk about going to the plays at Newark on Sunday afternoon or to a special exhibit at The Works, or concerts at the Reese Center at the OSU Newark Campus. Thank you, Tom and Dick, and the Kendal Bus!