Toni's Creative Adventures

A Little Autumn Adventure

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Daydreaming

The creek by me today fall 2017

1. While sitting quiet and still by the stream I feel the warm breeze on my face and hear the rustle in the cedars across the way. It is a lovely quiet autumn day,


2. I close my eyes and silently daydream of  times gone by. Thoughts of athering water cress for dinner for my mother along the little creek by the park, looking for salamanders with my daddy up in  the Watchung mountains by Surprise Lake,swimming as a little girl in Lake Hopatcong, NJ, the rivers and lakes of Utah or time spent in Mount Pocono  In Pennsylvania. 

3. Now watching and thinking back of my younger days and my children I miss younger days and wish to go back and redo my life, but maybe much better this time. I'd go back in body but bring an older wisdom along for the ride. It's one vital thing I lacked when they were very young.

4. Now it's time to leave this peaceful place and as I turn back and look I want the image and the feeling burned into my memory forever.

Utah 2016

Monday Adventure

Welcome to my blog this rainy, chilly Monday.

Yes, it is raining here in beach land. Tourists have gone home now aside from the diehards who come every weekend until they can't stand it anymore.
They walk the beaches, eat on the Boardwalk and then go home again.
Summer homes are closed up for the winter and people have returned up north or flown down to their winter homes in Florida.
Sissies 😉😊
Meanwhile, leaves are glued to the roadways, porches, etc today and the effect is quite autumny and polka dotty with a riot of color.
Today I am doing Toni's meme. Click to graphic to visit her site.
My fill in the blank answers are in italics.

The Caribbean Cruise
1.   While on a Caribbean cruise, I take the elevator to get to my room. Accidently pressing the wrong button, the elevator doors closes then opens and I find myself in a huge office
building in the middle of Manhattan!

Chrysler Building as seen from the Empire State Building

I know it's Manhattan because I can see the familiar skyline through the huge windows in the wall across from me.

Yes, there is the Chrysler Building.

Why, to have this close a view from above I'd have to be in the  Empire State Building!

2.   Being the curious type, I leave the elevator and start to walk down the hallway and soon come to the Heartland Brewery and Rotisserie.

Heartland Brewery & Rotisserie

Yes, this is the Empire State building.

I ordered a hamburger, fries and a stiff drink. After all I needed to bolster my courage for this adventure and the brain could use a bit of lubrication too. Well, so I reasoned anyway.

The clock on the wall said 1:00 and it was dark outside. One in the morning? 
It was early morning on the ship.

I was well on my way to lubricating my brain beyond all recognition when the bartender said they were calling for last rounds.

I decided to leave. 
A bit of advice for you in the future: It is no fun sitting in a closed restaurant after everyone else has gone home.. including the staff. So, best to leave.

3.   Now worried,(because I was not as drunk as one needs to be to endure such a weird situation) I turn around to go back to the elevator when I suddenly see  a very tall rabbit in a finely crafted blue coat running down the hallway muttering  "I'm late, I'm late. Oh this will never do. I have a very important date! This will never do. Never, never, never!"

He had a curious little pocketwatch in his hand or paw I suppose and kept looking at it anxiously as he ran along.

He stepped into an elevator and I quickly ran up and slid in beside him.

"Oh, do be careful how you slide into elevators you silly girl. Don't you see you nearly

bumped into me? What is your hurry anyway? You have no important date to keep, of that I am sure."

"Rude little rabbit"I thought to myself, "I could have an important date just as much as he could".  I mean really who did he think he was?
His abuse continued.

"And besides, you smell like a brewery! Ugh!" He screwed up his pink nose in disgust and
took a hanky from his pocket and covered his nose with it.

"You're a fine one to talk with your outdated ruffled shirt. It's so, so... 70's" I replied in my best Valley Girl accent.
He looked like a reject from  a fairy tale.

"You're talking nonsense. I have no time for nonsense and ridiculous girls.  Now get out of this elevator at once" he demanded thumping his furry foot ont the floor.

He sniffed loudly and averted his head to avoid looking at me.  But, from time to time, I saw his bright golden eyes steal a glance in my direction.

Well, I did not take his advice but rode the elevator with him down to the first floor.

Perhaps if he had been a more polite rabbit I might have listened to him but he was annoying me. Besides, it is difficult to exit a moving elevator.  I should know having tried it numerous times and failing miserably.
Hmmph....Dumb rabbit should know that.

The elevator came to a halt with a decided bump and the doors glided open. Why do elevators do that? Are they afraid you've fallen asleep in there?

Anyway, the rabbit hurried out the door into the  late city night and bobbing and weaving through traffic and  people made his way to the Manhattan ship terminal at Pier 90.

What a trek!

There as my cruise ship The Alice W sitting docked and empty. It looked forlorn.

"Ah, my ship has arrived," he said breathing heavily. "I am not late after all"
"Ridiculous Rabbit," I said.  I was annoyed at him. "What will  you do on a cruise ship? You belong in a story book."

Pier 90

"Now you listen to me you little pipsqueak," he said glaring at me defiantly. "Don't you try to tell me where I belong or don't belong. I am a free and independent rabbit and I go where I please, nosy girls aside!"  He wagged his finger at me accusingly.

Pushing me out of his way,  he ran up the gangplank and disappeared inside the ship.

Running around Manhattan had rid my brain of any fuzziness  I believe I may well have been thinking clearly again..but I am not sure.
I am never sure. 

I called Uber, had the driver take me to the Plaza and booked a room for the night.

I would take the train home the next day.

The cruise was a complete bust anyway.

Imagine the nerve of a cruise ship line having wonky elevators that take you to Manhattan?

That was the last time I would book a cruise. 

I considered suing for false advertising since they had touted a 6 day cruise to the Bahamas and here I was at the Plaza!

Well, I prefer the Plaza to the Bahamas anyway so no great loss.  I've never been to the Caribbean but I have been to the Plaza and it's infintely nicer and the food is great.

4.   A little relieved to be in a nice comfy suite at the Plaze and laughing to myself I realize that I have never been inside the Chrysler Building and it did look nice from inside the Empire State Building.

First thing tomorrow I will have breakfast at the Palm Court downstairs and then go to the Chrysler building and look around.

After lunch I might head home but I hope I don't have to deal with that exasperating rabbit again.
I imagined him basking on a hot beach in the Bahamas annoying tourists with his smart remarks.  

My fill in ideas  for Toni's adventure this week were the result of several things.

When I was in high school the man in the post office called me "Alice". I suspect it was how I wore my hair at the time but I am not sure. Whatever it was, his name for me was Alice.
Alice got me thinking of the White Rabbit and how interesting it might be to run into him on the adventure.

I have never been drunk in my life and thought that the idea of my being drunk would be interesting so I included it. Besides it might really be the only way to handle such a weird situation  👀

I've never been to the Bahamas so why start now?  I diverted my trip to places I actually could go  and have been like the Plaza Hotel, my favorite place to stay in NY.
I hope you enjoyed the story and I wish more of you would join in for Toni's Adventures. They are a fun way to connect with other bloggers.

Join me again tomorrow won't you? I look forward to your visits.

Creative Adventure

Creative Adventures time. There should be a theme song to go along with that.😉
Toni supplies the outline and you fill in the blanks. My "blanks" are in italics.

click Toni's logo to go to her site

An Old Landmark Inn
1.   While on vacation in Europe I decided to visit an old landmark Inn at the top of the cliffs. The Inn was the place to stay for the rich and famous during the turn of the 20th

Burgh Island, Devon, England 

century. As I rode along the winding road up to the top I noticed what I thought were groups of people walking the grounds in the distance.

I was a little disconcerted.

2.   Gathering my senses I continued to the Inn grounds and drove the long unkept driveway to the now abandoned building. Stepping out of my car I walked to the door and found  the porch swept clean and everything looking neat and fresh as  if the hotel was open for business once again. 

Burgh Island luncheon room

3.   Entering the enormous lobby I walked to the desk and opened an old falling apart guest register and as I was reading the list of guests who were part of the past of this once famous Inn I thought I heard voices coming from the hotel's dining room.

I was a bit unsure of whether to look or just get out of there.  I had probably stumbled onto something I might regret.

But I summoned up some courage and walk to the dining room.

It didn't take long for me to discover that it was being used as a movie set for a Hercule Poirot episode!

 The cast was eating catered lunch in the sun room and I was allowed to grab a plate, eat and  visit a while.

Inspector Jap, Hercule Poirot, Miss Lemon, Capt. Hastings

 

Since I am a fan of  Agatha Christie's characters, Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, Tommy and Tuppence Beresford, I was thrilled to be allowed to stay for a little visit on the set of the making of  Evil Under the Sun.

I was able to snap this photo of the cast on the beach.

When my visit was done, I left the hotel grounds and went down to a lonely stretch of beach along the South Devon coast.. it was lovely but it had a strange vibe of days gone by.  Several times I thought I heard whispering on the beach.
There really was a spooky vibe to the area . There was no mistaking it. Guests and holiday makers of the past couldn't bear to go home. Their ghosts remained in that beautiful place.
I was glad to return to my hire car and return to my hotel.

4.   Leaving this lonely ghostly place with a relief smile on my face I thought to myself this day was a mixture of spooky and wonderful all in one.

Burgh Island is  a real place. It is a very posh resort on the South Devon coast that is kept in the authentic  art deco style of the 20's-30's.  Each room, suite , bathroom , everything authentic.  Tain't cheap to stay for a night either.

Their website provides a spectacular drone film flight over it all.

Thanks Toni !

A Romance...

First, I want thank Toni for another Creative Adventure.
I just love them!

The European Castle...

Neuschwanstein Castle, Hohenschwangau Germany

...I have made this a romance...
1.   While visiting in Europe and driving along the country road you spot a famous castle that has long been empty. Excited you decide to check it out. Your curiosity getting the best of you, you drive through the large iron gates to the castle and get out of your car and walk past the large fountain in the court yard to the main enormous door and notice the huge door knocker.  You raise it up. It's heavy solid brass. You knock it against the solid doors and hear it sound within._
You'd been sent directions and an invitation to tea from Jack,an author you'd met some months ago.
The butler answers  the door and  leads you inside
You're thrown off a bit as it is Collier, Jack's butler and personal assistant.
"The master is waiting for you in his library," Collier says. 
Why is he grinning like the Cheshire Cat, you wonder.

2.   Entering the castle you are in a large completely furnished hall and a room with two large sliding doors closed on your right, a beautiful spiral staircase ahead and another room on your left also with closed doors. You decide to forget your nerves and follow Collier to the room on the right.
It is all very odd. What in the world is going on?
He slides back the paneled pocket doors and you see the lovely big room ahead of you.
It is a beautiful English style gentleman's library done in leather and wood. There are Scottish plaid drapes on the floor to ceiling multi-paned windows They are pulled way back allowing the sunlight to stream in across the polished dark cherry floors.
It is a man's room and the scent of leather and freshly polished wood fill the air. 
There is no frou-frou , the room is as straightforwardly masculine as the man himself.
Suddenly you realize that Jack owns this place. His little weekend trips to "over see some business" were the renovations on this place.
It was most decidedly his own now. Everything was so like him.

3.   Much to your surprise you find a beautiful tea set out in front of the fireplace. 
The master of the house is sitting in a large leather chair waiting for you. 
His smile is broad and welcoming. There is no mistaking that he is happy you have come.
"How lovely it all is" you say looking around the room.
"Good morning" he says. His voice is deep and warm.
"Good morning sir" you reply. You have known him awhile, but there is a formality you maintain with him. He is just the kind of man who commands respect above the ordinary.

"Sit down and have tea with me. Do you like the new house?"
"House? It's a castle!" you tell him.
"It's home now. What do you think of it ?

You sit in the chair opposite him by the fireplace whose dancing flames remove the chill from the room. He has placed a lamb's skin on your chair to provide you with more comfot. He has thought of everything to make you feel welcome.
Outside autumn leaves swirl past the window into a pile on the ground in a  pretty riot of color. 
"It's wonderful, Jack. Just amazingly wonderful." Your eyes never stop gazing around the room. It's hard to take it all in.
Your favorite current scones are piled on a plate, warm and buttery. On this chilly day they taste as good as they look and the tea is perfect, hot and steaming.
The conversation is light and sweet. He knows how to make you smile with his little inside jokes and teases. He always seems to know you so well.
As you round a corner he always seems to already be there waiting, so to speak. 
 When tea is finished  he becomes more serious and introspective.
"I have something I want to talk to you about."
"Of course" you answer.
"This house is for you. I couldn't live in it without you. It wouldn't have any meaning."
Your mouth is slightly agape and you can't quite take it all in.
"Do you know that I have fallen in love with you? Have you felt it?"
You want to answer but you have no words. 
 " I want to spend my life with you. I can't imagine a life without you."
 You loved him the moment you set eyes on him at the book signing for his latest novel.
And when he spoke you knew this man was not the ordinary. He was special. 
Tall, strong, handsome, capable, intelligent and rock steady, the attraction was quick for you. So quick it took you by surprise.
You had a million questions for him after his lecture and when others had left you stayed on to ask more.  Your interest in his work was genuine and he sensed that.
 But though you have been seeing him for several months now you never allowed the thought that he would love you to enter your mind.  You knew that you loved him though. At least you knew it when you allowed yourself to entertain those kinds of thoughts. And that was not often because generally you tend to steer clear of romance.

Your times together were wonderful and filled with everything from laughter to deep discussion. 
 You feel safe and fulfilled near him. He is concerned for you and your life as much as for his own and you appreciate his intelligence and quick wit. He is a solid, steady man of determination.
"Yes" you answer simply. It is right and there is no doubt. You've waited your whole life for a man just like this.

4.   Upon leaving and driving off, you know you will never forget this adventure and think to yourself that this was an autumn day you will remember as long as you live. 


I am happy to say, that, unlike a joking prediction, I did NOT turn this into 50 Shades of Goofy at all!    At least, I don't think I did. You might beg to differ but since it was written in less than 5 minutes,it could have become very goofy.
I think it is only about 10 shades of goofy romance at the most! ;)

An Adventurous Sunday

Sunday brings us closer to hurricane Jose and I can feel it in my lower back and legs already. It's awfully painful today. 
It looks like more adventure is due as I just got a tropical storm watch on my phone telling me there is elevated chances of flooding and high winds tonight. "Elevated threat to life and property" ,


 I am joining with Toni for her Creative Adventures.

The Dead End Street
1.   While walking in my neighborhood I notice a dead end street that I haven't seen before. My curiosity getting the best of me I decide to walk down to the end. While almost at the end I notice that the street is longer than I thought. As I approach the end it turns slightly and opens out again into a cul de sac.  In front of me is an imposing Victorian house complete with witches hat.
It appears that no one has been there for a long time.
It takes a lot of work to push through the overgrowth. Weeds switch at my legs as I pass by. I am sure they are covered with welts when I finally get through.
Being too curious can be painful at times.
The house looks far too delapidated to even attempt to explore. The porch roof is collapsing! But I am ever so eager to see what the inside of that front turret looks like. Could I see the inside of the 'witch's hat' from inside the second floor of the turret? Well, too dangerous and I will let it alone for today.
I wonder what the backyard looks like so I continue around the house following a red brick path. There was a path like this around my childhood home. I love them and am always attracted to them.
To my amazement, the back is well kept with a manicured lawn and paths lined with trees and bushes that, in summer, would be beautiful. But it is the end of October and the branches stretch out over the paths leaving shadows on the walk that look like bony fingers pointing me forward.  'You have to wonder who takes care of this garden. It would require a lot of work. And why do they tend it when the house is in such a bad state? Who are they and where are they?  Is someone here?  It feels spooky and a shiver goes down my spine.

2.   In the garden there is a maze. Thinking it would be fun I decide to walk a ways into it and see what might be inside." I needn't go far" I think to myself. "But I would hate to miss the opportunity to see a real maze!"I reason.
It seems easy enough and I am sure I can find my way back. After all, there is an imposing weeping willow at the entrance. It is huge, very tall and though now barren of leaves, its myriad branches reach to the ground and even trail a bit. It is distinctive. I will know it again when I see it.
It occurs to me that I have been walking for a while now. I keep thinking I will find something. I don't know what I think I might find, but ..something. Wishful thinking?
The bushes that line the maze are English boxwood, evergreen. Here and there I see old nests of spring visitors deep inside the hedging. Occasionally there are old metal signs with lovely quotes about nature and gardens on them. 
A rabbit runs quickly across my path and I nearly let out a scream. It was so sudden! I saw it out of the corner of my eye. It was a rabbit, wasn't it?  I am not sure. The light is dim now. Branches cast ominous shadows around me and nothing looks distinct anymore.
In one twisting path there is a water nymph resting on the edge of a concrete pond. Rain water fills it partially and autumn leaves are strewn around in pretty confusion.
I would love to see it's graceful fountain sparkling in the sun one day.
As I pass it by I hear splashing in the pond but when I turn there is nothing. 
My mind is working overtime now. I guess....
The hedges make me think of the old hedgerow schools where the Irish would hide to teach children when the English forbid them to get an education!  They sat down hidden in the hedgerows at great peril of life and limb just to learn to read and write! 
My imagination goes into overdrive and I hear whispering voices behind the hedges.
My breath is coming quickly now and I feel uneasy to say the least.
It is growing dark and quickly now. That happens at the end of October when days are very short.  The sunlight is thinner now and the air is cooling rapidly.
I shiver but I don't turn around. I can't tell you why either.It's almost as though I don't want to see what is behind me.
Where is that willow? It was tall enough that I was sure I'd see it even deep in the maze, but I see nothing but the maze ahead. More and more hedge.


3. Now a little worried that I might be lost in the maze I turn the next row and see a gazebo on a tower.  I can get my bearings from there. It is certainly high enough. From the gazebo top, I can see other bridges in the maze that will afford a good view. But, though I can see the entrance from this vantage point, it will take some luck to get there. It makes sense to follow along to all the bridges in order to have a constant view of where I am going and that is what I will do.
But darkness is closing in. I do not want to spend the night in that gazebo. I rummage through my backpack to find my tiny flash light. I don't want to use the light on my Android phone and lose power.
The tiny torch is powerful and blazes through the night so that I can go from bridge to bridge without too much trouble.
There! The house is just ahead!   It's good to see the house again but, there is someone moving upstairs past a window in the "witches hat " turret. They are carrying a lantern and the light goes from window to window as they move along.
I pause for a second to catch my breath and I see a face in the window looking down straining to see if anyone is there. They are holding the lantern in front of them so it obscures their features a lot.
I try to make myself as small as possible."Oh, please don't let me be seen," I whisper to myself.
 What is that in the window?  I am not sure I want to know. 
I am so very tired from walking around that maze. My legs have had it.
But seeing that lantern begin to move downward toward the front door on it's journey revives my energy. I begin to jog to the front. I want to beat whatever it is. 
 Even the constant switching of my legs by the tangled branches can't deter me. It is as though an unseen hand is driving me to greater speed each time a branch strikes my legs.  "Hurry up ,hurry up," is all I can think.
I want out of there, and I want out now!
My legs are stinging from those briars and tangled branches but I am on the street and heading away from that adventure.
I can't seem to walk fast enough.


4.   Relieved and walking back home I think to myself  the maze is a group effort and not a great idea when you are alone.  I wonder how or what was in that window.Someone was there. Someone not afraid of the damaged condition of the house. 
No one in their right mind would not think twice about entering that house in its terrible condition!
No one in their right mind. The phrase haunts me now.
I take my phone out of the backpack to check the time.
Midnight!  I can't believe I was wandering around the maze looking for a way out for so very long. It took me hours! No wonder I am tired.
I was so stupid to enter it just as the sun was going down! Ridiculous decision. More ridiculous when I consider that the comparison of the house's condition with the meticulous maze should have been a warning to me that someone might be around.
The light from the phone illuminates my face as I look again at the time.
And it is then that I notice the date. I increase my speed to a dead run home...
It is October 31st, Halloween.