Enjoying a little Art at the Everson Museum and stopping for a memory of loved ones lost .

So far this week it feels like all I have done is worked. Since I don't usually work, it seems like a lot. Many people would say two four hour shifts over a three day period is hardly working, but it has limited my trip taking none the less. (I have to work tomorrow as well). So not much to report. I have been so off my game with working and all, that I was hitting myself last evening when I heard the bangs of fireworks going off around 9:30. Then I remembered I had planned to attend the fireworks with my son. Opps! So we missed out on that. I have a sneaky suspicion we will see more soon. I also missed plans to go to the library on Tuesday and see the free Hobit movie as well as register myself and my son for the summer reading program. Today however, we have plans to get the car taken care of (my last free oil change and get Lyndon inspected.) and my son had inquired about going to the Everson Museum of Art. He had been  with his class a few months ago, the last time I had been was when I was about his age. I was surprised that he was interested in going, ceramics and paintings have never interested him. I went a lot as a child my mom was always involved with activities there and I am sure I spent some time taking some class of some kind too.
We took Lyndon in for her check up. It went pretty quick considering I anticipated a long wait. We enjoyed a FREE beverage, but they never did bring out any treats to nibble on. As I waited I read Game of Thrones book III and Gavin played on his game boy.
We grabbed a quick lunch at good old Micky D's, and took a drive to down town Syracuse NY to the Everson Museum. I was unsure about parking and planned to hit a parking meter vs the $6- parking lot across the street. I decided to park right in the museum round about. There were signs that indicated 2 hour parking as well as authorized staff only. I parked anyways and told the museum guard, he said we were probably fine. At least we had free parking.  We arrived to early for the 12pm opening time, so we played around on the grounds art structures.

This sculpture has been in front of the museum since I was little, I remember climbing on it myself. I remember wishing I could ride it's curves all the way to the tippy top. Behind the museum is the fountains, and a few other sculptures that have also been a feature as old as my 1970's trips as a child.

 

This piece of art was made in the 1970's and won an award for playground house or something like that. Not so sure it is safe for playgrounds of the 2000's, but my son climbed up it anyways.

The fountain is pretty. Gavin wanted to dip his feet in, I said go ahead! There are no signs forbidding it. He was convinced it was a rule breaker, and would not dip one toe in. How I got such a rule obligating child is beyond me? Had my mom said go ahead, I'd would have definitely had a little more then wet feet!

Not convinced he stayed out of the water.

Another fun piece to climb on.

 

Finally 12pm arrived and we entered the museum. Now I have a question. When a place has a suggested donation price for entrance, does that mean you have to pay? I mean it is a suggestion and a donation right?  So when the attendant informed me of the $5- suggested donation for entrance into the museum, I felt like this was NOT a suggestion or a donation at all, I felt it was damn required, and we would have to pay more for the special featured art! If anyone could help me out with this please let me know. A free museum suddenly cost me more then my McDonalds lunch between me and my son. Enough on that subject. We headed to the basement area first, and I was surprised to see art that I remembered from when I was kid. Is that normal too? Is an art museum always feature the same art until eternity? I mean some of the same damn statues where right where I remembered them nearly 40 years ago. Moving along, my son showed me some of his favorite pieces like this one

 

The human cannonball, notice he missed the net.

 This was pretty cool too! Gavin picked out this piece as well (below)

There were some pretty cool pieces, and there was a children's play area as well. Gavin and I spent a little time playing with the provided clay, and making crowns.

We could have featured our clay pieces for display had we wanted to, but decided to " get in to the painting" and take a picture with a painted backdrop. (I wish I could remember the name of this painting, It was something like The Study or some simple name like that. Gavin was a good sport and dressed in some of the dress up clothing for his pose.

There were several painting backdrops to choose from, but assistance with lowering them was required with the help of an attendant. We choose to just go with it!

 

I took a picture of this painting because I remember doing a paper on it when I was in school. I had to pick a painting from the museum and write on it. The Peaceable Kingdom it is called. It is a nice painting. I would have taken more, but "they" said NO flash photography, and I could not figure out how to stop the flash. Sorry! I hope I didn't damage the art somehow.

We wrapped up the museum, and headed home. On our way home we talked about the museum, and what we enjoyed. I think Gavin enjoyed the activities the most. It's hard to enjoy a museum like this, even I was a little board and we waited to enter the place longer then we actually stayed. There was a lot to see, but I nor was my son interested in the several pieces of pottery and dishes that walled most of the back basement rooms. The paintings were neat, but my son rushed me through those rooms, so I only got to do a flash look. The abstract art, which I am not a personal fan of to begin with, we pretty much blinked our eyes once and exited out of. The building that houses the art is really cool too. I wish I had taken a picture of the grand spiral staircase, but I was afraid of my flash and the main area was where all the guards were. I found one on the internet. Take a look.

Pretty cool isn't it?

We also discussed visiting a few additional museums located in the downtown area. I mentioned the Erie Canal Museum and the Onondaga Historical Museum. He reported he was all "museumed" out and wanted to go home!

On the way home I suggested that we stop at the Butterfly Gardens. I have passed this small park thousands of times, and often wanted to stop and take a walk through this garden dedicated to the memory of deceased loved ones. Although there are no actual butterflies that I saw, the shape of the garden as seen from the sky is in the shape of a butterfly.

I took a stroll through the garden noting the several benches dedicated to departed loved ones. It was all very peaceful and the flowers beautiful.

I got a picture of the dedication bricks that line the pathway. I have worked with Hope for the Bereaved for referrals and they sponsor this Garden. I know that they have done some releasing of balloons from this site to help people manage their grief. I haven't experienced much loss of loved ones in my life fortunately, but I can imagine how incredibly difficult it must be to loose someone so close. My Grandparents have all passed away, but all of them had long fulfilling lives and their loss although difficult I have been able to grieve appropriately. I can only imagine if I loss a child or a close friend, my parents death will be terribly difficult to manage. This garden I think would be a helpful for dealing with death.

 here is a picture of the memory brick walkway.

There are also several memory benches located both in the garden and along the lakeside. Each bench has a dedication on it, and plaque butterflies include a message from a loved one to their deceased.
It was all very calming, and I enjoyed the nice walk. It makes you really think of keeping the memories of your loved one.
Pretty full day after all. I called the pool people and made some complaints..guess what they are working on it now! Might have the pool complete before the weekend is up!  Horray. Thanks for visiting!