#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨
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Food and Life

Visit: The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze 2012 {Hudson Valley, NY}

October 28, 2012 · Narrative

Blaze - Sleepy Hollow-001We have been seriously prepping for Hurricane Sandy to show us what she’s made of, so no Weekend Photos in Review tonight. Unless you want to see my newly cleared basement floor?

Madeline’s school is already closed Monday and Tuesday, Nick’s so far is closed on Monday. Train service suspended. State offices closed.

We are all bracing for the worst, and I’m hoping, after our experience last year with the wrath of Hurricane Irene, that Sandy moves on and we can easily pick up the pieces. In the meantime, it’s a terrible waiting game.

Last year, with Hurricane Irene, our town, and particularly the downtown area, was hit hard. Stores sustained hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage, homes were declared unlivable, and the Main Street became a waterway deep enough for row boats and canoes.

This weekend, we watched those same stores tape their windows and pile the sand bags outside their doors. My heart breaks for them as they prepare for what’s coming. But man, does my heart swell when I see the rally cry for help and strangers pitch in, filling sand bags, shoring up breakables, and doing everything they can to help each other.

Ok, onto happy stuff.

Blaze - witches and cauldron

While I don’t have weekend pictures for you, I *do* have pictures from our Friday night festivities. We met up with friends to go visit The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze in Hudson Valley, New York. My friend, Cathy, e-mailed me the link to the Blaze several months back. None of us had ever been. I looked at the site super quickly, saw the words Sleepy Hollow and quickly said “we’re in!” I mean, really, do we need to know more than that?

Flash forward to last week. I’m catching up on facebook and noticed that an old classmate from grade school links to this fun event in NY. He’s a bit of a pro when it comes to pumpkin carving, and some of his pumpkins were going to be on display. So I e-mail Cathy and include the link and tell her to clear her calendar.

Well. It turns out it was the same place we already had tickets for.

Um, yeah. So clearly I didn’t look close enough at the web site the first time.

Blaze - the manor

I loaded the kids up and we hit the road right after work on Friday. We really lucked out with traffic, and only hit a little bit as we were going through the uber-cute little towns of Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown.

Easy to find, easy and free parking, we were entering the Blaze grounds up in no time flat. There are over 5,000 hand carved pumpkins on the grounds of the Van Cortlandt Manor. As you walk through the estate along a self-guided pathway, there are tons of exhibits that catch your eye. Each display was a different theme … a hive with honey bees, a sunflower patch, London’s Big Ben, zoo animals, a smattering of dinosaurs… all depicted with carved pumpkins. Every year, they add more scenes and more pumpkins.

Blaze - sunflower patch

All the pumpkins are carved by Manor staff, volunteers, artists, and various organizations, and the carving begins in earnest in June! It takes the volunteers over three hours every night to light all the pumpkins during the Blaze. Everything you see in these pictures, and at the Blaze, is all pumpkin. There are no other props or materials used.

Blaze - skeletal people

It took about an hour to go through all the displays and scenes, which is just about perfect. Long enough to feel like it was worth the drive, and the two-month advance ticket purchase, and short enough that the kids weren’t whining that there was too much walking.

There are staff members throughout the trail, complete with glow sticks, to answer any questions. Near the end there is the obligatory gift shop, which we managed to get through with only a $0.65 postcard purchase, and at the end, there is a food tent with a few more novelty Halloween items for sale.

Blaze - pumpkin tombstones

Avoid the food. Ridiculously overpriced.

It was our first time visiting the Blaze, and our first time in the Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown area (the actual town where the Blaze is held is Croton-on-Hudson). I would love to go back and do some of the historial tours with the kids, and now that they have been introduced to the Sleepy Hollow area and I briefly told them about Ichabod Crane, it might be time to find a book or movie for them as fun background. It was a great experience for the kids, and a perfect way to usher in the upcoming Halloween week.

Blaze - pumpkin display

Our one negative note is that the only restrooms available were at the beginning/end (in the form of porta johns). Because the trail is a bit long, and really populated by lots of little kids, a midway point for some restrooms would be appreciated.

Blaze - pumpkin clowns

The Blaze is actually on through November 11th, so if you’re in the area, or even a little bit outside it, do check it out. Or add it to your list for next year.

Blaze - jack in the box
(Jack in the box)

Blaze - giraffe and elephant

Blaze - ghouls

Blaze - covered bridge

Blaze - ceiling of covered bridge

Blaze - Big Ben

Blaze - beehive with bees
A beehive with tons of little bees swarming about. Each of those bees are carved onto mini pumpkins.

Our favorite was the covered bridge, so beautiful.

You can follow The Blaze on Twitter here, and facebook here.

*They did just decide to close through the 31st because of the coming storm, but they have added some extra times and an extra date to compensate.

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Posted In: Narrative · Tagged: Halloween, Hudson Valley, Sleepy Hollow, The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze, upstate New York

Comments

  1. Joanne says

    October 29, 2012 at 6:54 am

    I’m much more nervous about Sandy than I was for Irene…hopefully it will all be for nothing!
    Joanne recently posted..Recipe: Banana Cake with Mocha Frosting and Salted Candied Peanuts

    Reply
  2. Paula Ann says

    October 29, 2012 at 1:30 pm

    They are featuring this on “The Chew” today, Cate. It looks amazing! I just wish I lived a little closer, I’d love to see it in person!

    Reply
  3. krhm says

    October 30, 2012 at 4:44 pm

    Thinking of you yesterday and today, Cate, and hope that you and your family and friends made it through Sandy okay!

    Reply
  4. Meg says

    October 30, 2012 at 4:49 pm

    This looks so wicked cool — I was totally envious after seeing some of your shots on Instagram!

    On a separate note, thinking of you guys and hoping Sandy didn’t wreak too much havoc. The photos coming out of New Jersey and New York are surreal. We got a little punch down here in the D.C. area, but nothing like predicted — and I’m hoping your town and family are doing okay.
    Meg recently posted..Of Halloween and hurricanes

    Reply
  5. Ashley says

    November 11, 2012 at 12:02 pm

    This is right near where I live. We went a few times, and it’s pretty much the same every year. Now that we have a baby, we’ll go next year so he can enjoy it. There is a TON of cool stuff to do around here – the Hudson Valley Historical Society has a lot of events that go on all year.
    Ashley recently posted..Pumpkin Pie Spiced Belgian Waffles

    Reply

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#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛

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#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨

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