Columbus Day out on the North Fork

Above are some pictures of our day out east. The first one has Lesley, Cassie, Ali and Ivy, the second has my mom, Carolann, Blanca in back and Ivy and Lesley in front, the third is (l-r) Ivy, Carolann, Ali, Me, Blanca, Cassie, my mom, and Lesley.

Lesley's mom is my first cousin, and godmother, Blanca and Ivy is the daughter of Blanca's closest friend from way back when, Carolann. When I was younger, Carolann and Blanca used to sing every time I was around. They're about 15 years older than I am and, being an impressionable toddler. I adored them--still do. Blanca lives in Truckee, CA and Carolann is still out here on Long Island (Brooklyn, I think). My cousin, Lesley is on a 10 day break from her Masters' Program in Philadelphia, so Blanca flew out here for a visit and came up to NY for a while. She's staying at her longtime friend, Jimmy's, house in Flanders and apartment in Manhattan. Jimmy is on a cruise in Europe somewhere.

Yesterday, I picked Carolann and Ivy up at Ronkonkoma train station and we drove east with my mom, Cassie, and Ali, to go meet Blanca. We met at Briermere Farms and got some delicious pumpkin squares and apple tarts, and raspberry cream pie to share while sitting on the big rocks (which used to look massive when the kids were little). From there, we headed further east to Pindar and tested out 5 different wines. Heading back west, we stopped at another farm stand for some roasted corn (right in the husks--sweet and crisp and scrumptious). We stopped, then, at Jimmy's so Blanca could get some laundry to do at our house, and picked up Lesley's senior project video.

Arriving back home, we threw on some food and put out an impromptu spread while we watched Lesley's video. It was about mothers and daughters and letting go. Boy, it hit home for me! She had to do research, and create a dance piece with dialogue that showed off what she had learned. It was beautiful, and the songs she selected for the dance routines were appropriately heartwarming. Of course, I needed tissues!

Time with family is never enough time!