Creative Celebration in the Poconos

It's been an incredibly busy summer and I can't believe September is already here. August flew by like a hungry raven. Once the sun came out, there was not much time for writing. I spent much of the month trying to spruce up the pool area at Pennsyl Pointe. For a long time, it had been a neglected part of the property so I decided to do some painting and planting to restore it's value as a social gathering spot.

To help speed the process, I threw a party one glorious summer Sunday. Guests included friends, neighbors, and family members. We had live music (by Raffi and Zion), great food (made by many exceptional cooks), and carried out a group creative project. Using a stack of ancient windows that had been left here by the former owner of the place, we gave everyone the opportunity to make a painting for our poolside "gallery". Painters ranged in age from six to seventy years old. A few days later we also hosted some visiting "artists" from Toronto who added more works to the collection. This was so much fun I think we may repeat it at a future date. You can see a few samples above. That party was unforgettable thanks to the contributions of all our participating artists.

Get Out and See the Local Talent: Becky and the Beasts

After years of living in Philadelphia – home of hundreds of theater companies, musical groups, and galleries -- I’ve become a little spoiled by easy access to the performing arts. But the Pocono region is full of working artists who are just as talented as the big city types. The main difference is that artists here have to work harder to cultivate an audience that is more geographically dispersed. The big benefit to consumers is that it costs a lot less to hear a great band or see a show in the Poconos.

A few weekends ago I paid a measly ten bucks to hear Becky and the Beasts, a fantastic cover band play a live benefit performance at the Mauch Chunk Opera House. The concert was so much fun -- partly because the band played all sorts of danceable music from the seventies and eighties. But they did it with a much higher degree of musicianship than you’d expect when you’ve only paid ten dollars. Songs ranged from Paula Cole tunes to Jethro Tull and Eric Clapton classics. Sounds impossible, right? Yet it was all built on the superb voice of the lead singer (let’s assume her name is Becky) and the incredible guitar skills of other band members. The multiple talents of the band’s sax player provided the key asset that allowed the band to perform such a wide range of music. He was perfectly comfortable – and skilled – on the flute, trumpet and cornet. And he also sang pretty well on a few songs. These musicians reminded me how much fun a good night out can be. Along with others, I got carried away by the music and danced in the aisle. That’s good for you. Music is good for you and having that much fun makes you realize the joy you can give to others when you put your own creative talents to use.