Sal Goes to the Cleveland Jumping Flea Spring Strum

The Cleveland Jumping Fleas love to play al fresco, so this year we added a Spring Strum to our schedule.  We couldn't have picked a nicer morning.  It was warm!  With sunshine!  Ukuleles bring out the best in people -- and weather!

The Spring Strummers - and Sal.

The traditional silly pose.

Sal Goes to UkeToberFest!

We are very fortunate to have many lovely parks in the Cleveland area, and Sal is always ready to spend some time in the great outdoors.  Sunday morning brought a uke-tastic opportunity to do just that.  It was UkeToberFest with the Cleveland Jumping Fleas!  This event was not about drinking beer in October.  It was about playing ukes in October!  A bunch of Fleas gathered at around 9:00 a.m. to hang out in the Harriet Keeler shelter eating donuts, drinking cider and coffee, and playing lots of songs together.  Of course we all had to pose for photos with Sal!

Sal with the UkeToberFest gang!

Of course we had to have a silly shot, too.  As usual, some were sillier than others.  ;)

Why would a group of presumably intelligent adults play ukuleles outside in 40ish temperatures?  The simple answer is that when we met at the same location a few weeks ago, we had a great time playing al fresco.  How could we know that the temperature would plunge so early in the year?  Fleas are hardy souls, however, and nothing can keep us from gathering together to socialize and make music.  And, despite being quite nippy, the morning was beautiful.  We were playing our ukes together whilst surrounded by lovely autumn colors!  All was right with the world!

Our fingers may have been numb, but the chilly air was full of hot music!

We got applause from some people as they walked by the shelter -- and one guy hung around listening for quite a while.  And why not?  The Fleas are awesome!

An extra added UkeToberFest bonus was the addition to our group of Tabitha's husband, Dan, who brought his double bass.  The low tones of this instrument added a wonderful note (pun obviously intended) to the proceedings -- AND I got a picture of Sal with the biggest string instrument I know of.  She's had her picture taken with a tiny violin, L'il Rev's uke, a Cleveland Orchestra cello -- and now with a double bass!  Many Fleas -- including yours truly -- were urging Dan to come back and play with us again!

Sal and her giant cousin.  Thanks, Dan, for bringing your bass!

Some Fleas had to leave after a couple of hours to go to work -- or because their hands were numb -- but a few extra-hardy members of the group stayed until noon.  Sal and I were, of course, in the extra-hardy contingent!  What a super-fun way to spend a Sunday morning! 

A Meeting of the Blogs: Sal Has a Long-Anticipated, Long-Awaited Rendevous at Squire's Castle!

When I started Travels With Sal a few months ago, I was the only active blogger in the family, but soon my sister started blogging, too.  Her blog, titled Life With Lili, is all about her outrageously cute dog.  After reading her posts and seeing the great pictures that she was posting, I started thinking that having adorable Lili photos in one of my posts might attract Lili's fans to my blog -- and that photos of the lovely Sal on Anne's blog might send Sal's fans to Life With Lili.  I asked Anne if we could do a photo session together -- a meeting of the blogs, so to speak.  I'm happy to say that she agreed.

Having heard much about Squire's Castle through the years, I asked if we could go there.  Anne, who has been to the castle many times, agreed that this would be a fine destination.  Now the problem was finding a time to go.  Between work, house and yard projects, and some fun with the Cleveland Jumping Fleas, time rushed by for me.  Anne also had lots going on, but Friday, finally, was the day!  And what a beautiful day it was!  Sunny and cool, with lovely fall foliage...  who could ask for anything more!?  Well, maybe a titch less sun would have been better, but I'm not complaining!  Fall is my favorite season, and the day was absolutely spiffing!

This post features some of the photos I took on our outing.  You can read about Anne's take on the day's events -- and see her awesome photos -- by going to Life With Lili.

Sal on the sign in front of the castle.

Inside the castle there were tons of great spots to take photos.  Anne had warned me several times that Lili doesn't like to have her picture taken -- even though she is extremely photogenic.  It turned out, however, that Anne's fears about possible canine noncooperation were unfounded.  Lili couldn't have been a better model!  It's obvious that Anne has put a lot of effort into training Lili -- and the results are impressive.  Lili sat still for gobs of photos.  We got pictures of Lili looking at us, and not looking at us, and even pictures of what I was hoping for -- Lili and Sal "interacting" (which really means Lili looking in Sal's direction).

I'd like to think that Lili is looking at Sal, but she probably just heard something outside.  ;)

This would be a great picture to use for a caption contest, I think.

After taking a bunch of photos inside, we walked around outside the castle for a while, looking for the best places to take more pictures of Sal and Lili.

It was time for Sal's close-up! 

I turned around to see that Lili was having individual portraits taken, too!

As we walked around the corner, we saw the perfect location -- but we were not alone in thinking so.  A young lady was posing for her senior pictures there. While we were waiting for the photographer (who had one of the biggest lenses I've ever seen) to finish, we had a brief conversation with the soon-to-be-graduate's mom.  I gave her a Travels With Sal card, so I hope she checks out this post (and keeps reading future ones, too -- hint hint.)  Later I thought that we should have asked the daughter to pose for a photo with Sal!  (I don't think she would have included such a photo in her album of senior pictures, but who knows?  Stranger things have happened...)

The coast was clear -- time for Sal to pose at this picturesque end of the castle.

I love this! 

Awwwww...

Gotta love the antique effect and edge blur in iPhoto.  They turned what started out as a meh picture into something pretty cool.

Time to get Lili in the act.  I wonder what she was smelling on Sal -- that uke has visited all kinds of places!

Anne giving Lili a kiss for being such a super-cooperative girl. 

 

At this point I suggested taking a meta picture.  These shots are the result...

I went outside and shot the scene from outside....

... and at the same time Anne took a shot from inside.  Lili's expression totally cracks me up!

We were having fun, but it was time to get going.  We stopped to take some final pictures of Lili and Sal.  We wanted to get a few shots of the two of them on a blanket on the lawn.  First we put the blanket in the sun, but it was too bright and the pictures didn't look so good.  Then we put the blanket in the shade, and ta da! 

Anne getting Lili ready for yet more picture-taking.  Thanks, Lili, for being such a good sport!

I love this picture.  Unfortunately, I didn't take it.  Thanks, Anne, for letting me use your great shot!

That's all folks!  Be sure to visit Life With Lili to see Anne's version of the day's events!  Since we didn't discuss what we were going to write, I can't wait to read it myself!*

*I hope she says nice things about her big sister!  ;)

Sal Picnics with the Cleveland Jumping Fleas

This morning the Cleveland Jumping Fleas had their very first picnic -- the aptly named Pickin' Picnic in the Park.  We met at the Harriet Keeler Memorial Picnic Area in the Metroparks' Brecksville Reservation.  The picnic was scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m., but one of our members kindly agreed to go extra early and save a few tables for our group.  It's a good thing he did, because as he was waiting for more Fleas to arrive, another group showed up and began to decorate the pavilion for a different event.  It turned out they were expecting a big group -- but there was plenty of room for us, too. 

A whole bunch of Fleas arrived bearing large quantities of food and coffee, of which we happily partook.  After the meal we played our ukes for a considerable time -- and what a wonderful time it was!  Sal, of course, had to be included in such a festive ukulele event.  See if you can find her in this picture of all the Fleas with their ukes. 

After a couple of pictures were taken, our photographer asked us to pose for a "silly" shot, which we did. 

As you can see, a good time was had by all -- and I think I can safely predict that there will be more al fresco events in the Fleas' future.