a night out with - the Westcoast Gospel Chorus

Way uplifting.  An always upbeat, Bishop Henry L. Porter's - old fashion gospel "love connection".  The Westcoast Gospel Chorus (choir) founded 50 years ago today, celebrated this night tonight, with a momentous golden anniversary.


Early arrivals outside of Sarasota's Westcoast Center and chapel.

Nate Jacobs, opens it up with, "Oh Happy Days"

Bishop Henry Porter, with an old gospel standard, "Sign Me Up"

Sister Lori Fordham's big voice, put the congregation on their feet.

Sister Elaine Mayo, swaying, spreading the rhythm

Sister Alma Lavender, joyous

A soulful, Roger Blue

Sister Bessie Pitts

A congregational request.  A blessing and prayer for a young Wesley, suffering from seizures

A very still Wesley, at the front of the stage, absorbing the deep prayer from Bishop Porter

Bishop Henry L. Porter - a final reaching out (through prayer and song) and life's celebrations ......

neighbors

Marian passed away a month ago, at nearly one hundred years of age. In our 25 years as neighbors, she and I had only once, had one encounter. She was that neighborhood celebrity of sorts, a true recluse, rarely appearing in daylight - and living behind a mass of unkempt overgrowth, a jungle, in a darkened house un-seeable from the road.

In a very rare sighting about 10 years ago, Knuckles and I were headed out our side gate, when I spotted what I thought was her in the near distance. Dressed in a gown and old bathrobe, Marian was at her mailbox, yet hadn't noticed our approach. Then suddenly looking up, without warning, she starting screaming as loud as possible, "HELP, HELP.  There's A Dog, HELP - PLEASE HELP".  We tried, but couldn't console her in any form, so we both turned back, headed home. Everyday since, while walking past that same mailbox, Knuckles and I both stop, turn to look, and wonder what could be down that darkened driveway, and in that unforeseen house.

Directly across the road from Marian's property is a newly constructed custom home on 1 1/4 acres, with nearly 18,000 feet of living area - and two years in the making. This new, young family are almost as reclusive as their neighbor Marian, but in a more troubling, and arrogant way. (Rumor has it, that the house was built all with cash). There's supposedly a central American connection, but again it's all neighborhood talk. My one-and-only encounter with the new homeowner, the father, was him roaring past me at my mailbox in a black Lamborghini. And me, as I saw him come roaring, having to lean back away from the road. Their new monument, as seen from across our shared lagoon, also appears darkened - rarely a light on.  Rumor again, and apparently true - it's their second home.


After Marian's recent death, her family appeared from out-of-state, did an extensive property clearing and major yard clean-up - and posted by the road, a simple, hardware store type, 'for sale' sign.

 



Finally, a cleared street view of "The (fabled) Gables" where out-of-state family members are preparing for a sale.

The new neighbor's property, directly across from Marion's old home, have incorporated the latest in high-tech security - where cameras are discreetly hidden in the trees and a consistent, blinking monitored gate, uses a highly secure video 'call' box. No one that I know of (from our neighborhood) has ever spoken or met with the family. This past Spring, this large custom-built home facing out onto Robert's Bay, again well hidden from the street view, quietly went on the market - and now, is listed at 16.4 million dollars. The highest ever recorded on Siesta Key.

tooth extraction

After an unsuccessful root canal, and a year later, Apicoectomy surgery, my then Endodontist recently diagnosed an ongoing problematic tooth (from his early attempted procedures) as, "having never properly healed".  So, next came the expected recommendation - the "extraction".

My new found Oral Surgeon, Dr. Peter Kaufman's office, scheduled the extraction for after Kaufman's return from holiday vacation. And funny today, when we met - that 'Dr. Kaufman' - was a dead look-a-like, a physical fit, as to my long-time buddy, the photographer, Eric Kroll. And during the extraction (both being New Yorker's with a voice) he pushed and pulled heavily, and leaned hard on top of me - so much in my face, that I felt his large chest against me with heavy, heavy breath.

After (and thankfully over) - and in return, as what I occasionally would do with my friend 'Kroll' - I slapped him hard on the back as from a good job, which made him laugh, while smiling big.


the X-Ray - (upper rear molar # 3 with the visible roots)

the 3D CT scan

Syringe with extra Novocaine, some dental probes, tools used for smoothing out the exposed bone -  foreceps and scissors for the stitches.

the pliers, 'extractors' (don't know what else to call them) that you can put your whole weight into.

Grandfather's Day

Bowling on Father's Day with my youngest grandchild, Santiago.

Now he's tired.

hospital accommodations

All Children's Hospital; St. Pete
Not as a patient, but as an overnight family care-giver.



A welcome card, with a supplied rough-looking face cloth, nicely folded and presented.

Personally, a few long nights tossing and turning (monitors, and alarms along with the tube feedings, all with an attending, caring all-night staff). When early mornings did arrive, I found myself somehow awakened tightly wrapped, swaddled like a newborn - barely able to move my arms.

Today, taking a night's leave from the hospital and then back-up again tomorrow. Now headed home, smelling like that gently held, sweet baby, that Santiago is.

Post script; Hospitalized for nearly two weeks, "Santi" was released today (June 13th). He finally found that way, his way back home - and all, all very happy.

simple twist of fate?

Sarasota's bayfront Selby Library (1976).  Architect, Walter Netsch - Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.

(Glass atrium retrofitted in 2000.  G. Wiz Science Museum, Dale Parks, architect).

(photo; Ezra Stoller /SOM)



TODAY - developers, city commissioners, and a few locally distinguished 'assholes'

"When losing another little piece of our history, a grieving period is in order".  Quote from columnist, Barbara Peters Smith, from her article titled - So long, and thanks for all the books.  Sarasota Herald-Tribune, May 20th.

Farley family

Recently I had read about someone in the local paper, that I had gone to school with here on the island, and that must have been some 55 years ago.  Back then, it was a graduating class of eight.

Alice Farley had returned from NYC for a short visit, to help sell the family property - and to give a brief talk about her family and their unique home. Her father Walter, was a well known writer of children's books and her mother, a former high model of the New York fashion world.  There was nothing then about the family, that I could remember, that may have appeared grand or particularly exceptional. But really, there was.

So, Sandy and I went down to see Alice, to hear her speak, and to visit their noted home, now aging, and listed on the high-end real estate market.  Architecturally, little seemed to have changed.

Rear view of the house, designed and built by Ralph Twitchell and architect, Jack West (1953)

Screen lanai and footpath out towards the beach

The living room, where a few chairs were set-up for Alice's talk.

Walter Farley, Alice's father, had written the children's classic, 'The Black Stallion' (1941). After publication, the New York Times referred to it's character as, "the most famous horse in fiction".

 

From the Black Stallion series, there were twenty books of written sequels - from which a TV series and a motion picture were eventually made.

In Walter's library, reference books on children's literature, from Aesop's Fables, to tales from Edgar Allan Poe.

Rosemary and Walter, out on the beach (1946).

Alice's mother, Rosemary from her early years modeling in New York

A simple kitchen in a modest, simply designed home - and Farley family owned for over sixty years.

A few collectibles remain of Walter's personal horse memorabilia - a helmet, scarf and a horse-hair crop, left hanging.

Upon leaving, with a few moments left in the kitchen, Alice and I had a good laugh over one of our most difficult teachers during that time spent while attending the Out-Of-Door School. That person was a miserable, difficult and unforgiving woman - our moody art teacher.  Luckily, we had her way before we both began our professional careers in the visual arts.