Greetings from New Jersey

Yesterday I had a positively FABULOUS school visit with some kids at the George Washington Carver School in Newark (Thanks, Scholastic!). Another blog on the school visit coming soon.

(Okay, here's a teaser. There were 125 kids, all had read the book, all had amazing things to say.)


Since I don't quite have all my photos from yesterday yet, on this rainy day in NJ, here are a few pictorial Jersey Love things you might not expect. Reasons I love spending time in my adopted home state of 25 years...


1. The grocery stores and the many, many Farmers Markets sell fig trees and figs.
The Farmers Markets alone would be reason enough to spend the summer here.

2. The July 4th Parade. I love bagpipers! I love parades!
Can't wait for this event, coming soon.
(Picture from previous edition. They really don't change that much...)

3. Visiting old friends and former libraries. This is the front of the Library of the Chathams, Main Street, Chatham NJ, all decorated for Flag Day or July 4th. I worked here as a reference librarian for five years before returning to the world of school librarianship.
This town loves its flags!

4. The train to NYC. Every hour, at least. Quick ride.

5. And speaking of trains. If you look closely at this view from the Newark Broad Street station yesterday, you can see the Valley Landscape Silo in the distance.

Which reminded me of The Sopranos, that late, great TOTAL FICTION HBO show.

Which of course sent me looking for a clip with that silo. And here it is. Near the end.


UPDATE. I don't think the video plays anymore. It's no longer permitted to be embedded, as far as I can tell, so you'll just have to click over to this YOUTUBE and ride down Memory Lane in Tony's car:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLxSUKA--Dg

We are shaped by all the places we've lived, aren't we? So far, nothing from The Sopranos has made its way into my own fiction (!) and probably never will, but that July 4th parade? Totally.

How about you? Is setting a product of your own life settings, so to speak?

You gotta love New Jersey

Time for a break from my literary world. From books, writing, and reading to report on our annual return to New Jersey. Although, truly, isn't everything a story?

Each spring when we make the pilgrimage, I have a friend here waiting to take us on an adventure.

Like the 9-11 Memorial in Bayonne. With a great Italian dinner afterwards.

(blogged about HERE)

 

 

Or the truly moving and something-I'll-never-forget, World Trade Center Lights viewed from Jersey City, soon after September 11.
(Photo courtesy of wikipedia)

This year, at least so far, I've been blown away by something pretty simple. No historical significance. Just a huge apartment complex set into the side of a ridge in Morris County, vaguely reminiscent of Chichen Itza or Native American cliff dwellings. Yes, the operative word is vaguely.


What we saw last night:

The view from the high promenade in front of the apartments:

That's NYC, way off in the distance. If you're interested, this is from the realty company's listing:

Powder Mill Heights offers a gracious lifestyle, second to none. Located on the peak of Parsippany's Watnong Mountain, residents are truly on top of the world. Apartments are carefully designed with voluminous windows to take in breathtaking views that go for miles. Many private balconies capture the vista views of the New York skyline. We offer luxury apartments with a variety of one and two level floor plans, spanning from 1,000-3,000 square feet

And this? 

My friend Barbara and I stare off into the distance, 

wondering what it would be like to live way up here, almost in the clouds.

Thanks for the roadtrips, Al!

Additional New Jersey stuff-
New Jersey in my rear view mirror blogpost.
Silly(?) Jersey Pride facts

Summer's almost here!

New Jersey, here we come.

I'm packing up and heading north. And the annual debate begins. Just how much can I take and what do I dare leave behind for a few months.

Books I must read. Writing notes. Computer, iPad, all those cords.

Today I'm going through my books. This is what I'm now reading and rereading and cannot be without. Two of those are ARCs, irreplaceable. One is a book I ordered specially for potential character research. I cannot leave these in Florida. No way.

But that's only the beginning. I need my writing files. I need my Junk Poker shoebox, ready for my class visit to Pat's 4th graders. Seriously. That Buster Brown shoebox is valuable. If only to me.

                 And I need summer writing possibilities- more books, notes, character studies!

Already packed in tote bags. But there's more to come... Oh, dear.

(I may have to deep-six the clothes, but I cannot do without my books and my files. That's that.)

Possibly Related Posts:

Leaving New Jersey 

The Splitters

Leaving New Jersey, soon...

As we depart our adopted home state and head South for a while, it seems fitting to remember the wonderful dinners shared with friends at our many favorite neighborhood spots. And the places I'll have to do without till we return next spring.

Appropriately, today, this quote was on the back of my Trader Joe's receipt:

Life is a combination of magic and pasta.
Federico Fellini

Perfect quote for a perfect summer.
Well said, Federico!

My Little Town

Great to be back in New Jersey for a while, especially today when the temperature is 82, the humidity is about zero, the clouds are high and puffy, and the birds are singing.

So now that you've got the picture, here's what I want to tell you about living in this small town. It's not that I have anything against city dwelling. In fact, I'd hate living too far away from city civilization as I know it. So North Jersey, as we're known here, is a perfect spot to spend the summer, especially this summer. On the train line to NYC, plus there are still a few places where Everybody Knows Your Name.

Like the library where I worked. Make that libraries. I popped into my public library to do a little research this morning and discovered my former backdoor neighbor is now the children's librarian. 500 children's tags lined the front shelves, each one representing a young reader enrolled in the summer reading program. How can we possibly consider cutting funding to libraries? This one was packed with readers!

A lot of my former work colleagues are still there and of course I couldn't resist sharing that this July has been one of my favorite months ever. So many new, wonderful things!

They already have me signed up to do an Author Visit when Scholastic publishes my book. I warned them not to bake the cookies just yet. Book birthing can take a while.

Then off to the deli for a Turkey Sloppy Joe, a treat known only to New Jerseyans. If you don't know this sandwich, click here for pictures and history. And no, there is no ground beef or fork involved.

As I crossed the Post Office Plaza, one of my outstanding, most favorite library volunteers from my 10 years at Kent Place School, in the next town over, waved. She just happened to be driving by and we promised to meet for coffee and a catch-up very soon.

My former next-door neighbor joined me as we crossed the library walkway. Her two boys, all grown up now, remembered my dog Barley. How he used to eat grass in the backyard. That's the kind of thing that would stick with a 4-year-old, isn't it?

Did I say this is a small town? Does a population of 20,000 qualify or is it the feeling you get when crossing Main Street? All the strollers, the shoppers walking home, the recognizable police officer directing traffic turning left out of Kings Supermarket. Flags flying, flowers in boxes, sun shining.

Enjoy your weekend, wherever you are.


Related post: A Bright September Day