- - GUESTBOOK -Benac Yoga Gallery - Family Blogs -HOME - - - - Mormons? -



"A nation can only be free, happy and great in proportion to the virtue and intelligence of the people."

Stephen F. Austin (1793-1836)

 July 2: The DREAM came alive today, as a contingent of the art-lovin' family breached the fortress-like walls of the famous Barnes Foundation, where a huge collection of art has been "held hostage" due to the idiosyncrasies of Dr. Albert Barnes, the man who accumulated the treasures within and denied access to most of the world during his lifetime. It's been the number one Next Museum Goal of the Editor for years. Join us on our adventure as we take a cab to LaGuardia Airport, rent a car, and drive to Merion Township PA, just outside of Philly.

Read Comments (2 so far) from others or add your own.
 July 2: It's a habit, like emitting little puffs of thought each time one encounters a stranger passing by. The habit is shopping real estate wherever we go. We did it in funky Santa Cruz during our visit with Unca Phil in CA last month. As we walk around Manhattan, we find ourselves imagining how it would be to be an actual resident of this, the greatest city in the world (admit it!). Never before concluding that this was a place we would ever really want to live, it came as a surprise when, on today's walk back from our visit to the (amazing!) Guggenheim Museum, we came across a couple of brownstones which beckoned so strongly that we found ourselves pulled, lured and dreaming about moving right in at just the right time. But how would we decide which of the two would be our pick? Take a look at the tempting properties.
Read Comments (4 so far) from others or add your own.
 July 1: Settling in here on the fifth floor. We always love to see Mary's adaptations to apartment life and hosting guests. We have, in the Benac Fam, a history of labeling plastic cups at our large affairs so we don't go through them quite as quickly. Annie gave Mary the idea of using a China marker to label the glasses so that guests won't be going through the family dishes (no dishwashers but us humans!) quite so recklessly. Mark it, drink from it, rinse it, put it back on the table for next time. That takes care of glasses for the duration of our stay.

As the Parents prepare to head out to see the art of the Guggenheim Museum this afternoon, we can't ignore the precious art that adorns the walls right here. One of our favorites? This little painting of a sleeping woman done by Annie a few years back. We Benacs are Annie's biggest fans. Ram remembers his first cyber-meeting with her via the famed Gallery of Smiles, a treatise on the various grins produced by various members of the Fam, demonstrated by our own Artistic Annie. Take a look!

Read Comments (0 so far) from others or add your own.
 June30: It's been raining in New York for a month. Wettest month in more than 100 years. But the Parents were happy for the cooler weather tonight as we trekked with Mary, Ram and Annie along the trendy streets of Manhattan's Upper East Side in search of just the right little french restaurant where we could grab a bit of dinner. It's time for bed now, and we happily snuggle in to our respective berths at the Madabhushi aerie, where we baked brownies, watched a movie (with Annie in Attendance), and chatted so late into the night that our dear Mary and Ram must have wondered if we would EVER let them get to bed. Well, we did, but we're nearly delirious with joy at spending time with our dear New Yorkers once again.

Thanks ever so much to our genealogically-inclined Auntie Margaret for unearthing this great photo of our dear grandfather, the "Big Indian," Leon Taylor, shown with his Sugar City (Utah) baseball team. He was a fine player, dearly loved by his family, and gone before the Editor was even born. Not having the chance to meet him on this side of the veil, it's nice to see the pix of him in his heyday.

Read Comments (0 so far) from others or add your own.
 June 27: Wow and wow again. We marvel at the determination of our dear Allred boys, Sam and William, who arrived early in the morning in order to spend the ENTIRE DAY in the darkened basement home theater watching every single (Captain Kirk) Star Trek movie, rented by their enabling Grandpa Bill. A mountain of snack foods was purchased in order that our heros might retain their strength during the 12-hour home marathon. They finished the 6th movie just in time to head out to see the latest release, which began at 10 pm, at a local theater. Daddy Aaron came home from work in time to join in the final fun.

The cultural baton has been passed. A new generation of Trekkies has been inducted. Join them in giving the Vulcan Salute!

Read Comments (6 so far) from others or add your own.
 June 26: It's grand to have grandkids within reach. Yesterday we kidnapped Li'l Lille for an afternoon of running errands, ice cream at the house and general fun playing on the iPhone, which is the Editor's seductive draw to lure grandkids' attention. We especially loved the Big Mouth application, which made this funny photo we took of Lille begin to speak her own silly sentences, recorded while we sat on a bench at the car dealer waiting for our repair. She actually felt quite special on our little date-filled-with-errands, and we remember how wonderful it felt to be singled out for just about any form of attention as a child.

All hail to the Dallas Arboretum, where the delightful Cool Thursday concerts continue. Last night's event was another glorious evening on White Rock Lake, where a thousand or so music lovers hung out, picnicked and watched the sunset. Ahh. We love Dallas.

Read Comments (1 so far) from others or add your own.
 June 23: The glories of the countryside were at their seductive best this evening as the Editor, Daddy Bill and Unca Earl headed for Cousin Joe and wife Jessica's rural spread for a bit of target shooting. With a passel of children romping about before the action began, a couple of big dogs, a newborn calf, and the occasional Longhorn steer lowing in the distance, it made for a perfect respite from the hustle and bustle of city life. Jessica was kind enough to gift us a couple of lovely squash from her garden, one of which Carmen eagerly consumed in the back seat on the way home. Come see the farm!
Read Comments (2 so far) from others or add your own.
 June 22: It was our great pleasure to host a buffet supper for the Romney Clan, who are about to say their farewells to their parents and little sister, who will shortly depart for three years serving a church mission in Monterey, Mexico. We are excited for them and honored that they brought their numerous clan chez nous for a meal with the Benac/Morphis Clan.
Read Comments (0 so far) from others or add your own.
 June 21: It's a difficult post to write this morning. As the Editor sits at her desk reading a cobbled history of her amazing and fiercely beloved father who protected and provided for her from the moment of her birth in a very dangerous world, words are not enough to express the gratitude. This one's for you, Earl Taylor, the Ed's own pater, and you, Mr. Bill, the father of the Benac Hordes. To your father, Mr. Bill the First, currently residing in that Heaven to which we all aspire. And to our dear sons Bill and John, and our sons-in-law Aaron, Matt and Adam, who are learning what it means to agonize over finances, to worry and wonder how to care for and provide for your families, how to deal with your own personal weaknesses at the very time you're desperately trying to inculcate the best character traits into your offspring. We honor you and salute you this day. It's never enough.

Here at home, Mr. Bill was feted in a morning celebration with gifts and cards from beloved children and a fanfare by the grateful Editor, whose life has been changed for the better since meeting this incredible man. Thanks, Men, and Happy Fathers Day!

Read Comments (1 so far) from others or add your own.
 : OOoh, can't resist framing this picture! Reminds us of the struggles of Daddy Bill's path to the the Juris Doctor, and the feelings of accomplishment and grateful weariness accompanying the finish. Congratulations, you two. It's written all over your faces, Billy and Kelsey!
Read Comments (0 so far) from others or add your own.
 June 20: We celebrated Grace's birthday tonight with a barbeque, swim party, theatrical presentation and movie night. Thanks for Cat for supplying us with a ton of exotic costumery which inspiries the thespian in each and every Benac grandchild, it seems...Click for the album and to see little Josie's debut as a stage actress.
Read Comments (0 so far) from others or add your own.
 June 18: We dus' love the Dallas Arboretum, where the Cool Thursdays concert series rages on through the summer. Tonight it was Elvis Night, and the crowd was huge and enthusiastic. Equally enthusiastic, if not so huge, were our guests, Unca and Aunt The Ashursts and Unca and Aunt the Taylors, all of Plano, that faraway bourne from which no traveler returns; until now.
Read Comments (1 so far) from others or add your own.

More Postings: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 Next



Sign or View the Guestbook

My Photos