Born in a blizzard back in the Sixties...

No, not a line from some little-known song by the Monkees. It's actual fact. I was born eversomany years ago during a blizzard. As the family legend goes, either my parents were nervous about getting my Mom to the hospital in time due to the weather or, after I came plumbling into this world, they made my parents stay at the hospital a day longer than usual, for fear that the tiny Turlow family, with new addition Pamela Ann (pink ribbon firmly Scotch taped onto head) would get stuck in the snow on the way back home. As we lived only fifteen minutes from said hospital, either portion of this legend stands up as testament to the fact that, yes, it was some humdinger of a storm.

I hear the wind picking up outside now, rooshing around the side of the house and rattling the windowpane. It's going to be a doozy, "Snowzilla" as it were. But since I was born during a blizzard, this somehow feels "right".

This past year had more ups and downs than Seabreeze Park's "Jack Rabbit" coaster (my most white-knuckling ride of 2010, actual ride-wise). Floods and confusion, enormously rewarding artistic ventures, and jobs that came and went with a sonic boom. Still, I weathered those personal storms, and now I'm feeling such a brilliant, warm upsurge of energy that it brings tears to my eyes. God provides and brings miracles. I needed that turbulence to clear out what wasn't needed, thus allowing space for miracles to tumble in. I feel that this upcoming storm is simply energetically sealing the deal.

So, I'm wearing an ethereal t-shirt stating thus: "I Survived the Blizzard I Came in With, All the Blizzards I've Been Given, and will Continue to Tackle the Highs and Lows, Including the Ones Provided by Nifty Wooden Coasters!"

Sunday on the Blog with Photos!

While heading up to Hoffman's Playland, Seabreeze and Darien Lake parks in New York, we stayed the night at Kate's Lazy Meadow. Kate Pierson owns the venue. She's the Mid-Century Goddess of Fun.

This is one of walls that divides the room we stayed in. That's my head among the pieces of brick-a-brack.

Looking back, taking stock, giving thanks...

It's been quite a year. I've had the honor to visit a number of parks across the country and get the word out about my book on a Pittsburgh area radio station. There's so much more ahead, but at this dark quiet Advent time, I think a look back at what I've seen would be quite fitting.

Silver Springs in Florida, "Nature's Amusement Park". While strolling through the area, I kept getting met with images of folks back in the 1950s who enjoyed the park in a different way than today's crowd. The place was exotic and rather dangerous back in the day. Imagine a typical 50s family, mom in crisp cotton and kids and dad decked out in their madras, dad with Kodak camera, kids with the Brownies, snapping pictures of creatures they'd never seen before. A safari of sorts only a few hours away from their space age, tri-level homes.

Hershey Park in PA. A chocoriffic wonderland -- the closest thing we'll probably ever have to Wonkaland.

Dorney Park, with a vintage carousel Ben remembered from his childhood back in Ohio. It had been transplanted at Dorney years ago. Ben's realization that it was indeed his childhood carousel was one of my most treasured moments thus far in my Cotton Candying.

Knoebel's. May just be my most favorite park to date. It almost taunts other parks in my mind, daring them to top it. They're remaking the Riverview Flying Turns ride, for cryeye!

Hoffman's Playland - small but sweet. The perfect park for a family treat (pardon the rhyming, but it just seemed right. You'd rhyme too if you visited Hoffman's).

Seabreeze Park -- the story behind its carousel is quite inspiring. Getting to venture INSIDE said carousel was magical.

Darien Lake in upstate New York has a wonder wheel-style Ferris wheel and an ancient plaster octopus in the lake. It's got a lot of "new" to it, but when I found these vintage touches, it made the park spring to life for me.

Arnold's Park -- A park that's had many a setback, but has always come back improved and saucy. Plus they have a rock and roll museum on the premises. I mean, come ON.

At this point in the year, it seemed that karma or the spirits that be or what have you told me that I needed to slow down or take stock or not be so cocky because they sent an actual flood which smacked us down about five grand. And so the Cotton Candying stood still for several months until...

Children's Fairyland! A fantastical storybook-themed park that holds true to its history. The puppet theatre alone is worth the journey.

Santa Cruz Boardwalk: a haunted mansion with some rocking FX, fried Twinkies and chocolate-covered bacon. These are a few of my favorite things. Oh -- and sea spray.

Silver Dollar City - where you can have a country Christmas with all the trimmings. And succotash. Can't forget the succotash.

Gotta thank God and all my angels and my Mom who sits on my shoulder from time to time for the drive and energy to continue the RoadTrip. And my most heartfelt thanks always goes to my sweetheart, my personal angel and playpal - my husband Ben, without whom none of this would be a reality. None. Not a stitch.

I must also thank all the people who generously contributed to my Kickstarter campaign, to help offset some of the travel expenses for next year's Cotton Candying. You are my spankin' new angels and I gratefully acknowledge you all!

It's been a tough year, especially with the aforementioned flood, but also career-wise (extreme highs and the quietest of lows) and Dad's health, which has made my focus stray a bit to say the least. But looking back and taking stock of my journeys I must say I accomplished all I set out to do, with a few exceptions. And what awaited me in the months after of the flood, when I really had no more funds for RoadTripping? One of my most favorite roles and shows to date: Drowsy in "The Drowsy Chaperone".

So it's Advent. And I'm amassing lists of all I've surveyed, embracing and keeping that which is good, and letting go of what has proven hurtful. Anticipation and wonder and love = good. Fear = bad and hurtful.

I suggest you give it a try, too. And a very blessed Advent season to you.

Since Halloween's only a bit more than a month away...

I've decided to sift through my photo files and find the bizarre, the strange, and the nearly upsetting. Or, at the very least, the images that make you go, "What the???"

Here's a clear example of a "What the???" from Seabreeze Amusement Park in Upstate New York. I found him looming about the hand-carved carousel, amongst the bits of vintage amusement park ephemera.

You tell me -- what do YOU think his story is?

Monday on the Blog with a Really Cool Photo!!

Ever wonder what's inside a carousel? I mean, inside, like the gears and cogs and secret cubbyholes? The ancient parts, some no longer operable but kept, just because? Perhaps items used for the repair and maintenance of the ride?

The ride operator of the grand carousel at Seabreeze Park allowed me the rare opportunity to take a peek inside the core of the carousel -- and to photograph his cabinet of paints he uses for touch-ups.

He couldn't figure out why I was essentially jumping up and down in a gleeful dance. He actually shot me a bemused look; this is his everyday world, so why should anyone become so worked up?

For me, it was Wonderland.

Sunday on the Blog with Photos!

Yours truly, truly in awe of what stands before her: a cabinet full of music for the carousel at Seabreeze Park, the 4th oldest park in the country. What makes this so special is that their original vintage carousel was lost in a fire but rather than installing a fiberglass ride, as most parks would do, Seabreeze chose to build a brand new hand carved one and had new music made for the organ!

Truly a testament to what can be done when a respect for quality and craftsmanship is revered.

4th of July Weekend on the Blog with Photos!

Besides fireworks, the 4th of July makes me think of picnics and games at county fairs. Above, you'll see yours truly attempting to win the unwinnable ping pong ball toss game for a chance to take home a stuffed penguin.

I came close, about five times. But close is only good for horseshoes and hand grenades, both of which apparently the common penguin has a problem with.

On the wonderful, playful midway of Seabreeze Park.

"By the beautiful sea..."

Yesterday's bit of Cotton Candying took us to two very disparate parks, both brimming with history, fun, and a little wackiness. First off, Seabreeze, just off Lake Ontario. Oh, to sing the virtues! When the Philadelphia Toboggan Company carousel perished in a fire, they could've done the obvious and purchased a newer carousel with fiberglass horses. But not this park. They took the bull by the horns (or the horses by the reins) and built a new carousel the old-fashioned way. The result? Astonishing. Hand-carved wooden horses, hand-painted decorations above. Matthew, the man who runs the carousel, is also the park's archivist. He let me INSIDE the carousel (childhood dreams realized!) to take a look at the paints he uses to do touch-ups.

I could've stayed inside that carousel for hours, watching all the gears work the giant wheel, smelling the wood and grease.

Oh -- I also rode the Jack Rabbit, the third oldest coaster in the nation. Oh, yes I did. And did I scream? And did I even cry, out of a strange potion of fear, ecstasy, exhilaration and the giddiness of a 7 year-old? See above "after" photo.

Then, when we thought we couldn't possibly pack even more fun into one day, off we went to Darien Lake.

But you'll have to wait until tomorrow for that update...

Mid-journey milestone!!

We're at the halfway point on the Cotton Candy RoadTrip, Park Number 20! Seabreeze is on Lake Ontario in Rochester, NY. They have their share of new coasters and such to keep the teens happy, and enough vintage charm to qualify as worthy in my book.

Hm. Seabreeze. Lake Ontario. Methinks I should pack my headband today, for keeping my wispy tresses out of my mouth. Nothing can wreck a day of Cotton Candying faster than pulling strands of hair out of your mouth while trying to sip from your Snoopy sippy.

Yes, I am a lady in her forties. Yes, I do own a Snoopy sippy cup. Pictured above (photo taken at Dorney Park, which is part of the Cedar Fair group that's taken on Peanuts as the company mascots), you'll see that his cap was a bit askew, in order to keep the drink inside from spilling out. Snoopy in da Hood. Snoopy gets Street.

Onward to Park 20, Parque Veinte, Parc Vingt, Park Dvadsať (that's Slovak).

Lightning Bug Ride

The lightning bug,
The lightning bug,
I'll bet you didn't know
How much the fairies love him,
'Cause he's their radio.
The lightning bug,
The lightning bug,
The fairies' radio.

(The Lightning Bug, Written By: Julia W. Bingham, Music By:
James H. Rogers)

While doing research on Seabreeze Park, my fifth of six upcoming parks on the Roadtrip, I came upon this great photo of the Lightning Bug ride, circa 1950. The park was booming with post-WWII boomers, enjoying their local park.

I don't believe the ride exists anymore. But the fun lives on in this great vintage photo.

The gears and cogs and wheels are schpinnin'! Roadtripping to resume!

And another tributary of the Roadtrip springs forth! At the end of May, skipping into the beginning of June, Ben and I will fearlessly leap into the eastern half of Pennsylvania, swoop into New York state, and I'll have six more parks under my belt (at least!) when all is said and written and done.

Almost in stone, the park list reads: Hershey Park (where Willy Wonka would party: Hershey kiss-shaped justabouteverything), Knoebel's (I've been told may have the best park food eh-vuh!), Dorney Park (I'm still learning more about it, but I know it's super old AND has a Camp Snoopy -- beagles galore!).

After whiling away in PA, we'll traipse up through the Catskills and on the way, stay at Kate's Lazy Meadow (if you haven't been paying attention -- it's owned by freakin' Kate Pierson of the B-52s, for cryeye, and it's resplendent in Mid-Century kitsch AND finery! Truly, a place after my own heart.). After bidding Kate "adieu", we'll hop up to Hoffman's Playland (a smaller kiddie park, reminiscent of Kiddieland in some ways), then start to edge on back west, but not before visiting the grandeur of Seabreeze Park and Darien Lake (heavenhelpme) in the same day!

So, where do you want me to buy you a snow globe? Cuz I'll do it.