Hi!
Blake's piano has been visiting my place in the woods!
This place reminds me of Blake!
Hopefully some of his magic will be left behind...
Andra
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Shalu
Shalu took Blake's cardboard piano on a tour of New York City.
She visited Strawberry Fields where she thought Blake would pay tribute to another music man.
A stop at Grand Central Station shows us the Poughkeepsie Line.
Finally, Shalu stopped at one of her favorite yarn shops on the upper west side (Knitty City) in tribute to Mouse.
Enjoy!
She visited Strawberry Fields where she thought Blake would pay tribute to another music man.
A stop at Grand Central Station shows us the Poughkeepsie Line.
Finally, Shalu stopped at one of her favorite yarn shops on the upper west side (Knitty City) in tribute to Mouse.
Enjoy!
Jen
I am a member of the Poughkeepsie Street Team—readers and friends who support, promote, and otherwise flail over Debra Anastasia’s novel about a girl who falls in love with a man she meets at the train station.
In April, 2013, I was fortunate enough to have been a stop on Blake’s Cardboard Piano tour, and as a local to the Poughkeepsie area, there really was no question where I’d take the piano for my photo shoot.
I’m sure Debra’s got the characters busy while she finishes up Return to Poughkeepsie, so I took the piano back to the station for a welcome-home visit. And we made a couple of little detours while we were there.
It’s one thing to read a story and to visualize the scenes in your head, and with Debra’s writing, that’s easy to do. But it’s quite another to walk along the path of the character and trace his or her footsteps, seeing what they saw, hearing what they heard.
If you know the story, you know that Blake has an aversion to sunlight, and for someone who’s pretty much homeless, that’s an issue. But there are some nice shady spots at the station.
There are so many references to stairs, running up them, down them, hiding under for shelter. And there are several different sets of stairs, but I’m pretty sure these are the ones referred to at least a few times.
Don’t worry, like Blake, I wouldn’t leave the piano on the stairs unattended. The stair picture is one of my favorites; it’s simple, yet it speaks of the despair and loneliness that was his life before Livia.
We found a nice shady spot with a bench. Can’t you just imagine Blake and Livia sitting there? The shade would keep Blake safe from the sun, and it’s more private–set apart from the rest of the station. I can imagine them sitting on the bench and holding hands.
On a cold day, Blake might have stepped inside the station, although he might have been too proud to seek warmth. There are quite a few warm corners in the station, some offering a pretty backdrop for the piano.
There are some beautiful architectural elements, including a steel overhead walkway outside and high arched windows on the facade.
There is a large, not-to-scale rendering of Dutchess County down one long hallway and a bright sitting area for the weary traveler.
But there were a couple of other places I wanted to visit, so I carefully rolled up the piano and headed out on foot, the way Blake would have.
Looking out toward the Hudson River and the Mid-Hudson Bridge—or the Franklin D. Roosevelt Mid-Hudson Bridge, officially—you can see the park mentioned in the story.
Named Waryas Park, after Victor C. Waryas, former mayor of Poughkeepsie, it sits just at the edge of the river, one block west of the station. It is peaceful and beautiful and such a surprise to find right there at the edge of the city. There’s a plaque dedicated to the former mayor that’s built into the front of this very large boulder, conveniently located at the entrance to the park.
You may notice that within the park, similar architectural features as the station can be found. The pyramid-shaped roof and steel frame of the picnic area mimic the distinctive walkway from the street level to the tracks at the station. The streetlamps are the same, as well.
A few blocks east of the park was a surprise the first time I found it, as I had no idea it was so close to the station. But as you approach the station, the steeple to a church is visible through the trees for at least a mile. I thought, “No way; that can’t be Cole’s church.” But after checking with the lovely author herself, I was assured that it was, indeed, Cole’s church.
Known to locals as Church of the Holy Comforter, this Gothic Revival church built in 1860 is stunning, made of local bluestone with dark red trim accenting the doors and stained-glass windows. The doors are actually red and just gorgeous. I can almost picture Cole throwing open the doors and welcoming his congregation.
At the front of the church, there is a statue of Mary holding baby Jesus, and there are wildflowers and daffodils blooming all around in the spring. The only disappointment was the fence surrounding the church.
We couldn’t look inside or even get close enough to the front, so we had to limit ourselves to pictures at the back door, which was really red! As unfortunate as the fence is, its also understandable. Some of the windows have been broken, and in the few times I’ve visited, haven’t been repaired. Which is sad. It’s a beautiful landmark in the community and it’s a shame to see it mistreated.
We tucked Blake’s piano in the fence for one last photo before heading back to the station.
It was absolutely wonderful to have a chance to take Blake’s piano back to Poughkeepsie, back to the train station, where the story began.
Thank you Debra and the Poughkeepsie Street Team for their all-around awesomeness in allowing me to be a stop on the tour, and thank you for visiting!
In April, 2013, I was fortunate enough to have been a stop on Blake’s Cardboard Piano tour, and as a local to the Poughkeepsie area, there really was no question where I’d take the piano for my photo shoot.
I’m sure Debra’s got the characters busy while she finishes up Return to Poughkeepsie, so I took the piano back to the station for a welcome-home visit. And we made a couple of little detours while we were there.
It’s one thing to read a story and to visualize the scenes in your head, and with Debra’s writing, that’s easy to do. But it’s quite another to walk along the path of the character and trace his or her footsteps, seeing what they saw, hearing what they heard.
If you know the story, you know that Blake has an aversion to sunlight, and for someone who’s pretty much homeless, that’s an issue. But there are some nice shady spots at the station.
There are so many references to stairs, running up them, down them, hiding under for shelter. And there are several different sets of stairs, but I’m pretty sure these are the ones referred to at least a few times.
Don’t worry, like Blake, I wouldn’t leave the piano on the stairs unattended. The stair picture is one of my favorites; it’s simple, yet it speaks of the despair and loneliness that was his life before Livia.
We found a nice shady spot with a bench. Can’t you just imagine Blake and Livia sitting there? The shade would keep Blake safe from the sun, and it’s more private–set apart from the rest of the station. I can imagine them sitting on the bench and holding hands.
On a cold day, Blake might have stepped inside the station, although he might have been too proud to seek warmth. There are quite a few warm corners in the station, some offering a pretty backdrop for the piano.
There are some beautiful architectural elements, including a steel overhead walkway outside and high arched windows on the facade.
There is a large, not-to-scale rendering of Dutchess County down one long hallway and a bright sitting area for the weary traveler.
But there were a couple of other places I wanted to visit, so I carefully rolled up the piano and headed out on foot, the way Blake would have.
Looking out toward the Hudson River and the Mid-Hudson Bridge—or the Franklin D. Roosevelt Mid-Hudson Bridge, officially—you can see the park mentioned in the story.
Named Waryas Park, after Victor C. Waryas, former mayor of Poughkeepsie, it sits just at the edge of the river, one block west of the station. It is peaceful and beautiful and such a surprise to find right there at the edge of the city. There’s a plaque dedicated to the former mayor that’s built into the front of this very large boulder, conveniently located at the entrance to the park.
You may notice that within the park, similar architectural features as the station can be found. The pyramid-shaped roof and steel frame of the picnic area mimic the distinctive walkway from the street level to the tracks at the station. The streetlamps are the same, as well.
A few blocks east of the park was a surprise the first time I found it, as I had no idea it was so close to the station. But as you approach the station, the steeple to a church is visible through the trees for at least a mile. I thought, “No way; that can’t be Cole’s church.” But after checking with the lovely author herself, I was assured that it was, indeed, Cole’s church.
Known to locals as Church of the Holy Comforter, this Gothic Revival church built in 1860 is stunning, made of local bluestone with dark red trim accenting the doors and stained-glass windows. The doors are actually red and just gorgeous. I can almost picture Cole throwing open the doors and welcoming his congregation.
At the front of the church, there is a statue of Mary holding baby Jesus, and there are wildflowers and daffodils blooming all around in the spring. The only disappointment was the fence surrounding the church.
We couldn’t look inside or even get close enough to the front, so we had to limit ourselves to pictures at the back door, which was really red! As unfortunate as the fence is, its also understandable. Some of the windows have been broken, and in the few times I’ve visited, haven’t been repaired. Which is sad. It’s a beautiful landmark in the community and it’s a shame to see it mistreated.
We tucked Blake’s piano in the fence for one last photo before heading back to the station.
It was absolutely wonderful to have a chance to take Blake’s piano back to Poughkeepsie, back to the train station, where the story began.
Thank you Debra and the Poughkeepsie Street Team for their all-around awesomeness in allowing me to be a stop on the tour, and thank you for visiting!
Autumn
Hey!
I hope you like my pictures of Blake's keyboard.
Peace, love and endless sunshine from Winter Park, Florida!
All the best,
Autumn
I hope you like my pictures of Blake's keyboard.
Peace, love and endless sunshine from Winter Park, Florida!
All the best,
Autumn
Marijee
Marijee here to show you Blake’s Piano stop in Salem, Oregon.
I live in Salem, Oregon and have for the last twenty plus years. It is the State Capitol of Oregon and has the majority of State Offices, Prisons and Mental Institutions. We are very diverse! LOL!
The State Building is the third one built in Salem. On it’s dome rests The Pioneer or as most Oregonians call him: The Gold Man. It’s a bronze statue covered in gold leaf, and it definitely glows when the sun hit it. There are some wonderful murals inside the Capitol building and some detailed carvings in marble at the entrance. Oregon ends the trek west by Lewis and Clark and we have many tributes to their success in making it to the West Coast.
Salem is located in the Willamette (Will-am-ette) Valley. I've included a photo of the Willamette Valley with Mount Hood in the distance. We are forty-five minutes to the Pacific Coast and about two hours to the Cascade Mountains.
The current Amtrak Station is also the third train station built in Salem. The first two burnt down and this third one was built in 1918. It was restored in 2000 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010.
Oregon gets lots of rain from November until late April. We don’t say our summers really start until July 4th. I think we have one of the best summers in the States. Our weather is usually dry (and not humid!) from July through the middle of October.
I volunteer as a Master Gardener with the Oregon State Extension Service. We answer calls on local garden and pest issues and also have a demonstration garden called Marion Garden. We grow vegetables and herbs and donate them to our local Food Share to be distributed to needy families. It’s a very worthwhile endeavor. We get to play in the dirt and help our community!
I've shared a picture of Marion Gardens looking from the herb garden to the raised veggie beds. See our greenhouse in the distance.
Thanks so much for allowing me to participate in Blake’s Piano tour.
I had so much fun revisiting some of the important pieces of Salem’s history.
I live in Salem, Oregon and have for the last twenty plus years. It is the State Capitol of Oregon and has the majority of State Offices, Prisons and Mental Institutions. We are very diverse! LOL!
The State Building is the third one built in Salem. On it’s dome rests The Pioneer or as most Oregonians call him: The Gold Man. It’s a bronze statue covered in gold leaf, and it definitely glows when the sun hit it. There are some wonderful murals inside the Capitol building and some detailed carvings in marble at the entrance. Oregon ends the trek west by Lewis and Clark and we have many tributes to their success in making it to the West Coast.
Salem is located in the Willamette (Will-am-ette) Valley. I've included a photo of the Willamette Valley with Mount Hood in the distance. We are forty-five minutes to the Pacific Coast and about two hours to the Cascade Mountains.
The current Amtrak Station is also the third train station built in Salem. The first two burnt down and this third one was built in 1918. It was restored in 2000 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010.
Oregon gets lots of rain from November until late April. We don’t say our summers really start until July 4th. I think we have one of the best summers in the States. Our weather is usually dry (and not humid!) from July through the middle of October.
I volunteer as a Master Gardener with the Oregon State Extension Service. We answer calls on local garden and pest issues and also have a demonstration garden called Marion Garden. We grow vegetables and herbs and donate them to our local Food Share to be distributed to needy families. It’s a very worthwhile endeavor. We get to play in the dirt and help our community!
I've shared a picture of Marion Gardens looking from the herb garden to the raised veggie beds. See our greenhouse in the distance.
Thanks so much for allowing me to participate in Blake’s Piano tour.
I had so much fun revisiting some of the important pieces of Salem’s history.
Squally
Hey Guys!
Blake's Cardboard Piano made it's first trip overseas.
The gorgeous Squally took some requests and the piano for a wonderful tour of Perth, Australia. Check it out:
And here's a message from Squally:
Blake has a bed waiting for him if he ever needs one again. I'm glad he found a home in her arms and not just a roof over his head.
He can play music for me anytime. I'll write the lyrics if he composes :) Perth was happy to to host his soundless concert here. As far as I'm concerned he's officially an Aussie.
Best of Luck,
Squally Girl
Blake's Cardboard Piano made it's first trip overseas.
The gorgeous Squally took some requests and the piano for a wonderful tour of Perth, Australia. Check it out:
And here's a message from Squally:
Blake has a bed waiting for him if he ever needs one again. I'm glad he found a home in her arms and not just a roof over his head.
He can play music for me anytime. I'll write the lyrics if he composes :) Perth was happy to to host his soundless concert here. As far as I'm concerned he's officially an Aussie.
Best of Luck,
Squally Girl
Tiffany
Dear Blake,
I’d like to thank you for entrusting your piano to myself and the many other Poughkeespie “groupies” out there. It has been an honor and taking it out in Oklahoma City was more fun than my mom and I could have expected.
Yours and Livia’s love story is one for the ages. I have thanked Debra many times for sharing your story with us and allowing us to be such a big part of it by putting your cardboard piano “on tour.” I hope you enjoy the stops I have chosen.
When my mom and I started our adventure on an absolutely beautiful Oklahoma Sunday afternoon, I knew the first stop had to be The Santa Fe Depot, the train station in downtown Oklahoma City.
It originally opened in 1934 and its main service was from Topeka, KS to Texas. It was later bought by Amtrak and traveled from Chicago to Houston. It was closed in 1979 and was reopened, renovated and ready to start transporting its passengers from OKC to the Dallas/Ft. Worth area in 1999. The Heartland Flyer (the train itself) is a fun and unique way to travel to TX. And now when I have the opportunity to go down to the station you can bet I’ll be looking for someone handing out sandwiches to all the passengers, just so that the one person she wants to give one to will accept.
On April 19th, 1995 at 9:02am, the state of Oklahoma was changed forever when the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was the sight of the Oklahoma City bombing. The lives of 149 adults and 19 children were lost in this tragic event. Their loved ones and the survivors of the vicious attack, needless-to-say, are still greatly affected by this tragedy. It was if the world stood still the days following the bombing. It was such an unfathomable act, people repeatedly asked “How could this happen on U.S. soil?” Rescue workers and aide came from all over the world and Oklahomans will be eternally grateful for the support they brought the state during this time.
It was without question when your piano went on tour that I would bring it to the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum. I really could have just taken pictures at the memorial and could talk about it for this entire post.
The memorial is a beautiful tribute to those lives lost, the survivors and the endless aide we received. The large entrance gate you see behind the piano is one of The Gates of Time. There is one at each end of the memorial and the inscription at the top of this one is “We come here to remember those who were killed, those who survived and those changed forever. May all who leave here know the impact of violence. May this memorial offer comfort, strength, peace, hope and serenity.”
The memorial not only serves as a place for to people to honor those directly involved with the attack, its serves as a reminder that in times of true crisis the world can unite and it is possible that we all work together for the greater good.
St. Joseph Old Cathedral is located directly across the street from the Bombing Memorial.
The day of the attack the old cathedral sustained tremendous damage. However, throughout the explosion, the tabernacle candle remained lit and the old life-sized crucifix remained unscratched by all of the flying debris.
The cathedral was closed for almost two years, and reopened completely renovated in 1997. The monument behind the piano is yet another tribute to the ones involved in the attack. They also erected a statue of Jesus entitled “And Jesus wept.”
This cathedral reminded me of Cole so much. I could see him here ministering to his old people. This cathedral is known to even have a midnight mass on occasion Cole could visit.
When my mom and I were driving around OKC looking for great places to stop, we wanted places that would pay tribute to Blake, Cole, Beckett and Mouse.
We drove through some seedy parts of town looking for the perfect place Beckett and Mouse would set up their “enterprise” and still couldn’t decide exactly what the next stop should be. Then it hit me…tattoo shop!
So I chose the first licensed tattoo shop in Oklahoma. Yes living in the buckle of the Bible Belt, tattooing did not become legal in OK until 2006. However, knowing Beckett, he would have seen to it that whomever needed a tattoo prior to 2006 would have been taken care of. Also the shop signifies the importance of the brother’s tattoo in the book, and Mouse adding his knitting needles. *sniffs and wipes a tear*
As soon as I can, I plan on getting the Poughkeepsie tattoo, following in my dearest friend Jillian’s footsteps and the other fans who now have one.
Finally, I’d like to once again thank Debra for giving all of us such a fantastic book. For bringing the lives of Blake, Livia, Cole, Kyle, Beckett, Eve and Mouse off the pages of a book and into our hearts. Jillian Stein pimped Poughkeepsie to me and I have continued keeping my pimp hand strong, pimping it out to everyone I know.
The group picture is of me and the ladies at my office that have read this wonderful book. We all loved it and all signed the piano before it was mailed off to North Carolina for its next exciting tour stop.
Debra, you rock!
THANK YOU from (pictured left to right) Me, Mom (Linda,) Nancy, Susan and Cozetta.
I’d like to thank you for entrusting your piano to myself and the many other Poughkeespie “groupies” out there. It has been an honor and taking it out in Oklahoma City was more fun than my mom and I could have expected.
Yours and Livia’s love story is one for the ages. I have thanked Debra many times for sharing your story with us and allowing us to be such a big part of it by putting your cardboard piano “on tour.” I hope you enjoy the stops I have chosen.
When my mom and I started our adventure on an absolutely beautiful Oklahoma Sunday afternoon, I knew the first stop had to be The Santa Fe Depot, the train station in downtown Oklahoma City.
It originally opened in 1934 and its main service was from Topeka, KS to Texas. It was later bought by Amtrak and traveled from Chicago to Houston. It was closed in 1979 and was reopened, renovated and ready to start transporting its passengers from OKC to the Dallas/Ft. Worth area in 1999. The Heartland Flyer (the train itself) is a fun and unique way to travel to TX. And now when I have the opportunity to go down to the station you can bet I’ll be looking for someone handing out sandwiches to all the passengers, just so that the one person she wants to give one to will accept.
On April 19th, 1995 at 9:02am, the state of Oklahoma was changed forever when the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was the sight of the Oklahoma City bombing. The lives of 149 adults and 19 children were lost in this tragic event. Their loved ones and the survivors of the vicious attack, needless-to-say, are still greatly affected by this tragedy. It was if the world stood still the days following the bombing. It was such an unfathomable act, people repeatedly asked “How could this happen on U.S. soil?” Rescue workers and aide came from all over the world and Oklahomans will be eternally grateful for the support they brought the state during this time.
It was without question when your piano went on tour that I would bring it to the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum. I really could have just taken pictures at the memorial and could talk about it for this entire post.
The memorial is a beautiful tribute to those lives lost, the survivors and the endless aide we received. The large entrance gate you see behind the piano is one of The Gates of Time. There is one at each end of the memorial and the inscription at the top of this one is “We come here to remember those who were killed, those who survived and those changed forever. May all who leave here know the impact of violence. May this memorial offer comfort, strength, peace, hope and serenity.”
The memorial not only serves as a place for to people to honor those directly involved with the attack, its serves as a reminder that in times of true crisis the world can unite and it is possible that we all work together for the greater good.
St. Joseph Old Cathedral is located directly across the street from the Bombing Memorial.
The day of the attack the old cathedral sustained tremendous damage. However, throughout the explosion, the tabernacle candle remained lit and the old life-sized crucifix remained unscratched by all of the flying debris.
The cathedral was closed for almost two years, and reopened completely renovated in 1997. The monument behind the piano is yet another tribute to the ones involved in the attack. They also erected a statue of Jesus entitled “And Jesus wept.”
This cathedral reminded me of Cole so much. I could see him here ministering to his old people. This cathedral is known to even have a midnight mass on occasion Cole could visit.
When my mom and I were driving around OKC looking for great places to stop, we wanted places that would pay tribute to Blake, Cole, Beckett and Mouse.
We drove through some seedy parts of town looking for the perfect place Beckett and Mouse would set up their “enterprise” and still couldn’t decide exactly what the next stop should be. Then it hit me…tattoo shop!
So I chose the first licensed tattoo shop in Oklahoma. Yes living in the buckle of the Bible Belt, tattooing did not become legal in OK until 2006. However, knowing Beckett, he would have seen to it that whomever needed a tattoo prior to 2006 would have been taken care of. Also the shop signifies the importance of the brother’s tattoo in the book, and Mouse adding his knitting needles. *sniffs and wipes a tear*
As soon as I can, I plan on getting the Poughkeepsie tattoo, following in my dearest friend Jillian’s footsteps and the other fans who now have one.
Finally, I’d like to once again thank Debra for giving all of us such a fantastic book. For bringing the lives of Blake, Livia, Cole, Kyle, Beckett, Eve and Mouse off the pages of a book and into our hearts. Jillian Stein pimped Poughkeepsie to me and I have continued keeping my pimp hand strong, pimping it out to everyone I know.
The group picture is of me and the ladies at my office that have read this wonderful book. We all loved it and all signed the piano before it was mailed off to North Carolina for its next exciting tour stop.
Debra, you rock!
THANK YOU from (pictured left to right) Me, Mom (Linda,) Nancy, Susan and Cozetta.
Rhonda
Rhonda is a blogger here- http://samsawesomness.blogspot.com/ who has become a dear friend.
Her blog is so lighthearted and a ton of fun. Really interactive.
When she agreed to host Blake's piano, I knew it would be special. She took his humble piano to some amazing places. Most importantly, she let her baby girl hold it.
Please enjoy her visit:
Dear Blake,
I was very excited to hear that Debra was sending Blake's piano out in to the world to visit us, and visit some of the places we live. I received the piano on a Saturday afternoon, and my intention was to do my thing on my day off. Well, I got up on Sunday morning and decided that it would be a great day since it was Sunday and the traffic would be light. I asked my daughter who is 8 yrs old if she would like to join me. I showed her the piano, and the book trailer for Poughkeepsie, and explained the piano's role in the story, also what we were going to do. She said, " That's so cool!" So we set out on a route to a few landmark places here in Memphis.
Let me say, I am so glad she went with me, because this wouldn't have been possible without her. It turned out to be a cold and windy morning and when we went down by the Mississippi River I need her to hold this piano. I told her to hold on tight, because I don't want to have to tell Mrs. Debra that this thing blew off into the Mississippi River. Well she held on tight and all went well.
Turns out I needed her to hold it quite a bit, she was such a great helper,and we had a blast doing it.
We went to: Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley. Had to go there!
The National Civil Rights Museum. This is where Dr. Martin Luther king was assassinated, and it was later added on to and made into a museum.
The Mississippi River.
Sun studio where some music legends have recorded, and is a national landmark.
Rhonda
Her blog is so lighthearted and a ton of fun. Really interactive.
When she agreed to host Blake's piano, I knew it would be special. She took his humble piano to some amazing places. Most importantly, she let her baby girl hold it.
Please enjoy her visit:
Dear Blake,
I was very excited to hear that Debra was sending Blake's piano out in to the world to visit us, and visit some of the places we live. I received the piano on a Saturday afternoon, and my intention was to do my thing on my day off. Well, I got up on Sunday morning and decided that it would be a great day since it was Sunday and the traffic would be light. I asked my daughter who is 8 yrs old if she would like to join me. I showed her the piano, and the book trailer for Poughkeepsie, and explained the piano's role in the story, also what we were going to do. She said, " That's so cool!" So we set out on a route to a few landmark places here in Memphis.
Let me say, I am so glad she went with me, because this wouldn't have been possible without her. It turned out to be a cold and windy morning and when we went down by the Mississippi River I need her to hold this piano. I told her to hold on tight, because I don't want to have to tell Mrs. Debra that this thing blew off into the Mississippi River. Well she held on tight and all went well.
Turns out I needed her to hold it quite a bit, she was such a great helper,and we had a blast doing it.
We went to: Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley. Had to go there!
The National Civil Rights Museum. This is where Dr. Martin Luther king was assassinated, and it was later added on to and made into a museum.
The Mississippi River.
Sun studio where some music legends have recorded, and is a national landmark.
Rhonda
Silly Jilly
Hey Guys!
Blake's Cardboard Piano had another amazing stop!
Jillian *just* got her Poughkeepsie tattoo on her ACTUAL body! I think this really seals the deal, I'm going to have to get one too.
I think Nise and the girls started a great tradition of a letter to Blake, and Jillian continued it as well. So check out her gorgeous letter and matching pictures!
Would you like to join?
I'd LOVE to have you along, email the girls at wheres.pough@gmail.com for more information.
Dear Blake,
I was beyond excited, and totally teary eyed, to receive your piano in the mail today! It came on the same day I went for my Poughkeepsie tattoo… what an amazing Poughkeepsie filled weekend!
I live in Ambler, PA, a suburb of Philadelphia. I took your piano to all of the places I pictured in my mind when I was reading your story.
My first stop was St. Mary’s Villa for Children and Families. The Villa was originally an orphanage for boys. It was run by the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth and moved to the location in Ambler in 1936. Their mission is to empower children and families to lead responsible lives and develop healthy relationships built on faith, hope and love.
In the latter half of the century, the children under St. Mary’s care required more specialized services. Many were abused, abandoned or needed extra supervision and attention in school and in their residences. Social work services and appropriate therapies continue to be offered to the children placed in the agency’s care.
Today, St. Mary’s Villa for Children and Families is recognized as a preeminent provider of services for abused and neglected children in the greater Philadelphia area. I can’t help but have a new appreciation for the spot I have driven by numerous times and had never given a passing glance.
The second spot was the Ambler train station.
Years of renovation to the station have recently been completed and it made a fantastic backdrop for the piano!
Lastly, I took the piano to a little restaurant and café across the street from the train station, called Trax Café. This is a quiet little place that I could picture you playing piano in at night or sipping coffee sitting at one of the café tables outside in the sun during the day.
I want to thank you so very much for giving me an amazing opportunity to spend time with your piano. I have truly enjoyed making some great memories with it around my town!
Xoxoxo Jillian
Jillian *just* got her Poughkeepsie tattoo on her ACTUAL body! I think this really seals the deal, I'm going to have to get one too.
I think Nise and the girls started a great tradition of a letter to Blake, and Jillian continued it as well. So check out her gorgeous letter and matching pictures!
Would you like to join?
I'd LOVE to have you along, email the girls at wheres.pough@gmail.com for more information.
Dear Blake,
I was beyond excited, and totally teary eyed, to receive your piano in the mail today! It came on the same day I went for my Poughkeepsie tattoo… what an amazing Poughkeepsie filled weekend!
I live in Ambler, PA, a suburb of Philadelphia. I took your piano to all of the places I pictured in my mind when I was reading your story.
My first stop was St. Mary’s Villa for Children and Families. The Villa was originally an orphanage for boys. It was run by the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth and moved to the location in Ambler in 1936. Their mission is to empower children and families to lead responsible lives and develop healthy relationships built on faith, hope and love.
In the latter half of the century, the children under St. Mary’s care required more specialized services. Many were abused, abandoned or needed extra supervision and attention in school and in their residences. Social work services and appropriate therapies continue to be offered to the children placed in the agency’s care.
Today, St. Mary’s Villa for Children and Families is recognized as a preeminent provider of services for abused and neglected children in the greater Philadelphia area. I can’t help but have a new appreciation for the spot I have driven by numerous times and had never given a passing glance.
The second spot was the Ambler train station.
Years of renovation to the station have recently been completed and it made a fantastic backdrop for the piano!
Lastly, I took the piano to a little restaurant and café across the street from the train station, called Trax Café. This is a quiet little place that I could picture you playing piano in at night or sipping coffee sitting at one of the café tables outside in the sun during the day.
I want to thank you so very much for giving me an amazing opportunity to spend time with your piano. I have truly enjoyed making some great memories with it around my town!
Xoxoxo Jillian
Monday, September 16, 2013
Denise, Patti and Alicia
Okay. I'm so freaking excited about the tour of Blake's Cardboard piano!
I had every reason to be. Its first stop was a smashing, creative success. My sweet readers 'nise, Alicia, and Patti took it for a spin. These friends of mine also got the actual Poughkeepsie tattoo ON THEIR BODIES! So seeing the piano with three real tats blew my little mind.
They included a note to Blake so I will let them have at it below. Just a reminder that I will also be cataloging the stops here: http://blakespianotour.blogspot.com/ It will go International, so feel free to become a stop, email the girls at wheres.pough@gmail.com for more information.
Take it away Ladies....
Dearest Blake,
It was an honor to provide shelter and respite for your beloved piano during the first stop of its tour. We live just outside Williamsport, PA, so we took the piano to visit some of our favorite places.
First stop was the Carl Stotz Little League Memorial. The memorial commemorates the site of the very first Little League Baseball game on June 6, 1939. Hopefully, the close-up of the plaque is legible for you. It explains the history so much more eloquently than we ever could.
Williamsport is the birthplace of Little League. Little League is all about fostering brotherhood, and we thought it was fitting to include this in your piano tour.
Our second stop was the Michael Pilato mural in Williamsport, Michael is renowned for his incredible murals, and if you go to his website, you can get a better idea of what ours looks like. We took a picture of your piano under the Little League portion of the memorial. The man in the TV set above the Lycoming Little League players is Carl Stotz. He was the founder of Little League Baseball. As you can see by the website, our mural is HUGE and would have eclipsed your piano, it was a little overwhelming, but we felt the section we chose best commemorated Williamsport.
Our final stop was at Christ Episcopal Church. Deb liked the picture of the cross we sent her a few months ago, so we returned with your piano. I could almost hear the strains of Ava Maria coming from the organ inside. Incidentally, John Henry Hopkins, Jr, rector of the church in the late 1800’s wrote the Christmas Carol “We Three Kings” during his time in NYC in 1857 for a holiday pageant.
Patti, Alicia and I have included a picture of our ‘Pough Sisters’ tattoo, as well as some Pough memorabilia Miss Deb sent us with our books. We were honored that you would entrust something as special as your piano to our care. Thanks again. We can’t wait to see where the piano ends up traveling to.
Blessings, ~nise, Patti, Alicia
I had every reason to be. Its first stop was a smashing, creative success. My sweet readers 'nise, Alicia, and Patti took it for a spin. These friends of mine also got the actual Poughkeepsie tattoo ON THEIR BODIES! So seeing the piano with three real tats blew my little mind.
They included a note to Blake so I will let them have at it below. Just a reminder that I will also be cataloging the stops here: http://blakespianotour.blogspot.com/ It will go International, so feel free to become a stop, email the girls at wheres.pough@gmail.com for more information.
Take it away Ladies....
Dearest Blake,
It was an honor to provide shelter and respite for your beloved piano during the first stop of its tour. We live just outside Williamsport, PA, so we took the piano to visit some of our favorite places.
First stop was the Carl Stotz Little League Memorial. The memorial commemorates the site of the very first Little League Baseball game on June 6, 1939. Hopefully, the close-up of the plaque is legible for you. It explains the history so much more eloquently than we ever could.
Williamsport is the birthplace of Little League. Little League is all about fostering brotherhood, and we thought it was fitting to include this in your piano tour.
Our second stop was the Michael Pilato mural in Williamsport, Michael is renowned for his incredible murals, and if you go to his website, you can get a better idea of what ours looks like. We took a picture of your piano under the Little League portion of the memorial. The man in the TV set above the Lycoming Little League players is Carl Stotz. He was the founder of Little League Baseball. As you can see by the website, our mural is HUGE and would have eclipsed your piano, it was a little overwhelming, but we felt the section we chose best commemorated Williamsport.
Our final stop was at Christ Episcopal Church. Deb liked the picture of the cross we sent her a few months ago, so we returned with your piano. I could almost hear the strains of Ava Maria coming from the organ inside. Incidentally, John Henry Hopkins, Jr, rector of the church in the late 1800’s wrote the Christmas Carol “We Three Kings” during his time in NYC in 1857 for a holiday pageant.
Patti, Alicia and I have included a picture of our ‘Pough Sisters’ tattoo, as well as some Pough memorabilia Miss Deb sent us with our books. We were honored that you would entrust something as special as your piano to our care. Thanks again. We can’t wait to see where the piano ends up traveling to.
Blessings, ~nise, Patti, Alicia
This is Blake's Cardboard Piano...
He lent it to me when I visited the Poughkeepsie station. I still have it in my possession because he wanted the readers to sign it, show it some love.
Back in the day, when I first wrote Poughkeepsie, the image of a handsome man playing a piece of cardboard like a piano captured me.
As the story developed, the cardboard piano even developed its own back story. It was also one of the hardest chapters I ever wrote. (And Mouse's chapter, of course.)
I still remember writing with tears rolling down my face when Blake made a huge decision involving the piano.
So when I was arranging pictures for the book's trailer, I tried and tried to find an image of a keyboard sketched on cardboard. Finally, I broke down and drew it myself. I was at my in-law's house and my husband and I were going to stop at the Poughkeepsie station for some pictures. I went down to my in-law's basement and found a fairly beat up cardboard box. I ripped off a piece, grabbed a Sharpie, and went to town. I sucked at it. I went downstairs and tore at that poor box again and handed the marker to my husband.
"You need to draw this. Pretend to be a teenager. And write manly." He did a good job (he always writes manly- I was just busting his chops.) Then I spent a few minutes adding age to it by sandpapering warn spots on the cardboard, imagining Blake's repetitive touch at the station. Then I rolled and unrolled it a million times.
Next, it was time for the piano's photo shoot. It was a liquid hot day in New York. (We come visiting up from Maryland twice a year.) My husband was the photographer and I was in charge of the model. To get the shots I wanted, I found myself crawling over metal guardrails that had been baking all day. I could almost hear my pale, wimpy skin sizzling.
We took some dumb pictures and we took some that worked.
Here are some of both types. I was very pleased that we weren't arrested.
So now I'm letting this baby out in the world.
I'm so very excited to see the piano with you!
The piano has been touring since January, 2012. If you'd like to request a stop, fill in the contact form and enter your snail mail address in the message section. We'll add you to the list. Currently, we're booked through the end of 2013, but we want everyone to have the opportunity to be a part of the wonder that is Poughkeepsie.
When it's your turn, take the piano out and about to your favorite local landmarks. Please take a picture of it in your town or by something you love.
Write a short note to Blake sharing your adventure with the piano. Email your pictures and Piano tale to wheres.pough@gmail.com and we'll add them to Blake's Piano Tour!
A few important points to note if you choose to join us:
Please be considerate.
By signing up for the piano tour, you're agreeing to share your snail mail address with other members. (It will in no way be posted publicly on this page or shared in any other way.)
More than forty people have signed up and in order for everyone to have a turn with the piano, we ask that you PLEASE plan your piano tour in advance so that you can be shipping it to the next person in a timely manner. We will do everything in our power to ensure that you know ahead of time when you'll be receiving the piano.
If you have an event coming up that will preclude you from participating at a certain time, please leave a note in the message with your address, so the date can be taken into consideration when scheduling piano visits.
If this doesn't sound right for you, please refrain from signing up.
And finally... Blake's Cardboard Piano Tour is meant to be a fun way for readers to interact with one another.
While you've got Blake's Piano, have fun!!
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