Women of Note Concert

Come one come all to the concert of Women of Note here in Winnipeg on Sunday, May 5.  We are performing a variety of songs including ABBA, a song from Zambia, a song written in Mexico called Oye, beautiful French tune by Faure and Rutter, the very difficult piece Laudate Dominum by Hovland, one of Eric Whitacre's lullaby's set to music, spiritual Heaven Bound Train, and finally the interesting and progressive song Past Life Melodies by Sarah Hopkins.  You will have the chance to listen and sing along as an audience member.  Come and have some fun this Sunday!

Holi Easter Birthday

Good Friday was March 31, 1972 back on the day I was born.
Easter Sunday is March 31, 2013 my 41st birthday.
Easter and, as it turns out Holi, has always hovered around my birthday, gone off into April, then returned to hover.  This year it is an alignment that is encouraging me to spend time with my closest friends who have shown long term kindness and mutual consideration with a few fun but subdued gatherings.  I will chat with family long distance and enjoy their company further afield since none live in the same city.
Nothing crazy like last year.  Just a few sweet memorable moments.
Enjoy your weekend, whatever you do or do not celebrate.
Thanks for reading!

The Scarlet Contessa

The Scarlet Contessa: A Novel of the Italian Renaissance by Jeanne Kalogridis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Really like her books.  The covers make these look like romance novels but they are history lessons, stories of power and control, and reminders that women did play roles in history, we simply have lost their stories and creatively have to fill in the holes.  Great author.  Page turning books!


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Canada Reads! Yes We Do!

It is Canada Reads time!

Five more books to add to my reading list.

One or two are twenty years old; several new to literature.

I love Canada Reads, in particular the radio debate.

Keeping books and radio alive!

The contenders:

(Excuse the fuzzy books.  Read them anyway.)

Marco Polo Didn't Go There

Marco Polo Didn't Go There: Stories and Revelations from One Decade as a Postmodern Travel Writer by Rolf Potts
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Within the context of being a post-modern traveller and writer, Potts takes the reader through chapters of stories, each dedicated to an individual experience he has had after having vagabonded about the globe for a decade.  This book provides an interesting and didactic structure through which Potts uses current academic research to affirm his narrative choices, as he shares his experiences about travel.  Most of this writing has been published elsewhere and this book is a collection of assorted stories that offers Potts to teach the reader about travel writing within the context of vagabonding, academic research, and individualized learning through experience.  A great read and one that is worth looking at again if you are a travel writer.


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A Surprising Evening

Last year around this time, November 2011, I went to a conference and W. Brett Wilson was the keynote speaker.  He told the story of his life, including the ruination of his relationships due to the amount of work he was completing while making millions of dollars (follow link to hear this story). While rebuilding his relationships he has told his family that he will answer their calls at anytime, and then his phone rings during his keynote speaker address.  He answers it, tells his dad he is in the middle of a speech in front of 400 people, and that he will call back in ten minutes, then hangs up.  I tell this story a lot as, in our society, we are still learning how to interact with people, electronics and social media in socially appropriate ways.  Here is an example contrary to much of what I have established as socially acceptable, and yet Brett's decision to put his family first makes sense.

This evening I was asked to attend a fundraising concert at which my nephew was performing with his touring choir.  I love seeing my nieces and nephews perform and gladly agreed.  My father, sister, brother-in-law and I went to the dinner and concert and the performers were the most eclectic mix I have ever encountered.  As it turned out, this was a philanthropic evening organized by Brett Wilson and his staff in order to raise money for the Calgary Veterans Food Bank.  Here was this former Dragon's Den millionaire who had made his money in gas and oil doing more work in the community.  As I looked around I saw a former mayor of Calgary, a few CBC reporters, a Calgary Stampeder (this person was pointed out to me), and several other faces I knew from around Calgary but could not name.  This evening while listening to seven different artistic acts we raised $95,000 dollars, $20 of which was mine.  I did not expect such professional and well connected musicians or audience members, instead I was anticipating a junior high school type performance.  What a night!  This is why I write a little, read and little and get up and live a lot.  The living part is just so enjoyable and filled with surprises.

The performers are below with comments about my favourite parts of the evening.  What a joyous night to be a part of and I did enjoy rubbing elbows everyone in attendance, and I will return next year.

Boys Choir
They performed several pieces written by Benjamin Britten a challenging composer who wrote in the UK around and after World War Two.  They were delightful and Brett Wilson actually won a performance by the choir at another charity auction and used the performance he won to earn more money for even more charities.  This is a smart man.

Brett Kissel
Official website
He is a talented and young country singer who wrote a song in protest of the NHL lockout on behalf of fans, 'Hockey, Please Come Back'.  Rumour has it, it is somewhat viral at this point.  An interesting micx of songs with several poignant ones written for his grandparents.

Shane Koyczan
I had no idea who this man was but I have been exposed to modern forms of poetry, including poetry slams and the spoken word.  He performed at the Vancouver Olympic opening ceremonies with 'We Are More' a tribute to Canada, and is working hard to spread the word about clinical depression and dealing with bullying.  His love poems were equal parts hilarious, thoughtful and enchanting.

One of his funny and brief poems:



The Stellas
Official Website
A group whose name I was familiar with but whom I had never heard.  We were fortunate enough to hear both Brad and Marylynne and their two children, Lennon and Maisy, who recently made a video that went viral and earned them a spot on Good Morning America.  As two duos they are incredibly musical, gentle performers and talented people.  As a quartet, they sang a few lovely Christmas songs and brought others up on stage to share the spirit of the season.

Here is one of there most beautiful videos which Marylynne wrote after finding a book of love poems written back and forth from soldiers to loved ones back home during World War Two.  A moving piece of work:




Also performing were Christian Laurian and his sister Malia Ashely Kerr.  Lastly, we received an operatic performance by Sara Staples along with her accompanist, Nathaniel Schmidt.
Such a delightful night that surpassed my expectations.

Get out and live a lot!

Old Jasper

This past October I took a chance to drive from Winnipeg, Manitoba to Jasper, Alberta....OK, I was headed to an academic conference and I couldn't afford to fly so 'took a chance' might be over stating a bit.  I had to drive.  While in the mountains I was reminded how much I love them and how lucky people are who live near them.  When they were in my backyard I certainly did not take advantage of them as much as I should have.

During my drive I pulled over repeatedly for about two hours on the way home, taking pictures, feeling the peace and quiet, and watching the daylight play on the scenes before my eyes.  Here are a few shots that I played with on my computer that remind me of the old postcards you can buy in tourists shops.  Pictures such at these can also be seen on the walls in the old Canadian Pacific hotels as framed tributes to the historical past.  These are new though, and mine.

An old picture in a new time

Like pictures of old with one glaring addition :)

Light and fluff on rock

Shuswap Pictures Part Two

Here are more pictures I have taken over the years of one of my favourite places on earth.  Cheers!

Pilling's Beach, Shuswap Lake

Shuswap Pictures

My cousin is having a new stain glass window made with the colours, shapes, and textures from photographs that the family has taken on the family property on Shuswap Lake.  I finally added some of my pictures to the medley.  I hope they will prove helpful.  It is one of my favourite places to take pictures and I shall continue to capture the natural, least altered beauty of one of my favourite places on earth.  Enjoy!

Larch Haven Blog: Shuswap Pictures

Holiday Concert with Women of Note

After one year in Winnipeg, I joined a choir.  It is my second year with them.  We are a 70 voice women's choir, with a 25 voice smaller chamber group within.  We have our holiday concert on December 2 at Westminster church in Winnipeg.  Start time is 3 PM (not indicated on the poster, oops!)  Last year I had one friend come.  This year more friends have purchased tickets.  As a group it turns out we have sold almost 500 tickets for our concert and we are going to print more.  Thank goodness our concert hall can handle about 900 people.  Come and get in the Christmas and holiday mood while listening to our fantastic voices.

The first half of our concert includes Christmas songs and other works.  The second half of our concert is a small string orchestra, soloists and the choir all singing Vivaldi's Gloria.  I had never heard the piece before singing it with this choir and I consider classical music something I was raised on.  Glad my repertoire and knowledge of this type of music continues to grow.  I do enjoy singing Vivaldi (Handel on the other hand.....)

Here is a Vivaldi sample:



Come and listen to us sing and pay attention to the low notes because Alto 2's rock the musical basement!

Summer 2012: Pottery

There was a chance this past summer to begin creating ceramic pieces again.  I have not touched a wheel for two years so I was really excited to ensure the skills I have been developing over the years were still there, and that I could hone a few more skills.  Over time I have given away most of my pieces and this time I decided I was going to keep the pieces and make what I wanted to use every day in my own eating, cooking, drinking and for my own enjoyment. 

I was able to take some time to make several functional pieces but there was not enough time before the pottery area was going to be shut down for me to make any complicated items with lids, spouts, and other accoutrements.  There was little time to glaze as well and I had to complete all of it in one night, which amounted to about 5 hours of glazing, completed very quickly, without a great deal of forethought for more pieces.  Next time I will try to secure more time.

Yes, I made mugs because there aren't enough of them in the world.  When I make mugs I try to create interesting shapes, fun handles the size needed to actually get one's hand or fingers in there.  Too many uselessly small handles in the world.

A funky twist on a handle.

A geometric addition to a handle.

I am reminded every time I get to the wheel how physically demanding such work is.  In fact, in observing friends of mine who complete many different types of art, I am always reminded that they physical literacy that one is demanded to learn in the arts is often as physically demanding as the literacy required for those who participate in sport.  As well, art can get just as dirty as European football or rugby on a rainy, wet, muddy day.

A medium size bowl whose circles of shape and glaze I enjoy as my new counter-top fruit bowl.

This is the piece-de-resistance for the summer.  A white bowing shape onto which I flicked underglaze of green and black.  Several coats of high firing clear glaze and I loved it as soon as I saw it at the bottom of the kiln.  As much as one can decorate, plan and co-ordinate a piece of pottery, the kiln always surprises you.  In this case, a wonderful surprise.

Over the past few months I have had friends request and attempt to claim several pieces, but I am sticking to my guns for now.  I don't have any pieces of pottery in Winnipeg and I am keeping these until I leave....if I leave.

Summer 2012: Pirate Invasion!

This is my sister-in-law Cheri.

These are the types of cakes Cheri dreams up and creates.

A pirate ship arriving from a water land of cupcakes to a desert land of 'sand' cupcakes on which the pirates will fight with the skeleton crew who have a treasure.  Yep.  She makes the fabulous creations and then we, her grateful family-in-law, have the audacity to eat them.  Truly they should be encased on glass and put on display in a museum.  Instead, we eat them.  We (un)grateful lot.

The pirate ship is made from rice-crispie treats wrapped in moulded tootsie roll.  The masts are cookies.  

The water and sand are cupcakes with delicious icing and candies on them.  The desert has icing which is them dipped on pulverized graham crackers.  So yummy!

In addition to the cake she made cross-bone cookies...because they are so simple to create (?).

The skeletons guarding their treasure

'Come get us and our treasure pirates!'

The pirates descend in a ship to advance towards the booty.

Prepared to fight!

Who will win?!?

This summer I confessed to Cheri that I have a fantastic business idea.  She is going to make cakes like these and I am going to sell them.  Thusly she and my brother must stay together always, and she needs to make cakes faster...or we can hire minions to create the cakes while she dreams them up.  Either way my plan will take some convincing and she just laughed every time I mentioned our new joint venture.  There is some work and convincing yet to be done.  Wish us luck with our booty!

Summer 2012: Pig Roast

It happened again this year.  The Richard and Miranda pig roast.  This does not mean we roasted Richard, Miranda and a pig, this means that Richard and Miranda bought a pig and roasted it for some added summer fun, which has been occurring for 4-5 years now.

Usually the roast occurs around the August long weekend and I was one of the lucky many who watched, visited, partook and played at this years roast.  First, my sister Zoe and I went over for a peek earlier in the morning to see how the pig was being roasted.

Glen and Jeremy visited at the same time. 

Richard explained to Zoe and I that he uses the slow cook method during which the pig is roasted over 7-8 hours but with only 1 or 2 smaller pieces of cedar added to the fire slowly over time.  Either way I am glad he cooks the pig.  A quick visit was enough for me as I have a woozy stomach.  I eat meat but I really don't like watching the raw version in full form being cooked.  Hypocrite I know.

Time to carve the pig.  Once again, Richard and Miranda have a butcher friend complete this part.  Phew!  Glad each cousin doesn't have to take a turn each year or I would be carving a tofu pig in 2018 for the family.  :)

Bonjour Monsieur Pig

The pig. His cooker. His carver.

Senya and Wyona posing with some food

At about 12 pm it was time to begin gathering all the food that had been slaved over during the course of the day.  Our family property now has 5 cabins full of family members in them.  Each house was asked to bring two salads.  When you consider that in the Bates cabin alone there are 25 people and there are just as many people in each of the other cabins, that is a lot of people and a large amount of food.  The picture above is merely one of three large tables full of food on which we dined.  

Thomas trying out the fresh apple juice Uncle David made

I can not tell you the deliciousness of Arta's freshly baked bread.  I stood for a while trying to capture the texture, the flavour, the smell, and the bouncy-ness of her bread.  This picture is not bad but I shall have to try again next summer.  Fresh bread, one of the delights of each meal.

Pulse Doing Overtime

Fringe Fest in Winnipeg has been good for me.
This one is for you Trevor.
Thanks.

Beyond Somebody That I Used to Know

So most of us who listen to the radio or fully aware that the song of the spring and summer of 2012 was Gotye's, Somebody I Used to Know.  With many group covering the tune, the summer tanners who had it blasting out of their SUV's, and the amount of times it came on the radio, this song ruled the summer.  I too was sucked in and purchased the CD only to find out that there are several songs that I enjoy even more.  Here are the two I find just as compelling as the aforementioned song.

Save Me

Official Video on Vimeo

An artful and creative animation that is scare-crow-man-esque.

Eyes Wide Open

The end of the world with Star Wars-like characters trying to find the fertile soil of yesteryear. 

About To Make Brownies

While I was living in Calgary in the early 2000's I purchased a book by a Calgary based recipe author, Julie Van Rosendaal.  Having a very sweet tooth, I immediately loved it as it is called, One Smart Cookie: All your favourite cookies, squares, brownies and biscotti...with less fat!  A few years later I bought her Grazing recipe book too.  Over the years I have made several dishes out of both books, granted the sugar content is not super low in the cookie book, but the results are delicious and you can scrumptiously indulge with a little less guilt.

After having curled today, completed some errands, and accidentally did some laps around a near-by mall who has taken down all its directional signs (I almost didn't make it out), it is time for a treat.  There is zucchini in the fridge from my aunt and uncle's garden in British Columbia (it had a long drive out to Winnipeg) and I shall be making Julie's Chocolate Chip Zucchini Brownies (p. 134).  Since I fly solo, I will eat to my heart's content, then divide up the pan of brownies into healthy size portions, wrap them up in plastic, and freeze them for when I have a chocolate hankering another day.

Can't promise any photos.  Do you really want to see chocolate and zuch in my teeth?  I didn't think so.  But here is Julie's more recent blog which appears to have developed beyond desserts.  Mmmmmmm.....

  DINNER WITH JULIE  

I changed my mind.
I took picture.
Warm. Dense. Chocolatey. Decadent.

Summer 2012: Mermaid Camp

As some of you may know, I have 12 (going on 13) nieces and nephews.  They are a constant source of entertainment, joy and hilarity for their aunts and uncles.  One of my sisters, Marcia, was talking with her two boys at the beginning of this summer about camps they may want to join.  Their younger sister, a three year old, was listening in and piped up, "I want to go to Mermaid Camp".  Uh?  My sister did not know what to do as she had never heard of such a thing.  Upon telling us the story, we family members joked that we could tie the kids legs together and throw them in Shuswap Lake, in amongst other sassy comments.

As we gathered at Shuswap for a family gathering, Marcia decided she was going to give her daughter a Mermaid Camp.  She went to the dollar store to make a few purchased, we gathered our make-up, nail polish and other assorted elements that could be included in our first ever, Mermaid Camp.

Marcia gathered the nieces and made fin-like invitations to distribute to the family.  We were all invited to Mermaid Camp at 2:30 PM on the porch.  Be prepared to be done up!

The adults began to put make-up on the girls, paint nails, coif hair and have an all round good time.  Sadly I could not find any ocean, sear or Little Mermaid music for the event but as you can see, we were having a great time.

Audra, the little girl who started Mermaid Camp,
having her nails done by Aunt Lurene.
(One of the best pics I took.)

Not aware her hair is on end.

Strike a pose!

We kept decorating each other.  Laughing at the feather eyelashes, the sparkled rings, and the fun colours of make-up.

Audra, in the rapture of Mermaid Camp

Our neighbour, Autumn, came to join us. 

Finishing touches

A late-comer just getting started.

Three little mermaids from school are we....

...even the adults got into it...

Well hello Cheri!

Adult nail time, care of Sabrina

Funny thing happened on the way to Mermaid Camp, the nephews showed up.  With trepidation, at first, they began putting on rings....

....then they let the Aunts start doing their hair.....they did not realize that this was only the beginning....

Stunning smile

With a lovely red flower 

With lovely red lips

....next came those crazy feather eyelashes....

Then the Aunts went wild with a no-holds-bar approach to Mermaid Camp.  Anyone on the deck was either getting done-up, was doing the work of decorating another person, taking pictures (like moi), or posing for a picture. 

Work is kids!

Work it Andrew!
(One of the best pictures from Mermaid Camp.)

....then Ozzy Osbourne Mermaid Camp started....

Group shots were next on the list of things to do at Mermaid Camp.

Love the smiles and other assorted facial expressions.

Pose it children!

Then it was treat time: banana vanilla ice cream milk shakes in fancy glasses.  

Thank you to all who made the delish milkshakes!

We had a great time and it was really fun seeing my nieces and nephews participate in some gender bending and enjoying every minute of it.  I was even more impressed by my siblings who just watched it happen, provided the space for their girls and boys enjoy doing something new for fun, for family bonding and for a great time.  

This may become a tradition.

A decorated child

Phew!  Mermaid Camp is exhausting!