Summer of '11

End of July - is it summer yet? It's been cool and WET! We haven't had a long hot stretch yet. Not that I mind, too much. It's nice to not be sticky. And I've only hauled the sprinkler onto the lawn once this season so far! That's usually a twice-a-week ritual.

We have had a good share of summer storms. Here's one rolling in July 16.

Graduation!

Class of 2009 
Son Number One

Class of 2011 

Son Number Two

And so ends our years with public school.  No!  There's still husband's teaching job!  He will be teaching a 3-way split class this fall: grades 1, 2 & 3.  I just might be volunteering with a reading program again???

Whoa! He's a WO!

Congratulations to son number two! Promoted to Warrant Officer 2nd Class (WO2) in Air Cadets.

Sicamous memories

It's a strange feeling, when the Stanley Cup is being broadcast on TV, and I hear the names of two preschoolers from our block in Sicamous.

Shea Weber lived a few doors up the street, and we caused many a delay-of-game ("CAR!") in his early career. Cody Franson's grandparents lived across our back fence. I think he had a stick in his hands as soon as he could walk, batting at a beach ball in their driveway.

Can you say 10,000 times?

The Flockharts were also from Sicamous. We thought that was why every other kid in town thought they would be hockey stars. Whatever the reason, maybe that belief really helped to ignite the fire and added to the early start (and 10,000 times), dedicated parents, and good coaching, and made it happen for some of them! (Kris Beech also became a professional player.)

(I hope no one is wondering why I'm putting a "music education" label on this post. But if you are, see my early February posts, "Making Playing Easier", parts 1 and 2)

Chin cello?

I've heard a lot of jokes over the years about a playing a cello under the chin.  Take a look! (and note the lack of endpin).  Yes it IS a cello, albeit a small one. I'm thinking there's something historical going on here, but I'm a bit fuzzy on my cello history details - other than that violoncello actually means "little violone". Definitely a baroque bow, and the bridge is not your standard modern bridge.
Vivaldi Cello Concerto in D major RV.403 La Petite Bande

(inserting new video here - the last was had been removed from YouTube)
I suppose this might be the answer for a violist who would like to play the cello - I'm pretty sure he's using a violin/viola finger pattern.

Alternatively, if you're a cellist who would like to play violin, you could try this.

(Yes, this is Wells Cunningham playing BOTH parts, and by the magic of video and careful listening on those headphones...)

Spring

A week ago I took the camera out to shoot signs of spring and document my compost (yes, someone asked!). Today I went out without a jacket for the first time this spring!

Early Stardrift

Lilac

Raspberry

The yard is full of these maple seedlings every spring.  Unsure what the other one is.

The composter was full last fall, mostly of maple leaves. (It is now about 2/3 full.) Kitchen scraps have been buried in the leaves throughout the winter, and they are now starting to break down along with deeper, now slimy, leaves.  Working to get the air in by weekly stirring.  I didn't get a leaf bin made last fall, but we do have a heap next to the Earth Machine composter, plus some in bags, so we can add as needed throughout the summer.

Wait!  Didn't I just find all those signs of spring?  We were surprised by this the next morning, April 18!

Happy Easter!

I enjoyed playing with the Easter choir at church this morning.  Here is the original recording of Twila Paris singing "Lamb of God", one of the pieces the choir sang this morning.

Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world! John 1:29