That's my grandmother's quilt on the rocking chair beside me.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Y2Y
Throughout our tour, Dara and I have been raising money for a youth group in Pelican Narrows.
I’ve been learning lots about the second largest First Nation in Saskatchewan. It's a challenging place to live with high rates of addiction and unemployment. At the same time, it is a geographically beautiful place to live and there is so much potential among the people.
One hopeful thing is a youth group, started by a young girl who wants to make a difference in her community. There are about 5 regulars in this youth group now, holding regular activities and trying to be a light. The group is called Y2Y: Youth 2 Youth.
Dara and I are donating $4 from each CD sold for Y2Y.
Y2Y has a dream of attending a youth retreat. They have never done anything like this. Please pray for us and for Y2Y as we raise money and as we network to find just the right retreat for these young people to attend.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Saturday: grandparents & Glasgow
Our big Saturday event was cancelled about a week ago. It was to be a late Christmas party for Silva Care Nursing homes, but there were not enough RSVPs to justify using the Connexus Arts Centre. So we offered to do unplugged private performances at their two homes. Then Dara found out that her husband's parents were coming from Calgary on the weekend and really wanted to see the grandsons. Our new plans meant Dara was free to take the boys to Moose Jaw all day Saturday (where she found a few minutes update the blog about Eyebrow).
I spent Saturday morning with the Four-Door Arts Forum. After several gatherings to do art, get to know one another, dream and pray, our group was ready to focus on developing mission and mandate statements. After lunch I borrowed my brother's vehicle to go sing for Silva Care, and rejoined the arts forum for the conclusion of the brainstorming and a scrumptious supper at Viet Thai (13th & Albert). We ordered waaay too much food and sent it with Steve and Leanne to bless their teenage daughter who had opted to stay home.
Silva Care was delightful. The homes, owned and operated by David and Heidi D'Silva. Each home has seven beds and they really are homes, with lovely decor and a very personal feel. All of the residents seemed so contented or even happy with their situations. And who couldn't be with 3 and a half year old Rosario to entertain and attend to them? Rosario is David and Heidi's daughter who clearly loves all of these grandparents living next door. She wanted to sing with me, which I found delightful. There's nothing like a sing-a-long with children and elders.
I also performed some of my own songs. In the first home, after "Prairie Soul," Katherine said, "I'm so glad someone else feels the same way as me." She had spent 2 years in Geneva, Switzerland and was so relieved to return home to the prairies. (Last night driving past Duval at sunset, Dara had a similar experience of wonder and relief - Saskatchewan may be the land of the living skies, but in our forested northern region, the sunsets can be truncated by trees.)
In the second home, we had to wait for Angus, because he really wanted to sing. Ella was humming a tune and informed me, "I always have a song in my head." I hope I'm that pleasant and tuneful at 92! Little Rosario was thirsty and served dixie cups of water to everyone. Again, she joined me for some sing-along songs and I did a few of my own plus a couple of oldies and hymns. About 20 minutes in there was a pause as I pondered my list for the next song. Suddenly Reggie (a lady) said, "Sing us a song, Angus." I suggested that we all do "Amazing Grace together."
After the living room concert in each home we moved to the dining room for tea and cake. In the second home, Rosario could hardly wait to be told where she could sit. "I want to eat with the residents!" She sat next to Angus, who surprised me several minutes in when he muttered, "Sing a song," then broke into an old Scottish folk tune in his heavy Scottish accent. I urged him to sing another for us. He chuckled, muttered, "sing a song," and regaled us with "I Belong to Glasgow" - a rousing drinking song. Reggie, still in the living room, belted it out with him (listen; lyrics). After a long, animated story from Rosario, Reggie initiated another song for all of us to sing: "The Old Rugged Cross." Quite a contrast: from pints in Glasgow to the foot of the Old Rugged Cross!
Dara and I have been staying with her very generous mother for touring days. We arrived "home" within half an hour of each other to put the boys to bed and plan for the next day.
I spent Saturday morning with the Four-Door Arts Forum. After several gatherings to do art, get to know one another, dream and pray, our group was ready to focus on developing mission and mandate statements. After lunch I borrowed my brother's vehicle to go sing for Silva Care, and rejoined the arts forum for the conclusion of the brainstorming and a scrumptious supper at Viet Thai (13th & Albert). We ordered waaay too much food and sent it with Steve and Leanne to bless their teenage daughter who had opted to stay home.
Silva Care was delightful. The homes, owned and operated by David and Heidi D'Silva. Each home has seven beds and they really are homes, with lovely decor and a very personal feel. All of the residents seemed so contented or even happy with their situations. And who couldn't be with 3 and a half year old Rosario to entertain and attend to them? Rosario is David and Heidi's daughter who clearly loves all of these grandparents living next door. She wanted to sing with me, which I found delightful. There's nothing like a sing-a-long with children and elders.
I also performed some of my own songs. In the first home, after "Prairie Soul," Katherine said, "I'm so glad someone else feels the same way as me." She had spent 2 years in Geneva, Switzerland and was so relieved to return home to the prairies. (Last night driving past Duval at sunset, Dara had a similar experience of wonder and relief - Saskatchewan may be the land of the living skies, but in our forested northern region, the sunsets can be truncated by trees.)
In the second home, we had to wait for Angus, because he really wanted to sing. Ella was humming a tune and informed me, "I always have a song in my head." I hope I'm that pleasant and tuneful at 92! Little Rosario was thirsty and served dixie cups of water to everyone. Again, she joined me for some sing-along songs and I did a few of my own plus a couple of oldies and hymns. About 20 minutes in there was a pause as I pondered my list for the next song. Suddenly Reggie (a lady) said, "Sing us a song, Angus." I suggested that we all do "Amazing Grace together."
After the living room concert in each home we moved to the dining room for tea and cake. In the second home, Rosario could hardly wait to be told where she could sit. "I want to eat with the residents!" She sat next to Angus, who surprised me several minutes in when he muttered, "Sing a song," then broke into an old Scottish folk tune in his heavy Scottish accent. I urged him to sing another for us. He chuckled, muttered, "sing a song," and regaled us with "I Belong to Glasgow" - a rousing drinking song. Reggie, still in the living room, belted it out with him (listen; lyrics). After a long, animated story from Rosario, Reggie initiated another song for all of us to sing: "The Old Rugged Cross." Quite a contrast: from pints in Glasgow to the foot of the Old Rugged Cross!
Dara and I have been staying with her very generous mother for touring days. We arrived "home" within half an hour of each other to put the boys to bed and plan for the next day.
a long and beautiful Sunday
Little Luke didn't want to let go of his mama this morning. Yesterday, Dara and I packed the truck box at dawn and left Regina by 8:35 a.m., slightly ahead of schedule. Dara got back to the city just before midnight (I went home to Duval after the concert) and still had to unpack the equipment. It was a long, exhausting day for everyone, including Dara's kids. Oh, but so satisfying. Dara will have two full days with the boys now. I pray that it's restful and rejuvenating for all of them.
The first thing we did in Raymore was a pitstop at the Esso. I ran in first to used the facilities and left Dara eating a muffin and chees in the truck. I came back hungry and looking forward to my muffin ... but Dara had eaten both muffins and all the cheese!!! She thought they were all for her! Laughing (we do this a lot), she volunteered to buy me breakfast, so we went back into the Esso for granola bars and a bottle of Starbucks mocha.
It's quite astounding to see yourself on posters around town, so we took a couple of pictures.
We had to Silver Heights Nursing Home so Dara could visit her grandma, but on Saturday the activities director had called to see if we would do a set for the residents. Definitely! Why didn't we think of that ourselves? Maybe because we already had two concerts planned for that day, but we both love encouraging seniors and we needed to practice a couple of songs before being videoed in the afternoon.
Around 11:00 we arrived at Friends restaurant to meet documentary producer Ray Lacusta, who interviewed us and followed us for the day, filming our two concerts in Raymore (2:30 p.m.) and Strasbourg (7:00 p.m.). He intends to make a documentary and pitch it for the Saskatchewan Community Network's show "15 Minutes of Fame"! Both towns were like homecomings for Dara. She grew up in Raymore were people knew her by her maiden name, Schindelka. Dara became a little emotional seeing people arrive who had played such important formative roles in her life and she pulled me into a back room to sing a bit and pray and compose ourselves before the concert. We opened with a 'new' song. The night before, Dara had taught me the chords for "My Heart Calls Home," a song she wrote about the Raymore area. It's upbeat, with great harmonies on the chorus, and is a perfect way to open our concerts from now on.
In "My Heart Calls Home," Dara mentions the Alphabet Rail Line ("somewhere between the Q and the R there's a homestead..."), which got me thinking that I grew up near, Parkman, one of a number of Saskatchewan places named for poets (e.g. Lampman, Carlyle, Kipling). Not everyone from those areas is poetic, but it is a lovely correlation to the life I am living.
Before the tour, I had a concept for decorating our stage like a grandmother's house. Dara and I both sing a lot about family, particularly grandparents, so I thought this would be an appropriate way to dress up our stage a little.
Until Raymore, I hadn't been able to try this concept, but the Raymore Baptist Church stage had been completely cleared off, so I decorated! With three guys and one woman hunting all over the church for the right pieces, the end result was beyond my wildest hopes and looked quite like a drama set, with a living room corner and a tea corner and appropriately aged furniture pieces. In the second picture you can't really see it, but my grandmother's quilt is draped over the couch.
The microphone standing in front of the stage belongs to Ray Lacusta. His two video cameras were on either side in front of the stage.
In Strasbourg, the stage was bigger, but our decoration was much simpler (more in line with my original idea): a rocking chair draped with my grandmother's quilt, a side table covered with a coloured table cloth and a large crocheted doily, vase of roses, dark teapot, china teacup, and an old Bible. No pictures available yet.
Technologically, the Strasbourg concert was a dream.
Ray Lacusta and Don Schindelka (Dara's dad) had followed us to Strasbourg where Ray again set up his video cameras. My brother Jeffrey brought his two video cameras and his SLR camera and ran his Zoom digital recorder through the system for an audio recording of the whole concert.
Alvin Lofgren did sound system for us using the Alliance Church's system. We love the little Bose system we're renting (below), but we're almost illiterate when it comes mixing sound (in spite of my experience with a Juno 60 keyboard in my teens and early 20s), so having Alvin behind the controls was a relief and a comfort for us.
The lighting in Strasbourg created a really intimate atmosphere, with flood lights on the stage and dim lights in the main sanctuary. Dara and I felt so comfortable with each other and our set. Oh but we were tired by the end! It was all we could do to push out the triumphant notes and words of "Come Down" at the end.
We were stunned to receive a standing ovation at the end. Dara stood, reached for my hand, and we bowed together. This is my current hometown and church and Dara's former church and hometown crowd. We had been excited to perform for them and knew they would be warm, but never could have expected this. We left the stage and heard more clapping. Was it an encore? We weren't sure. And we were so tired that we couldn't think of another song to do. In hindsight, we both have two or three that we could have done, especially my song "The Wonder in it All" about being thankful for the ordinary things in life.
There was a lunch in the fellowship hall afterwards and Margie was there for us again (she had come with her husband) to take care of the CD table. She is always a Godsend.
Dara and I hugged each other at the end of the evening and confessed that we will likely cry when this tour is done next weekend ...
The first thing we did in Raymore was a pitstop at the Esso. I ran in first to used the facilities and left Dara eating a muffin and chees in the truck. I came back hungry and looking forward to my muffin ... but Dara had eaten both muffins and all the cheese!!! She thought they were all for her! Laughing (we do this a lot), she volunteered to buy me breakfast, so we went back into the Esso for granola bars and a bottle of Starbucks mocha.
It's quite astounding to see yourself on posters around town, so we took a couple of pictures.
We had to Silver Heights Nursing Home so Dara could visit her grandma, but on Saturday the activities director had called to see if we would do a set for the residents. Definitely! Why didn't we think of that ourselves? Maybe because we already had two concerts planned for that day, but we both love encouraging seniors and we needed to practice a couple of songs before being videoed in the afternoon.
Around 11:00 we arrived at Friends restaurant to meet documentary producer Ray Lacusta, who interviewed us and followed us for the day, filming our two concerts in Raymore (2:30 p.m.) and Strasbourg (7:00 p.m.). He intends to make a documentary and pitch it for the Saskatchewan Community Network's show "15 Minutes of Fame"! Both towns were like homecomings for Dara. She grew up in Raymore were people knew her by her maiden name, Schindelka. Dara became a little emotional seeing people arrive who had played such important formative roles in her life and she pulled me into a back room to sing a bit and pray and compose ourselves before the concert. We opened with a 'new' song. The night before, Dara had taught me the chords for "My Heart Calls Home," a song she wrote about the Raymore area. It's upbeat, with great harmonies on the chorus, and is a perfect way to open our concerts from now on.
In "My Heart Calls Home," Dara mentions the Alphabet Rail Line ("somewhere between the Q and the R there's a homestead..."), which got me thinking that I grew up near, Parkman, one of a number of Saskatchewan places named for poets (e.g. Lampman, Carlyle, Kipling). Not everyone from those areas is poetic, but it is a lovely correlation to the life I am living.
Before the tour, I had a concept for decorating our stage like a grandmother's house. Dara and I both sing a lot about family, particularly grandparents, so I thought this would be an appropriate way to dress up our stage a little.
Until Raymore, I hadn't been able to try this concept, but the Raymore Baptist Church stage had been completely cleared off, so I decorated! With three guys and one woman hunting all over the church for the right pieces, the end result was beyond my wildest hopes and looked quite like a drama set, with a living room corner and a tea corner and appropriately aged furniture pieces. In the second picture you can't really see it, but my grandmother's quilt is draped over the couch.
The microphone standing in front of the stage belongs to Ray Lacusta. His two video cameras were on either side in front of the stage.
In Strasbourg, the stage was bigger, but our decoration was much simpler (more in line with my original idea): a rocking chair draped with my grandmother's quilt, a side table covered with a coloured table cloth and a large crocheted doily, vase of roses, dark teapot, china teacup, and an old Bible. No pictures available yet.
Technologically, the Strasbourg concert was a dream.
Ray Lacusta and Don Schindelka (Dara's dad) had followed us to Strasbourg where Ray again set up his video cameras. My brother Jeffrey brought his two video cameras and his SLR camera and ran his Zoom digital recorder through the system for an audio recording of the whole concert.
Alvin Lofgren did sound system for us using the Alliance Church's system. We love the little Bose system we're renting (below), but we're almost illiterate when it comes mixing sound (in spite of my experience with a Juno 60 keyboard in my teens and early 20s), so having Alvin behind the controls was a relief and a comfort for us.
The lighting in Strasbourg created a really intimate atmosphere, with flood lights on the stage and dim lights in the main sanctuary. Dara and I felt so comfortable with each other and our set. Oh but we were tired by the end! It was all we could do to push out the triumphant notes and words of "Come Down" at the end.
We were stunned to receive a standing ovation at the end. Dara stood, reached for my hand, and we bowed together. This is my current hometown and church and Dara's former church and hometown crowd. We had been excited to perform for them and knew they would be warm, but never could have expected this. We left the stage and heard more clapping. Was it an encore? We weren't sure. And we were so tired that we couldn't think of another song to do. In hindsight, we both have two or three that we could have done, especially my song "The Wonder in it All" about being thankful for the ordinary things in life.
There was a lunch in the fellowship hall afterwards and Margie was there for us again (she had come with her husband) to take care of the CD table. She is always a Godsend.
Dara and I hugged each other at the end of the evening and confessed that we will likely cry when this tour is done next weekend ...
Saturday, January 17, 2009
adventures, detours, and homing instincts
Well, what can I say? Adventures are often unplanned!
After a special night at the Aegean Coast (our audience was AMAZING!!!) we headed out to Eyebrow the following afternoon.
Colleen and I started driving down Highway #1 and soon realized that it would be a long road ahead. The road conditions were bad - icy, slippery, wind blowing snow across the road, drifting and so on and so forth. We drove slowly though and made it to Moose Jaw for a little break at Timmy's before the next half of the journey.
We had a great time laughing at each other and swapping songs and stories. (I told Colleen that I need her in my back pocket because she laughs at my jokes and sense of humour ; )
When we got to the Tuxford turn off we took a little, okay, more like a BIG detour that led us through mile after mile of gravel roads and unfamiliar territory. I was a little suspicious but Colleen assured me she knew where we were and so we forged on through the drifts as the dusk settled in.
Just as we decided we were officially lost, and after a couple of phone calls to Amy and Caylen's place, we landed on the highway 11 km outside of Eyebrow!
In the end, the detour was worth it. We saw two Moose in a farm yard and they just stared back at us while we took pictures and gawked at their immense size and beauty. I decided to try my hand at calling to them and that was when Colleen got more than a little anxious so we started the motor and took off.
It was also great because it was the perfect story for the road - bad weather, getting lost, and then finding our way in the end!!!
But, by far, the best part was arriving and doing the show for the little group that gathered for our concert. They were so generous and attentive and it was a delight to sing and play for them. We stayed after to eat some goodies and talk with people and then it was off into the dark and blustery night to get back to Regina. We were graciously invited to stay with people but I was determined to kiss my boys good night so we chose the road and it got us home safe and sound.
Today is Saturday - Colleen is sharing her music with the people at Silva Care and I am with my boys having a "family day" minus Josh ) : with the Hallett clan in Moose Jaw.
Tomorrow we will be back on the road heading to Raymore (my hometown) and Strasbourg (Coleen's hometown for now and another one of my hometowns!) so we have lots to look forward to.
If and when Colleen reads this I hope she posts some of the pictures of the Moose so you believe me!
After a special night at the Aegean Coast (our audience was AMAZING!!!) we headed out to Eyebrow the following afternoon.
Colleen and I started driving down Highway #1 and soon realized that it would be a long road ahead. The road conditions were bad - icy, slippery, wind blowing snow across the road, drifting and so on and so forth. We drove slowly though and made it to Moose Jaw for a little break at Timmy's before the next half of the journey.
We had a great time laughing at each other and swapping songs and stories. (I told Colleen that I need her in my back pocket because she laughs at my jokes and sense of humour ; )
When we got to the Tuxford turn off we took a little, okay, more like a BIG detour that led us through mile after mile of gravel roads and unfamiliar territory. I was a little suspicious but Colleen assured me she knew where we were and so we forged on through the drifts as the dusk settled in.
Just as we decided we were officially lost, and after a couple of phone calls to Amy and Caylen's place, we landed on the highway 11 km outside of Eyebrow!
In the end, the detour was worth it. We saw two Moose in a farm yard and they just stared back at us while we took pictures and gawked at their immense size and beauty. I decided to try my hand at calling to them and that was when Colleen got more than a little anxious so we started the motor and took off.
It was also great because it was the perfect story for the road - bad weather, getting lost, and then finding our way in the end!!!
But, by far, the best part was arriving and doing the show for the little group that gathered for our concert. They were so generous and attentive and it was a delight to sing and play for them. We stayed after to eat some goodies and talk with people and then it was off into the dark and blustery night to get back to Regina. We were graciously invited to stay with people but I was determined to kiss my boys good night so we chose the road and it got us home safe and sound.
Today is Saturday - Colleen is sharing her music with the people at Silva Care and I am with my boys having a "family day" minus Josh ) : with the Hallett clan in Moose Jaw.
Tomorrow we will be back on the road heading to Raymore (my hometown) and Strasbourg (Coleen's hometown for now and another one of my hometowns!) so we have lots to look forward to.
If and when Colleen reads this I hope she posts some of the pictures of the Moose so you believe me!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Aegean Coast - 3 pictures
We sang at the Aegean Coast tonight. Gorgeous venue, fantastic crowd, superb supper, great staff serving up delectable offerings. A few people came to see us again after being at seeing us at other concerts. So many thanks to Kate Fisher who organized this venue and Morning Star.
This is Margie - one of our favourite roadies! She shows up exactly when we need her, prays powerfully for us, helps with the CD table and gives helpful feedback after the show. A God-send. She pushes paper for Sasktel, but her real calling is promotions manager! Oh - and she took the 2 pictures above.
This is Margie - one of our favourite roadies! She shows up exactly when we need her, prays powerfully for us, helps with the CD table and gives helpful feedback after the show. A God-send. She pushes paper for Sasktel, but her real calling is promotions manager! Oh - and she took the 2 pictures above.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Dara's inspirations
I am one of those composers that need to be inspired before I can write a song. There is so much in this world to be inspired or infuriated by though so I have no shortage of material!
The songs I have written in the last year are mostly to do with living life among the people of Pelican Narrows. My heart has been touched by the tragedy and beauty that shows itself within this place.
"Come Down" is a song that I have found many people can relate to. That is wonderful because it was a collaboration between Josh and I. He had the music for a number of months knocking around in his guitar and I had the words set to a very cheezy piece of piano music. Once I scrapped the original melody and put Josh's southern gospel guitar style into the words it became something very catchy. It has a message of hope in spite of problems and I love to sing it after I share about the difficulties that many people face.
There is always light at the end of the tunnel!
One song I wrote that many people have been touched by is "Marie". If I had a recording of it this would be the appropriate time to do a link but I'll leave that for now ( :
"Marie" is a song I wrote about and for a beautiful young girl that spends time with me and my family. She has a sister and brother who also come around on a regular basis and it has been a humbling experience to view my problems in light of hers.
It was heartwarming this weekend when a fellow gave me a ring that lights up to pass on to my dear little friend I sang about. He said to share with her that there is always light in a dark place. I will be sure to do just that.
The songs I have written in the last year are mostly to do with living life among the people of Pelican Narrows. My heart has been touched by the tragedy and beauty that shows itself within this place.
"Come Down" is a song that I have found many people can relate to. That is wonderful because it was a collaboration between Josh and I. He had the music for a number of months knocking around in his guitar and I had the words set to a very cheezy piece of piano music. Once I scrapped the original melody and put Josh's southern gospel guitar style into the words it became something very catchy. It has a message of hope in spite of problems and I love to sing it after I share about the difficulties that many people face.
There is always light at the end of the tunnel!
One song I wrote that many people have been touched by is "Marie". If I had a recording of it this would be the appropriate time to do a link but I'll leave that for now ( :
"Marie" is a song I wrote about and for a beautiful young girl that spends time with me and my family. She has a sister and brother who also come around on a regular basis and it has been a humbling experience to view my problems in light of hers.
It was heartwarming this weekend when a fellow gave me a ring that lights up to pass on to my dear little friend I sang about. He said to share with her that there is always light in a dark place. I will be sure to do just that.
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