Dame Kiri Te Kanawa from New Zealand, one of my favorite opera stars

Public TV station WILL over in Champaign-Urbana was doing a fundraiser offering various gifts for contributions at certain levels.   The station was showing Andrew Lloyd Webber's 50th Birthday Celebration Concert featuring celebrities such as Sarah Brightman, also one of my favorites and the first Christine in Phantom of the Opera  who was married to Webber at one time. The concert was spectacular so I decided to give at a level to receive a video of the concert. 

Most of the performers were unknown to me.   Kiri Te Kanawa from New Zealand took my breath away.   Here she celebrates her 67th birthday in song and videos that span her life to include pictures of her kayaking in New Zealand.   She and her husband adopted (Kiri is adopted) two children both of whom are adults -- sadly her husband left her after 30 years of marriage.  Though an international and beloved diva, she has not had an easy life. 

THE ART OF HEARING HEARTBEATS by Jan Phillipp Sendker

Gretchen recommended The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Phillipp Sendker.  The author writes a  story about two young people who fall in love in Burma.  Julia and her mother find a love letter written by Julia's father to a woman who lives in a remote village in Burma.  Julia decides to travel there to learn about her father's past and coming to terms with his mysterious disappearance.   The love story between a sightless young man and a cripple is astoundingly beautiful.  

A Day of Sorrow

The killing of 20 kindergartners and 6 adults today in this tranquil New England town has devastated me. 

The Second Amendment (Amendment II) to the United States  Constitution is the part of the United States Bill of Rights that protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms. It was adopted on December 15, 1791, along with the rest of the Bill of Rights.

What are we going to do?  Years ago Ed asked one of his students from Thailand if he would ever want to move to America.  The reply?  Oh no, there is too much violence in your country.  

Linda Smith's Recent Pantagraph Column

I sent my picture of the Frost Flower to my gardening buddies one of whom is Linda Smith, a Master Gardener and also a well respected horticulturist.  On Saturdays, Ed and I look forward to her weekly Pantagraph column. 

She emailed me about doing a column about this miracle of nature and asked if she could use my picture.   

Macy's Balloons, Thanksgiving Day Parade

Kermit the Frog

It takes about 100 people to handle one of these giant balloons with each handler holding a rope which takes quite a bit of strength.  If I were 20 year younger I would definitely want to pursue how to be part of a team of handlers.  Hec, I could stay at Uncle Bumpkin's.   All handlers must be at their given spot in the parade at 4:30 am. 

Google Doodles

Ghana Elections 2012

The cleverness of the "google doodles" gives me a reason to pause.  Some are interactive giving people like me who like to fool around on the computer a chance to see what happens if you click on certain part of the doodle.  It seems as if google doodles are showing up more frequently.  Nice to see celebrating a facet of history on the front page whether it be a person, place or thing.  

Thanksgiving 2012

My First Frost Flower!

A friend at UUBN brought Frost Flowers to my attention several years ago.  They are created from the ooze, a kind of sap, from several plants, one of which is White Crownbeard (Verbesina virginica).  But the miracle is this:  My friend gave me two White Crownbeards which I planted in the spring and they did fine all summer until last week  I noticed they were gone, probably due to a critter finding them to be a delicious treat.    

But today, while taking a walk I found a Frost Flower on the site of the eaten plants.   No plants -- but a beautiful miracle of nature.  

Turns out the flower is formed through the root and a very small stem which sometimes may not be visible.   

A Nice Day in Pontiac, IL

We drove up to Pontiac today to check out the Amtrak station because when the girls are here over the holidays, we are going to ride the choo choo from the new Uptown Normal Multimodal Transportation Center to Pontiac, a mere 45 minute ride.  We wanted to check things out so Little Red Car had an outing on a beautiful autumn day.  

Oompa checking schedule

Just like at Six Flags!

Meema posing for a picture.
  Sign is about Jesse Fell.  
He planted 
many trees in Pontiac
 just as he did in Normal.

What a beautiful courthouse! 

 

Nicholsons and Us to Kauai Next February, 2013

After years of badgering our dear friends about how much we think they would adore the northern shore of Kauai, they decided they would join us in January 2013 for a trip to the Garden Island. Both Vicki and I are breast cancer survivors.   We like to cook!  John and Ed graduated from Colgate, however Vicki and I are surprised thee two gentlemen received their diplomas because we know about some of their wild escapades.   See the Ugandan paper beads Vicki and I are wearing? 
We wish Kate and Bill Burnell would come along.  Maybe another time.   Bill is the third reprobate of the Colgate trio.   Kate is also a breast cancer survivor.  

 

La Traviata IN THE SYDNEY HARBOUR

Several weeks ago at the Palace Theater located five minutes from our house, I had the privilege of watching La Traviata performed on a large floating stage IN the Sydney Harbour in real time via the marvel of cyberspace.  Unbelievable performance! Even if you are not an opera lover, you may enjoy the hyperlink above. 

This performance held special significance for me because we have been fortunate to have traveled to Australia twice.  Once I cried in the Sydney Opera House after a performance -- can not remember what we heard that evening but it was symphonic.   I did not want to leave.  An attendant asked us if anything was wrong and suggested Ed and I return in the morning when the gift shop is open so he he could buy me a beautiful pin of the Opera House.  I treasure the pin.