Oh What Fun…

…it is to attend a Family Orchestra Concert at St. Olaf College.  The family friendly concerts are geared towards children and have become popular. We didn’t arrive early because we didn’t anticipate the crowd that completely filled the auditorium to overflowing. It was awesome to feel the enthusiasm in the room. 

Before the family friendly concert there was time for children to touch and feel the instruments (what I’ve heard called “an instrument petting zoo”). Children can learn a bit about instruments and meet the musicians. From our seats it looked like there was wonderful interaction going on between the children and the college students.

When it was time for the concert to begin everyone quieted down and one could feel the excitement in the air as the music began. The selections were upbeat and fun! 

The concert started off with the classic William Tell Overture and then a storyteller from Minnesota Public Radio (this is quality entertainment!) recited a story while the orchestra played “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” in the background.

Next the orchestra played a lovely piece from the movie Frozen. 

There was a children’s conductor contest and the winner stood on the podium, by themselves, and conducted the students playing “Do Re Mi” from The Sound of Music.

We were introduced to a Northfield duo who love to create children’s music. The two professors sang two of their original songs: one called “Underwear Spaghetti” and the other “I Love To Sing.”

The finale was Chewbacca, a Star Wars character, who appeared on stage and conducted the orchestra for the Main Title from Star Wars. It was fun, and a great animated performance by Chewbacca.

Chewbacca directing the St. Olaf Orchestra. photo by TA

It looked like the concert was as pleasureable to the student participants and conductor as it was for the audience. Everyone, young and old alike, seemed to be enjoying themselves. It was a thoroughly delightful time. I wish my grandchildren could have been there.

We left the concert with our hearts full of joy.

The Butterfly Cake

Children’s excitement is fun to experience. Our oldest granddaughter turned five in October. Since we missed her birthday party in Colorado, we decided to have a party when she and her brother came to stay with us for a few days in November. Her Minnesota cousin, aunt and uncle would help celebrate too. She was so excited.

I planned a butterfly theme since Zoey and I went to a butterfly garden last summer. I found butterfly plates, napkins and hanging decorations. I found pink butterfly wings, with a bit of glitter, for Zoey to wear. I borrowed a vintage cookbook with cake patterns from a friend, and found directions to bake and shape a butterfly cake.

Although the butterfly cake ended up with a broken, but mended, wing you couldn’t tell after it was frosted. 

The grandkids had fun helping me enhance the cake with sugar, sprinkles and candy. I think a good time was had by all.

Rosella

A dear friend of ours passed away a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, we were unable to attend her funeral. 

In preparation for our grandchildren coming to stay with us for a few days we brought out toys and playthings, including a play tent. 

The morning of our friend’s funeral our grandchildren asked to play with the tent, so we set it up for them and they were happily playing in it. And then our son asked, “Didn’t Rosella make that tent?” 

Why, yes, she did! 

I’m so glad he thought of that. How special that our grandkids were enjoying the same tent that dear Rosella gave to our own boys when they were young… and now happen to be playing in it the morning of her funeral. I think she was smiling from heaven.

Rest in Peace, Dear Rosella. You were very special to our family.  

First Snow

We woke up to three inches of snow. It was the first morning on a recent trip to Madison where I met up with my friend from Indiana. This was the end of October, and to see 3″ of snow was a little earlier than I’d like, but it was beautiful.

However, our plan that morning was to go to Olbrich Botanical Gardens and the snow only enticed us more…we were excited to see how the snow enhanced the gardens.

Three inches of snow.

It was a delight. The skies were fall blue, the air was crisp and the paths were inviting…we said we felt like we were in Narnia.

From an elevated platform in the gardens.

Snow covered the tree branches and plants and bushes…all outdoor furniture… and a gentle wind blew swirls of snow off the trees. The paths were mostly clear because the sidewalks were warm enough to melt the snow as it touched the ground.

A lone rose.
Still water.

After spending a good amount of time outside we finally got chilled and went indoors.

IThe snow had already melted off this fall display.

Once inside we walked through the warm, tropical conservatory with birds and butterflies. It was a great way to warm up our whole body.

Inside the warm conservatory.

Even though I’m not ready for winter to begin, the first snowfall of this season turned out to be a wonderful event. But I’m thankful we were in Madison and there was no snow back home in Northfield.

My friend Frances, and I.

Ploughing In Style

The other day as we drove by Memorial Park in Northfield we noticed the city snowploughs sitting in the swimming pool’s parking lot. And then we noticed the blades were painted with vibrant colors and wonderful pictures. 

We stopped to look at the interesting paint jobs. Later, I returned to take photos and to read the signs posted next to each machine, but they did not tell me what I wanted to know. 

But what I assume is this was an art project done by the students at St. Dominic’s School…in different grade levels. It seems a student created their own work of art by re-creating another artist’s painting. Then the student, or group of students, painted their rendition on the snowplough blades.

The ploughs were on display for a short while at Memorial Park. The signs next to each plough showed a photo of the original painting and told about the original artist. The student’s grade level were on the blades, but no recognition for the student artist(s).

It must have been a fun, new and creative way to paint.

I’m glad I was able to take pictures to show off the beautiful machines that will be clearing our streets in Northfield this winter.

A Barge At Alma

One fine, autumn day we went on a drive enjoying the country landscapes and ended up in Wisconsin. We stopped at the Nelson Creamery for lunch, and then headed to Alma and a small county park there, with an expansive overlook of the Mississippi River. The sun was out, the sky was blue and trees were an array of beautiful fall colors.

Beautiful ivy on Nelson Creamery’s outside patio wall.

While entering Alma a barge was approaching Lock and Dam #4. We decided to park the car and walk to the observation platform to watch the interesting process of moving a barge through the lock.

A view of the front of the barge entering the lock.

It was process. This particular barge, technically called a 9-pack barge because each unit is called a barge and when tied together they are identified as packs. A 9-pack barge is three barges wide and three barges deep. For simplicity in this blog I am using the term “barge” to identify the entire barge pack.

A view of the length of the barge.

The tugboat would not fit in the lock at the same time as the barge so the barge went through first, after disengaging from the tugboat. Once it passed through it was secured to shore while the tugboat went through the lock. The two were reconnected – the barge and the tugboat – and it continued on it’s way again, down the mighty Mississippi River, to the next lock and dam.

Overlook from Buena Vista Park in Alma, WI. The 9-pack barge waiting for the tugboat to pass through the lock.

It was interesting process to watch and it took over an hour. And this is just… one barge… on one section… of one river. This process is repeated several times a day for many months of the year.

Pleasure boats go through the lock and dam too. This boat waited a while before it could pass through.

In the meantime a train came rumbling through town on the railroad tracks and there we were, between the train and the river barge. It seemed like a lot of activity in this small Wisconsin town of 791 people. 

It’s interesting to stop and think of all the ways commodities are transported in this country…quickly or slowly…by boats, trains, trucks…mostly unnoticed… and the availability of goods taken for granted.

Colorful maple trees.

Nature, A Walking Play

We like to go to the theater. I’ve always enjoyed seeing plays. In high school – a very long time ago – I help with play productions, behind the scenes. We are delighted to have some great community theaters in Northfield and in towns surrounding us.

The other weekend we went to a very unusual play. It was held outdoors, in the Carleton Arb, and you walked from set to set. 

The inside cover page for the program.

The play was called “Nature”. It was the story of the unusual friendship between Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau, and the many twists and turns their relationship took.  Emerson and Thoreau were both writers, and promoters of the importance of our natural environment, and of connecting with nature in order to survive well. 

Nature was touring across the country and it happened to be in Ely, MN last summer when my husband was in the BWCA. The group of guys he went up north with took time out for some “culture” and they went to see this play. Gary learned it was going to be in Northfield and thought I would enjoy seeing it, so we got tickets. 

There were four different sets and we walked to six different scenes and the play lasted two hours. Gary suggested we bring our camp chairs and that was a good idea. The evening was cold and very windy but the play went on. 

It is a clever idea… a play about nature, acted outdoors… in nature. Another unique fact is the great, great grandson of Waldo Emerson was an actor.  His character was, of course, Waldo.

One of Thoreau’s more well-known books.

The tour has ended for now but it may come back again. They told us this was their 9th season.  The program states that the touring group is  “Collaborating with parks, arboretums, universities and communities across the county in this creative movement to reconnect with the natural world.” I think that is a great goal.  

The walking play, Nature, is unique, memorable and fun.

Moon Cathedral

Full moonrise over Lake Superior, September 2019.
A Moon Cathedral
by Valerie Bollinger
 
Looking out over the expansive dark lake, at night
Gazing at the full moon rising
Reflecting a sparkling path on the water
Streaming it’s light directly towards shore
Guiding my eyes upward
Resembling a cathedral between the trees.
Behold, A moon cathedral,
God-made, inviting praise for His beautiful creation.

Only in a Small Town

Fresh Eggs.

An additional story from the Tribute to the Eagles concert…

I happened to know one of the ushers working at the Tribute to the Eagles concert. During intermission I talked with her for a few minutes. She’s a friend that I have bought fresh eggs from in the past. During our short converesation she said, “I have an unusual question for you”…and proceeded to ask me if I needed any eggs. She had brought two dozen eggs to the concert for someone else to pick up but they didn’t show up. She thought I might be interested….and I was.

I paid her, she kept the eggs in the back room during the concert, and we picked them up when it was over and walked out of the theater with fresh eggs.  

Fun music and fresh eggs!

I laugh thinking this could only happen in a small town.