Calling all Sisters

Sometimes you just enjoy What Is

My hope was to stir up a sister overnighter at my house

Our own little bed & breakfast

Life happens and the result was

just Jana and I got a night together

Well, OK, I can totally enjoy that

You know it was a monumentous occasion

because I cooked!

Taco Soup . . . . Yum. . . . Lots of it

Then talk talk talk

We missed the presence and stories of all you absent sisters

maybe next time

There was plenty of soup for all of you

As tends to happen with book loving sisters, we next came to the quiet part of the evening.I pulled out an armload of the latest books

and we meandered and dived into whatever interested us . . . .

til we couldn't stay awake any longer.

I lasted til 11

Jana must have found the best book

as she stayed up til she finished it!

1:30 am

There were no Cheetos in sight at this gathering

and no chocolate toasting

to absent siblings

Obviously I was prepared with the chocolate

but there were no takers
Not a sugar day, you know

In the morning,we trekked together on one of my walking trails

before we said goodbye.

* * * * * * * *

So if we all were together

and compiled our memories with the journal prompt of

"Childhood scents"

How might the list start?:

Avon scent of mom's kiss

Jergen's lotion

Noxema

Friday night scent of hamburgers, well done

sour staleness of my metal lunch pail

dark burnt scent of chicken beaks severed by a hot wire debeaker

earthy smell of hay on a hot day

new cement when house was first built

slick scent of heavy cream at the top of a bottle of whole milk

hot clean sheet and towels from the dryer

Chanel #5

Baby powder

Crayola wax

Mom's cedar closet

wet feathery smell of the egg washing water

cold icy scent of the walk in freezer

new Christmas doll plastic

brown toasty shuck scent of Uncle Ross' corn on the bonfire coals

What are some of your childhood "scent" memories?

Special guests at my school

Dramatic Lizzie brought her mom and baby Levi to my school.

We had a Youth Theater troupe doing a version of Hansel and Gretl

for our school kids.

I thought Lizzie might enjoy that.

She was a dedicated audience!

Laughed and gasped in all the right spots. :o)

After, the cast let me take some pictures of Lizzie with their

clever set.

I think Lizzie's outfit kind of matches tne lollipop forest.

You'd look sober, too, if you had to stand that close to

that ominous oven!

We got some puppet time
in grandma's office after the production.
Pink-cheek Levi had just awakened from a mini nap.
Lizzie is giving us one of her drama faces.
Beautiful mommy Candice is surrounded with love.
Thanks for coming to visit, sweet family.
It was fun to share some time with you.

But Can He Dance?

Another music blessing. A friend invited me to join her at a performance of the Boise Philharmonic Symphony. I didn't know if I was music savvy enough to even enjoy it.

A listening feast

pluck, pluck of deep vibrating strings

bowing zest of First violin

Most fun of all:

Watching
the conductor

His beat pattern

not a pattern at all

but

a dance

of wrist turns

Swaying and bowing

from the waist

Reaching his long arm

into the viola section

then swooping left

til he faced the first violins

Bouncing up and down on his toes

with hand drawing

legato waves

in the air

Leaning

Swaying

Air poking

A singular black-coat-with-tails

ballet

with all musicians

in synchronized response

I was mesmerized

Art Invitation at School. Part 1

Art privilege!

I was invited to join a 6th grade class last week.

They were beginning a water color project as a Mothers' Day gift.

(flowing color with "boulders")

Last year I drooled over the kids' art results,

oo-ing and ah-ing.

(yes there was purple in them)

So this year, the volunteer teaching the project invited me to join in.

Yea! I thought that would be a therapeutic thing

for the counselor to learn to do.

I only got the first stage done

before I had to leave the room.

If I can get finished, maybe I'll share here.

I think the kids were tickled that I had enough interest to join them.

Performance night---RS Birthday Celebration

Adrenaline was seeping into my veins

even before it was time to sing

I could feel my heart beginning to beat faster

Breathe deep and slow, LD.

We had finished our dinner and now were seated in a packed chapel.

As usual, there was a room full of friendly sister chat happening

almost over shadowing

the harp duet prelude

which was lovely

(prelude, not the chat din)

I had disengaged from my own greetings to my pew mates

wanting to be ready for any start clues

There would be no one standing to start the program

It would just be our Mary Jane standing to "soprano" our beginning.

I kept turning to peek at her, two rows behind me.

I'd lift my eyebrows and mouth

When are we starting?

She'd shrug and mouth back

Have to wait til the harps finish.

Oh yeah, that makes sense

Did you bring your pitch pipe?

No, she said, then she lifted into view

a tiny hand held something

that had her beginning pitch recorded for her to listen to

Good luck hearing that over the hum of voices

A sweet friend knelt in the aisle beside me

saying

I want to talk to you about that trip coming up

Call me rude

I turned my face away from her

looked up at the podium area and said

Can't talk now

I need to concentrate

Moments later

she understood

Harps finished

Sister chatter began to lessen

I turned to look back

There Mary Jane was

on her feet

in full voice

THE SPIRIT OF GOD . . .

whispers quieted

I locked a tight focus on my sheet music

determined to come in on the exact right count

On my feet

belt it out

with the power of angels

THE LATTER DAY GLORY BEGINS TO COME FORTH . . .

We're in the zone

and it just got better and better

as the whole chorus joined

then the whole congregation of sisters

Amen and amen

The sweet element of surprise

Strength of voice and testimony

Beauty of glorious harmony

Tenderly thrilling

Totally satisfying

Ah . . . . .I was thankful for such an opportunity

I Noticed That, yes I did.

Last Rehearsal Coming Up

Hurrah! I get to do some singing

I have been asked to be part of a women's chorus for

this week's stake RS birthday event.

I assumed we would be a huge chorus like last time I joined in

Nope

There are 16 of us, 4 per part.

We are singing an arrangement of

The Spirit Of God Like a Fire is Burning.

I don't know if I am spoiling a surprise

for those who might be attending

Stop reading if you are going

and

want to be in mystery!

Remember food court version

of the Hallelujah Chorus

you saw in December on Youtube?

Yeah, that one you played over and over again

feeling thrilled each time . . .

We are using that model.

We will be dispersed throughout the audience in the chapel.

On some signal

one of my gorgeous-voiced soprano friends

will stand up

and

sing the first line a capella

I stand up next and join her

still a capella

adding alto on the second line

piano enters next

then the rest of the chorus

one and two at at time

We rehearsed from our scattered position

for the first time last Sunday night

Wow . . .

That was electric

in a spirit blossoming way

I can't wait to get to perform.

One more rehearsal

then

a heavenly experience

I wish you all could be there

What's for Lunch?

Now that's a HUGE salad!

This is standard fare

as my school lunch these day

At least for as long as the honkin' bag of spinach lasts

after each shopping trip

I am making a conscious effort to get more veggies and fruits

into my day
It takes a little longer to prep in the morning

chicken cooked ahead and frozen

some chopping, grating, bagging

It feels good to be making healthy choices for my body

What are you doing for yourself today that feels just right?

Come Fly With Me

It's a week long celebration of Dr Seuss at school.

I've never quite gotten into Dr.Seuss

but I am into cute purple wings

and imagining how fun it would be to fly!

On "Wacky Wednesday" we got to wear any wacky thing we wanted.

There were lots of spray colored hairdos in crazy styles,

mismatched shoes and socks

odd combinations of fabric and clothing parts.

I wore my awesome purple wings.

I toured many of the classrooms,

scoping out the fun variety

and complimenting the kiddos on how focused

on their work they still managed to be.

If you want instant feedback:

Go to kindergarten.

I walked in.

I heard gasps and,

"Oh, Mrs. McKinley,

I LOVE your wings!"

Somehow, I knew they would. :o)

I wore them while I taught in 4th grade all morning.

When I went back to do some work in my office, I retired the wings.

They were made to fly

but not quite made for sitting in an office chair!