Folsom Park

Yesterday, Mom and I went to Folsom with some of her friends to attend the Folsom Quilt Guild's annual Quilt Show. I spent some of my most formative years in Folsom--we moved there when I was nine and my parents finally quit the place when I was in England--aged 26. It's the longest my family has ever been based in any one city or town.

We don't much miss it. It's a nice enough place, but it grew too fast and now it's a nightmare trying to navigate the place.

Anyway, it was fun to see the city park, next to the community center where the show was held. A beautiful new library was built in the park a few years ago, but the old miniature train remains, and the gazebo, and a war memorial that my dad helped to make happen has been expanded.

The new library.

Watch out for dangerous mini-trains!

The war memorial.

The rock and the largest plaque are there pretty much because of my dad. The rest was added later.

I once read a poem from this gazebo, the day they dedicated the war memorial. I had written it and Dad liked it so much he put it in the program. It went something like this:

Here I stand,

Proud and tall

To be seen by one,

To be seen by all

I show the past,

The laughter the tears

Of memories gone

Lost in the years

I show them

Of young men gone

Destruction of war

As life presses on

I stand here

Proud and tall

To remember one

To remember all.

I was twelve or thirteen when I wrote it.

The flags (U.S./California, the POW/MIA flag, and one for each military branch) are a nice addition.

I don't know the significance of the dog-type animal in front of the library.

I was glad to see that 1) the train still runs and 2) it had a decent number of people riding it on a weekday.

Then, of course, there are pics from the quilt show. I can't sew to save my life but I appreciate the time and effort that goes into these incredible quilts. They are works of art, and the women (and men!) who make them should be proud of their work.

The ladies queued like Keane fans would queue for a Keane gig.

Mom and I used to know the lady who made this one (her son was in band with me at FHS).

Even the lunch options were classy. (This is Folsom we're talking about.)

The quilt above was quilted in red thread--gorgeous.

This is fabric. It is not a painting. It is a quilt. I was there, I saw it. It's really, truly a quilt.

We had a lovely day out, and it was nice to visit my "hometown" (if a woman who has moved about 27 times in her life--okay, so I'm exaggerating a little--can have a hometown) for a few hours.

Tuesday Tea Time: Valentine's Day

I got on Google to find tea ideas for Valentine's Day. I came up with the following gorgeousness.

All You has these darling chocolate pots, and simple white tea cups with heart embellishments and heart cookies.

These Martha Stewart cookies are adorable:

These cupcakes (I don't know who to credit!) are not only adorable, they look pretty easy to  make.

Monday Music: The Temper Trap (with Mumford and Sons)

Dear Maayan sent me this via Facebook a few weeks ago because it features Mumford and Sons. I was blown away by the song (called "Down River") and have listened to a few songs by The Temper Trap a few times and I really like them.

This song is awesome, and with the added banjo and accordion of M&S, it's just...well, awesome.

Random Pictures

I've been meaning to do more "Week in Pictures" posts, and I've just been too preoccupied with other stuff to remember to 1. take enough pictures of each week and 2. actually blog them. So tonight, I'm making a post of random recent pictures...what I've been up to.

Why yes, I *am* renewing my passport (which expired in 2008). Why? No particular reason, but I think change might be in the air this year and I want to be ready for all possibilities.

Harley: Huh?

Millie: Mom, I need to check my Facebook. Log off NOW!

Yes, I decorated for Valentine's Day. This is the inside of my front door, with vintage Peanuts cards and decorations.

Swimmy sometimes rides along in my purse. For someone who loves green so much, everything in my purse (wallet, coin purse, cell phone, camera, even my lipstick and Kleenex packet) is red. Even my two lanyards have red in them.

I took a cake to our Primo Primavera yesterday. Vanilla with vanilla frosting.

New running shoes--this excited me just as much as a new pair of Steve Maddens would, because now running isn't quite as painful as it was getting to be in my old, worn-out shoes. Plus, these ones aren't filthy like my last pair got to be...yet.

Aren't they spiffy? There's supposedly all kinds of science behind the support and arches and the New Balance N supposedly has some kind of "locking" thing--Gershom once explained it all to me when I bought my first pair and I half-listened to humor him. I don't understand how it works, I just know that it works. These shoes make running so much easier than any regular department store shoe I've ever used. Getting fitted at Fleet Feet = the best investment ever. P.S. I totally wiped down my counters before cooking on them.

So lately, I've been getting mail from someone thinking I'm a senior citizen. It makes me laugh.

One trip to Safeway just to get a new box of Tetley after using the last bag. I take my tea very seriously!

Nothing beats a cool sunny winter day with a hot pot of tea while relaxing on the sofa.

I sent five identical Half Moon Bay postcards out into the world--one to Sarah in England, one to Amanda in Holland, one to Maayan in New York, one to Lindsay in Michigan, and one to Aaron in Idaho.

Primo Primavera

Another incredible day with Chorale.

Today was our Primo Primavera, a full-day of rehearsing, getting to know each other and other musical shenanigans. Like our Autumn Avanti, it was a busy day, an active day, and I am absolutely exhausted tonight--in the best possible way.

My voice continues to improve and grow as I listen to and learn from Magen. I hit a high D today, which is remarkable, considering that one year ago, B-flat was my limit, and that was that.

What do I mean by all this?

Think of the first C, at the very left of the keyboard above, as Middle C. This is near the middle of the piano (hence the name) and it is a note that most people can sing--on the lower end for sopranos (though I can sing a full octave below it, thanks to teaching high school boys how to access their baritone range for two years). The next C is right in the passaggio, that middle part of the range where women go between chest voice and head voice. The third C is a note that a year ago I hit on "good days." I sailed it out the first time I sang for Magen, last July. She told me what note I'd just done. I laughed and said, "That note is one I only hit on a good day!" She just smiled and said, "I think it's more of an every day note for you."

Since then, I've learned to access the little black key next to that high C (C-sharp) and now, today, the next white key after that C, the infamous high D. I actually over-shot it in warm-ups today, leaving me to wonder if I don't have D-sharp and maybe even E coming one of these days.

How thrilling!

I've always been a Second Soprano. Choral directors would listen to me and say I had a pretty soprano voice, but I am a mezzo-soprano--that mid-range soprano who can sing some higher notes and really shouldn't be stuck in an alto section. Magen is the first director who has made me understand that I actually do have those high soprano notes within my grasp. Through Chorale warm-ups and the tricks she has taught us, she has helped me find a way to sing those notes. I certainly don't sing them every day, and the highest any of our Chorale music ever really goes is a B-flat (fine by me).

So for the first time in seventeen years of singing, I'm a true soprano. I've been assigned to sing the higher parts whenever the sopranos have a divisi in the music. It has been liberating, and thrilling, hearing my range widen (I have about three octaves; not bad, really) and finding that I'm getting stronger and stronger all the time.

Case in point--after the Autum Avanti, I could barely speak. Today I came home a bit raspy, but a cup of tea and  a quick shower put me to rights. And the raspiness only started in that last hour of rehearsing.

Aside from my geeking out over my improving voice, the day had many other fun parts. I had been asked to coordinate a couple of getting-to-know-you activities, so I put together two fun games. The first was one of those "Find Someone Who..." lists, with such things as "Find someone who knows all the state capitols," or "Find someone who does not have a Facebook profile." It was quite amusing, and I had many people test me when I said that I do, indeed, remember almost all of the capitols.

"Montana!"

"Helena."

"Washington State!"

*smirk* "Psh. I lived there for a year. Olympia."

"Dang, you're right!"

The second activity found me giving everyone a puzzle piece. I had printed some coloring pages of musical instruments onto card stock and cut each one into 8 pieces. Each different image had differnt styles of cutting--one puzzle had round cut-outs, another square, another zig-zag, etc. It made it easier for groups to find each other. Once their puzzles were assembled, they had to chat with their group and tell them something interesting about themselves. I ended up without a puzzle piece, and as I ran around from group to group, I saw people laughing, chatting, and working together to put their puzzles together. I think they enjoyed themselves.

We capped off the day with a marvelous pasta dinner from a local restaurant (I'm still burping garlic, hours later) and more opportunities to chat and relax. I got to know a few new people, and was reminded, yet again, why I'm not miserable in Stockton. (Forbes magazine is at it again!)

Sappy Keane Blogging

I got up this morning to find (thanks to the lovely Sarah) that a new item had been posted on Keane's official site. This posting gave me three reasons to smile:

1. The boys are supporting Red Nose Day 2011, a British day of charity that is loads of fun for a terrific cause.

2. The post (and accompanying picture) was used to announce that Jesse Quin is now officially a member of Keane (since 2007, he's been the "touring bassist," though he's been on the last two albums and is working with them on the one in production now). In most fans' hearts, he was already a member of Keane, and I was just as excited to meet him before the Mt. Desolation show in October as I was to meet Tim and Richard in July. He's an incredibly talented musician and absolutely lovely in person. I'll never forget him responding to my smile and wave has he walked past us with a big grin and a wave back.

3. THIS PICTURE (photo credit: Bryan Adams):

From left to right: Tim, Tom, Jesse, Richard in their Red Nose Day t-shirts.

I kind of really, really want the Shakespeare one.

This picture (view it in full size here) is so full of win, I can hardly contain myself. It immediately brought a smile to my face which hasn't left all day. Tim's Buddy Holly glasses and terrible hat, Jesse's shoes (worn throughout the Mt. Desolation tour), Richard's ridiculously cute hat and "I'm so tough" expression (this is the man who Tweets pics of his cats, volunteers for Amnesty International, and hugs fans, so we're not really buying it, Dickie), and Tom's stylin' jacket and cute face. The only thing that would make this picture better is if they had red noses on their faces.

Anyway, it's been a while since I blogged about "my boys," and this is just too awesome not to share.

Not Very Bloggy

So many blogging friends seem to have lost their blogging mojo lately. I'm one of these people. I had my fun "Remembories Week" and I've kept up the Monday Music posts, but otherwise, I just haven't felt like blogging.

Continuous grey, foggy weather didn't help. I've been in my usual mid-winter slump, where even keeping up with my eBay shop is difficult at times.

I seem to be digging my way out of it. After being publicly chastised by one G. the Meanie yesterday, today dawned with a determined Meg ready to go for a run and do some weights. I had my best run in a long time--only a mile, but no walking, no stopping, no major pain (yay new running shoes!). I did some upper-body resistance training and 30 minutes on the cycle. I felt really good afterwards, and this afternoon, instead of staying on the couch for hours and hours, I actually got up and listed a bunch of stuff in my eBay store.

Maybe it's just a January thing. January seems to just be a rough month for me, in general. Now it's February and I have a nice visit with Mom and Dad to look forward to (next week). I'm starting to dream up some ideas for job possibilities. Things are looking up!

Now, if I can get my blogging mojo back, I'll be really happy.