Tag Archives: music

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Ladybug Festival & Unity Wave

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ladybug-festival

This is what I am taking part in on Saturday. A ladybug festival! It begins with the release of over 100,000 lady bugs into the pesticide free gardens.

I will be performing and showing my art. Sounds like a fabulous lineup, with music, fire-spinners, belly dancers, and a ten piece funk band. What fun to be part of this! If you are in the Calgary area, please come by and join n the festivities.

I drove to Priddis to check out the grounds last weekend, and it is a quaint unique place, hosted by Kelly. Now help me set an intention for fabulous weather!

What strong energy these days with lots going on to head up spring! I am having a personal day from work, a chance to catch up on personal things, and get ready from the weekend. Looks like I will have time to work in the yard and get things started. Blossoms are starting to appear, and perennials are coming up.

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“Unity Wave was born in recognition of the need for an unprecedented response to coordinate a world wide, synchronized, outpouring of conscious intention.”

You will find me here in a few hours. UNITY WAVE will stream live, Friday for fifteen minutes, calling for healing and restoration of the Gulf of Mexico. We know about the power of deliberate intent, particularly powerful, when numbers increase.

Have a wonderful long weekend everyone!

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Sunday at the Market

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nuna'ySunday is a wonderful day to go to the farmer’s market. This group from South America called Nuna’y was playing. Slightly overcast though not cold, the breeze wove the airy Andean Zampoña music into my heart centre.

Harvest time and the last week for seasonal fruits such as cherries and peaches, I stocked up for one final fruit extravaganza. Found some lovely mini squash which reminded me of giant okra, fresh Swiss chard and sweet potatoes. Not sure what I am going to make yet but I can tell you chicken will be involved.

romeo-juliet-muralThis was a mural I was supposed to work on. I answered an ad on Craig’s List. The artist is William Lazos from Toronto, who has done a number of murals in that city and here in Calgary as well.

This is an ad for the Romeo & Juliet Ballet. I did take a drive by the mural this evening to see how the work was progressing. Looks great, especially with a backdrop of dusk. I was excited about the possibility of working on this, however the universe had something different in mind. 

hollyhocks tallI am now officially employed and thrilled about it! A long time in the works … and I have manifested a job which is right in line with my soul purpose. Interestingly enough two other opportunities presented themselves at the exact same time-but this one was right for me.

It took a long while to find the right place for myself and it was immediately apparent that this is where I am supposed to be. Everything just fell into place. The key to finding employment turned out to be aligning with my passions in an environment conducive to my creative nature combined with complimentary personalities. A winning combination for all.

 

They are appreciative of what I have to offer, and it feels like I was guided there. My job is administrator for a music academy the possibility of expanding into other roles.

I have a full heart of gratitude, and more energy flow than I have experienced in a very long time. And my hollyhocks have begun to bloom! It is a beautiful early fall day. Enjoy!

ATTENTION MUSIC CREATORS:

This is an important notice for music creators in regards to the Canadian Copyright Act being out of date. For the latest information on Canadian Copyright and a chance to send a letter to your Member of Parliament encouraging them to make Copyright Reform a priority.

You can send the letter as is or modify it by adding a personal message telling your MP how important it is to you that the Government of Canada SAVE THE LEVY.”

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Sunday Concert in the Park

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tompkins-park-bandstandThis was the stage I playing on this past Sunday right in the heart of Mount Royal on the Red Mile, where the heartbeat of Calgary lives.

Unfortunately no shots of me playing. I did one set on guitar and one on keyboard. A very relaxed enjoyable experience with a receptive audience.

The weather held up but if not, I still would have been fine in this lovely gazebo!

Green Fest continues in Tompkins Park every Sunday all through the summer.

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People wandered through, and visited the various vendors selling their wares. This is the famous automated restroom. Apparently when your time is up the door slides open. Too dubious for me to test out.

brown-eyed-girlsOf course I cannot go anywhere without snapping shots of flowers when the opportunity arises.

I have made a Artist Page on Facebook for my creative pursuits, so if you are on FB come by my page and become a fan!

The Perseid meter shower peaks tonight, so don’t forget to make a wish when you see the falling stars.

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Plan B

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Time stands still. Blessed dreams lie sleeping, their soft breath rhythmically rising and falling. The prominence of Orion’s belt overpowers the other constellations stimulating my curiosity.

The Arctic terns passed by yesterday on their migration south. The two shots I took were blurred unfortunately. Apparently these birds migrate from pole to pole! The were a glorious sight against the blue backdrop of sky. As I stood under the stars last night, silver dots graced the night sky, moving in a line and I realized it was must be night migration of more Arctic turns.

Spring Sparrow

This little birdie outside my window sat while her mate busily readied the nest for her, which one can see she is in dire need of. Ah the miracles of nature!

 

Moi PotluckSo I have applied for a number of jobs-more than 130, and actually I have come to the realization no one is going to hire me! Not for an office job anyway, although I am more than capable of doing the work. I thought this type of work would be steady and help me get caught up financially.

Embracing the fear that I may not be able to get a job in the traditional sense of the word, I realized that what I was looking for is not in line with my original intention. Apparently the universe is trying to honor my initial plan-and it took a while before I clued in.

I do know that I seem to be unable to manifest anything that is not in alignment with my heart’s desire, and my choices must be for the right reasons. Now it appears I have pin-pointed what was holding me back and I will revert to Plan B. Not sure yet what that entails or how it will all come to pass. I do know I must follow my bliss incorporating my gifts, talents and passions, and the money will come.

Tea Cup ReadingLast weekend I had a potluck to introduce my new house mate to my entourage. Had a few laughs, played some music-good practice for my upcoming gig in East Coolie, and read some tea leaves for fun.

You will find me taking photographs for a wedding tomorrow, and attending a friend’s birthday on Sunday. Not knowing what is about to unfold, I stand firm in my intentions with belief the universe has a better plan than I can dream up. Now … to get out of my own way as I head into uncharted territory. Ma Vida!

East Coolie Spring Fest

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Iced

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Sunflower IcedWinter continues. The severe cold temperatures have left us for the time being. Soon the light will increase and nights will grow shorter.

The snow eater winds have tousled trees and have brought the magpies out of hiding rattling bones and garden gates. An aloof sound welcomed on the tail of the wind. Though the temperatures are balmy, I still find myself warming my belly by the fire like a cat.

Where have I been? Expect to see more of me now. I renewed my Pro membership here at blogdotca, so I will be around. Besides hibernation, and sorting out my health regime, I have been busy with Artpoint Gallery, as a board member and volunteer. Hanging shows, working on upgrading the website, as well as working on the marketing committee which seems to involve everything but painting for the moment.

Tonight we attended a workshop with ArtPoint member Krystyna Laycraft on “Chaos, Complexity, and Creativity”. A stimulating presentation which was enjoyed by all. We have a marvelous group of people in our society, and I am thrilled to be a part of it.

I have booked my Annual Art Show for November in the Upstairs Salon at ArtPoint! So the paint brushes will be coming out soon! We have a group abstract show, and I will do some experimentation for that, followed by a Functional Art & Design show for the summer for which I will be teaming up with another artist on a couple of projects so stay tuned.

Me & GuitarThe full moon eclipse ushered in the dawning of the age of Aquarius which seems to have brought me into better alignment.

My plan is to execute what has been in incubation for ever so long. Much movement has been taking place below the surface and I am preparing to emerge from this shell. Busy times are just around the corner.

I am going to play at the East Coolie Music Festival which is coming up on April 4, near Drumheller. A benefit for the museum, this annual event is becoming a popular venue. It seems a fun way to get connected back into the music world. So I am practicing my chops for that.

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This N’ That

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weather

Spring NotNeed I say more?! Winter is back.

Just yesterday I was raking debris from the garden, and noticed a few lily of the valley shoots bravely poking through. Oh how fast things change.

Blizzard like conditions with a heavy snowfall warning. The moisture is welcome, as we have had a fireban already in this area. It’s really coming down out there, heavy wet sticky snow. Seems I got home just in time to snuggle in for the evening.

I am still resting up from last weekend’s show, when the temperatures hit a balmy 23C. Here are some more pictures from the art show including the musical portion. Yours truly, on piano Friday night, then Alan on piano Sunday accompanied my vocals. The conga player has managed to dodge the camera.

This was an excellent opportunity to test drive our potential as a musical duo. The prognosis is good. We both play piano, guitar and sing, so versatility will be abundant. Rehearsals begin next week. Playing it by ear, so to speak. Stay tuned.

Singing & PlayingSingingHibiscus & Me

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Playing with a Full Deck

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erv_deb

It’s my birthday! 

birthday

So now it’s official … at fifty-two, I am finally playing with a full deck. 

This picture was taken even before my first BD. At nine months old I was already trying out the piano-which is the one I eventually learned on, as did my mother. This is my grandfather and I. I was fortunate enough to inherit some of his musical talent. He played violin, saxophone and clarinet, as well as being a piano tuner when pianos were tuned by ear, not with electronic tuners.

During the depression, playing in orchestras by night, he earned two dollars a week, which was enough to feed the family. An electrician by trade, he also had a knack for divine knowledge such as how to charm off warts, finding water underground, fishing, and was a Freemason.

And once this surgery is behind me, which takes place on Thursday, I will be ready for another fifty-two. Oh … and it is driver licence renewal time. Once every five years, and it had to be this week, in the middle of a time crunch. Isn’t that just the way? Oh well … c’est la vie … happy birthday to me. Bring on the annual torching of the cake.
Cheers!cheers