Germ Alert!

This is me today. Except I don't have a cat, that's the only difference. Coughing, spluttering, sneezing, can't breathe. Better buy shares in Kleenex tissues, I'm getting through so much of it. I have a sore throat and my arms and legs hurt.
I think I'll snuggle down in my favourite chair in front of the fireplace and read my book. And sip on some hot honey and lemon drink.

Yes, you guessed, I'm feeling rather sorry for myself, as I HAVE A HORRIBLE COLD! I'll be back in 2015, germ free I hope.

Greetings of the Season

A selection of the lovely cards that have arrived in my mailbox over the past couple of weeks.... from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, USA and England.

I`m wishing all my blogger friends around the world a safe and happy Holiday Season with your friends and family, whether you celebrate Christmas, or Hanukkah, or Quanzaa, or Solstice, or anything at all. Enjoy!
And Happy Blogging throughout 2015.

Farmer Christmas

Yes, that's right.... not Father Christmas, but Farmer Christmas!

Every year on the first Saturday in December the little country town of Schomberg, Ontario, closes off Main Street, charges everyone $5.00 (kids are free!) to pass the barriers, and holds it's annual Christmas Festival. 

There are jugglers, fire eaters, magicians, singers, and rock bands. Blazing fire barrels to stand next to, in order to keep warm on a frosty night. 

Food stalls, firemen offering free hot chocolate from the back of the fire truck, a craft show and sale, carol singers, a parade for the children in the afternoon, and when it gets dark, the main event that everyone is waiting for...... the Enormous Farm Equipment Christmas Parade!

The local farmers, and there are a lot of them, decorate their farm equipment with thousands, maybe millions, of lights. The bigger the farming machinery, the better!

This tractor and hay wagon had revolving reflectors installed under the equipment making fantastic coloured patterns on the road.

This one had lights that went round with the huge wheels. I have to wonder how they do that, without the wires getting all tangled up. Must be Christmas magic, I think.

Here's a short video of a couple of the floats.... the maniacal screaming is my grandson Callum. Sorry if he hurts your ears. He was very excited!

Finally the Great Man himself arrives riding on an enormous John Deere combine harvester. 

We'll definitely be going again next year..... the best Santa Claus Parade EVER!!!!

Totem Pole

Back in 2009, the McMichael Art Gallery located in Kleinburg, Ontario, commissioned a Totem Pole from Haida carver Don Yeomans. It's on permanent display in the entrance of the gallery.

This magnificent red cedar Totem Pole incorporates images of the Raven, the Eagle and the Frog and represents totems of the Haida people of North West British Columbia. But even though these are ancient symbols of the First Nations people, modern technology is also a part of contemporary life.

The Eagle is using his cell phone.

Don't leave home without your iPod.

And closer to the floor, the Frog is emailing someone on his laptop.... but sadly I didn't take a picture of him. There's a photo and a description of the Totem Pole here.

If you have 22 minutes to spare, this video shows the creation of the Totem Pole from bare red cedar log to the finished item. Yes, it's a long video, but well worth watching. Make sure you watch around the 4 minute mark when the enormous log is split into two.



And here the carver Don Yeomans talks about the creative process and the installation.

Shibagau Shard

Shibagau Shard is a single 27 ton boulder of pre-cambrian granite. It sits outside the McMichael Art Gallery in Kleinburg, Ontario.

Shibagau Shard was created by Canadian sculptor Bill Vazan in 1989. Petroglyphs and drawn pictographs of the early First Nations people of Ontario have been inscribed using sandblasting. Stunning with a sprinkle of snow on it.

Michael Kaeshammer comes to Town

I`ve been a serial volunteer at my local theatre ever since the theatre opened about 5 years ago, taking tickets, showing people to their seats, making popcorn, selling CDs, picking up garbage, doing whatever's necessary. I get to meet lots of interesting people, and see all sorts of movies, shows and concerts. It`s only a tiny small town theatre as theatres go.... just over 150 seats when totally full, but it was sold out on Saturday for Michael Kaeshammer.

You`ve never heard of him? Check out this video. I chose a Christmas number, well, just because.

Michael Kaeshammer attacks the piano with a terrific enthusiasm, I was wondering if the piano stool would survive! His fingers are a blur most of the time, I didn't know anyone could play the piano like that!

He was accompanied by Paul on the guitar (amazing!) and a fantastic drummer (sorry, I can't remember his name). All three musicians worked off each other constantly with smiles and grins. They seemed to have a secret musical language between them that translated into a memorable musical evening of joyful boogie-woogie, jazz, R&B, classics and just about everything else.

And not only does he play an incendiary piano, he sings too. And he's very easy on the eyes!

After the concert and the CD signings.... a hug for the volunteers! Michael Kaeshammer is used to performing to huge audiences at much larger venues than our little theatre, I'm so glad he was here. Come back soon, Michael, that was an amazing concert.