Tuesday, December 11, 2012

FESTIVE NOEL

Julia Shelby, a San Francisco transplant, started Mountain Melody Womens Chorus in 2005. A bright star in our mountain communities is this all volunteer group of about 18 women, singers all, with two piano players and a flutist.   Shelby chooses  innovative music, with intricate, lively and echoing harmonies. What a treat.
.DSC04199 (Copy)

Also a treat, is Casa Terra Cotta, this beautiful mountaintop estate, loaned to the Calaveras Arts Council for the event. I was  grateful for the sun, but the time of day was brutal for photos.
DSC04201 (Copy)

I ran smack dab into my neighbor Judith, and friends I hadn’t seen in a couple of years, David and JoEllen Gano. A stranger grabbed my camera and offered to take a picture.
DSC04207 (Copy)

What makes the estate so enchanting, is the marvelous windows surrounding you from every direction, providing the best views from the mountain top, at  the same time making picture-taking difficult.
DSC04209 (Copy)

I concentrated on faces and the wonderful music. Dobru’ Noc, a Slovakian Folk Song
DSC04212 (Copy)

This Little Light Of Mine.
DSC04218 (Copy)
The Seal Lullaby
DSC04214 (Copy)

Nothin’ Gonna Stumble My Feet.
DSC04229 (Copy)

After the concert, we enjoyed desserts and wine punch and mingled with guests and members of the chorus. Michael VonErich sung the solo Mary Did You Know? Her deep resonant voice, and the words brought me to tears. I had to meet her, only to discover she is moving away from Mountain Ranch. She told me she grew up singing as a child with Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene, the guys who wrote the words and music to the song. What a talent she is. And what a loss to our community.
DSC04225 (Copy)

Maddie and I walked the grounds and enjoyed the views.
DSC04227 (Copy)

Some people stayed close to the outdoor fireplace.
DSC04231 (Copy)

We all got to sing for Marta Johnson’s birthday, another old friend I hadn’t seen in years.
DSC04235 (Copy)

On the drive home, Maddie and I oohed and ahhed at another birthday, these little newborn lambs on wobbly legs. We both wondered  why are these young lambs born in the cold month of December? We hope it isn’t from climate change, but in my yard I’ve seen a late fawn all through November. A strange year in so many ways.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello would you mind sharing which blog platform you're working with? I'm planning to start my own blog in the near
future but I'm having a tough time choosing between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your design and style seems different then most blogs and I'm looking for something completely unique.
P.S Sorry for being off-topic but I had to ask!
My site how to make fast money legally

Anonymous said...

Hey There. I found your blog using msn. This is an extremely well
written article. I'll be sure to bookmark it and return to read more of your useful info. Thanks for the post. I'll certainly comeback.
Feel free to visit my web-site ... How can i Earn some extra Money

Anonymous said...

Great blog here! Also your website quite a bit up fast! What web host are you the usage of?
Can I get your affiliate link on your host? I wish my
website loaded up as quickly as yours lol
Also visit my blog post :: top ten ways to make extra money

OverTheTopCargoTrailer said...

Hi Mary

I sent you a e mail with directions that will help reduce your spam, by adjusting your settings.

try playing around with those settings.