Those of you who came in recently may not know that I am a retired grade school band director. It’s been ages since I taught, but once a band director, always a band director.
There’s a fascinating post over at “Talk With Desiree” that I’d like you to go read. One of her children has been introduced to band instruments at school, and has been given the option of joining band. The band director has given the parents a page of reasons why a student should join band. I second all he has to say.
If you’re contemplating letting your child join band, I’m here to tell you to go for it! Now, go read what Desiree had to say.
Daily Archives: May 13, 2006
No More Stump
Well, the landscaper showed up this morning and took out the stump of the viburnum.
I was at the salon, and my mother called to say that the landscapers had arrived and were busy taking out the stump. They were originally supposed to have done it last Tuesday. It was rescheduled to Friday. No one showed up.
I talked with the landscaper’s wife and told her that I didn’t want them to work on the stump unless I was around. So much for communication.
So, when I got home, they were about two-thirds of the way done. I watched as they took out the rest. Unfortunately, I had to point out an arm of it they had missed, and you know that if I was able to see that one arm, there are others just below the surface that I missed.
I plan to add LOT of compost to the area, working it into the soil. Once the area has been cleared, I’ll plant new perennials and then mulch everything. Can you envision Bluebeard, Russian Sage, Sunrise Coneflower, and Homestead Purple Verbena leading from the brick walls out to the edge of the garden?
The last thing the landscaper did before he and his crew left was to plant the new redbud. We agreed on how far forward of the house the tree should go. We have the species that has just one trunk, rather than the kind that grows multiple trunks. It’s just a baby tree. It will be a long time before it fills out and shades the area again.
I’ve wanted a redbud for a very long time. Cop Car tried to help me out by transplanting several of the seedlings from her lawn, but we lost them over the winter. We’ll have to hope that this one lasts.
Red Hatters
Today was a Red Hat Lady day. We meet once a month, frequently to share a meal. It was gray and cold, with threatening clouds scudding low across the sky. Elegante Mother and I found the new restaurant, and made our way to seats, while we waited for the others to gather.
I had the opportunity to visit with one of the first women I met when we joined this group last year. Library Lady was in good form. We swapped a few stories, including the one where she beaned her husband with a guitar (she was crazed with fever……the flu, you know), and chatted about the situation in the USA in general.
It turns out that we have the same religious background. I was raised in the Congregational Church, and when I was a kid we sang the Doxology at each service. Perhaps some of you are familiar with it. It goes:
Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
The lyrics are by Thomas Ken, and they are sung to the Old 100th.
For several years, I sang in the choir at the Methodist church, where they sang the Trinitarian Doxology: Glory [be] to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Library Lady and I wonder why these doxologies have fallen out of favor at church. We both miss hymns that we grew up with, now that church music has become so secular. Does anyone have an explanation for us?
Our conversation wandered on to the government’s attempt to remove God from our schools and the government. My understanding is that fourteen per cent or less of our population is atheist, and they have succeeded in telling the rest of us that we can’t mention God anywhere but in church. The silent majority needs to stop being so silent. Our country was founded by people seeking religious freedom. Their religious background was a part of the government they created.
At this point in the conversation, the President in Charge of Vice jumped in, and said that she felt the government needs to put this issue aside and focus on things that really matter. We have Americans overseas in a war that is no longer popular. We have homeless who need help, people in the US who are starving, citizens who have no health insurance, and those who are still reeling from the effects of last year’s hurricane season. We could be focusing on finding other forms of fuel, and we could improve the quality of education.
See why I go to these meetings? I know the Red Hat Society is assumed to be focused on quirky apparel and frivolous pursuits, but with conversation like this, you can tell that we are not just a gathering of air heads. Join us. There are Red Hat Society chapters springing up everywhere. If there isn’t one near you, start one!
Library Lady…..thanks for the kind words about my blog. I appreciate the support.