Our garage sale. Sigh! A little over three weeks ago we held a garage sale. My first ever!! My neighbor, Nicole, came and worked it with me and that was a big help. We ran it from Thursday to Sunday with time off for church. My mother had talked about having a garage sale, the last couple of years of her life. She was really feeling the burden of her “things”, at that point. I was so very glad that she never had to come to the end of the money road. She would have been mortified. I know she was so afraid of becoming a “burden” to us. I always hated hearing her say that.
Anyway, I digress. Our sale went well and here’s the kicker. Because the weather was rainy on that Friday we extended it to Sunday - June 12th. Mom’s birthday! So ironic, eh? We still have a ways to go to get things cleared out. Purple Heart will get a lot of the things we did not sell.
I “Craigslisted’ one thing that I had that did not sell. It is an antique Chinese Wedding Basket. My friend, who lived in Hong Kong for about 9 years, brought it to me, on the plane, when I got married to Hubby #1.. It is a three tiered decorated wooden box that, traditionally, people filled with food or presents to the wedding couple and then presented to them.. I got any email and later a phone call from a lady who said she was a casting agent for a TV show called “Hardcore Pawn”. This, apparently, is a reality show – on TruTV – that is based on a Detroit pawn shop and the family who owns it. They also buy antiques and this woman searches for interesting items to present on the show. Their TV crew films there and this woman sets up folks to come with cool items to sell. They don’t tell the owners which are the walk ins and which are the set ups and so they can film their true reactions. She has asked if I would like to be on the show with my “basket”. I would show up at the place and see if they wanted to buy it from me. Haven’t heard back from her to see if the show producers wanted to go with it. Stay tuned!
This past week, we completed the first session of the Summer Theatre Camp series. Twenty five Kindergarten to third graders assembled and we worked with them to produce a show this last Friday. Mal worked it with me and ran the spot light fore the show! They did a marvelous job!! We both had to miss most of the first day as I needed to get Mal in to see the doctor. She had a bad case of strep. Ug!
Two Sundays ago,Father’s Day,was Music Sunday at our church. This is the end of the choir season and the last hurrah for the musicians till September. We go to a soloist format till then. This also signals the one year mark for Steve and he outdid himself! We were able to pull off some rather amazing music. He put it all together. In place of the sermon he pulled a number of readings and pieces that surrounded the idea of Creation as mediation.
Here is what we did..
Prelude "The Bringer of Peace" Gustav Holst – this was the organ prelude
Introit "Look at the World" John Rutter
And then…. Musical Meditation "Reflections on God in Creation" with readings by Susan Palo Cherwien, Gwen Frostic and from scripture
Not sure if you know the name, Gwen Frostic. (I pulled this off the Internet – it says it better than I could!)
Frostic was born in Sandusky, Michigan to Sara and Fred Frostic. When she was 8 months old she suffered from an unknown illness which left her with lifelong symptoms similar to cerebral palsy. Despite physical difficulties Frostic showed an early interest and aptitude for art. In June 1924 she graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School in Wyandotte, where she was known for using a band saw to create event posters for her school. She continued her studies at Eastern Michigan University earning her teacher's certificate and gaining membership in Alpha Sigma Tau sorority. In 1926 she transferred to Western Michigan University and left in 1927 without completing her degree. She continued her artistic endeavors in metal and plastic, while occasionally teaching, but with the war came a lack of metal to work with and she turned to linoleum block carving. Frostic then turned her linoleum block carving into stationery goods and prints which led to her starting her own printing company, Presscraft Papers. In the early 1950s Frostic opened up a shop selling her prints, books, and other items in Frankfort and in 1960 she bought 40 acres of land in Benzonia with the intention of moving her and her shop. On April 26, 1964 her new shop was open for business and she lived there until her death in 2001.
Frostic was granted several honorary doctorates from Alma College, Eastern Michigan University, Western Michigan University, Michigan State University, and Ferris State University. In 1978 the governor of Michigan declared May 23 as Gwen Frostic Day in Michigan. In 1986 she was inducted into the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame.
Western Michigan University named its school of art after her in 2007, after her 13 million dollar bequest to the University in 2001. the Gwen Frostic School of Art. While given as an unrestricted bequest, the funds have primarily been used for scholarships for students and for the benefit of the arts and creative writing departments in particular, in respect to her lifelong pursuits.
Her prints are still used to create lovely cards, books and prints and her shop is a lovely nature preserve as well. It was the Gwen Frostic prints in his apartment that first told me that Steve was a quality guy! Mom and Dad loved her stuff and we always went to her place when we went up north. She was an amazing woman!!
"SONGS OF NATURE" Robert Young/Lew Sarett – Two sections "God is at the Anvil" -"Hang Me Among Your Winds" - really lovely pieces!
"FROM LIGHT TO LIFE" Aaron McDermid/Susan Palo Cherwien -"Earth" -"Fire" -"Water" -"Wind"
This was the killer piece. Lovely, simple poetry and very difficult music. Written for a choir of 50 (actually the National Lutheran Choir) we did it with our group of 19!! The four sections examine the four elements as God’s creation without worshiping Creation itself. It went very very well considering how long we had to get it ready!
"The Rain is Over and Gone" Paul Halley - a large part is my solo (It always beings down the house!)
Offertory "The Creation: In Native Worth and Honor Clad" Haydn (We have a great tenor!)
And to finish… Steve on the organ Postlude "Festival March" Humphrey Stark
It was a memorable day and the congregation was so moved. I was proud to bursting over all that Stephen accomplished. By the way, I sang very well too! We were the stars of the day – and humbled by the outpouring of love from our brothers and sisters. It made up for all the craziness of the week. We felt very blessed and very loved – rich indeed!
The one bad note was that Mallie had to stay home that morning. She was not at all comfortable when we got home and we got her in to the doctor and on medication. She recovered nicely once we got some meds into her.
That's the latest and greatest! This morning has been a delight - cool, quiet (sleeping child) a good book, a good cuppa and all is well. Happy Summer y'all!
