Roots and Wings

Roots and Wings was the name given to the concert that Warren and I attended Thursday evening.  The concert featured Simon Estes, a choir made up of selected high school students from our county, and a young man returning to college in hopes of becoming a performer.  For a finial selection the choir sang the Battle Hymn of the Republic with Estes.  That is an experience that they should not soon forget.  I know the adults in the audience will not. 

Simon Estes sang several Africian-American spirtiuals, I Got Plenty O'Nuttin' from Porgy and Bess, You'll Never Walk Alone, Ol' Man River and maybe my favorite Without a Song.

Our small county needed to raise about twenty-one thousand to cover this event and they got around twenty-five. There were two $5000 donations.  I forgot to purchase our tickets early so when they arrived we were not seated together.  Warren took the ticket with the seat that was front center three rows up.  Our thought was that at intermission we would switch seats.  Lucky for us the seats next to him were no shows. So I joined him right before the performance began.  At the age of 73 Estes still has a magnificent bass-baritone voice.  Our tickets included a reception afterwards.  Warren took my picture with Estes.  He is a very gracious man. 

Friday Simon Estes spoke to all county high school students on “Your Dream is the First Step to Success”.  It followed with a question and answer session. Simon Estes is doing this in all 99 Iowa counties.  He truly gives back to his home state.  Monies raised will be go to his scholarship program for promising your artists and local scholarships programs. 
GREAT Evening!!

Irish

The closest I can come to being Irish is my second Great Grandmother on my mother's side.  Grandma Lucy who I have been told had red hair must have inherited it from the Emerson side of the family.  So today I celebrate being a wee bit Irish. 

Pictured is Mary Ann Emerson daughter of Joseph Emerson and Elizabeth Carr both obelieved born in Ireland. Now if I win the Ancestry trip to Ireland I will see if we can find out more about them.  If not I will just buy more of the Irish Nicholas Mosse Pottery that I collect. 

Cardinal

Since last fall we have had four Blue Jays.  I assume there are two pairs.  For the past week I have not seen any of them.  I am wondering where they have gone to.

In the fall we would sometimes see one lone male Cardinal. This winter we have not spied him at all.  Then yesterday I saw him and then later a small female cardinal.  I hope that they are a pair that have taken up residence.  Did he do a reconnaissance in the fall and after finding her convince her to take a look at the perfect place he found?   


I hope they find the food to their liking and our trees to their preference. 

Picture courtesy of National Geographic 

March ~~~~~ the Month of the Lion and the Lamb

March is not a winpy month. 

It teases us with glimps of spring

Then leaves us chilled to the bone by wind

Neverless it it the beginning of our

Goodby to Winter

Soon

In a month or so we will see this!!!