i don't even know this woman

[ewein2412]

From the Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books review, by Karen Coats, of The Empty Kingdom:

"[Telemakos] is a future king in the tradition of T.H. White's fully human Arthur, a person of great strength, wisdom, and daring who is nonetheless flawed, perhaps fatally, by an inability to discern who to trust."

*dies*

This same reviewer called him "kingly" in her review of The Lion Hunter.  I don't know where she gets her conviction about his adult career but I love this woman.

--------------------------------

Sara's school gave their "Annual Festival Concert" in connection with Perform in Perth.  It went on a bit too long, maybe, but it was worth it (these performances always make me cry!).  A few kids did readings--set pieces from The Wind in the Willows and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe--and it really is beyond me to describe these clear young Scottish voices, unmiked and unafraid, declaiming across the 1940s dinner hall:

"Why, it's the ONLY thing!  There is NOTHING--absolutely nothing--half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats."

Our school had done very well in the Scottish country dancing competition--first place of all the teams in the Over Tens, and first place in the Under Tens as well as best overall in their category!  So we had a cup and a shield on display as well.  These were kids we all knew--some of the dancers were in Mark's class (the age of 2nd graders in the US) and some were in Sara's class (5th and 6th grade).   They performed in their school uniforms, navy skirts and white blouses, and the school navy-and-silver-striped tie.  Truly, truly a lovely thing to watch.

Sara is in the school choir.  They've had a sporadic smattering of rehearsals and didn't perform in competition, so this was really their big night.  They sang "Imagine" and "The 59th Street Bridge Song."  The latter was particularly charming.  Again, it made me quite teary--it is the only piece I remember playing in my first school concert, in 4th grade, on the flute in the school band.  And the reason I remember it is because the timing was so darn difficult to master, as a beginning reader of music.  So I reckon I had a special appreciation of what it took to get them all singing their parts together.  No words or music (as it should be)--they did it all from memory.  I thought they were great.

Next week Mark will have his moment of glory, as Pea 2 in "The War of the Vegetables."  I made SIX TOMATO costumes this weekend and THIRTEEN TOMATO HATS last Friday.  It will be worth going just to see the costumes!

Comments

[marguerlucy.livejournal.com]

The show sounds so cute!

I have to make about 50 puritan costumes, so I hear you. (I'd much rather make 50 puritan costumes to 12 tomato ones though. I am not so good with abstract/inanimate costumes)

[ewein2412]

all I had to do was sew up little red tunics and trousers, pre-cut by some previous mother-slave. The hard part, the stuffed plush cushions that they all wear on their tummies, was done by someone else!

[marguerlucy.livejournal.com]

Now THAT'S the way to make a dozen tomato costumes!

[tiboribi.livejournal.com]

You did the "Feelin' Groovy" in an elementary school concert? That's so cool! Mostly I remember doing things like playing Paganini with my bow upside down.

[ewein2412]

It was Steele Elementary in Harrisburg City!

It was actually an incredibly cool school at the time, though I did not come to appreciate it till many years later.

[mhari.livejournal.com]

nonetheless flawed, perhaps fatally, by an inability to discern who to trust.

Gee, I wonder why! :P

That is awesome.

it really is beyond me to describe these clear young Scottish voices, unmiked and unafraid, declaiming across the 1940s dinner hall:

Oh, squee. That's wonderful. And the 59th Street Bridge Song!

Man, that's a lot of tomatoes.

[ewein2412]

"Going to be the next TH White, are you?"

AHAHAHAHAHAHAH

[mhari.livejournal.com]

That icon + maniacal laugh = worries me. *g*

[ewein2412]

hee. it probably should.

[ewein2412]

*dies of hubris*

Pictures, Pictures!

[estara.livejournal.com]

I hope you took some anyway, even if you're not showing them to us.

And congrats on the great review.

And now I miss Scottish Country Dancing *sighs* though I was introduced to it in St. Ives, Cambridgeshire by a fellow teacher (I was there as a foreign language assistant) whose Dad taught it. They even took me to Burns' Night that year, which was great.
Everyone was willing to dance with the girl with not much of a clue (although I visited some sessions before and after).

Re: Pictures, Pictures!

[ewein2412]

I don't have any pictures yet--they are going to do individual ones which I may be able to post. They try their costumes on tomorrow!

I did Scottish Country Dancing when I was at university for two years--acutally I met one of my best friends that way. Everyone was *always* willing to dance with the girl with not much of a clue!

one of the amazing things about living in scotland is that there are certain dances that everyone knows--The White Cockade and The Dashing White Sergeant come to mind--because they all learn them in school. But then they always dance them at weddings and new year's parties and dinner dances.

Re: Pictures, Pictures!

[estara.livejournal.com]

You know, if they paid teachers over in the UK as well as they do in Germany, I wouldn't have gone back.

*nostalgic and slightly envious*