Here’s a Moxy Früvous performance for those spouses whose loved ones always have a nose between pages…
.
.
poem-vicarious pleasure July 24, 2014
It’s been a journey of celebrations
seeing dreams unfolding
in flirtatious Twitter assignations,
watching joy unrolling
during this cinematic gestation.
And now, with keen anticipation
all around the Earth
One can feel the vibrations
from fans awaiting this birth:
an incarnation of literary creation.
.
Outlander comes to television! Premieres are being aired this weekend. It has been fabulous following along with author Diana Gabaldon as she has shared the fun from the moment the papers were signed and it was official that Ron Moore was turning her books series into an epic television series. We fans were part of the excitement as each character was cast, and I particularly enjoyed watching the delight sparkle in Diana’s eyes as she told me about being on set when she had her cameo!
My joy is vicarious, but it is a very genuine and thorough joy. It is just SO GREAT to experience the adventure of favourite books being transformed for a new media!
In case you don’t know, Outlander is airing in the US on Starz, in Canada on Showcase, and in Australia on Soho. In Canada, we have to wait until August 24th. It’s going to be painful as the American fans have 2 weeks ahead of us!
.
.
and here’s a little more information 🙂
harp tune-Suo Gan June 24, 2014
Here is Suo Gân, a Welsh lullaby, arranged by me and dedicated to David Prosser of the Barsetshire Diaries.
.
.
My paternal great-grandmother was Margaret Owen, born in Holyhead, Wales. She was married to Thomas Mosses of London, England. About the only time the two appear to have been together is on their marriage certificate. According to many years of census data, Margaret was alone from the time of the marriage onward. My grandfather was David Owen Mosses. I wonder if single mother Margaret ever sang this lullaby to young David?
.
(And if you happen to be a Mosses from Liverpool or London, I’d love to hear from you).
music-Skye Boat Song on harp May 29, 2014
Here’s a little break from ranting poems or pugilistic poetry! In honour of the upcoming Outlander TV show, here’s an ‘arrangement in progress’ I’ve made of The Skye Boat Song, which I’m betting is incorporated into the TV show theme.
.
.
For the technically curious:
I am playing a double strung harp. (This was definitely easier before I had bifocals, though it was challenging enough then). There are three octaves on each side of the harp, tuned to the same notes. 44 strings in all. This is a low-head Celtic harp, in the style of the famous Irish Brian Boru harp or the Scottish Queen Mary harp. It is also known as a Scottish clarsach. Specifically, mine is a Brittany harp, built for me by Stoney End 15 years ago or so. (When I bought it the Canadian dollar was around 70c US, so it was pricey!) It still has its original strings! This says it’s a tough little harp, and that I’m a lazy harpist (some people change strings a couple of times a year, to keep the sound bright). It is made from a lovely, shimmery grained cherry and has a Baltic birch soundboard with a pretty inlay strip at the base of the strings. It keeps its tuning brilliantly- rarely needing more than a titch of adjustment here and there. This is a rare blessing in a harp!
Here are The Skye Boat Song lyrics as I say them to myself while I’m playing (which does not in any way imply they are the correct lyrics!)
Speed bonny boat like a bird on the wing
Onward the sailors cry
Carry the lad that’s born to be king
Over the sea to Skye!
Loud the winds blow
Loud the waves crash
Ocean’s a weary bed
La la la la
la la la la (< < < < pretty sure those aren’t the right lyrics)
Watch o’er your weary head
oh (That’s the soft D sounded to start back into the chorus)
Speed bonny boat… (etc)
I always thought somehow Flora McDonald was on this boat with him, but I think that’s just me.
I promise OJ the standard poodle is only sleeping, though he certainly does look dead. He is snoring now, in the exact same position.
video poem- Measuring May 10, 2014
Here’s a video poem I made for a presentation on issues in standardized testing for my Faculty of Education Master’s class on assessment at University of British Columbia (Okanagan campus) (aka UBC-O).
.
poem- real estate April 8, 2014
The Canada Geese
have taken up penthouse accommodations
in the osprey platforms.
Two lady geese on two platforms
watch the cars pass on the highway
enjoying the view,
liking this nest.
They’re distant neighbours
proud to be moving on up.
I wonder how that will go
when the ospreys return?
.
.
(Ospreys are raptor type birds that like to live beside lakes and rivers where they are avid fishers, are partial to building their huge nests on the T-bars of power poles. The hydro company and/or local naturalists, build platforms beside tempting poles to relocate them to safer premises. The ospreys will return to these nesting sites year after year. Apparently, the geese like them, as well! This video is from the other side of the country, back in 2011)
poem- Vernazza memories December 29, 2013
We sat down in an Italian restaurant tonight, and I looked up at a photograph of the view from our apartment in Vernazza. This led to reminiscing about the lovely town.
.
Vernazza:
I dream Italian nights
above your breakwater
and the good-night chimes
of the church bells.
.
(Here’s a sample posted to Youtube. I loved listening to the 9 p.m. bells. Not so much the morning bells! lol Such a beautiful place).
.
video- wonderful start to Christmas November 24, 2013
This is absolutely delightful. Florence Baptist Temple in Burlington, Kentucky, USA sure put on a great show for their Singing Christmas Tree! These young men are quite awesome. In honour of the beginning of the Christmas season: Enjoy!
.
Remembrance Day- Eric Bogle’s And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda November 10, 2013
Here is my other favourite Remembrance Day tune, also by Eric Bogle. The marching in April that he refers to is for ANZAC Day which is the memorial day for Australian and New Zealand troops fighing in Gallipolli during WW1.
This video was put together by a Canadian teacher for a Remembrance Day assembly at her Middle School. This song represents so much: Respect for those who fought. Sadness at the loss of young lives. Desire for peace to keep it from happening again. Frustration that we still have war.
I remember in the 1970s when I’d go to the cenotaph with my dad, how sad it was that fewer and fewer people attended every year, but these days, it’s heart warming how large the crowds are. So many families with small children attend, which they didn’t when I was a kid. I was used to being the only young person there, aside from the cadets .
Enjoy this one. It’s poignant, powerful, and beautiful.
.
Shawn L. Bird 
political statement- BC teachers’ strike June 26, 2014
Tags: BCTF, strike, teachers
This is why teachers in BC are on strike.
I find most people in our community understand that we’re out for a reason and they are *very* supportive: bringing us food, coffee, waving, honking, etc.
Occasionally people shout “Get back to work, you lazy SOBS!” (Not many- about one or two a day) We are sorry the education system was able to teach these people neither how important it is to research an issue before you articulate an opinion, nor how important it is for people to stand up for themselves against illegal actions from their government. We’ll stand up for the kids of even those uninformed people.
For details, here is a very entertaining and accurate presentation about why every working person in BC needs to be alarmed about this government, why teachers voted in such numbers to walk. If they can do this to the teachers, they can do it to you.
.
.
I am the BCTF.
Share this:
Like this: