Monday Musings
Thinking About the 100th Anniversary of the Armistice — with reflections on Rilla of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery
Yesterday, November 11, 2018, was the 100th anniversary of the signing of the treaty that ended the 1914-1918 war, usually called World War I, known then as “the war to end all wars.” We all know now that although that name was filled with hope, that hope was quickly dashed. In ceremonies in many countries,…
Read MoreA Journey to America on NPR’s FROM THE TOP
I shared this post on my other blog a couple of weeks ago, but its message is so important that I wanted to share it here, today, as well. Music can truly be like a candle lighting the darkness, whatever darkness might surround a person. This post will show how music created light in one…
Read MoreCelebrating James McMullan
There’s a fabulous article in the December 2017 issue of Vanity Fair magazine that I want to draw your attention to. It is about artist extraordinaire James McMullan — as Vanity Fair calls him, “Performance Artist.” That moniker is a tribute to the many posters he has done for Lincoln Center productions over the past…
Read MoreFalling Over Sideways by Jordan Sonnenblick — Book Recommendation
Title: Falling Over Sideways Author: Jordan Sonnenblick Publisher: New York: Scholastic, 2016 Genre: Upper MG, Lower YA Fiction Audience Age: 10 to 14 Themes topics: Parental illness, stroke, family problems, school problems, dance, music Opening Sentences: I’m waiting in the wings, watching all of the fathers dancing onstage. Well, all of the fathers except mine.…
Read MoreDream
Quite some time ago, Langston Hughes wrote a poem called I Dream a World. Despite some non-inclusive language (it was from another era) it resonates with me. It begins I dream a world where man No other man will scorn, Where love will bless the earth And peace its paths adorn… That is a…
Read MoreCaring. Connecting. Changing.
Until earlier today, I was planning a different blog post. I didn’t get it written over the weekend, but was planning to write it first thing today. Then, this morning, I read the news about Las Vegas, and my plans changed. Last night, I attended an annual event in my city at which seniors are…
Read MoreThe Blue Whale by Jenni Desmond — Picture Book Recommendation
Title: The Blue Whale Author/Illustrator: Jenni Desmond Publisher: Brooklyn, NY: Enchanted Lion Books, 2015 Genre: Picture book, NON-FICTION Audience Age: 4-9 Themes/Topics: Whales, endangered species, reading Opening Sentences: Once upon a time, a child took a book from a shelf and started to read. He read that the blue whale is a mammal of gigantic…
Read MoreThe Ziegfeld Club, Inc.
You may have heard of the impresario Flo Ziegfeld (Flo was short for Florenz.) You may have heard of the Ziegfeld Girls from the early days of movies. You may be wondering why I’m posting about them today. It turns out that the Ziegfeld Follies aren’t the only thing that the Ziegfelds were involved in.…
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