344: Pipe bands

Each year in December there is a Pipe Band contest in the Square. I always like wandering through when it's on, and listening to all the goings-on. This is a local group of mainly young ones, getting ready for their performance.

And just because I am getting to the end of Project365- a bonus shot- this time of an older band preparing their way...

RWC in Palmy

We have just a few days to revel in the excitement of local games for the Rugby World Cup here in Palmy- but we have made the most of them!

On Wednesday before the Georgia-Romania game, there was a roadshow in the Square, with lots of "bouncy castles' for people to have fun doing their rugby thing on. 

Plus there was a concert, and The Nerines were one of the bands on stage-

 with my godson on lead guitar

 

and his bro on the drums...

Yesterday afternoon there was another free concert in the Square. A local group did the warm-up honours at the start, and these local kids were having fun jiving in the aisles.

Then Hollie Smith performed with her own special sound...

 and Dave Dobbyn came last, a superb performer, much beloved by the crowd.

This morning I woke to hear heavy rain on the roof for the day of the Argentina/Georgia game.  But by the time I emerged from swimming lengths at the Lido it was warm and sunny, and hopefully the showers will hold off for the game...

 

I was struck by the contrast of posters as I headed towards the Square. I would have used this as my 365 photo for today, except that the Argentinians were all so lively in the Square!

 Some Argentinian supporters- I've got their photo and they've got mine!

 

And many thanks to this young lad who was kind enough to pose for me...

 I presume this group were being interviewed for Argentinian TV...

 These guys didn't exactly bring along a diminutive version of their flag!

 This guy was wearing a Brazilian flag, but he was made welcome by the blue&white flag bearers!

Just missed the posed shot here- local police were kind enough to pose with some Argentian supporters beside an Argentinian bus...

274: Dave Dobbyn

 

Lovely spring day for a wonderful free concert in the Square here in Palmy today. Headline act was Dave Dobbyn whose music was superlative. First time I have heard him live.

Just as well I got this photo when I did. People at the front in the part of the crowd I was in stood up- no more view. Creeps.

Music in the City

It's been winter storm time here in Kiwiland- at least ten days worth of it... but just in time for the Rugby World Cup Roadshow outside in the Square here in Palmy yesterday morning, it cleared. This first photo is of the MAD group- Manawatu African Drummers- performing before the daylight had quite arrived. They are being filmed for TV... The Manawatu Community Choir also performed, just a little bit later.

One of the other tents in the Square had the UCOL students cooking a free breakfast. Yum! Thank you- the early start meant I had left home without breakfast.

This morning brought a super frosty surprise:

...but there was another special event on downtown, that fortunately didn't require quite such an early start. It's lunchtime, but the foodcourt at the Plaza is looking suspiciously full all the same don't you think?

Hmmmmmm what are all those people looking at?

Surprise! I think it's a Flash Mob!!!!! Yeeeahhhhhahah- such fun. I have always wanted to be part of one of these! Where's the next one Jen??!!

And with the Flash Mob over and done with, we all just 'melted away' as you do with these things. I imagine some thought it weird- but hope that many enjoyed it as we did. I crossed over at the Square to see this lovely bed of polyanthus being cared for by the Council gardeners, who bring us colourful joy even in winter...

I carried on walking up Broadway to find an international event in full swing outside Downtown. Here is the Japanese drumming team from IPC in full swing.

And this dancing group was also from IPC: this dance is a traditional one performed to 'cheer people up'.
After our recent storm, such a dance was great to see while standing outside in the sunshine. It made me think of the seismic events that have affected lives in Canterbury and parts of Japan so badly this year, and the many people that are in need of something to cheer them up.

Just to finish, a small bit of movie of this dance:-

197: Downtown

There was all sorts of excitement downtown today. There was even a Flash Mob in the Plaza. Yeeeeehhhaaaaah. Manawatu Community Choir. And then outside the Downtown Complex, there were Japanese drummers from IPC doing their thing as I walked past... After a very frosty start to the day, everyone was just hanging around, enjoying the sunshine, and the entertainment.

155: Posters

It is quite dreary outside this morning- no sun- bare trees- looks like winter. So it was good to see this cheerful lot of posters that promise some varied winter entertainment.

106: Drum Kit

Preparations have been underway today for my godson's 21st, and I have been doing the paparazzi thing, camera in hand. This random shot is of my godson's brother's drum kit... nothing to do with the party, but I liked the shapes and the lighting...

Fitness....

Those who know me from 'other blogs' might know I broke my distal radius aka the wrist 'nastily' mid-year, and I've had to be careful about what physical activity I've done for a few months. Walking the flat streets of my city is easy enough, but I've completely lost confidence about tackling some of the hillier, less predictable paths nearby. But the time has come to 'get over it'!!

The irony of all this self-protection is that today I fell over- not on a steep, uneven track, but at home in my back garden where I was too busy taking a photograph to notice the step in the way. Fortunately, whether my brain was protecting my wrist or just my camera, I managed to fall sideways along my arm rather than hand-down, and all is well!

So tomorrow morning I am planning to rise early and head up one of the rural roads that I used for 'training' for my last Camino. I imagine the soles of my feet might slightly complain by the end of it, but I am looking forward to being outdoors walking in the countryside for a few hours.

When I 'trained' and also when I walked the Camino, I carried a few short bits of inspiration each day in my pocket. (Except I learned not to do this when it rained: those particular bits of paper fell into pieces in my shorts pockets and never lived to enhance another day's reflection.)

Tomorrow I have chosen a song and a poem to 'accompany' me. The song is "We say thanks", a song by Fr Chris Skinner off his 'Awesome God' album. Thankfulness was something I realised I had to practise when walking the Camino. It was sometimes too easy to think about problems like sore feet /ankles, rather than remembering to be thankful for all the gloriousness in the landscape, the kindness of the people etc. And the poem I am carrying is 'Why I Wake Early' by Mary Oliver. It is always a special joy for me to walk early when the world is still waking up for the new day. But it has already gone 10pm here, so if I plan to walk early, I need to head off to bed pronto!!

Confession time! OK so I never woke up early- and my grandiose ideas of walking a 22km circuit had dropped to a more manageable three hour walk by the time I left home!!! But it was quite a 'symbolic walk' really: I walked up Kahuterawa Rd to the intersection with Green's Rd. And this was the very same walk I walked on my first  'training' walk in late-2007, getting ready for the Camino in April 2008... Hopefully this a beginning for my next Chemin!  (Some more photos from the walk are in my 'everyday' blog!)

Walking- a purpose....

 

people enjoying an autumn walk along a Christchurch beach

I think that our bodies are made to walk. And walking in the outdoors brings me a special joy, and a sense of thankfulness. A long walk brings a rhythm and simplicity of living that I deeply treasure. It is 'right' for me to walk, simply walk.

These words from the song  "Be Mindful" by Fr Chris Skinner SM perhaps 'sum it all up' for me:

 "There's a dance our bodies long to dance

There's a song our voices long to sing

There's a dream our  planets dreaming of

Sing and dance her dream upon the earth"

You can read the rest of the lyrics of this song here. The song is found on his Collection album.

In 2008 I walked along the Chemin de St Jacques from Le-Puy-en-Velay to Santiago. I never ever worked out whether I was a pilgrim, or 'just' a long-distance-walker. But I have since decided the question is not of any relevance or importance for me: the walk was what it was.....

Christmas Food Court Flash Mob, Hallelujah Chorus

Opera Company of Philadelphia "Hallelujah!" Random Act of Culture

H/T to Ironic Catholic, but I gather it is all over the blogosphere. I would love to sing in a massed choir version like this!!!

'The Prayer' for Haiti 2010- Classical

Beautiful version of the song 'The Prayer', sung by a selection of popular classical singers.
H/t to Paul Snatchko
Sorry I don't know how to make the embedded version fit properly for this. You can go directly to YouTube here.

Heading to the South Island

School holidays! And I decided this time that I would head south and hopefully catch sight of both friends, family, and some snowy mountains.

First though there was a performance of Starlight Express to see in Wellington. I knew little about the musical, but Georgia, who was one of our young Sound of Music stars, was having her debut into professional theatre so I was hoping to catch sight of her. And catch sight of her we did: turns out there was some illness in the cast, and she was performing the role of Ashlea. And didn't she do well!! I loved the show- it was such a vibrant spectacle. The cast were incredibly well drilled and energetic, tearing around on skates for the whole show. The costumes were stunning, and the lighting was really effective. The songs, that were of various 'pop' styles, gave me plenty to laugh about, and there was all the melodrama of cheering for the underdog! We all loved it.

Next morning it was time to rise earlyish for the ferry across Cook Strait. I have to say, I quite liked watching all the commuter car lights stream by, knowing that I was heading off on a wee adventure rather than to work.
Given some of the weather recently, I was hoping it wouldn't be too rough.... and as it turned out, the Strait was almost like a millpond.

Before I knew it, we were sailing in past the treacherous looking bits of land at the edge of the Sounds
and we were soon sailing through Tory Channel where we saw the other Interislander ferry heading northwards.
Hardly any time later we had docked at Picton, and the ferry doors opened ready for us to drive off.....

The Lilac Fairies

Recently I had the opportunity to become a Lilac Fairy. Surely not, you say? Weeeellllll, I guess not really. But we all found the chalkboard description on our dressing room door so delightful, nobody wanted to replace it....
This is actually how I looked in full regalia. Yes indeed, I entered the convent. Well, er um, briefly, just for a few weeks.
And here are some of my companions in crime in the alto seconds. Yes, of course, we were involved in a very famous musical. And I am certain you can probably guess which one. (No, not Sister Act.)

And here are some wee miniature versions made by a couple of my fellow nuns in 'recreation time' in the dressing room.
Regretfully we have now all left the convent, miniatures included. But I am sure if an opportunity for a reunion came along, eg Sister Act.... we'd all take up the habit again in a flash!!!

Happy New Year 2009

HAPPY NEW YEAR Y'ALL!!!!!
OK just cos we are 'early' here to welcome in the New Year.... here are some photos from how we rocked in New Year 2009 in Palmerston North Square.

There was a great party in the Square in downtown Palmie, and the crowd had a really good vibe. Lots of families, lots of people of all ages. First photo is of the two 'vocalists' from Abba Addiction who started singing soon after I arrived, about the same time as a shower of rain arrived at about quarter to eleven. Fortunately, the rain never came to anything much.
By the way, all these performance shots are taken via the wonderful big screen.....I couldn't see the stage for all the young ones dancing;-)

With about twenty minutes to go before midnight, the act shifted to a group called Sound Workshop from Hamilton. They'd performed earlier in the evening as well I gather, before I arrived, and were back on stage by popular demand. They rocked!

They were really energetic and a whole lot of fun to watch and listen to.
Their drummer enjoyed turning on a show.
And this vocalist seemed to really enjoy what she was doing.

It seemed no time before the countdown clock was whirring it over for the last minute of 2009 in our part of the world.
And then the fireworks began from the top of the Council Building. Such an ugly building usually...... nice to see it can look attractive for once.



And then when the fireworks were done, Sound Workshop took to the stage again so everyone could rock on!