EVENING CALLED

Nature called,
Come walk with me.
Drink in evening's bedtime beauty,
Bask in the reflected mirror of the night,
Reach out and touch her dusky silhouettes, her silky shadows,
Dip your fingers in the crimson palette tossed across the sky.
Come walk with me,
And let creation touch your soul.

Big Box Story

Last evening I had a rare privilege...one of the things that I love about Stratford.

A senior student from Stratford Central Secondary School wrote a musical called Big Box Story. It was a sell-out hit when they put it on at the school this past year. Our mayor approached the Stratford Shakespeare Theatre to see if they would work with the students to enable them to re-create it on one of our professional stages. So 38 of our teens had the opportunity last night to perform in front of a packed and cheering house at the Avon Theatre. All of the proceeds from the evening are going to the Foundation for the Enrichment of Education. It is a win/win situation for sure, one that shows the spirit of this wonderful community.

Keep your eyes open over the next few years for the upcoming career of Britta Johnston. She seems destined for great things! Her first musical was amazing. Who knows what will be next!

Art in the Park

Every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm, weather permitting from June to September, you will find an array of artisans exhibiting their work on the greens along Lakeside Drive between Front Street and the Arena. For forty-one years now this unique show has allowed regional artists to display and sell their creations in a beautiful setting under the trees. Photography, paintings, sculpture, jewellery, wood, clay and glass are all for sale.With the artists being present to chat and share about how the pieces were created, for any art lover this show is definitely worth the drive to Stratford.

SHADOWS OR LIGHT?

This morning on my walk I was captured by shadows. Intricate patterns tossed like quilts on the ground casting beauty on pavement as much as on the clean cropped lawn of my neighour.










Life has its moments of shadow...layoffs, illness, accidents, death. Is there a way to look at these life events and see the light creating patterns on the dark, rather than focussing on the darkness obscuring the light?

This is the walk my pastor's family treds right now. As Ben is getting weaker, they are choosing to focus on life. In the words of his mom, they brought him home to live, not to die. Instead of existing in the hospital, they are living together at home. What an inspiration they are to us all...a lesson on facing life's challenges focussing on the light.

Mirrored Pleasures

This morning dawned crystal clear and the river beckoned. As I walked down the Nile Street hill, the water displayed an absolutely perfect reflection, a sight we often don't get to see. The rain that we've been having lately has done a better job than Windex in shining up the mirror Avon.

Reflected landscape


Mirrored water fowl











Reflected dragonboats and heron


Reflective thoughts:

On my way around the river I met a new acquaintance who chose to walk with me for a while, and later I encountered two friends whom I hadn't seen for a long time. My Stratford is indeed a place where pleasure often seems to come in double measure.

The Cormorants Are Back

We have seen them before. A group of about nine invaded our Lake Victoria area a couple of years ago. Yesterday on my walk I noticed they are back, so far just three that I could see.



Already the top of the tree where they roost is getting bare. Cormorants have been known to strip vegetation, as well as endangering other species such as the blue heron, and eating large quantities of fish (the equivalent of three perch a day).




It will be interesting to watch this saga as it plays out on the Avon this year. I'll keep you posted if things change.

Summer Music in the Park

August 7, 2009

A lot of things have been happening around town during the past twenty days. Let me tell you about some of Stratford Summer Music's outdoor events, where costs are covered by donations rather than ticket sales.


Three or four times a week one can sit on the grassy knoll by the boat house or on the ramparts of Veterans Park and listen to “Barge Music” performed by world class musicians. TorQ Percussion Quartet were amazing as they entertained us with a variety of xylophones and drums. I was sorry to miss the Chameleon Barbershop Quartet, as I heard from those who attended that their show was a lot of fun and not entirely “Barbershop-y”.

The Sax-O-Matics Quartet, added humour and a wheel of chance as well as fine musicianship to their presentation.





On the Holiday Monday, now called Simcoe Day, I wandered down to Lower Queen's Park to enjoy the OLG Bluegrass Blowout and classic car show. For six hours from mid-afternoon until dusk, one could enjoy the music of five different blue grass bands. There was lots of delicious food from various Stratford restaurants and cafes, a sectioned off Beer Tent area,
and a large area for people to set up their lawn chairs, and mingle with friends.




As the evening progressed, the open area in front of the stage became a spontaneous dancing area for many young children who were there.

What I like most about these events, aside from the music itself, is the whole sense of community that arises from people relaxing in nature and sharing a common experience.

This feeling is part of the wonder of my Stratford.