Sunny Sunday, Mother, and Music....

After the rain and wind blew itself out of the area on Saturday, Sunday dawned clear and warmer. Maybe since Mother Nature made her presence known on Saturday, she decided that since the humans wanted to pay more attention to her on Earth day, she would relent.

MFO was still feeling poorly, so I went over to Leonardtown Earth Day Celebration solo and took along the trusty Canon to see what was happening. It was kind of the usual “street fair” with various environmentally themed informational booths set up around the square..





But of course as usual one of the more populous booths was the face painting station



I think there is a requisite formula for these kinds of street things… You of course need the booths (and the face painting), but you also need music:





Fire equipment (new or old)



And of course classic cars (which i grew up with that are now classic, but i am not), although my first car WAS a '53 Chevy):



With open hoods to display the manly engines:



Hey! Wait a minute! What’s that? Upon closer inspection....



Kind of reminiscent of airplane art..

On the foodie side, there was cotton candy, the “hot dog guy”, and other snacks for the crowd. Lots of families, hopefully taking something home with them that will help reduce our impact on the aforementioned Mother Earth. Nice little fair.

I also checked out the new Leonardtown Art Center located on the second floor of a building across from the car dealer, behind the bank..



There are many spaces up there, and at present only about 7 artists have a studio. Eventually you will be able to watch them work, and look at what they are making. The people that are currently there have nice displays of jewelry, some wall art, and metalwork. I was going to take some shots, but there was some reluctance on the part of some of the crafters (who the hell are you? – just an amateur food blogger), so I refrained. They did, however take my card, so if they actually wandered by the blog (and are still reading) welcome. See foodie notes at bottom. Anyway, you might go check it out. Our little Leonardtown is growing - a most convenient place!

Music:

After coming home for a quick lunch, I made the short drive to Immaculate Heart of Mary church just down the road from me (past the demon infested lights and they are multiplying – more later). The St. Mary’s College of Maryland Choir and Chamber Singers were performing Brahms’ Requiem (It’s around Easter you know). They were being accompanied by the illustrious piano duo of Brian Ganz and Beverly Babcock, who loyal readers know are bright lights down here. There was also a special Soprano (Coleen Daly-Eberhardt) and Baritone (Bob McDonald), and Anthony Asero on the Timpani. Another star in our musical constellation, Larry Vote, was the director. Now some of those same loyal and alert readers might remember that such performances can drive the Feeder nuts. Handel’s Messiah is one of those, with endless repetitions of the same phrase, over and over, and over again. So, I was a little apprehensive that I was letting myself in for another of those sessions, but with musical talent like that, who could stay away. Well, guess what? Johannes got it right (take note Georg Friedrich..) there was some of that repitition but not bludgeoning. There were VII movements, and they were sung in German (with English translation in the program). I kind of thought maybe the end should be after the VI movement, but I bow to Johannes

It turned out to be a stirring performance. A full Choir 25 feet away, with Brian and Beverly playing four handed piano punctuated by the drums produced a wonderful experience. I even have to admit the soloists were quite good. There was such good interplay (music fans, I don’t have the words) between the pianists and the vocals, with intricate rhythms and so forth. And it is so enjoyable to watch Brian absorbed in the music he’s playing, with his head snapping up and down, putting everything into the music he’s playing, and I believe I even saw him with a joyous grin at one point. He just so enjoys what he does. He and Beverly work so well together (four hands, one keyboard!). At the end, there were multiple curtain calls (although there was no curtain), and it was apparent that Larry (to borrow a sports phrase) left it all out there on the field. He looked drained.

So ended the soggy and sunny weekend with nary a thing to do in Southern Maryland.

Okay - Foodie stuff..

I had a note from some very palate conscious friends that they had a good experience at Cahil’s Restaurant, the new occupant of the old Antiques Store/Tea Room in Leonardtown. Feeder has put it on the ever expanded list of “gotta go there”.

I didn’t report (and was reminded by FOJTE) on the John Glenn Dinner. For a 300 person plated dinner it wasn’t bad. It was at the River’s Edge Conference Center (aka the “new” officer’s club). They tended to serve ladies first (as they should) and didn’t plunk down the plates. The salad course was the low point, but the main dishes were not bad. If I have the faculties of John Glenn at 89, I will be shocked.

And another reader informs me that there was a cyclist Fausto Coppi in the war years.. Don’t know if he could cook.

and, lest you wonder, John Glenn was

DFD