House Concert

Have you ever heard about a house concert?

I hadn't until my niece Ally went to one.  It sounded phenomenal; absolutely an evening I would love.

It is an old tradition that is breathing new life into the music scene.  In past centuries, music was played in people's houses or salons.  Prior to recorded music, most people only heard music played in someone's home and often a member of the family played an instrument.  It was only during the time of Beethoven that halls were specifically built for musical performances.

We probably all have had the experience of listening to high school rock band (or punk, am I dating myself here?) playing in someone's basement or going to a kitchen party if you're Irish.  Here's one on Youtube...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1j6ETXwvK4

House concerts are held by people who love live music and are willing to use a space in their home for musical performances.  These are professional musicians often playing their own compositions acoustically in a very intimate setting.  Mostly these events are not advertised, except by word of mouth, underground e-mail list kind of thing.  If you ever get the chance, I urge you to go!  There is usually some kind of a "donation" system that pays the artists.  

On Friday night, I attended a concert that was a potluck, BYOB event.  The hosts, Rob and Annie had their living room transformed into a music hall with a stage, sound system, lighting and stadium seating.  I kid you not.  There was a lot of carpentry work that went on so everyone got an amazing view.  The food was fabulous and the artists were amazing.  It is so cool to get to know the singer/songwriter and to hear the stories about writing every song.  I didn't take pictures as I was a first time guest (a music hall virgin, I was told) and didn't want to be rude.  I definitely wanted to be invited back!

Going to something like this, out of my comfort zone and spending time with people I have never met before was a great experience.  Even though it may seem small, to me it was an adventure.  Everyone was friendly, the hosts were so welcoming, their house is gorgeous and the musicians were great.  I walked out of there like I was lifted up by clouds of pure joy.  Listening to music, stripped down to the essentials was absolutely the best.

Faye Blais

JD Edwards

Rob films the concert and posts some videos on Youtube.  Ones from the concert I attended aren't done yet but I've added a couple of links here so you can get an idea.  I'll add ones of Faye and Trish and JD when they are on-line.  Enjoy....(highlight link and right click and choose go to)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnxdDZUuybY&index=26&list=UUxINyqTZTCPVFf8QB9ymb4g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipuyP3RxIX4&list=UUxINyqTZTCPVFf8QB9ymb4g&index=2

Videos of Faye

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhPixKQV99Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYsAUA8gBB8

Julie

Naked Niche

I've been in a quandry about my blog...do I?  don't I? should I? shouldn't?

Talking to Jen from Muddy Boot Dreams and reading her post about Naked Niches brought me a lot of clarity.  You really need to stop now and go read this post, otherwise you won't really get what I'm talking about.  Jen was so eloquent that I'm not even going to attempt my own explanation.

Naked Niches,  I like that.  I'm a Naked Niche blogger and I want to continue to be; only more so.  (See I told you to read Jen's post.  Now you're worried I'm going to start posting indecent pictures of myself.  Trust me, no on wants that.  Get back up there and click that link!)

Taken with my laptop - I hate having my picture taken!

When trying to decide if I was going to blow this whole blogging gig, I was asking myself all the wrong questions.  Am I wasting my time?  Is anybody out there reading this?  Are my posts at all interesting?

Instead, I needed to go back to basics; strip it down so to speak...and ask Why do I blog? and What's in it for me?

I sorta fell into blogging backwards.  A few years ago, I heard about blogging on TV.  I read a couple of newspaper articles.  I, somehow, found my way to Miss Mustardseed and Cozy Little House and Chris Kauffman.

At the same time, I was teleworking and set up a monthly dinner party with some girls from work.  I thought it would be good for me to stay in touch so I wouldn't begin to feel isolated (and I could catch upon all the gossip!).

I had also made up a little binder for my nieces and nephews with my favourite recipes as they were starting to fly the nest.  All this led to me setting up a blog, Dinner at Julie's in order to share my recipes with family and friends.  I never considered anyone else finding it or bothering to read it.  This blog followed to share home decorating projects and just kind of morphed into a my every day life blog.

I'm definitely not a Firstie, I don't have a big following, no advertising and don't feel compelled to post every day.  I really don't want any of that to change but I do need some changes.

I want to combine my 2 blogs under Julie's Little House. One blog is more manageable.  I want to be more naked.  I am definitely a TMI kind of person and have felt myself constrained by this medium but I'm saying to heck with it.  I am going to share more me, warts and all.  Because really, I blog for me.  Kind of like having a diary but everyone knows where the key is hidden.

When I stop and ask myself what makes me follow my favourite blogs, it is their authenticity.  It is the sharing of their lives, the feeling of becoming friends when you have never met them.  So I'm going to start sharing some of my favourite blogs with you too.  It's how I met them in the first place....getting introduced through other blogs; reading a comment and going to their site because I liked what they had to say.

I like the thought of forming a network of Naked Niche bloggers, supporting each other, introducing one to another...it takes a village.  I've always wanted to live in a small country village where you know everyone and neighbours take care of each other.  Let's be that village...





Julie

Amazing Graze Alpacas

I went on a lovely road trip with my friends, Linda and Cindi last Wednesday.  I came down with a cold when I got home so haven't had time to post any pictures.  Now, I'm feeling better but my poor mother, Helen got a much worse dose of it.   She's still under the weather but getting a little better.

The first stop we made was just outside of Stirling, Ontario at Amazing Graze Alpacas where we received a warm welcome from Marj, even in the pouring rain.  She was even willing to take us out to the paddocks so we could visit the alpacas. We loved it!

Her basement is like Aladdin's cave with jewelled skeins of alpaca...

It is so soft...all I've done so far is pet my wool.

This is the great stash of wool I got at Amazing Graze.

In the bag is "roving" because I want to learn how to make those wonderful Newfoundland mittens.

If you are in southern Ontario and you're a knitter, make sure to give Marj a call to plan a visit.  If you can't make it in person, check out her website....I'm sure you won't be able to resist.

Julie

My Miss Mustardseed Table

Here's the corner of my living room with my table finished (sort of).  I'm still not happy with it.  I don't like the way it chipped.  Maybe I'm doing something wrong but I have more pieces to paint and I'll watch Marion's videos again.  One way or another, I'll master this.

See how it chipped.  Not really the effect I wanted.

Have a nice week!

Julie

I Am Not A Quitter (or how I almost lost my mind with Miss Mustardseed)

I am not a quitter...I'm really not.

Sometimes things don't work out and sometimes I have one of those "why me" days.  (I can get a really good whimper on at times)  But I always go back and try again.  I learned this lesson in my young adulthood when I gave up on people and things too easily.  You can miss out on a lot that way so now I persist.

But I'm starting to think that milk paint has me stumped.  Don't get me wrong.  I have nothing against Miss Mustardseed.  I love Marian...her style, her taste, her talent, her creativity and her lovely family that are obviously the most important thing in her life.  She is a huge inspiration.  If you don't know her story, check out her blog.  It is fabulous!

But my attempts at milk painting to date have been disastrous and of course, I've bought LOTS of it because I never do anything by half measures.  If I had a tattoo, it would say "go big or go home!"

I know it's me...not the Miss Mustardseed paint.  I've seen what magic Marian can perform and I have seen the multitude of  fabulous projects on Pinterest.  I've watched all the how-to videos.  I usually consider myself quite crafty and creative but gee, here's a picture of my table.

I wish I could say this was April Fool's but it isn't.   (I did soften the picture to make it look a little better ;).  This is probably about the 5th coat and it still isn't what I want.  Oh well. I'll let you know if I ever get it looking good.  Off to try another coat...

Julie

A Thirst That Can't Be Quenched

I don't know if it's just the time of year or if it's the huge drifts of snow fossilizing along the roads but my depression has been an insidious ghost enveloping me.  I can't seem to shake it this year.  It's worse and it's better.  I can recognize it and beat it back so it doesn't completely overwhelm me but my feet are dragging and I can't outrun it.  Usually my depression besets me to the exclusion of all else but this year, I feel like I'm just a spectator; watching it all unfold through the looking glass.  It's disconcerting but it's better than being carried along in the deluge.  I know there's really nothing wrong and that my life is good and I am happy. It feels like I have one of those viruses that hang on and on and make you feel like you've been hit by a truck.

Maybe I just need spring.  I have a yearning, an ache and a hunger for spring that can't be satisfied until I can smell that deep, earthy, wet smell of decomposing leaves and tiny green shoots of new life.  This year, I am counting the days and the hours.

Julie

Organizing Pinterest

Stuck in bed with a bad cold today so I decided to do a little organizing.  Took the better part of day to go through my Pinterest boards and tidy them up.  Remove the duplicates, delete things I'm no longer interested in and move pins to a more logical board. Not much but I still got something accomplished between sniffles.

xo Julie

Hurry Up and Wait..

Tuesday was one of those days. I spent most of the afternoon taking my Mom to a medical appointment.  I did get some grocery shopping done and a nice dinner put together but I didn't end the day with a feeling of accomplishment.

In the morning, I got up late and spent my usual hour with coffee and e-mail.  I did a little knitting. I'm still working on some cowls for family and friends.

One of my friends, Deb was coming over after work to pick up her cowl so I made up a pan of lemon squares.  Her boys like them best.  I pulled out my Kitchenaid food processor, plugged it in and measured out the ingredients.  I pushed the button and nothing.  So frustrated but I won't rant about it again.  I'll be doing my research before buying another one.  I want to buy appliances that are manufactured in Canada or the States.  So hard to find but you can't count on a company's past reputation any more.  I think the only way to get manufacturing back to North America is to put your money where your mouth is!

I had to transfer everything to my blender which doesn't work as well for this recipe.  It took the shine off my good mood.  Even though we are still freezing here in Ontario, the sun was shining brightly this morning.  I started to grate my lemon and aromatherapy really does work.  Just the smell and bright strips of lemon rind makes me happy.

It's been so cold this year that most of my Christmas bulbs were late flowering. My dining room is cold when I don't have the fireplace going. One of my favourite Christmas activities is planting my paperwhites and amaryllis. I got a red one for the dining room and pink one for the living room this year.

The paper whites went in my white ironstone casserole.  I've added some moss and tied them up when they got too tall.  These are one of my favourite things about Christmas and they lasted right through to the first week of January.

My red amaryllis bloomed just in time for Christmas and we've already cut off one of the stalks.  The pink however is just blooming now.  It's quite nice to have something in bloom in the house when I am longing for spring.

Poor stick!  He really doesn't like the cold and every day is a struggle for him.

Here's Miss Lucy.  As soon as the camera comes out, the girl strikes a pose!

Julie

Downton Abbey Addict

Oh, Mr. Bates! (imagine all shades of inflection here)

I have come late to the party and was hooked on Downton Abbey in a millisecond.  Oh the clothes, the manners, the decor.  I'm not sure if it speaks to my "station" in life but I'm most intrigued with "below stairs".  The homespun clothes and the lovely aprons and copper pans and all manner of utilitarian appliance.  I love it all.

Shortly before Christmas, I watched the first two seasons on Netflix.  Even though I bought season one more than a year ago, I just never found the time to pop it in the TV.  Probably just as well.  I truly enjoyed "bingeing" on DA.  I went out and bought season three before season four started this month.  Now Sunday evening between 9 pm and 10 pm is sacrosanct.  Don't ask me, I cannot come.  I will be at home or as they would have said in those days "not at home".

On a more personal note and after my confidences of yesterday...

I had set myself a goal to lose 10 lbs in January and I have succeeded!  So I am setting the same goal for February and planning to start some exercising.  That has been sadly lacking in my life to date.  My rheumatologist suggested I start with walking. To that end, I bought new winter boots on Friday.  My boots were a full size too big due to orthotics (which did nothing for me except wreck my knees!) and therefore, extremely uncomfortable to walk in (besides being ugly bugly).  While I was at the shoe store, I found a couple more items on sale (ahem)...navy patent leather pumps and plum moccasins.

Here's my first "dieting" tip for you...don't reward yourself with food (you're not a dog and shoes work so much better!)

Julie

To Blog or Not to Blog...

...that is the question?

I haven't posted to my blog at all in January.  The truth is I was considering abandoning my blog.  I was feeling that it was taking time I didn't really have.  It's a small little personal blog without a big readership so I was going to let it quietly fade away.

This year started oddly for me.  I formally retired on December 31, 2013 and was expecting to feel relief, joy and the promise of possibilities.  Instead, I mostly felt grief...for a job I didn't even want to return to.  So contrary!  Of course, I usually am pretty contrary. I suppose it was natural.  It wasn't really a retirement of my choosing.

Pinterest

Mostly I have worked through those emotions and am feeling open to whatever comes my way.  I plan on concentrating on me this year.  A year long project to find my bliss; to accomplish those things we all list as New Year's resolutions but give up on by mid-January.  This year my word is

persevere

No matter how many times I fall off the horse, this year I am getting back up.  I'm going to take the opportunity to try new things, learn new skills, and find what I want to do with the rest of my life.

I may not always succeed but I want to try to say "Yes!" instead of "No".

There are a lot of creative projects to finish around the house and a renewed interest in my garden.  I have a great group of friends that I spend time with every week and that will definitely continue.  Maybe I'll find some time for a little romance this year as well.  I feel younger than I did 10 years ago so that's not bad.

Of course, top of the list right now is working on getting my extra weight off (once and for all...it is do or die time!) and start exercising.  I want to make my heart a lot healthier before I consider put it out there again.

Having or not having a blog really doesn't affect any of these goals but I think it might be good for me to document them.  If anyone else finds it interesting, that will be a bonus.  But this time, it is for me.

I've been reading a lot of blogs in the last month (even if I haven't been posting) and it is the time of year for introspection and self-examination.  A lot of you have been writing eloquent posts.  Some of your posts have informed me and inspired me and left me to gnaw away on an opinion or two.  What I've learned from you is that I have to stop being intimidated by what I read.  I'm a lousy photographer with cheap equipment and that isn't going to change any time soon.  My writing skills are rudimentary but they are my own.  I have to let my competitive nature ebb away because I don't have the wherewithal to compete with the amazing blogs out there and really wouldn't want to devote the time necessary if I did.

I want to make every day count and make up for too many days lived by rote.  If I'm going to continue doing this, it needs to be for me.  A sort of diary of my life rather than trying to fit into any niche or format with pretty pictures.  I'm going to try to be as honest as I can (while protecting the identities of the innocent - grin).

Pinterest

If you want to come along for the ride, feel free.  Any advice or comment is always welcome.

Julie