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rusticrevivals · 7 years ago

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"What's the best of country life?" Many ask us daily "Is it the scenery, quiet, nature, veg?" Nope - it's celebrating gaily With our small communities, Like Perth or New Den-Mark It's singing, acting, being part Last week - we're angels! HARK! You've heard about the mass choir To mark 150 years You've read about the nursing home, And Pastor Ralph's old dears You know about the pageant And the summer's Founder's Days You've heard bits about Still Standing... (But in spring, to coin a phrase You'll hear lots more, for 'teasing' Is how telly's publicized- And as we're in the 'teaser' I'll be keeping you apprised.)

teaser screen shot for Season 4 of Still Standing, Julie, Leanne (visiting from Scotland) and Mom/Joy, beside the CBC logo. Ironically, Richard, who insisted we take these reserved seats for ‘Founders Day Organizers’, is out of shot to my right! To see the full trailer/teaser, look at the Still Standing FB page, 2nd video, or try this link: https://www.facebook.com/stillstandingtv/videos/692295784304421/

I'd like to speak in detail About our church's 100th year And the celebration for it That many came to hear. And then I'll show you fun From the last two weeks of song With the Perth-Andover choir And the concerts we've put on! Back in the mid-summer, I was asked to c'ordinate The entertainment portion Of St. Peter's-at-the-Gate, Our little church up on the hill That I've shown you before (But will remind you once again With these photos I've in store:)

The Danish herring-bone wood designs covering every inch of the interior of St. Peter’s Lutheran on top of the hill just next to us

You’ve met her before in several blog postings. This is an amazing shot taken just after St. Peter’s 100th celebrations this fall, by our local professional photographer, Tiffany Christensen. St. Peter’s is on the right, just across the road from the slightly-older Anglican church called St. Ansgar’s.

To make up the fun night After a catered Danish meal We all put in our off'rings Of creative zest and zeal! It started with the Danish band That played some peppy tunes Then the "Minstrels" (or a handful of...) Sang a hymn with their soft croons, Then added another song I'd written for the night As a tribute to St. Peter's And its builders' strength and might.

Then Richard, in his debut Stepped up alone to sing Another piece I'd written Called "Where the Bells do Ring"

Thanks to Mom/Joy for taking most of these photos. To hear “Where the Bells Ring”, Richard’s first full solo (I add some background harmonies as well as the piano accompaniment), go to this link, which we recorded at home: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KStOMmr8WYs

After this bit of song, The pastor had a word About the history of the church -Then, something quite unheard! We came out to do a sketch As if from 100 years from now! (So, the 200th anniversary- It gave the crowd a WOW! Not because I'd written Such a finely-honed & gifted script, But rather, 'cause our costumes Were wild, and long - Zeb tripped! As 'teased' before, back in Sept., We all wore togas white With sashes of sparkly colour And dyed sheep wigs delight!

Richard, Zeb and myself at the meeting of the 200th Anniversary committee (sketch)

Curtain call for the 200th anniversary of St. Peter’s sketch, Pastor announcing. L to R Richard, Zeb Godbout (playing my son, Ned Kram, which is Den Mark backward) Peter Jensen, and seated, myself and Barb Christensen.

We’d had many rehearsals in our living room/meeting room at the farm and while we didn’t actually have all our lines memorized, the oddness of the skit got quite a few laughs, and the pretended ‘frustration and violence’ between us as our sketch showed that meetings don’t change much from century to century, really hit home for those in the community who sit on several boards and committees!

While we changed back out of costume The band once more would play The fiddler, 93, was sick Had been in ER all that day!

But like the true-blue Danes He would not back down, be weak There he was at suppertime To fiddle with his up-beat streak! And then some poetry I'd gathered About the early N.D. times Were read by Miss New Denmark With good old-fashioned rhymes:

But for the big finale Of this 100th year divine I asked some pastors, two from past And our current Ralph, to SHINE. Miss N.D. Megan spun the wheel That Richard made that day And the crowd laughed hard as at "Pastors' Trivia" we would play I'd written 70 questions From categories galore Like Church History, Pete the Saint, General 1917, and more... The pastors, how they struggled To come up with answers right But in the meantime, they were FUNNY And the crowd enjoyed their fright

Pastor Ralph appears to ‘give up’ on the question, as the others have a giggle…

They rang in on their buzzers (One was Smitty's squeaky toy!) But often they'd not get it, And that was JUST my ploy!

The crowd would hoot and holler, And eventually THEY won By answering the questions That the pastors hadn't done. One of the questions I best liked "1917" was the 'try'... This painting of a church was done So like our own, up high:

This painting by Georgia O’Keefe was done the same year our church was built, in 1917, and is very representative of how St. Peter’s towers over rivers and valley and nestled Appalachian homes.

So, it's my belief that all had fun, That sweet September night When St. Peter's turned 100 With audience delight:

At this table, Megan Bach, Miss New Denmark, her grandparents, as well as Richard sitting beside Leanne (in gold top), and across from them, Mom/Joy. Being too busy and too nervous of everything to come, I am standing in the background having some punch. Behind me is the old piano, on top of which I had made a 1917 lady’s church-going display.

The 1917 Lady's Church-Going Display:

a variety of hats from my drama trunk, along with gloves, a fan, a lace hankie, a turn-of-the-century scarf and matching hand-bag, and a special contribution from Pastor Ralph – a hymnal actually FROM 1918!

There I sit, 200 years in the future, wearing a toga and some of Mom’s sheep’s wool on my head, with the full program for the Entertainment Portion of the night written out on the wall behind me.

And so, that last event was done And while the harvest kept us crazed We still went to Perth each week To practice for our concert days. The first series, in fall, was with The Youth Orch-EST-ra grand! A full 80-piece symphony Where we joined the "150 Expand" (The same voices with which we sang For July 1st's big event. They come from towns all o'er the vale And it's Glorious, Heaven-Sent!)

Richard’s bald head 4 in at back, and I’m far left, hiding behind the curtain. We sang the Howard Shore piece Shore to Shore, which was WRITTEN for this New Brunswick Youth Orchestra for the 150th, as well as our old favourite We Rise Again (also sung July 1st for the big celebrations). We sang for school groups with a chamber orchestra, on the day before, then had this enormous concert over the weekend. You can hear a small part of We Rise Again at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEezCOAVgXE An interesting bit of trivia, and to prove how small the Atlantic provinces are, when the conductor moves aside at 0:44, you’ll see a dark, curly-haired lad playing in the first row of the 2nd violin section. My sister started him in violin in St. John’s, Nfld 15 years ago! A neat connector!

The choir in quaint Perth-Andover Is directed by the mayor A lovely lass from Leamington; There's many here from there!

Our Perth-Andover choir director (and mayor, and Book Club Organizer, and…) Marianne Tiessen Bell, from Ontario, warms us up before a performance.

Our Christmas series started Just at November's end. The hospital in Perth Has become our new best friend As both Mom and Richard twice a month Have teleconference talks And oncological care, so - We sang for Womens Aux.! Then just last week-end, 'Angels' sang 6 hours in the snow To raise some funds for Food Bank. "Bethlehem"'s winds did blow For this interactive nativity That's now a big crowd-thrill We entertained the masses Lined up for miles on the hill

While I’ve been in all kinds of performances in my life, I’ve never actually been able to witness my audience approaching from this far away! Police, firemen, traffic controllers and a radio station were all involved in keeping an orderly pathway to Bethlehem!

To get a really great feel for what this whole night was about, see: LIVE DRIVE-THRU:

or, slightly less exciting – the slide show: https://www.facebook.com/perthandoverbaptist/videos/1682963368441021/

These productions were both done by the hard-working and energetic Rev. Michael Fredericks of the Perth-Andover Baptist Church. WHAT A SHOW IT WAS !

We sang as angels in the heavens Pointing to the stable, close While Richard posed beside the inn And I got my daily livestock dose:

I'm not sure even Bethlehem Had as many farm-yard critters Some were small, like geese and hens And some were really heavy hitters!

That's right, a choir of angels sang Beside Alpaca's Paddock And beside THAT were market stalls Of bread, and tools, and haddock!

Marianne Bell front row, far, I’m right behind her. We are both ‘gettin’ down’ kinds of angels. Richard and Marianne’s husband are a little more unbendy in near back row. Notice all the alpacas are staring up at the star over the stable. Just as they should do.

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We know not where she finds the time But Mayor M.B. also made that bread! And still remains relaxed and calm As she chats with King Herrod!

�� On the Sunday night’s performance at the nativity, the snow was falling beautifully and romantically and it wasn’t even that cold! I’m crouching because we’re dancing about, not freezing – plus we had a lovely barrel of fire beside us both nights!

On Tuesday night, in Johnville, We hooked up with a choir That came from just 'downriver' In a church that did aspire To give us but a chance to sing From choir lofts above As we sang in echo'd refrain To Vivaldi's Gloria of love

more amazing totally-wood-panelled church work (like St. Peter’s) in the Johnville St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic church, where we sang opposite Peter McLaughlin’s Tuesday Night Singers from the lovely choir loft. (Vivaldi’s Antiphonal Gloria)

Finally, our last big gig Was filmed upon a Woodstock pew- (How strange that in Ontario I lived near Perth & Woodstock too!) My camera propped on hymnals On the first of many pews 'Neath Saint Gertrude's glor'ous arches Marianne led our cues: Youtube wasn't working But we hope you'll link up-- though It's hard for some not on FB- Still, we think it's 'quite a show'!

Saint Gertrudes is the lovely big church in which we sang last night, in Woodstock, along the Saint John river.

me with hat, far left, Richard with men, far right

stunning choir loft arches of St. Gertrude’s

the sanctuary of St. Gerts

Like our concert Tuesday night in Johnville, we sang again with/opposite The Tuesday Night Singers, Peter McLaughlin’s choir. You may remember from reading back in July that it was he who directed us all in the mass choir (150 voices) on July 1st in Perth-Andover.

part of our choir warming up last night. We had a strong men’s section (4 is STRONG for small town N.B.!) and 3 of the 4 are all spending a lot of their spare time with horses out in the bush! What is the connection, you ask, between men singing and horsemen? Have you an answer?

Thank you to Marianne Bell and Peter McLaughlin – some brownies I made for the wrap-up party

And so, this Christmas season, But actually all year long We owe a debt of gratitude To those who led in song. For what a year it's been Full of music, drama, prayer To get us off the farm, And join pastor, teacher, mayor!

Cast of Thousands "What's the best of country life?" Many ask us daily "Is it the scenery, quiet, nature, veg?" Nope - it's celebrating gaily With our small communities, Like Perth or New Den-Mark It's singing, acting, being part Last week - we're angels!

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