The Vinyl Cafe

Last night I took my mom out for her birthday up to a show in Portland, Maine. We went to the Merrill Auditorium to see a live recording of The Vinyl Cafe with Stuart Mclean, one of Canadas premier radio shows. We managed to park right outside to front door of this beutiful building, which was nice as we were expecting some snow later on in the evening and we could then escape the crowds afterward.

Inside the Merrill Auditorium prior to its rennovation in 1997.

Stuart onstage.

I listen to the program, which is aired here every Sunday afternoon at 2:00. I never quite matched the voice to the eccentric character that was onstage, with his flailing waves and kicks of the feet. His stories are captivating and almost autistic to the degree of detail that he gives in them about this little place in Canada and the people there that is The Vinyl Cafe. If his show isn't aired where you live, you can catch it online at http://www.cbc.ca/radio, and I would encourage you to do so. He highlights an artist every week as well, one that wouldn't get the recognition otherwise. Last night he had flown in Matt Andersen, a bluesman from Nova Scotia (currently residing in Germany). He is a talented singer with a rich voice that accompanies his guitar playing and it made for a great show of storytelling and song . We enjoyed the whole evening and managed to get home around midnight, just as the storm was picking up.

Ice Harvesting Festival

Behind the Remick Museum in Tamworth, NH.

I went to Tamworth this morning to the Remick Museum where an Ice Harvesting Festival was being held. There were lots of animals there including a pair of oxen that pulled an old fashioned snow-roller, chinook dogs that were giving rides to the children, and lots of cattle that were hauling blocks of ice that were being harvested from a nearby pond. Ice used to be the first harvest of the year, followed by maple syrup beginning next month (which is one of my favourite things).

A look inside the museum.

A pair of ice tongs on a sleigh. These would be used to grasp ice blocks.

They kept looking at me funny (and then I remembered a certain Biology lab...)

These are various saws used to extract ice from the surface of frozen water.

Hard work, I suppose.

To preserve the ice, it was placed in a pile of sawdust and stored for later use.

I'll take a number 1198 with large fries. This one was flirty and cute!

This team was ready to go!

A trip to the Record Room

Today I went with Elaine, Caroline and mom down to Concord to gather information for genealogical purposes. Actually, I was invited so that I could chauffer. It was a beautiful day, and also good to see how this kind of thing is done with a pro like Elaine. She is writing a book on the Spirit of Elijah, and it is a testimony of redeeming the dead. It is a collection of "goosebumpy" stories that she has experienced and gathered over her years preparing genealogy, and it is nearly complete-I can't wait to read it. We then went out to the Red Apple buffet afterward and ate a ton of food. We took some pictures along the way home (with Carolines' camera) mostly of old barns and homes. I always kick myself for not bringing my camera when I go out. When we got home, he had got a message from Jeremiah and Samantha saying that Caleb was in the newspaper on the front page. I went out and got a paper. It had a picture from their Pinewood Derby that the scouts had. Although his car did not win it was a lot of fun feeling the excitement and energy of all the kids, and am glad that we were invited.

Calebs is the orange fireball

"I hope I win!"