Yesterday I did what I often do on that date, watched and listened to the glorious voice of Marian Anderson, to honor her April 9, 1939 concert at the Lincoln memorial
It's on YouTube, you can find it.
The bitter irony all these years later, of hearing her sing My Country, 'Tis of Thee, a couple of days after two black State senators were expelled from the legislature.
For protesting on the Senate floor the gun deaths of little children, at a local school, in their district. I weep every year over this concert but this year was even sharper.
The DAR owned Constitution Hall, where she was originally supposed to sing, and refused it to her, on the grounds of race.
Whereupon another concert was arranged, out of doors, 75,000 people in attendance including a lot of prominent supporters on the steps with her.
She sang with only a piano accompaniment. It was all she needed for a historic statement.
And yesterday was about resting after the Easter dinner, and making yogurt and chicken soup.
Great chicken led to great chicken soup. With a pita bread stuffed with chicken scraps and vegetables.
Then today I got weaving. Well, threading.
The new rigid heddle is great, and I found a handy windowsill to clamp the warping post. I used the bathroom seat, just the right height to weave on an upward slant. I loaded a shuttle with a plain green yarn, and tomorrow I'll weave.
A trip to the library today to return The Maid, which I recommend, and borrow another cookbook from Laurie Colwin
I find I'm still winnowing -- the daily habit seems to have taken hold. Mostly it's paper goods.
And Freecycle yielded one taker yesterday for the Nerf toys, who set it all up then backed out, saying he just realized it's too far. The location being clearly stated, twice, in the listing , sigh.
Then today another potential taker, we'll see. No interest at all in the Barbie set-up. It's really too cumbersome for the thriftie and may end up recycled. Again, we'll see.
Happy day everyone, sing your song! Which reminds me that yesterday I discovered that after a long lifetime of being unable to whistle, I managed it.
An actual tune, Schubert's Ave Maria, to be exact. I just tried it on an impulse, and it's scratchy and not a huge range, but more or less accurate. So maybe my face has changed over the years or something. Anyway I suddenly have a new instrument, more or less..too funny.
The depths to which people will go to disenfranchise anyone or thing they don't like. No surprise about the DAR. Another mass shooting today. Just another day in 'merica. Very clever, that weaving setup. This should be enjoyable for you. I have the maid on hold at my library.
ReplyDeleteLet me know what you think of The Maid. I'm so dispirited about the guns.
DeleteA thought for the Barbie set up - perhaps put it on the side of the road with a 'free' sign on it?
ReplyDeleteNo takers in this community. Culturally, secondhand Western stuff isn't acceptable. That's why I go to free cycle
DeleteIn that Eleanor Roosevelt bio I just finished much was made of the Anderson concert and the DAR. Roosevelt resigned from the DAR after they refused Constitution Hall.
ReplyDeleteIt was quite a kerfuffle. Another bit of bigotry that backfired.
DeleteWasn't the Maid a great read?
ReplyDeleteWere the senators permanently expelled or just removed for stating the bleeding obvious?
Your chicken soup looks delicious.
It would have been permanent except that they were immediately voted back in. One anyway, waiting to hear about the other. The thunderous expressions of the gop when one Justin retook his seat! He's 27! They thought they were messing with a kid. Some kid. A born orator and leader.
DeleteThe Maid worked pretty well. I was a bit concerned but the spectrum was handled okay. There's a lot of ignorance around neurological differences, but this story worked ok.
You're never too old to become a good whistler! Keep practising. It's a dying art because now we can easily carry recorded music around with us as we go, which was never a possibility until the late 20th century. Before then, whistling was how people made music portable.
ReplyDeleteMy dad was a terrific whistler. Women didn't whistle so much but a lot of men used to. One of his friends could whistle two notes at once! And whistling was a recognized variety show act.
DeleteYes, back in the day whistling was considered a "masculine" thing to do, so women and girls were discouraged from doing it. My grandmother used to recite this rhyme to me every time she heard me whistling as a little girl -- "Whistling girls and crowing hens / Both shall come to no good ends." But I was not deterred and became a darn good whistler!
DeleteChicken soup is good for the soul and it was just Easter which has a soulish connection. 😀
ReplyDeleteIt's very cheering, too!
DeleteYou might be able to donate the barbie to the library for kids to play with, a doctors surgery or even a daycare Centre.
ReplyDeleteA new musical instrument. How wonderful. My cockatiel whistles better than I do
Since the pandemic, donations to the sort of places you suggest pretty much don't exist. I don't even know of a daycare around here, come to think of it.
DeleteI think any bird whistles better than I. You've never mentioned your bird in your blog, and I'd like to know more.
I am making stock from a turkey frame today. It will mean great soup in the future. Soup is such a comforting meal.
ReplyDeleteIt's my year round go-to.
DeleteWe looked up and did some reading on that Tennessee legislature scandal. I know that here MPs can be expelled by Parliament for conduct that brings the House into disrepute - but one would hope that there was some fairly well defined examples of what sort of conduct can be considered disreputable. Such ridiculous application of a general power like that brings the whole legislature into disrepute. Those who voted in favor must be sitting on very wobbly seats if their political future can only be secured by endeavouring to silence their opposition in this way. It has only served to swing the international spotlight on Tennessee - and not in a good or congratulatory way. More power to those who were disenfranchised by the expulsion.
ReplyDeleteIt's propelled the two Justins to national fame and exposed the Senate president to exposure of his own illegal residence. Not what he expected.
ReplyDeleteI have never been able to whistle either! Just tried it. Still can't. The current crop of republicans are just about the most horrible people, fearful of everything that isn't white male heterosexual christian and determined to show their power over everyone else. Well, I bet they didn't expect the backlash from ejecting those two black legislators.
ReplyDelete