Auggie

Saturday, April 28.

Lilac

The lilac bush is blooming. The scent, as usual, is heavenly.

 

State music festival

And just like that, another state music festival season is in the books.

My two seniors received Gold ratings this year at State; my freshman, a Silver. All is as it should be.

Aaron has been my voice student for nearly three years. I’m going to be saddened to see him go when the time comes in August.

He will attend Miami University of Ohio next year, studying music.

Grace will attend Oklahoma City University and double major in musical theatre and vocal performance.

Eddy will attend University of Wyoming and major in theatre and special education.

Brigid is still undecided.

My seniors are scattering.

Cufflinks

While these are not from London, I’ve not worn them in a while, so they get a shout today too.

His master’s voice!

These were a Christmas gift from D several years ago.

#TBT: Aunt Esther

Aunt Esther Summers would have been 106 years old yesterday.  She died four years ago, just shy of 102.

This is the earliest photo we have of her, seated on the lap of Elizabeth (Miller) Ficklin, her maternal grandmother.

Smiling

Elections

Yup. The Senate elections are coming!

Homemade marmalade

So that 10 pounds of blood oranges that arrived from California one week ago? I’m never going to eat them all before the oranges go bad. I’ve given a few away, had my fill daily, and still there are blood oranges!

What to do?

Make marmalade!

I’ve now finished two batches of homemade blood orange marmalade and am considering a third one. The process is a bit more extensive than making jam or jelly, but the America’s Test Kitchen recipe is perfect, with no extra pectin needed.

And cooking is one of my creative outlets, so this is fun for me too!

Brigadoon

As usual, I am insanely proud of my Webster University voice students . . . this time thanks to the university production of Brigadoon. (It’s still running today, with one more performance at 2 p.m. at the Loretto-Hilton Center.)

Brigadoon was the first Golden Era musical I ever music-directed, and it holds a special place in my heart. And this production was lavish to view and lovingly sung.

Two of the six principals are my voice students. Here they are getting married:

And after the show, these selfies with my kids:

Jacob

Ben

Noah

Caroline, plus creeper.

 

From Monday

My dinner: tex-Mex chicken casserole with homemade fried tortilla chips.

And some of the new linen shirts from my tailor in Hong Kong. I am now set for summer abroad and trips to New York City and Helena, Montana and Lincoln, Nebraska.