Vacation Pickles

If you know me at all, you know how crazy I am about pickles. Today was the day I happily turned $4.99 of cucumbers into 8 jars of pickles.

This is one of my favourite summer vacation activities. Now, how long do I have to wait till they're ready?












Next, will be to make salsa!

Summer Garden

After garage-sailing this morning, I snapped a few photos of the house, garden and cats.

AGH Film Festival

Last night was the 10th annual Film Festival at the Art Gallery of Hamilton. Once again, due to weather, it was held indoors but there was room enough for all. It was a long programme of 22 films with one intermission at the halfway point. I liked that the gallery was open during the intermission so I got a chance to see the latest exhibit focussing on Japanese art. Such beautiful kimonos with amazing colours.

Once of my favourites of the evening was the last video, U Don't Bring Me Flowers by Lucas Michael. Check it out on YouTube at http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=l6hoBwyZTR4

Quinoa Salad

I just made a delicious looking quinoa salad for my friends -- caramelized red onion, grilled peppers and zucchini, dill, and tomatoes...all from the market or my garden. Could I become one of those bloggers who post photos of food?

George Fox at Fieldcote

Tonight I saw George Fox at Fieldcote. What a perfect night for an outdoor concert -- no skeeters, no rain, lots of people, and a couple of birds. Yes, right in front of me sat two ladies with parrots. I snapped a pic of the white parrot but my camera ran out of juice before I could get the other one.

Gypsy Jazz Bathroom

I was searching for a Youtube video I had stumbled across a long time ago where jazz musicians were jamming in a bathroom (probably in a club somewhere in France). I didn't find it but I did find Roberto Rosenman playing in someone's washroom in Toronto! Check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYTpvBF3oc4

For those of you in Ontario, on TVO tonight at 10:36, they will be showing the Django Reinhardt documentary--Djangomania!!!

Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival Review

A gang of us from Hamilton made it out to Guelph this weekend. First off we stopped in at Louisa Kratka's new gallery space, Studio 490. She's a talented violinist, bookmaker, artist, and now she's even weaving! She has a really nice space in a huge old warehouse-type building.

We caught the 4:00pm Mainstage A show of the Guelph Dance Fest and enjoyed it immensely. David Earle's piece was campy and humourous with many styles of dance investigated. I especially liked Deborah Dunn's piece which, like her contribution in last year's festival, was narrative and theatrical. My favourite part was a duet section in which the dancers moved mainly on the floor. My kind of dance--where the steps melt away into the storyline and you longer see the split or pirouette or arabesque.

The second Mainstage show of the day was very long. The programme began with a piece by Janet Johnson, followed by a group from Calgary called La Caravan. The latter tried to incorporate grotesque vocal "sounds", ballet pointe work, and had a sort of absurdist angle to it.

The third piece was, to my surprise, a relief to watch. I enjoyed the grounded partnerwork of Kaeja d'dance's Abattoir which I had already seen at Harbourfront this season. When contrasted with a group like La Caravan, the skill of the dancers and the fluidity of the choreography in Kaeja d'dance is glaringly appearant.

The fourth dance was a duet by Kate Alton which was performed well but by that time the show was in its 3rd hour which was taking me beyond my breaking point.

The festival is an amazing success, now in its 10th year. How great that you can see progressive and entertaining contemporary dance in a smaller community. Now, we just need more of it!