I do not know where the summer is going, time seems to be flying by. I have been loving every hot moment of it, I am nowhere near ready for a change in seasons!
My brother flew out from Reno the last weekend of June, and we went to the Salt Lake Arts Festival. It was the first time I've been in all the years I've lived here, and I'm sorry I waited so long. We had fun walking around looking at all the vendors, and trying out the food offerings. All of my photos are his, taken with his fancy new Fuji.
Michelle doesn't look too happy here- but I think she had a good time!
I loved the scrap metal sculptures from one vendor--
The glass garden was another high point.
The festival includes performance art, and one that we saw was unlike anything I've ever seen before. It was an Australian group called Strange Fruit, two women and two men dressed in nineteenth century (sort of) clothing. Their entire performance was done standing on very tall, flexible poles. There really are no words to describe it, but it was entrancing and highly entertaining!
They interacted with each other, interacted with the audience, and told a bit of a story to a variety of music. The entire time, they were swinging back and forth on those poles. Judging from some of the contortions I saw, they all have incredible core strength!
The setting was also an amazing backdrop to their performance. That blue sky and the lines of the library building just added to the ambience. By the time it was over, I had a crick in my neck from looking up, but it was worth it.
The highlight of the evening, however, was a performance by Angelique Kidjo, and African singer that I have followed for twenty years. I love her music, and she gave an amazing performance!
She came out in full African dress, with a turban, but within a few songs had lost the turban--
She had a wonderful band from all over the world. Most looked to be her age (fifties), but her percussionist was a young man originally from Senegal.
It was a lively and interactive performance in a small venue, the best kind. Before her final song, she invited the audience to come on stage with her, and it was filled! She sang one my my favorite songs, 'Tumba', while those on stage danced around her. It was just incredible!
It was an amazing end to a fantastic day!
Summer, Where Are You??
I'm having a hard time believing it is mid-June. Usually by now I'm complaining because we've gone from the 70's straight to the mid-90's. We did have a nice, slow warmup spring- and we've stayed stuck there.
Thursday night we went to a Kelly Clarkson concert at UVU- outdoors, in the baseball field. DJ and a friend stood in line for four hours so we'd get on the field in the first rush. Bentlee and I joined them about an hour before they opened the gates. It rained off and on all day- then cleared in the late afternoon. Still, it was cold for June. I dressed in four layers, all long sleeve.
We started out on the field, closer to the stage. Then we figured out that the only way we'd see anything would be to stand, so we moved to a hill where we could see sitting down. (I half thought about taking a picture of the lovely butts surrounding us- but refrained!)
It stayed dry through the opening act, then started to rain when Kelly came on. Here's our view of the stage-
And here's the view towards the stands where the expensive tickets were. By this time, I was not only in four layers, I was under an umbrella and had a blanket wrapped around my legs!
It eventually did stop raining, and I got this great shot of a rainbow off to the south.
I continue the work on the baby curtains. All that's left is the tabs, and sewing them in the curtains.
And, Shannon and I dyed two shirts that got stains on them that wouldn't come out. My tank top used to be yellow, now it's cafe au lait- which is what I stained it with! Shannon got chocolate on her white shirt, and decided a purple one would be great.
I need to get stressed about some upcoming deadlines. Our WAQ group met Friday, and Kathleen showed some awesome fabrics she did playing with marbling materials. Her Microscopy piece is almost done, and it was awesome too. So why am I feeling so bereft of inspiration? Maybe this crap weather has something to do with it- here's the view from our street just an hour ago, looking west.
Depressing, no?? Where is the SUN???
Weekend Finale
We did do something fun to end the summer. Three Dog Night played in concert at an outdoor venue close to home, the Scera Shell. It's an art organization that has been around since the Depression.
The concert itself was fun. We were all bundled up, since the weather took a cold turn. Lots of baby boomers, some that looked like the boomer's parents. And, like us, boomers bringing their own kids to hear the music. I firmly believe that we messed up a lot of things, but we did make the best music the world has seen, before and since. Just hearing it can take me back years.
The band definitely looks their age, but it didn't stop them from rocking the house. They did two versions of 'Mama Told Me Don't Come'- the original from 1972, and a 'rap' version which had the audience howling. All in all, it was a great show.
I did get one more piece worked on. A small butterfly quilt for Marly, that will be framed. Then she'll have a triptych for their office, two butterflies and a bird of paradise. Hopefully it will be completely done and on its way early next week.
