Drummer's Corner of the World

For the last X years (this is the fourth or fifth... I'm not sure which), UUI has done an open Winter Solstice ritual, which fast became the high point of my WinterThing season. Good music and great energy with a wonderful bunch of people.

This year's was tonight, and the choir and accompanists were (as usual) to wear black, since the service starts in the dark. (Choir members then got red or gold sashes... accompanists could sash or not... I chose not to, 'cause it just ends up in the way when I put the djembe, with its criss-cross harness, on.) Looking in my closet this afternoon, I was faced with a bit of a dilemma... I have really dressy blacks (worn when accompanying the Women's Chorus or other groups) and really casual blacks (think black BDU pants and a t-shirt or tank top) and neither of them were really what I was in the mood for this year. I wanted something dressier than the BDUs but more comfortable than the formal stuff.

Then I realized... Ooh! I've been buying stuff to wear at Capricon in February, which has a pirate theme! But... could I find my black peasant blouse, which I haven't seen in months (or maybe years)?

It took some serious closet excavation, but I came up with the black blouse, so my attire for the evening was black gypsy-style dance pants tucked into my black deerskin Ropers (those are boots, for those of you who don't speak cowboy boot), the black peasant top, with the black handkerchief skirt and leather waist cincher over the top.

I looked good, if I dare say so myself, but what made it really entertaining was to have a couple of people, who I've known for quite a few years, come up to me and say "Oh my god... I don't think I've ever seen you in a dress!"

(Note that I'm not positive it really counts as a "dress" since I was wearing pants under the skirt, but it was still amusing.)

Ritual went really well, and the small group who sang "Kore Evohe" locked in better than we've ever done before. I really love the acoustics in the sanctuary, and after the week I've had with Chase and his pneumonia, I was seriously in need of the energy boost.

So I'm recharged, and ready for the arrival of my parents tomorrow, and Mr. Chase made it just fine without me for a few hours this evening and is now settled in the big fluffy dog bed in the living room. He gets another nebulizer treatment before bed, and the vet put him on Tramadol today to take the edge off his anxiety (he still can't walk, which is highly concerning but we've got to deal with the infection first), so he and I can take our Tramadols together at bedtime and hopefully we'll both get a good night's sleep.

Happy Return of the Sun to all of you in the Northern Hemisphere!

I know there are lots of talented and creative women on my f-list, so this is a heads-up to all of you about a great event coming up in Central Indiana.

Sally Childs-Helton (who many of you know, but who is not on LJ) puts on a wonderful women's drumming event twice a year at Oakwood Retreat Center at Rainbow Farms, out from Muncie, IN. The one coming up in October is the 10th Anniversary of the fall event, so it's turning into A Big Deal, with more classes, more instructors, and just generally more variety. Normally, these events top out at about 30 students, but this one is being run more as a festival and will be open to up to 100 students. There will be drumming, obviously, but what's not obvious from the event's name is that it's grown over the years and now it encompasses movement, chant and arts as well as the drumming. This fall, there will be djembe, dun dun and taiko classes, yoga, poi spinning, West African dance, creative movement, scarf or mandala dyeing, flame tree pod painting (some of you have seen or asked about my bean pod rattle that I use in filk circles... it's the plain unpainted version :-) ), shekere making and more. Then there will be Oakwood's fabulous food, quiet time in the World Garden, and hay rides or a candlelight labyrinth (weather permitting).

The details (and lots of pictures from previous events) are on the WomenDrum site. Check it out, and consider joining us in October!

I get to escape from work early today. Sally's African Musics class at Butler is drumming in class today, which gives me an excuse to go be an extra "person with clue" for an hour or so, with the added benefit of being able to take a couple of extra drums along for some of the kids to use.

I really really wanted to audit this class this semester, but it's just conflicting with too many standing meetings on Tuesdays and Thursdays. So instead of going all the time, I'm going to sneak away for occasional classes when it's a really fascinating topic or when there's drumming during class.

FREEEEEEEDOM!!!!!!

*ahem*

(Yes, I'm tired of my office already. And yes, I know it's only Tuesday.)