Ruth Terry Dillman is a fantastic fabric artist. We are lucky to have this wonderful piece which she created back around 2005.
When Ruth showed me this while it was in progress, I knew I had to have it.
I get joy every time I look at it — stars, unicycling, Shakespeare, exquisite detail. Thank you, Ruth!
Gary was a unicyclist/juggler who also happened to be acting Shakespeare when I first met him…
恭喜發財
I am lovin’ the artwork on Canada Post’s 2018 Chinese New Year stamps.
Design: Subplot Design Inc.
Calligraphy: Albert Ng, O.Ont
Illustration: Meimei Mao
Photo: Raeff Miles
It was Mardi Gras, February 12, 1991. We’d gone on a “date” to Stanroy’s Music in Santa Rosa. We then wended our way back to my pad, an old farmhouse in Penngrove, California. The house was on what had once been a chicken ranch during Sonoma County’s egg production heydays in the 1920s. The living room had high ceilings, windows that faced the horse pasture in the front, oak trees on the side. The fireplace was smokey because of a poorly functioning insert. The couch was rust colored and modular — a hand me down from my oldest sister.
We had started hanging out after the Winter Solstice, talking, watching movies together, taking drives, more talking. We were falling in love but, having both had been married before, we were taking it slow, very slow.
This night, 27 years ago, after more talking and pots and pots of herbal tea, I saw bands of light reaching out from our hearts pouring into each other. We kissed and …
Of course, I wrote a song about it:
People gathered at Place des Arts in downtown Montreal on this brisk Saturday midday, in solidarity with worldwide demonstrations for the rights of women and equality for all.
I wanted to add my body and pink pussy hat to the event so I hopped on the metro and made the short 25 minute trip. I captured these few shots of the participants.
In Canada, equality between women and men is enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights, unlike the US, which has yet to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment. Canada is not perfect — the pay gap is still wide and women are under-represented in politics,for example — but the the government is committed to creating gender equality.
It is hard to believe that in the 21st century, those of us with a vagina are still fighting for basic human rights.
While walking home today, I had the chance to enjoy, and video, a complete snow removal operation on a sunny stretch of Boulevard Saint-Michel.
What can I say? These big machines and their coordinated moves are fascinating.
I had fun putting together this short video, underscoring it with one of our tunes: “Drunken Sailor’s Hornipe – Wally’s Dub” from our album “Shake Those Bones”.
The statistics quoted are from the official City of Montreal website:
English: http://ville.montreal.qc.ca/snowremoval/
Français: http://ville.montreal.qc.ca/deneigement/
Around we go again. Here’s hoping that 2018 moves us forwards as a species — more compassion, more critical thinking, more action, less talk, less religion. A gal can dream.
Gary and I send out a New Year’s greeting to family and friends every year with a light-hearted selfie. When putting together this year’s greeting, I got to wondering how many times have we have done that. Looks like, we’ve been at it for 17 years – 2002-2018. Oh my. So, for fun I put together a super short video to share those seventeen seasonal selfies. (Who says to avoid alliteration?)
In Quebec, one can use the word selfie — everyone knows what that is — but the “official” word is un égoportrait.
The tune underscoring the video is “L’Amour Persiste” from our latest album “Naked Ladies“.
The bells are from the church nearest us l’Église très-saint-nom-de-Jésus. They ring every day at 12:01 and 6:01.
Gary and I gathered with 2,000+ others today at L’Esplanade de la Place des Arts, Montréal to support the worldwide Women’s March. It was a “moderate” winter’s day here in Quebec at 1° celsius. The crowd’s was energized.
The battle for women’s rights continues. It is unbelievable and maddening that even now in the 21st century we are still fighting for basic human rights. Today’s amazing display by millions of people everywhere was encouraging. It tells me we are all so not interested in going backwards.
Onward, Pussy Cats!
Early estimates:
Washington D.C. over 500,000
Los Angeles over 500,000
Denver over 100,000
New York over 200,000
Chicago over 200,000
Boston over 100,000
Paris over 5,000
Sydney over 5,000
Here’s wishing you a spectacular new year.
After 2016, what could go wrong?
We had a nice, big snowfall yesterday — close to 8 inches.
Gary usually walks to meet me after I finish exercise class. It’s a 4k (2.50 mile) round-trip walk. For this “Montreal Minute” I followed him through our “arrondissement” as we headed home through the snow.
It is a pleasure to walk when it’s snowing as long as you have the right clothes and shoes!
The music is a synth piece I wrote for a Mixed Company show. The show was “Mixed Reviews”. The tune title is “Star Material”.
Other MTL Minutes:
MTL Minute: le Métro
Les Tams Tams at Parc Mont-Royal
First Snowfall of the Season
A Steel Forge in Montreal
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