Last Saturday, we had another psalm sing. I baked a pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting, and invited others to bring more desserts if they felt so inclined. Several people brought things to eat, including Hayley, who just happened to have a freezer full of Starbucks pastries that she was quite happy to share! Thanks, Hayley!
I very much enjoyed the singing (and the sweets) and look forward to singing with you all again some time soon.
We started by working on the tune Howard again. Once we'd beat that tune to death, as one person put it, we turned to the facing page in our split-leaf psalters, and worked on the tune Huddersfield. Lastly, we did the long meter tune Duke Street. Here are the recordings:
Psalm 92:12-15 to Howard
Psalm 98:1-4 to Huddersfield
Psalm 102:13-22, 2nd version, to Duke Street
(As always, you can download these recordings to your own computer from this site.)
We now have just over two hours' worth of psalm recordings!
Monday, October 24, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
Sarah's Shower
On Saturday we went to a bridal shower for Sarah, who will be married early next month. It was nice to spend time with friends and family, and to see Sarah's happy smile as she prepares to start a new home in a new country with the man she loves.
My brother is married to Sarah's sister, and my sister is married to her cousin, so I guess that means Sarah and I are sort of related too, or connected anyhow. :)
Isn't this a beautiful cake?
A nice photo. From left to right, Sarah's aunt Terry, Sarah's sister Anna, Sarah, and Sarah's stepmum Anna.
The girls Elijah's age were playing house, which was too much girliness for Elijah, so he retreated to a book.
We're looking forward to Sarah's wedding. It will be nice to see old friends from Canada, and to meet a few people from the UK and the Netherlands. And our interim moderator, Rev. John MacLeod from London, will be here for a few weeks as well. If only Sarah's sisters in Scotland could be here too!
I'm planning to take lots of photos in coming weeks, so stay tuned!
My brother is married to Sarah's sister, and my sister is married to her cousin, so I guess that means Sarah and I are sort of related too, or connected anyhow. :)
Isn't this a beautiful cake?
A nice photo. From left to right, Sarah's aunt Terry, Sarah's sister Anna, Sarah, and Sarah's stepmum Anna.
The girls Elijah's age were playing house, which was too much girliness for Elijah, so he retreated to a book.
We're looking forward to Sarah's wedding. It will be nice to see old friends from Canada, and to meet a few people from the UK and the Netherlands. And our interim moderator, Rev. John MacLeod from London, will be here for a few weeks as well. If only Sarah's sisters in Scotland could be here too!
I'm planning to take lots of photos in coming weeks, so stay tuned!
Thursday, October 13, 2011
A Photo For My Mother
Elijah's two front teeth, the teeth that have been loose for months? They have finally come out.
I think he looks cute with his two front teeth missing.
It's very difficult to get a good picture of Elijah. As soon as he sees the camera, he starts making the strangest faces! This one is blurry, but otherwise normal, so it will do.
Elijah is almost seven and still a ball of energy. He is in second grade this year, or at least that's what we're calling it. He says he wants to be an inventor when he grows up. He spends a lot of time designing and building complicated gadgets with wires and bits of cardboard and old computer components and modeling clay. He also enjoys playing with his brother, writing stories, and of course, reading lots of books.
I think he looks cute with his two front teeth missing.
It's very difficult to get a good picture of Elijah. As soon as he sees the camera, he starts making the strangest faces! This one is blurry, but otherwise normal, so it will do.
Elijah is almost seven and still a ball of energy. He is in second grade this year, or at least that's what we're calling it. He says he wants to be an inventor when he grows up. He spends a lot of time designing and building complicated gadgets with wires and bits of cardboard and old computer components and modeling clay. He also enjoys playing with his brother, writing stories, and of course, reading lots of books.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
September Psalm Sing
On Saturday we had another psalm sing. We worked on two less-familiar tunes, Winchester and Howard, which we sang to psalms 8 and 92:12-15, respectively. We still need to work on Howard a bit, so I won't post that recording, but here's the recording of Psalm 8 to Winchester:
I didn't care much for this tune before hand (partly because I kept confusing it with Farrant!), but after hearing it nicely sung in four-part harmony, I changed my mind. :)
After next month's psalm sing, all being well, we should have enough psalm recordings to make a set of two CDs. Interested? Details to come.
I didn't care much for this tune before hand (partly because I kept confusing it with Farrant!), but after hearing it nicely sung in four-part harmony, I changed my mind. :)
After next month's psalm sing, all being well, we should have enough psalm recordings to make a set of two CDs. Interested? Details to come.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Project Psalms (x2)
I was recently informed via a blog comment about "Project Psalms."
Project Psalms, in a nutshell, is an endeavor to record the singing of all 150 psalms from the Scottish Metrical Psalter (1650) and to produce a comprehensive set of 15 CDs. The project should be completed later this year, D.V.
This project is a great idea. I love the idea of having all 150 psalms available as audio recordings. Listening to recordings of the psalms is an excellent way for me to fill my mind with things that are true, pure, lovely etc.(Philippians 4:8) And recordings of the psalms are very helpful to those of us who are trying to memorize the psalter.
On the Project Psalms website is a sample recording, of Psalm 23. The psalm is sung as a solo by a professional tenor. He has a very good voice, and the recording quality is excellent.
I do have a few minor quibbles with the project: for instance, some of the tune selections, the vibrato, the fact that it's a solo performance. Nothing major.
However, the main obstacle preventing me from seriously considering the purchase of this CD set is the price: nearly 100 dollars! While this is probably a very good deal considering that you are getting 15 CD's worth of professionally produced music, the price is prohibitive for those of us on really tight budgets like myself.
Thankfully, I have discovered a poor man's alternative. :) A church in Dallas that sings the Psalms is singing straight through the Psalter at their monthly psalm sings, and posting the recordings online. So far they have gotten through Psalm 18. Their website cautions, "We're certainly not professionals, so don't tune in expecting anything other than a congregation of folks who love to sing the Psalms." However, their singing is quite good really, only the recording quality is less than professional. Perhaps someday their congregation (and ours) will be able to upgrade to better recording equipment. :)
My children and I have just started memorizing our way through the Psalter, and we have found the above recordings to be a helpful way to reinforce what we are learning. Of course, some of the tunes are unfamiliar to us, since the church in Dallas uses the Comprehensive Psalter, which has a different tune selection; but we haven't found this to diminish the usefulness of the recordings.
Here again is the link:
Recordings of the Psalms
I'll add these recordings to this index of Scottish Psalter recordings soon.
Project Psalms, in a nutshell, is an endeavor to record the singing of all 150 psalms from the Scottish Metrical Psalter (1650) and to produce a comprehensive set of 15 CDs. The project should be completed later this year, D.V.
This project is a great idea. I love the idea of having all 150 psalms available as audio recordings. Listening to recordings of the psalms is an excellent way for me to fill my mind with things that are true, pure, lovely etc.(Philippians 4:8) And recordings of the psalms are very helpful to those of us who are trying to memorize the psalter.
I do have a few minor quibbles with the project: for instance, some of the tune selections, the vibrato, the fact that it's a solo performance. Nothing major.
However, the main obstacle preventing me from seriously considering the purchase of this CD set is the price: nearly 100 dollars! While this is probably a very good deal considering that you are getting 15 CD's worth of professionally produced music, the price is prohibitive for those of us on really tight budgets like myself.
Thankfully, I have discovered a poor man's alternative. :) A church in Dallas that sings the Psalms is singing straight through the Psalter at their monthly psalm sings, and posting the recordings online. So far they have gotten through Psalm 18. Their website cautions, "We're certainly not professionals, so don't tune in expecting anything other than a congregation of folks who love to sing the Psalms." However, their singing is quite good really, only the recording quality is less than professional. Perhaps someday their congregation (and ours) will be able to upgrade to better recording equipment. :)
My children and I have just started memorizing our way through the Psalter, and we have found the above recordings to be a helpful way to reinforce what we are learning. Of course, some of the tunes are unfamiliar to us, since the church in Dallas uses the Comprehensive Psalter, which has a different tune selection; but we haven't found this to diminish the usefulness of the recordings.
Here again is the link:
Recordings of the Psalms
I'll add these recordings to this index of Scottish Psalter recordings soon.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Excuses, and More Goodbyes
I write, and I crochet. These two activities are very different, and you would think that they would require the use of different parts of the brain. But I've noticed that when I've been writing a lot, I have a hard time designing new crochet projects; and when I've been crocheting a lot, I can't seem to think of anything to write. So I guess I have a limited supply of creativity, and if I'm using it on one thing, I don't have any left to apply to the other.
So, I've been crocheting a lot lately. :) I've also opened a new Etsy shop selling recycled yarn. The shop is off to a good start so far with a few sales already. But with all the crocheting and listing and selling things, the writing part of my brain has been feeling quite dull. I know, it's a bad excuse.
So, what's going on in Texas? Well, life continues. It seems that everyone is so busy these days, working and travelling and moving and preparing for weddings.
My brother-in-law Mark is off working the recent hurricane on the East Coast, leaving his wife behind to miss him. It just so happens that Mark and Mercy will be moving soon (into Caleb and Leah's old house) so Mercy has her hands full, watching two little girls--and the youngest quite a squirmy and active little girl who needs a lot of attention!--and preparing to move, without her husband there to help. The rest of us are doing our best to look out for her.
Caleb and Leah are, as I write, on the plane to Glasgow. Due to visa complications, it seems that they will only be in Glasgow for six months at a time; the alternate six months, they will be back in Texas. While we are happy that they are not leaving us for the full duration of Caleb's divinity studies, we are also sympathetic that Caleb and Leah are facing a major international move every six months for the next three years. What a chore! And Leah with two small children to care for, and another on the way! (It's a BOY!)
Here's a photo from our last visit with Caleb and Leah. Caleb showed us his new neighborhood in Glasgow via Google Street View. He also showed us the Glasgow church building, where he will be doing his studies. It looks like a beautiful building. I hope I can visit it someday.
(the pink laptop is Leah's, don't worry)
In other news--I meant to start "properly" homeschooling Elijah this past Tuesday, but somehow I never got around to any lesson planning! So perhaps the beginning of our school year will be pushed back a bit. Lest you think I am shockingly careless about my child's education--our daily life includes quite a lot of informal education, and he is doing quite well academically despite not having formally begun school yet, so I feel as though I can get away with some laxity at the beginning. :) Our primary focus at the beginning of the year will not be academic growth, but character growth--teaching him to focus, and apply himself, and work independently.
I'll leave you with a perfectly dreadful photo of us five siblings. I'm sorry, it really is dreadful. I promise that we are all really better-looking than this. But there you have it.
So, I've been crocheting a lot lately. :) I've also opened a new Etsy shop selling recycled yarn. The shop is off to a good start so far with a few sales already. But with all the crocheting and listing and selling things, the writing part of my brain has been feeling quite dull. I know, it's a bad excuse.
So, what's going on in Texas? Well, life continues. It seems that everyone is so busy these days, working and travelling and moving and preparing for weddings.
My brother-in-law Mark is off working the recent hurricane on the East Coast, leaving his wife behind to miss him. It just so happens that Mark and Mercy will be moving soon (into Caleb and Leah's old house) so Mercy has her hands full, watching two little girls--and the youngest quite a squirmy and active little girl who needs a lot of attention!--and preparing to move, without her husband there to help. The rest of us are doing our best to look out for her.
Caleb and Leah are, as I write, on the plane to Glasgow. Due to visa complications, it seems that they will only be in Glasgow for six months at a time; the alternate six months, they will be back in Texas. While we are happy that they are not leaving us for the full duration of Caleb's divinity studies, we are also sympathetic that Caleb and Leah are facing a major international move every six months for the next three years. What a chore! And Leah with two small children to care for, and another on the way! (It's a BOY!)
Here's a photo from our last visit with Caleb and Leah. Caleb showed us his new neighborhood in Glasgow via Google Street View. He also showed us the Glasgow church building, where he will be doing his studies. It looks like a beautiful building. I hope I can visit it someday.
In other news--I meant to start "properly" homeschooling Elijah this past Tuesday, but somehow I never got around to any lesson planning! So perhaps the beginning of our school year will be pushed back a bit. Lest you think I am shockingly careless about my child's education--our daily life includes quite a lot of informal education, and he is doing quite well academically despite not having formally begun school yet, so I feel as though I can get away with some laxity at the beginning. :) Our primary focus at the beginning of the year will not be academic growth, but character growth--teaching him to focus, and apply himself, and work independently.
I'll leave you with a perfectly dreadful photo of us five siblings. I'm sorry, it really is dreadful. I promise that we are all really better-looking than this. But there you have it.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Two Years in Texas
A little over two years ago, I sold my house, sold my things, loaded my children and remaining belongings into my car, and moved to Texas.
Some things about Texas have been just as I expected. For instance, it's hot.
Other things have been quite unexpected. For instance, I never would have dreamed that Mom and Dad would move to Israel just a few short months after my arrival.
Here are the things I don't like about Texas (don't worry, it's a short list): the bugs, the driving.
Here are the things I like about Texas: the city, the parks, the ocean, the sky, the weather (yes, really), the visitors from around the world, my family, the other families, my nieces and nephew, all the children and babies, the young people, the psalm singing, the church.
A quote that fits:
Some things about Texas have been just as I expected. For instance, it's hot.
Other things have been quite unexpected. For instance, I never would have dreamed that Mom and Dad would move to Israel just a few short months after my arrival.
Here are the things I don't like about Texas (don't worry, it's a short list): the bugs, the driving.
Here are the things I like about Texas: the city, the parks, the ocean, the sky, the weather (yes, really), the visitors from around the world, my family, the other families, my nieces and nephew, all the children and babies, the young people, the psalm singing, the church.
A quote that fits:
The true visible church, where God's ordinances are set up as he hath
appointed, where his word is purely preached, is the most beautiful
thing under heaven, and there is God's glory set forth and manifested
more clearly than in all the Lord's handiwork beside in heaven or earth.
...David Dickson
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Goodbye, and A Psalm Sing
Early this morning, Mom and Dad packed up their things and headed off to the airport. They're going back to Israel for another year of work and study. It was nice to have them here for a good long visit, but we will be missing them in days ahead.
While Mom and Dad were here, we did a lot of visiting with friends. Mom and Dad got to meet the two granddaughters that had been born while they were away. Mom took lots of photos and videos of her children and grandchildren. Perhaps we'll see a few of them on her blog in coming weeks?
Last Saturday, we headed over to James and Hayley's new house for a psalm sing/housewarming party. It was nice to attend a psalm sing that I didn't have to host! Not that I mind hosting, I enjoy it actually, but it's also nice to have a break now and then.
We sang two selections. The second tune, Palestrina, is one of my favorites.
Psalm 30:1-5 to St. Minver
Psalm 86:14-17 to Palestrina.
While Mom and Dad were here, we did a lot of visiting with friends. Mom and Dad got to meet the two granddaughters that had been born while they were away. Mom took lots of photos and videos of her children and grandchildren. Perhaps we'll see a few of them on her blog in coming weeks?
Last Saturday, we headed over to James and Hayley's new house for a psalm sing/housewarming party. It was nice to attend a psalm sing that I didn't have to host! Not that I mind hosting, I enjoy it actually, but it's also nice to have a break now and then.
We sang two selections. The second tune, Palestrina, is one of my favorites.
Psalm 30:1-5 to St. Minver
Psalm 86:14-17 to Palestrina.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Psalm 133
We sang and recorded Psalm 133 at our last psalm sing, a few weeks ago. But this one needed a little extra editing; hence the delay in posting..
Psalm 133 is one of my favorite psalms. "Behold, how good a thing it is...in unity to dwell!" I love the exclamation point at the end of that verse, in the Scottish Metrical Psalter. Truly, how good a thing it is!
Psalm 133 is one of my favorite psalms. "Behold, how good a thing it is...in unity to dwell!" I love the exclamation point at the end of that verse, in the Scottish Metrical Psalter. Truly, how good a thing it is!
Psalm 133 to Crimond
1 Behold, how good a thing it is,
and how becoming well,
Together such as brethren are
In unity to dwell!
2 Like precious ointment on the head,
that down the beard did flow,
Ev'n Aaron's beard, and to the skirts
did of his garments go.
3 As Hermon's dew, the dew that doth
on Sion' hills descend:
For there the blessing God commands,
life that shall never end.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Writing
Every once in a while, I find it necessary to answer the question "So, what do you do?" and I am never quite sure what to say. I usually say a few things about being a [single] mom, and homeschooling, and keeping house; oh, and I sell old books and things online.
But what I really want to say is, "I write." I am always writing, or thinking about writing. Writing has been a part of my identity from an early age; and I've had encouragement from others to write, starting with my fifth grade teacher, who told me to be sure to let him know when my first book was published, because he would be buying a copy (I haven't forgotten, Mr. Vergunst!) There were other teachers and professors, too, who seemed to assume that writing would be a part of my future.
But if I say that I write, I will be expected to explain what it is that I write, exactly; so I refrain from calling myself a writer. Yes, I am always writing, or thinking about writing. But most of what I write never makes it to paper, or is deleted rather than posted.
I do want to write more, but what do I write, exactly? I once thought I would be a journalist, and I did write a couple of articles for a small-town newspaper, the sort you pick up for free at your local grocery store; but I soon realized that I wasn't fond of deadlines, and dropped that idea. I could write a book, but about what? Should I focus on doing a better job of keeping a journal, or writing to friends?
I would like to post more often to this blog. But it's hard to know what to write about. I feel uneasy at the thought of writing publicly about some of the topics that I think about most often. Some topics are too personal to post to a blog when you don't know who your readers are, or what they are looking for (...are you just here for the psalm recordings?) Other topics might be of broad interest but might also be controversial (homeschooling) and would therefore require such a degree of patience and wisdom that I'm not sure I'm up to the task. And other topics...well I might enjoy discussing some things (theology and church matters) with friends and family, but I'm not so sure that I'm qualified to write about them on my blog. :)
Still, I feel that I ought to be spending less time writing Facebook comments (and yes, Facebook comments do take a lot of time, since I feel compelled to proofread, edit, and re-write even on Facebook) and more time on proper writing. So, consider yourself warned: I am going to try to be more diligent about writing for my blog--and actually publishing the posts. :) Don't worry, I'll still post psalm recordings as often as I can, and pictures of cute babies and children.
But what I really want to say is, "I write." I am always writing, or thinking about writing. Writing has been a part of my identity from an early age; and I've had encouragement from others to write, starting with my fifth grade teacher, who told me to be sure to let him know when my first book was published, because he would be buying a copy (I haven't forgotten, Mr. Vergunst!) There were other teachers and professors, too, who seemed to assume that writing would be a part of my future.
But if I say that I write, I will be expected to explain what it is that I write, exactly; so I refrain from calling myself a writer. Yes, I am always writing, or thinking about writing. But most of what I write never makes it to paper, or is deleted rather than posted.
I do want to write more, but what do I write, exactly? I once thought I would be a journalist, and I did write a couple of articles for a small-town newspaper, the sort you pick up for free at your local grocery store; but I soon realized that I wasn't fond of deadlines, and dropped that idea. I could write a book, but about what? Should I focus on doing a better job of keeping a journal, or writing to friends?
I would like to post more often to this blog. But it's hard to know what to write about. I feel uneasy at the thought of writing publicly about some of the topics that I think about most often. Some topics are too personal to post to a blog when you don't know who your readers are, or what they are looking for (...are you just here for the psalm recordings?) Other topics might be of broad interest but might also be controversial (homeschooling) and would therefore require such a degree of patience and wisdom that I'm not sure I'm up to the task. And other topics...well I might enjoy discussing some things (theology and church matters) with friends and family, but I'm not so sure that I'm qualified to write about them on my blog. :)
Still, I feel that I ought to be spending less time writing Facebook comments (and yes, Facebook comments do take a lot of time, since I feel compelled to proofread, edit, and re-write even on Facebook) and more time on proper writing. So, consider yourself warned: I am going to try to be more diligent about writing for my blog--and actually publishing the posts. :) Don't worry, I'll still post psalm recordings as often as I can, and pictures of cute babies and children.
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