Posts filed under ‘artists’
Highlights from Halifax–Editors’ and Indexers conference 2013 Between the lines
The Lord Nelson Hotel, Halifax, Nova Scotia, site of our conference
Conference co-chairs Nancy and Valerie with Barbara, opening remarks at Welcome Reception
Fiddler, Anthony Rissesco, playing east coast tunes during the reception
Thanks to Gael Spivak for this photo of me at Exclamation Mart with my book
Conversations during Exclamation Mart with Adrienne Montgomery
A pleasure to see Frances Peck again and to learn that she was born in Cape Breton and is a Maritimer at heart
Banquet table setting, then a delicious dinner
The Oops Awards for most humorous, most expensive and other kinds of errors, by James Harbeck
Sitting around the banquet table and chatting, left to right, Patricia Morris McDonald and Moira Langton, members of the Halifax EAC group who put on the conference
Banquet table, left to right: Joanna, Vanessa and Greg
Members of the Black Rum Band: Adele, Carolyn (moi!), Nancy, Ann, Valerie, Jacquie, Moira, Daphne and Patricia
Song lyrics adapted by Daphne from an old Maritime song. No rum or blueberries in site! Thanks to Helena for sharing your suite for our practice sessions.
This photo of the band, Traci Williams, by permission.
I had the pleasure of meeting Sheree Fitch and introducing her session. We did not plan to coordinate our clothing colours, but apparently we both like blue.
An attendee took our photo with my camera.
And the SV Mar that took us on an evening cruise in Halifax Harbour on the last day of the conference
Photos on this blog by C. Wilker, unless otherwise noted
Coming soon: On the town, sightseeing in Halifax
Canadian Writers Who Are Christian–Beautiful Words and Beautiful Writing
Today I blogged over at Canadian Writers Who Are Christian on the topic of Beautiful Words and especially the writer, Lucy Maud Montgomery.
At Green Gables, PEI, 2010, photo by C. Wilker
Maranatha Lutheran Church joins in worship with St. Philip Lutheran Church–Sunday, June 9th
Pastor Peter Kuhnert and worship assistant at seminary, Black History Month celebration, February 2013
On Sunday, June 9th, Maranatha Lutheran congregation, with Pastor Peter Kuhnert, will join St. Philip congregation for a joint service. In recognition of the two congregations sharing the space on 236 Woodhaven Road in Kitchener, we will celebrate this first Sunday together.
We expect to share in various celebrations throughout the year, their congregation in some of our activities and we in celebrations that they organize, such as the Black History celebration that Pastor Rick Pryce, minister of St. Philip, and members of St. Philip council and others joined in February (as shown in link below).
From that point on, the St. Philip building will house both ministries. St. Philip worship service and Sunday school beginning at 9:30 am and Maranatha beginning their worship at 11:00 am. Each congregation will maintain its own identity, and we are excited for this new partnership.
We’re looking forward to making music together and being in mission for others together and apart
photo, C. Wilker
photos of Black History month by Sylma Fletcher, used by permission.
Counting my blessings– with a little help from Ali Matthews
Think of the things you can be thankful for, whether it’s having clean water or a roof over your head. Maybe it’s the support of others that allowed you to achieve something you never thought you’d be able to accomplish. Perhaps it’s thankfulness for the beautiful creation or the faithful love of a spouse or the caring of a best friend. Today count your blessings.
Here’s a video of Ali Matthew’s song Counting Your Blessings. Go ahead and count yours. Name them too.
Book Signing this Saturday, May 4th for Once Upon a Sandbox
I am excited about my book signing at Waterloo Chapters this Saturday, May 4th from 11 am–1 pm, in Waterloo, Ontario. Come and get your copy of Once Upon a Sandbox and get it signed. The book makes a great gift for Mother’s Day for a mother, sister, aunt or grandmother as well.
Waterloo Chapters, King Street North, Waterloo, Ontario.
Go here to listen to my interview with Robert White at Faith FM’s Art Connections
From my publisher’s website:
A marvellous family friendly book that will lift your spirits. Once Upon a Sandbox, by C. R. Wilker, is a warm and gentle memoir about family life on a farm. It is about the farm and the individuals, the personalities, and the ties that bind them to each other.
Whether it’s helping to whitewash a barn, hoeing endless rows of vegetable plants, or driving a tractor to prepare for spring seeding, there’s plenty of work to be done. Through this collection of prose and poetry, reflect on the realities of farm families, their connection with community, weather and economy, as well as being stewards of the land from which they make a living. This is a fine story to which anyone will relate. Read more here.
speaking at Kitchener Kiwanis Club, November 2012
Once Upon a Sandbox was a finalist in the 2012 Word Guild contest
Thank you again, Deborah Pryce, for your delightful art on the cover of my book.
Saturday Snapshot–Tea and Tales in March
The program and favours for Tea and Tales by Carol Leigh Wehking and Brenda Byers, storytellers from Baden Storytellers’ Guild
Brenda and Carol Leigh, the storytellers, at the Wired-up Pug Cafe and Bistro, Cambridge, Ontario
A celebration of World Storytelling Day, an international storytelling day for telling stories in many places.
Saturday Snapshots, hosted by At Home With Books. Go there to see more pictures and post your link. Photos you or a family member have taken. Keep them clean and appropriate for all eyes.
Photos on this blog are by C. Wilker, unless otherwise noted.
Book signing soon– May 4th for Once Upon a Sandbox
I am excited about my book signing at Waterloo Chapters this Saturday, May 4th from 11 am–1 pm, in Waterloo, Ontario. Come and get your copy of Once Upon a Sandbox and get it signed. The book makes a great gift for Mother’s Day for a mother, sister, aunt or grandmother as well.
Waterloo Chapters, King Street North, Waterloo, Ontario.
Go here to listen to my interview with Robert White at Faith FM’s Art Connections
From my publisher’s website:
A marvellous family friendly book that will lift your spirits. Once Upon a Sandbox, by C. R. Wilker, is a warm and gentle memoir about family life on a farm. It is about the farm and the individuals, the personalities, and the ties that bind them to each other.
Whether it’s helping to whitewash a barn, hoeing endless rows of vegetable plants, or driving a tractor to prepare for spring seeding, there’s plenty of work to be done. Through this collection of prose and poetry, reflect on the realities of farm families, their connection with community, weather and economy, as well as being stewards of the land from which they make a living. This is a fine story to which anyone will relate. Read more here.
speaking at Kitchener Kiwanis Club, November 2012
Once Upon a Sandbox was a finalist in the 2012 Word Guild contest
Thank you again, Deborah Pryce, for your delightful art on the cover of my book.
Circus theme at the Museum–Science under the Big Top
This week at the Waterloo Region Museum many have experienced the Circus theme: Science Under the Big Top. Planning it for February to May was a smart move on the Museum’s part since March Break was in the middle. It gave families something special to do on the March Break.
Staff told me when I arrived, as storyteller for the day, that one thousand people had already come that day. That was Tuesday. Indeed the theatre filled soon after a staff member announced storytelling time. Eager children awaited the stories, and parents, grandparents and group leaders with a band of children there for a day camp. They participated in the stories that called for actions, and they listened until it was time to move again.
On Wednesday I took a preschooler to the museum. Many activities had been designed for school-age children, but there were activities that even a preschooler could engage in with some assistance.
We read a circus story in the dress-up area and tried on clown hats and shoes. I thought we might stay there a little longer, but there was so much more to see… and hear
What’s behind the curtain? We didn’t find out since there was a group of people around it.
We’re looking down through an upper story glass window.
acrobatics in the air
Walk the high wire (wearing a harness, of course)
Granddaughter wanted to try this, to get dressed for it, but there was no harness small enough.
By pushing buttons and pressing pedals, we could put a circus movie on the screen, complete with music.
We had fun with this one, even seeing a lion tamer at work.
Shooting a ball from the cannon–a combined effort
We enjoyed this activity as well.
What’s holding up the train? Peepholes to look through.
Though no animals were to be found, except on video, it was like being at the circus, with the music, activity and excitement. And soon all good things makes a young one tired and so we concluded our visit with a treat from the concession stand out in the foyer, and we looked out the window at the engine in the village.
You can see more photos of the activities at the museum website.
Photos on this blog are the copyright of C. Wilker.
When Fear Gets in the Way
This morning in Jeff Goins’ blog post, his guest writer, Anne Peterson, poet, author and speaker, wrote about how people offer up excuses to get out of doing things, and avoid failure. Her mother sounds just like mine. In fact, she said the same words: “There’s no such word as can’t.”
In a recent speech to fellow Toastmasters, I talked about doing something I feared. My fears were my own, but audience members identified, for they have their own to face. The first was my fear of heights and, how, when I was a teen, the prospect of standing on an elevated platform to whitewash the side of our barn terrified me. My second, the fear of speaking was about as big, and so I joined Toastmasters in preparation for a book that I would, one day, promote, or a workshop I would present.
Perhaps you’ve guessed; I`ve done both. It took months and months of practice—not to mention shaking hands and trembling voice—to feel more comfortable in front of my club members. but in time, I was speaking outside the club too, in other venues. Still challenged by the fear of heights, I fly to destinations for vacations but climb as few ladders as possible.
Learning to speak has been a good thing. Since then I have had a book published—well two, including my first little poetry collection. Being prepared has helped for I enjoyed my book events. Still butterflies creep in from time to time when I get up to speak, but I understand that means I care about my audience. Now I focus on my excitement about sharing my presentation, and it has made a big difference.
Anne Peterson quoted Winston Churchill too: “Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” I identify with that, because we do often stumble as we learn, whether it’s from fear of failure or just part of the learning process. Probably a little of both. If we want something badly enough, we’re willing to work hard to achieve that success, whatever it is.
Carolyn Wilker, storytelling during the event Open Doors Waterloo, 2012.
Teachable Moment
The daily prompt from WordPress: You have to learn a new skill.Do you prefer to read about it, watch someone else do it, hear someone else describe it, or try it yourself.
As much as I enjoy reading about something of interest, I’d still rather do it myself. It reminds me of a lecture about sewing household decorator items that I attended years ago. While the woman was demonstrating, I was wishing that I had my sewing machine and fabric there to create something while she was teaching. That`s where I like the interactive options.
I could read books galore on sewing, writing, gardening or even learning a language, but then I want to try it while the information is fresh in my mind. I think so many things are learned best through one’s own efforts. Some teaching may be needed first, whether it’s hearing, seeing or reading, but then get to the part where the person tries the skill.
No language is ever learned without speaking it, no piano skills made by just listening, and no seamstress ever becomes proficient until she has learned the qualities of fabric, the way a bias works, or by testing out patterns to see what fits best. Also gardeners developed knowledge by growing things herself and reinventing her garden time after time.
That`s the way a child learns, by trying new things, and I think many adults learn by trying things out themselves as well.
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