A Seasonal Update

Hi friends,

It's been awhile since I posted due to my computer acting up. I thought I would have to get a new computer because mine is pretty old as far as computer years go. But I was able to get a new video card and have it inserted into the old motherboard. After a few tweaks and such it is now working. This is likely the last upgrade that can be done to my old computer. But for now it saves me a an additional big cash outlay at Christmas time.

I wanted to share a few more photos of my old alma mater taken when I went for my nephew's graduation. If you missed that post and would like to read it you can find it here.

These photos depict parts of our walk from the Chan Center to the Robert H. Lee Alumni Center where a cake and coffee reception is held for the graduates and their guests.

Firstly, you see we are in the area called the Rose Garden located next door to the Chan Center where the graduation ceremonies take place. In Spring and Summer there is a beautiful rose garden in bloom.  It's location overlooks the Pacific Ocean and graduates and their friends and families love to take their photos there.  The day of graduation we were very fortunate indeed that the rain stopped and people were able to get their photo opportunities.  The Rose Garden was still a pretty venue for photos even though the garden was not in bloom.

It turned out to be quite a lovely day after a few days of very heavy rain. The flag unfurled enough to get a good photo and you can see all the people in the background and the ocean and mountains beyond.

We walked south along Main Mall until we got to University Boulevard where we turned and headed east until we got to our destination, the Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre.  On the map below it is a grey box marked Alumni Centre at the junction of Main Mall and University Boulevard. It has been many years since I walked these streets and I see heavy duty construction all around.  The map below indicates the street names and also shows a lot of construction is underway. The campus looks rather different since I was a student there many years ago. Back then I loved the campus because it was full of green spaces. Times change but overall it is still a very pretty campus especially in the Fall and Spring when everything is in glorious colour.

The building below is the Sauder School of Business.

 

The building in the photo below is the Koerner Library.

The stone building in the background of the photo below is what used to be the old Main Library (now replaced by the Koerner Library above).  I worked many hours in the library. I enjoyed the job and it paid well as far as student jobs in those days.

 I'm glad to see the clock tower is still standing though so many other things have changed on campus. 

I used to run from the far eastern edge of the university grounds (Thunderbird Stadium) to the western edge near the Rose Garden to make it for my Canadian Literature class after participating in my Phy. Ed. methods class. It was a breathless trek as I only had 10 minutes to change and run across campus before the class started. I couldn't arrange my schedule in a better way so I had to live with it. I'd run into the professor almost every time as he waited until the last second to enter the class.  Once he entered he did not pause but went right into the lecture for the day.
He was one of the best lecturers I ever had and I remember that class fondly.  What I don't remember too fondly is I'd always be sweating and panting from overheating. Once I got a very bad bleeding nose from being overly heated and had to leave the class to deal with it. Thankfully it only happened once.

 This clock used to keep me on schedule as in those days we didn't have cell phones and not everyone wore a watch.

Times have changed. No pun intended.

Nearing the Robert H. Lee Alumni Center we pass this totem pole

This totem pole was a gift of the Musqueam people to the university and stands as a permanent welcome and a reminder of the relationship between the university and the Musqueam people whose traditional lands are where the university has been built.

After the reception and goodbyes, I continued my walk down University Boulevard.

 I am headed to the village where there are a variety of shopping establishments.

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After the graduation event it rained again for several days.  This week the weather suddenly turned sunny and has been so for several days.   I went out and captured a few photos from my patio.
Today (Thursday) it turned quite foggy. I enjoyed the misty atmosphere during my walk to run some errands.
I was buying some supplies for projects I'll share in my next post.

East facing view from my patio.

Seagull overhead. These birds start their calls at 4 or 5 a.m. every morning. They make such a racket.

The high rise complex is nearing completion. There are several adjoining buildings making up this new complex.

I never tire of the mountain view and church steeple.

A night shot of the same view but taken on a different day.

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When there is no rain the weather can get cold enough for the snow to fall and I've felt the change of temperature indoors despite the heat being on.

So far we have only had snow on the mountains. I don't mind if we don't get any on the ground this year. 

Last year we had snowfall the middle of November which was the earliest I recall ever getting snow in Vancouver since I've been living here. 

It used to be we got snow once or twice in very late December or even later and it would melt right away.

Gradually however we've been getting quite a lot of snowfall. At first the snow stayed for about 2 weeks.

Last year we had a lot of snow and ice and it stayed for months!

Needless to say the winter tires must be put on soon and the earliest appointment we could make is for Monday.

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Last but not least, a friend and I went to Handel's Messiah on Friday December 1st.

It was performed by the Pacific Baroque Orchestra and the Vancouver Cantata.  

We enjoyed it enormously but were fatigued after the very long performance.

I can only imagine how tired the soloists, choir and symphony members.  Each and every one put on a spectacular performance for a very appreciative audience at the Vancouver Playhouse. Even the conductor had a tremendous workout with his vigorous conducting.

The 3 performances by these soloists, choir and orchestra were pretty well sold out.

Fortunately there is another set of musicians also performing Handel's Messiah over several performances. 

I'm sure those will also sell out.

The photos I'm sharing are not very good.  I used my phone camera and combined with the lighting overhead  and the subjects (performers) were moving too quickly, I couldn't snap the photos fast enough.

Alexander Weimann, Music Director and Conductor

Some of the Orchestra members. Chloe Myers, Concert Master Violinist (far right of photo).

Soprano, Yulia Van Doren, Baritone Tyler Duncan hugging conductor, Charles Daniels, Tenor stands nearby

Mezzo-Soprano, Krisztina Szabó in blue

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 I've been very fortunate to attend 3 concerts leading up to the holidays.

I'm very grateful for the friends who've joined me and for the enjoyment I've had so far.
I actually have one more concert to attend next week.

It is the first Christmas without our dear mom.  So much of our holidays in recent years revolved around her and travelling to see her.
This year is a very different Christmas.
New activities and traditions are required.

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Rather than spend a lot of time thinking about what to do I just decided to do what I love.

I purposed to spend this holiday in peace and to enjoy the moments along the way.
I enjoy a good concert especially at Christmas so several concerts are in my schedule this year.
I've also invited several people over for Christmas dinner so I have a lot to keep me busy with dinner, house and gift preparations.

We are getting close to Christmas so I may only be posting once more.

Until we meet again enjoy your Christmas season however you choose to spend it.

Joining with Friday Foto Friends.

A Special Day Under a Vancouver Sky

My family had a special day today. 

My nephew graduated with his Masters in Arts in Psychology.
Graduation ceremonies take place over 3 consecutive days twice per year. Each day there are 3 separate ceremonies.
My nephew's was the 2nd ceremony of the 2nd day which seemed fitting given it is his 2nd degree. It was also the best time weatherwise over the 3 day period.

The crowd assembles in the beautiful Chan Centre.

Ph.D. graduates are seated in their fushia and blue robes at the back  of the stage behind the professors and dignataries. The fuschia looks red in the photo but the UBC website says the colour is maroon.

The Mace is carried by the ‘Macebearer’ who leads the Platform Party, which includes the Chancellor, the President, and other dignitaries, onto the stage for the Congregation ceremonies.

 In the fall of 1957, the University commissioned the late Haida carver Bill Reid to undertake the project of carving the mace. Due to Reid’s heavy workload, he suggested that George Norris be asked to help design and carve the Mace. The planning of the Mace took some time and a final design was not approved until 1959.

(Source:  UBC Website)

The mace is made of yew wood and has west coast carved designs as well as inlaid copper.

President Santa Ono addresses the crowd. He was born in Vancouver but comes to us from Chicago, Illinois.

Vancouver has been having a deluge of rain for the last few days. Miraculously today the rain stopped, the clouds parted a bit and we even had sunshine. A much nicer way to celebrate the graduation as all the graduates like to take photos outside.


After photos we all trekked to the Robert H. Lee Alumni Center.  Along the way I snapped photos of the clock tower which used to be where the main library was located.

The stone building behind the tower is the former library. I spent many hours working there as a student.

An eastern view of Wesbrook Mall a pedestrian mall for approximately 4-5 city blocks.

A new totem pole on campus. I didn't have time to find out its significance. Perhaps it is welcoming people to campus.

The new alumni centre, made of glass, is pictured in photo below.  There the new graduates and their families were treated to complimentary cake (vanilla or chocolate), coffee and water. The chocolate cake was pronounced delicious by our family party. No one tried the vanilla but I'm sure it was also delicious.

Graduates were each given a complimentary glass of wine if they chose.  They were also permitted to keep the glass as a keepsake. Etched on the stemware are the words "UBC Alumni".

All in all we had a lovely day with my nephew. He is now currently working on his Ph. D. And an exceedingly busy young man.

Joining 

Skywatch Friday 

and

Friday Foto Friends

 I may not get a chance to visit you in the next little while as I am having major computer issues which I will need to sort out.

Happy Thanksgiving

to all my American friends who celebrate.

Friday Night at the Opera

Half the day is gone and I'm just putting up my Tuesday post.

It is pouring rain here right now and will likely be like this all week. It was a glorious, sunny day yesterday though.

I wanted to share my photos from the opera I went to last Friday. It was performed in a small church called Canadian Memorial United Church.

It is a beautiful church.

(Photo Credit:  Church website) This is the church located on a busy Vancouver corner (Burrard & 16th Avenue)

I took a friend as a Christmas gift and she enjoyed it very much. She bought us coffee and cookies at the break .  The coffee was fabulous and the cookies were too. I believe the church was raising funds for its out of the cold program.

I've never been to the church before.  Apparently they have different outside events throughout the year.

(Photo Credit: Church website) - This is the main window of the church. Simply stunning.

The opera written by Giuseppe Verdi is Un Ballo in Maschera (A Masked Ball)  was ably performed by a new partnership between a  company called Opera Mariposa and another, called Heroic Opera. Both of these companies were formed by female opera singers for the purpose of giving more performing opportunities to young and upcoming opera singers.

(Photo credit:  Mariposa and Heroic Opera Brochure) - This photo aroused my interest to look for tickets.

The summary of the opera story can be found here. I chose not to recite the summary in this post because it is rather a long story and some of you may not be opera buffs. 
Let's just say, like any good opera, it is full of drama, love and tragedy.

People settling in before the show

Of course I could not get any photos during the opera but here are the photos I managed to get during the bows at the end.

Flowers presented to Sarah Templeton in the role of Amelia, Renato's wife and love interest of King Gustavo

Mark Pepe who played King Gustavo

A longer shot of the stage and the ensemble actors

Andrew Greenwood who played the role of Renato, friend and protector of the King

Director Adam Da Ros, who seems to have grown up in my small hometown. He brought this complex opera to life

It was my first time to the lovely church and my first time to see an opera in a church. 

The director remarked that he chose to keep the set design minimal and play up the features of the church itself.
I thought the idea worked rather well. 
The costumes were meticulously designed.
It's always lovely to see such beautiful period costumes.

The opera singers were all good and I mean that very sincerely.
Seeing the opera in such a small venue gave an intimacy and poignancy to the performance that isn't possible in a large theatre.  I enjoyed this smaller venue as I saw the same opera in a large theatre many years ago and it was nice to have the comparison.

Despite everyone being so talented, I still had a favourite soloist. 
She is soprano Sarah Templeton and her voice is absolutely marvellous.

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I have one more event to go to before Christmas; possibly two. I don't normally go to so many concert events in such a short space of time.
But as my plans are totally different this year given that it is the first time I will not have my dear late mom to visit.  Going to concerts and symphonies is something that is a real treat and at Christmas is even more enjoyable so I'm indulging myself this year.

I hope you too are getting a chance to see some marvellous musical events this holiday season.

Joining in with Our World Tuesday

Enjoy your week ahead.

The Weather Around These Parts

In Kenyan news

My young friend, Alvin has graduated today with his Bachelor in Engineering. He is hoping to do his Master's Degree in approximately one year but first he needs a job and to save some money.

That is Alvin on the left and Nathan on the right. Alvin is my friend.

 I met Alvin a few years ago when the choir he is in (Kenyan Boys Choir) were in the city.
Saturday they will have a big luncheon with family and friends to celebrate this great achievement.

My elderly "grandma" is still in hospital. She has been back and forth between the Intensive Care Unit and the private ward at the mission hospital where she lives.  She has pneumonia which she contracted while in hospital being treated for a bacterial infection.

She is a strong woman but she is very old and it is hard to recover.
I continue to pray for her recovery.

In sad news, a friend's uncle, Kipkoness has succumbed to heart problems and passed on.

I met him on my very first trip to Kenya. I am sorry I will not have a chance to meet him again when I return next to Kenya.

In local news

I'm keeping very busy getting parcels and cards out in the mail in preparation for Christmas. Next up will be wrapping the presents for family members. I also had to go to the eye specialist for laser surgery this week. Some of you remember I had cataract surgery but scar tissue grew rapidly due to healthy eyes and needs to be removed. One eye was done yesterday. The other will be done in a month. 

I'm breaking up all the errands with one of the things I like best, the opera. I have several performances to attend. I wrote about one of them a few days ago.

 I said I would be reporting on a special event. That will be posted in a day or two.

Thanks for joining me here.

I'll be sure to visit you if you let me know you were here.

Checking in with

Friday Foto Friends

Skywatch Friday

and 

Saturdays Critters

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend. x

Red - Red, African Yam & Friends

Though I took my camera to dinner I completely forgot to take a photo of what my friend served for dinner: Red-Red (Black Eyed Pea Stew) and African Yams. 

These are dishes from Ghana but other African countries also make and consume these tasty dishes.

I searched several recipes on line and the stew I found in the posted video seems to more closely resemble the black eyed pea stew cooked with tomatoes, scotch bonnet peppers, ginger, garlic and onions.

But I know my friend also used cabbage and bay leaf and perhaps some fish.  Fish (salted or dried, sometimes canned) seems to be the ingredient most often added.  But variations exist. My friend made it with chicken cooked until falling off the bone and shredded/  He served the dish with African yams which I've never had before.

(Photo Credit:  Africana L.L.C) ~This is what uncooked African yam looks like.

(Photo source: Adamara's Blog) ~ This is a cooked African yam with stew.

I love potatos and the African yam reminded me of Russet potatos except that it is more dense.
I've never seen these in

the local grocery store. My friend had to go to the next municipality (about an hour out of town) to buy them.

He said he will make fufu (foofoo, foufou) next time.  I have had it before and I love it. Fufu can be made with many things: cassava, African yams, potato, corn and perhaps more. You pound the ingredient for so long until it becomes soft and sticky like dough.  Once fufu is finished you work a bit of it between fingers and use it to scoop up some soup.  I like mine with ground nut soup.

(Photo credit: Whats4eats) Here are some ladies making yam fufu the traditional way.

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If you would like to try a recipe for Red-Red you can click here for one variation. 

There are many others on line.

I always appreciate friends who take time out of their busy schedules to prepare a meal for me.
The food is generally very tasty when you enjoy sitting down to someone else's labour and shared conversation.

I've asked my friend to join me and my family members for the Christmas meal this year.
He usually goes to his auntie's for holiday meals but his uncle's health is in decline.   His aunt is busy looking after her husband's needs and she doesn't have the energy, strength or time to entertain at the holidays.

We are fortunate to live in a city where people are generally quite hospitable especially at holidays meals.
One can often get an invite or several invites to dinner but it is nice to spend time with friends who are like family.

Come back again soon.
 I hope to share a special event with you next time.

♥♥♥

Enjoy the rest of your week.

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