still dancing

Apparently, old habits die hard.  I have come to the realization that, much the same as knitting is my hobby, so is folk dancing.  The difference between the two is that learning new dances still scares me!  Knitting, for me, is solitary; folk dancing is social, and I am still afraid of screwing up the steps and looking like an idiot.  I remembered that last night while trying a new dance, and I remembered it when I tried to do this in Omaha:

Everyone else seemed to be able to do the steps inside the poles, but my brain wouldn’t cooperate, and I was not willing to keep trying until I “got it.”

Everyone else had a lot of fun.

There was a lot of onlookers analyzing the beat, and the steps.

A few gentlemen even tried to keep the beat while doing push-ups!

I’ll just have to get my brave on for next year!

gotta love a dance weekend

Our hosts for the weekend in Omaha started our workshop with a few easy dances…

but we were soon flying through the steps. I can’t quite begin to describe the camaraderie of a dance floor full of Scandinavian folk dancers.  A whole room full of people proud of their heritage and happy to share their love of dance. 

All of the dances are done with multiple couples (I only know of one that isn’t); so a large group is necessary for dance.  It’s a great social occasion, and we filled the dance floor.  We even got the chance to try a few lifting dances.

and she said

This February has been the busiest on record.  Not sure how that happened, but there it is.  We’re making our way through, because it is all good, just busy.  The discussions are ongoing, but always boils down to the fact that we can’t change (and won’t give up) any of the things that are making us so crazed right now.

The beginning part of this week was all scheduled into the Manitoba Green Show.  It’s an industry trade show for landscapers, garden centres, arborists and local government.  Three fascinating days of workshops about trees, bugs, water, design and business.  It’s so important to connect with others in the industry; teaching and sharing knowledge.  We get to talk to our suppliers and growers, and it’s interesting to get other perspectives from plant product to sales.  I had one of the growers ask me why I liked my job so much.  I didn’t have a good answer.  I love plants, and that’s what I said (duh!) but it’s much more than that.  It’s being knowledgeable and able to give the customer the right information for their situation.  It’s about knowing what colour leaves change in the fall, knowing mature height, and knowing that Discovery Elm is very resistant to Dutch Elm Disease because of it’s genesis from the Japanese Elm.  It’s knowing a little bit and a lot of everything.  And the outcome of the Manitoba Green Show, for me at least, is that I’ll be enrolling in the Master Gardener program to get my certification.  More busy, but I’m pretty sure I’ll love every minute of it.

Things are quiet around here today only because I’m babysitting my neice, and she’s a bit under the weather.  (I’m containing and disinfecting in her wake.)  I wish I could knit but I’m a bit too distracted for that.  As soon as she took her nap, I ran outside to clean up the back yard.  And realized that it was an absolutely, meltingly beautiful day.  Oh well.

We have very special plans for this weekend (where I’ll be wearing my new costume!) and each one of us is looking forward to it in our own way.  It will be busy, but it will be good.  Of course.

 

new

I am ridiculously pleased with my new folk dance costume.  I am thrilled with the material, and am so excited to wear it this month.  Many, many thanks to my mother-in-law for her dress making skills that she lavishes on me!

black and white

And the Star Wars saga continues, now into the second generation…

new all over again

Just before Christmas break, we made tiny gingerbread houses for Sonja’s teachers as a gift.  The cookies had a front and back door, and were supposed to fit over the edge of a coffee cup.  (We made the doors too small, but the teachers loved them anyway.)

Now it’s already second semester that starts on Monday.  New teachers and classes all over again!

don’t know what the neighbours think

February and the Christmas wreath is still up at the front door.  Problem is, it still looks great and I’m pretty sure the mailman would miss it if I threw it out.  But every time I lean out the door to get the mail, I do wonder what the neighbours think…