Poetry Train Monday - 30 - The Test

Since we're tucked into our house riding out a major snowstorm tonight, I felt like posting this older poem I wrote when I was still in high school.


The Test


Winter moon
White and clear
Snowy dune
Icy spear
Silver wisps
Line the sky
Patient stars
Wolfen cry

Haunting hush
Waiting wood
Powder crush
Soft wool hood
Anxious turns
Shuts the door
Stands outside
Full heart sore


Slanting square of white lamplight
Cuts the sameness of the night
Out before the rough hewn house
Vigil flame I pray to douse



Don't fret so
Tighten cloak
Loosen then
Twist and choke
Doubts arise
Hopes spin/fall
Lonesome claws
Poise to maul
Gaze pans night
Worried sighs
Dark beneath
Sharp cold skies

Flat gray fields stretching silent
Streams of ice floes ripped and violent
Clumsy fences trailing far
Clutching branches grasp and scar
All is still and all is screaming
Emptiness and fury teeming

He'll get through
I can feel
Snow beware
He's of steel
Gaze won't leave
Icy road
Sparkling shine
Eerie bode

Body shakes
Not from cold
Heart awakes
Life takes hold
Winter moon
Shines on two
Run embrace
Love is true


















Poem Copyright 1980 Julia Smith

Why Have One Work Christmas Party When You Can Have Two?

The wonderful thing about starting this year at one workplace and ending it at another is getting invited to two work Christmas parties. The first one was given by the registry of deeds scan team, where I worked for two years and left in March for another position at the pension agency.


Although I left the pension agency in October when my contract ended, I'm still in contact with everyone and I even have a job interview for another position there on Monday. The pension agency party was at my former manager's apartment, and because his nickname is Sheriff J.R., he was wearing his Sheriff J.R. tshirt which I thought was very fetching.


At the registry party we played pool - or tried to... Right, Patti?






At the pensions party, we listened to Jim's epic poem about our office.





At the registry party, I got to see old friends I miss so much. Like Pam and Ning!













My sister also worked at pensions, before I got there. We had a wonderful time reuniting with office buddies.














In fact, most people at pensions had never seen us together before.








At the registry party, many rounds of shots were downed.








Over at the pensions party, many shots made their way down many a throat.








At the registry party, my old supervisor lined up the shots.








At the pensions party, my old manager did the same.









The registry party came with a lovely ocean mural.











The pensions party boasted three tanks of fish.


















Fa la la la la...


La la la la!

Thursday Thirteen - 34 - 13 of My Favorite Musical Pieces From Christmas Specials

1 - Christmas Time is Here

'A Charlie Brown Christmas'

Couldn't get a clip from the animated special that played the entire piece of music, so I went with a snowy montage instead.





2 - Walking in The Air

Raymond Briggs' 'The Snowman'










3 - You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch

'How The Grinch Stole Christmas'












4 - Snow Miser/Heat Miser Song

'The Year Without a Santa Claus'
















5 - Put One Foot In Front Of The Other

'Santa Claus is Coming to Town'










6 - What's This?

'The Nightmare Before Christmas'











7 - There's Always Tomorrow

'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer'











8 - Believe In Your Dreams And They'll All Come True





'The Little Mermaid', narrated by Richard Chamberlain







9 - Snow, Frost, The North Wind and Hail arrive in the Garden

'The Selfish Giant'










10 - Good King Wenceslas




'The Christmas Messenger'







11 - Welcome Christmas/Trim Up the Tree"

'How The Grinch Stole Christmas'









12 - A Holly Jolly Christmas

'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer'






13 - Grand Pas de Deux

'The Nutcracker'

If you watch this one, my favorite music actually starts at 1:45 into it. As soon as the two principals begin the pas de deux, those glorious strings start up, my heart squeezes and I'm in shivery heaven no matter how many times I've heard it or watched it. What is this lush, romantic music doing in a children's ballet?

Enjoy the greatest dancer ever!

Wordless Wednesday - 28

All About Me Me Me

Robin from Around The Island asked me these questions for the All About Me Me Me she opened up to all takers. If you'd like to do this one, let me know in comments and I'll send you four questions of your own.

Robin - When you were a young child what did you want to be when you grew up? How close/far from that are you today?

Julia - Miss Frou Frou asked me a similar question in her interview a while back. In that one I mentioned my passion for storytelling, which included my very elaborate role-playing social games (like "let's play 'Little House on the Prairie" or "let's play 'Star Trek"), my Barbies story arcs and my dolls. But when I take another look at my doll play, I was a very serious caregiver. I had five dolls which I referred to as my kids, and they all had to be tucked into bed each night, not slung into a toy box. The horror. I often took my favorite doll, a Raggedy Ann, around town with me. If it was cold, she always wore her little striped cape which my mom made. My dolls always had their own little Christmas tree which I cut down out of the woods near my school. I'd buy little foil-wrapped European chocolates for their stockings (which I would eat, but 'in character'.) Here's a picture of them all snug in their Christmas Eve bed one year.

The blonde Mrs. Beasley doll was my sister's, but the Bozo, Raggedy Ann and Campbell soup kid were mine. I can't remember if my sister's had a name other than Mrs.Beasley. But my 'kids' were called Jim, Candy and Arnold.






I am a natural care giver. I worked often as a babysitter even as a young girl, took my early childhood education and worked in day care. I also worked as a nanny for two families. I had every intention of being a mother extraordinaire. Yet I've had multiple miscarriages in 15 years of marriage, and at 43 my chances are growing slimmer for that role. However, I've just spent the past 8 years helping my mom care for my grandmother, who just passed away this Dec. 1st. I can't help myself. I love to love.


Robin - If you suddenly discovered a lamp with an actual genie in it, what would your three wishes be and why?


Julia - Wow. That's an incredibly hard question. Or is it? From a complete blank, my thoughts charged in one direction. I would wish for no more migraines. Phew - I feel better just dreaming of that. Then I would ask for my husband's bipolar disorder to stabilize itself. Ah...this is really dreamy, Robin! For my last wish, I would wish the genie's freedom back to him. Then I would thank him from the bottom of my heart for granting that which he was compelled to do. And then give him a huge hug - if he stayed around long enough.

Robin - What is the furthest from home you've ever been?

Julia - I haven't travelled too far, really. I mainly go back and forth between Halifax and Toronto. From my east coast starting point, I think the farthest I've been is actually my birthplace.


I came into the world in Fort Hood, Texas, where my dad served in the US Army. At the time he was living in Michigan as a registered alien, never giving up his Canadian citizenship. Though he did eventually become a dual citizen. I lived in the Lone Star state for 3 whole months before my dad's discharge from the army. Then off I went north to Michigan. I've been a northerner ever since.




Robin - What is your favorite comfort food? Do you have a recipe to share?

Julia - Rice is nice...very nice. It's my favorite food, by far. I can't tell you the level of serenity that comes over me when I eat rice. I like it in any form except as pudding. I need my rice to be savory, not sweet. My absolute favorite way to eat rice is the way my grandmother makes it - my other grandmother, my dad's mom. We call it Phillips rice, even though she got the recipe from an old Armenian lady with whom they were friends in Michigan. My mom HAD to learn how to make it when she became a Phillips, and I HAD to learn to make it when I moved away to Toronto. We have it every Christmas Day. It's joined in my mind with intense feelings of well-being, magical wonder and family love.

Phillips Rice

This is for a crowd, remember!

3 cups rice
6 cups chicken or turkey broth
2 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp ketchup
salt & pepper

Bring broth to a boil. As you hear broth getting ready to boil, melt butter in the larger pot you're going to use for the rice. Saute the uncooked rice briefly just as the broth reaches the boiling point. Pour broth into the bigger pot over the rice. Add ketchup (we just give a couple good shakes of the bottle - no measuring), salt and pepper, stir and then put the lid on. Cook for 20 minutes or until you can't hear anymore bubbling in the pot.
Note: I've cooked Phillips rice in my rice cooker, just placing all ingredients in at the same time and pressing the 'cook' button. It comes out perfectly that way, too.


Here's a picture of me at an earlier Christmas with my plate half-covered in rice. You've got to have your priorities. I'm at the kid table across from my cousin. He's now 6' 2". I think I stayed the same height.

Poetry Train Monday - 29 - The Christmas Waltz

Today was the annual Putting Up Christmas Lights Party. Since my sister moved home from Toronto in 2002, we've turned putting up the outside lights for Mom into a mini party. Usually it's just my sister and me, but sometimes my husband Brad joins us. Mom cooks up something yummy while my sister and I start the fun by filling our Christmas mugs with wine. For me now it's whisky. No more wine for my migraines. But the whisky helps, some, as our old friend Randy used to say.


This was us last year. We plug Mom's CD player outside on the porch, and we always start the proceedings with Frank Sinatra's 1957 'A Jolly Christmas'. "I love those J-I-N-G-L-E bells, Oh!" We giggle, we go back inside to get warm, we sing, we go up and down the ladder, we drop hooks, we pass hooks, we untangle lights and cords and deck the front of the house, all to the strains of Frankie. And then we usually move on to the Novelty Salesmen, a local group with fabulous oldtimey harmonies that blend perfectly with Old Blue Eyes. Their 'Christmas on the Town' CD is great.


And this was us, the year before that. Early on in the festivities we come to Frank's 'Christmas Waltz', which has become my FAVORITE Christmas song. I usually stop what I'm doing and just enjoy the magical mood of this song, the lyrics, his gorgeous voice. For the Poetry Train I'm sharing this with you. The lyrics were written by Sammy Cahn, with music by Jule Styne. This link will give you a figure skater's program to Frank Sinatra's song.

The Christmas Waltz by Frank Sinatra


Frosted window panes
Candles gleaming inside
Painted candy canes on the tree
Santa's on his way
He's filled his sleigh with things
Things for you and for me





It's that time of year
When the world falls in love
Ev'ry song you hear seems to say
"Merry Christmas,
"May your New Year dreams come true"


And this song of mine

In three-quarter time

Wishes you and yours

The same thing, too

by Sammy Cahn
(music by Jule Styne)

Thursday Thirteen - 33 - 13 of My Favorite Christmas Choral Pieces

I've been in choirs since I was a girl. I sang in my elementary school concerts, and for a short time my church choir (my church was very basic and didn't really have an official choir, just the congregation singing, mostly - but for a few years we had someone in our parish who was musically inclined and she started a youth choir for awhile.)


In high school I was extremely lucky to have a fantastic choir director, Jim Farmer who really whipped us into fighting shape! My life really took off when I joined that choir, the Prince Andrew Chorus. It turned my high school years into a version of 'Fame', the arts high school film & TV drama.

After high school I joined my mom's choir, the Dartmouth Choral Society, where she and my Aunt Noel sang every Christmas and my sister and I used to hand out the programs. When I moved to Toronto I wasn't in any choir for about four years while I adjusted to living away from home in a big city. I can't tell you how much I missed singing during those years. When you're a choir person, the seasons of your life are marked by Christmas concerts and spring concerts.

As soon as I started university I joined the choir there, Oakham House Choir. I was lucky again with another fabulous choir director who really showed me how to lead a group of people just as I was studying to be a filmmaker. We did full pieces like Mozart's 'Requiem' and Carl Orf's 'Carmina Burana', which was dream-come-true stuff for me. When I moved to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia in 1999 to help take care of my gram, I joined my mom's choir once again, the Yarmouth Community Chorale. What an exceptional group of voices in that small town choir! Especially the men, which often are outnumbered by women in choirs.


In 2001 we moved back to Dartmouth (YAY!) and for a second time I joined the Dartmouth Choral Society. We just had our Christmas concert last night. The early music ensemble accompanying us was just fantastic. My choir director is at the far left, playing the harpsicord. I'm second from the left, just peeking out in the second row.

Fall and winter are completely tied to learning and singing Christmas programs with my choir. It makes me feel so connected to the people I sing with, the audience, the orchestra, the composer and to the Creator. There's nothing more spiritually connecting for me than when I'm a part of beautiful music and all is harmonious. Sometimes it's so beautiful my eyes fill with tears and I can't actually sing. That's when I'm glad I'm in a choir and not singing by myself!

Here are some of my favorite pieces I've sung over the years. Enjoy!



1 - O Come O Come Emmanuel by Boyz II Men


I've always loved this one, from childhood. I like the longing present in the melody.











2 - Gabriel's Message sung by The Choir of Winchester Cathedral

As you can tell, I'm a big fan of the old Renaissance carols.










'The Annunciation to Mary' by Keith Newton




3 - Magnificat by Pergolesi

This is one of the pieces we performed last night. The Magnificat is the prayer offered by Mary upon learning her blessed role from the angel Gabriel. 'Magnificat' means 'my soul doth magnify the Lord.'









The Sistine Madonna by Raphael




4 - The Cherry Tree Carol

A no-show on YouTube. All I can offer is some trial audio of the first verse. For the lyrics, click here. I sang this one last year and was struck by the relationship dynamics in this carol between Joseph and Mary. I also LOVE it when the cherry tree bows down so Mary can have her cherries.







'The Cherry Tree' by Emile Munier



5 - The Wexford Carol sung by the Celtic Women

I haven't sung this one yet in concert, but my current choir director is part of an early music ensemble, so maybe one day...



6 - Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day sung by Libera


How can I not be enamoured of a carol about dancing? And I always enjoy the line 'this have I done for my true love.'








7 - Joseph Dearest, Joseph Mine 15th century traditional German carol

I couldn't find a version of it on YouTube, so feel free to sing along. I always like the sense of an actual family I get from this carol, where Mary asks Joseph to 'help cradle the child divine'.





'Holy Family With Palm Tree' by Raphael



8 - The Holly and The Ivy sung by the King´s College Chapel Boys Choir









I just LOVE this one. It goes through my head a lot in the winter when I'm walking my dog in the woods.










9 - I Saw Three Ships

Another of my lifelong faves. Maybe being from a harbor city does it...




Statue in the church at Stes-Maries-de-la-Mer, France



10 - Adoramus Te
(We adore you, O Christ)

I sang this acapella with my high school choir, both in concert and when we went carolling from house to house in the snowy cold. People actually stood in their doorways and listened even though it was freezing, and passed around boxes of chocolates to us. Ah, those were the days.







11 - Gloria in Excelsis Deo (Glory to God in the highest) by Vivaldi

I sang this one with my university choir, also with orchestra and I listen to it often on CD. One of my ABSOLUTE favorites.








Map of the Milky Way


12 - Hallelujah Chorus by Handel
Even loading it onto my blog, I got teary. I've sung this one several times, but truthfully I get too choked up once we get to the 'and he shall reign' part. I often get shivery and teary and can't continue into the 'King of Kings' part - this piece of music sums up my feelings about God so perfectly I can't contain the huge emotion it evokes in me. So there you have a window into my soul.


Photo of snail shell by Darlyne A. Murawski



13 - Carol of The Bells sung by the Ben Davis show choirs


I like the mysterious undercurrent to this one.











Hope you enjoyed the program!