tanka, misc.

[helwen]

23 Nov

Ah, the wintry skies
Such clear and bone-chilling cold!
The dark crystalline
sky reveals the signs of home
and brings such warmth to my heart.

***
Choir practice got off to a rough start yesterday as we forgot the plug-in part for the electric piano and L's pipe had fallen out of his jacket either at home or at R and M's house yesterday. So we made do with Todd's (our host and one of our singers) laptop -- they found an online keyboard and also a performance of Sitivit Anima Mea (very different from how we do it, but gives the general idea). L thinks that this may have worked to our advantage though, as we succeeded in getting through the entire piece finally. Still rough, but a major victory nonetheless. He was commenting on how he thought folks were picking things up faster from having him hum the troublesome parts than when he's played them on the piano -- perhaps because voices have a completely different sound from piano?

However it happened, I'm just thankful it's working. Previously we were only managing to learn one stanza per week, and we had three stanza to go with only two more weeks to practice. Yesterday was an extra practice -- tonight is the regular practice. Then next Sunday is our last before BBM/Berg Yule, unless we decided we need one more extra practice.

***
It's very cold out. Yesterday it snowed but didn't stick. This coming week there's more snow in the forecast. We'll see what happens.

***
lady_jade01 looked at the vest I'm working on and thought I should undo some of the work I'd done on the front opening. I did and it does look better but is going to need more playing around to get it to work. I want a different vest pattern for the next vest :( I know I can make it work, but really, a pattern ought to have complete instructions, especially for things that aren't typical modern construction.

Comments

[ellid.livejournal.com]

Have you checked out the Folkwear Victorian Vests pattern? I made two of the vest options many years ago and they looked good.

[helwen.livejournal.com]

I had looked at it before, and ended up buying this other pattern because it also has patterns for other garments. But I think I might go for the Folkwear pattern, especially with testimony that it works! Thanks :)