Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Saint Patrick was a fifth-century Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland. Known as the "Apostle of Ireland", he is the primary patron Saint of Ireland. There are popular legends about Ireland: leprechauns, little elves who bury their gold in a pot at the end of rainbows. Don't forget to wear green on March 17 if you don't want to get pinched!

These cold winter days are conducive to International Cinema viewings. I was especially interested in a documentary about the Mapuche, indigenous group in Chile never conquered by the Spanish, and still fighting for their rights

Areas where Mapuche have lived in Argentina and Chile, their flag, the producer of "Relentless Memory," and questions to ask about marginalized peoples and memory.

We've been getting lots of rain and snow (which doesn't last too long)

Back yard above, looking out my side window at the street, below

    Back yard above, looking out my side window at the street, below

                          Every season is different in Utah!

The Salt Lake City based Callanish (Celtic group) gave a wonderful free concert at Covey Center in Provo. I try to take advantage of it all!

The rebuilding of the Salt Lake Temple, originally built in the 1890's , has 2 more years until completion.

One of my all-time favorite musicals, on tour in SLC from Broadway, NY, was a smashing success. Amazing singers, sets, choreography!

The incredible, very select BYU Singers sang mostly sacred music and will be touring in Europe this summer.

 Three BYU folk ensembles, above the American group, shared their wonderful talents with fast, lovely music.

              I loved the BYU Celtic group with lovely Irish tunes

Fabulous Mountain String's (will perform/compete) in Italy in July and August. They perform with the BYU folk dance Ensemble.

The fabulous BYU chamber orchestra and Philharmonic (as well as youth orchestra Lyceum Philharmonic) featured a guest artist, Stephen Kent playing the didgeridoo. In Aboriginal culture, the didgeridoo is used in both ceremonies and informal settings, often as an accompaniment to chanting, singing and dancing. The music of traditional didgeridoo players is deeply related to the earth and their spirituality. This wind instrument is in the form of a long wooden tube, traditionally made from a hollow branch, which is blown to produce a deep, resonant sound, varied by rhythmic accents of timbre and volume. The orchestra will be touring Australia and played several Australian and American pieces, but ended with Ottorino Respighi"s beautiful "Pines of Rome."

These performing groups tour around the world, exemplifying the BYU motto: Enter to learn, Go forth to Serve. Everything we have been blessed to have, learn, or experience should be used to love and serve others, as we see and listen to their stories, especially those of the marginalized, the forgotten, the poor, the victims of war, abuse, and all kinds of natural or man-made disasters. Let's use our hands and make our voices heard!

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