Oops! January Singing on Sunday Canceled...

UPDATED: Saturday, 1/13/18

A little October snow and ice in
Yellowstone National Park, not
a prediction for Arkansas...yet.

After waiting until the last minute to send out the January singing reminders on Friday, I checked the Saturday noon weather forecast and found that the Saturday night and Sunday forecast had flipped-flopped overnight. Out of "an abundance of caution" and after several phone calls, we've canceled the Sunday, January 14th, singing in the General Store due to inclement weather. Syd has called the museum and asked for a note to be put on their Facebook page and the front door of the General Store while I work on this 2nd edition of the January newsletter. The official forecast for tonight and Sunday:

NWS Forecast for: Springdale Municipal AR
Issued by: National Weather Service Tulsa, OK
Last Update: 12:55 pm CST Jan 13, 2018
Tonight: A 20 percent chance of snow after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 15. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Sunday: A 30 percent chance of snow, mainly before noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 35. Wind chill values between 5 and 15. South wind 5 to 15 mph.

That usually means we might see anything from a few flurries to a slight accumulation in spots or no snow at all. We just don't know where any of those conditions may or may not happen. What I worry about are the places where a slight accumulation has turned into ice in a shady spot just beyond the crest of a hill. There's no need to take any chances. So we'll miss the usual chicken and dumplings at AQ's, visiting and singing with everyone and just make plans to try to get together again in February.

We've also had two additional updates that we had planned to mention at the singing and in a 2nd newsletter update next week:
From Bill Caldwell in Joplin...

I have a general update that can be shared with our singers.  I was able to
take the collar off on Thursday, the 11th.  I'm still going to physical therapy
to get the range of motion back for my neck.  I can move it but it's stiff and I
don't have fast enough reaction time looking left or right yet to drive. 
That'll take a couple more weeks or so.  But I'm back to work part time and have
been able to do a good portion of my regular duties in a half day.  I'm hopeful
to be able to be at February's singing barring weather excitement. Thanks to
everyone for their care and prayers!

Syd Caldwell and Bill both mentioned the sad passing of Darrel Swarens, one of
the singers we used to see each ear in Missouri. 

His smiling face was always a welcome sight at Missouri and any other
singing he attended. He put his whole heart into his singing.  We'll miss him.

Be safe out there. We'll try again on February 11th. Hope to see you then.

==========

ORIGINAL NEWSLETTER, Friday, 01/12/18

Bring a sweater...

Singing on Sunday ~ The Shiloh Singers will conduct their regular January singing on January 14, 2018 in the General Store on the grounds of the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History from 1:30 until 4:00 P.M. One of the reasons I've waited to send out the newsletter has been to keep an eye of the weather. I was once told that three days was about as far as our Army weather forecasters could see ahead with their M-1 crystal ball. The forecast for Sunday is for "Partly Sunny" with sweater weather and not very highs in the upper-thirty degree range. It certainly looks like roads around Springdale will be dry. The store's heat pump has always produced enough heat to stay warm. We also know that spirited singing will add a few more degrees of warmth to the gathering. As usual, the "early arrivals" are invited to share a table at Springdale's famous AQ Chicken House around noon. 

If you have any concerns about the weather, we all now have a tool that even our Army didn't have during those long winter maneuvers in Germany's snow 50 years ago. You can check the driving conditions before you leave home visiting the "I Drive Arkansas" website at http://www.idrivearkansas.com/  then click on the blue snow flake to check out the current winter road conditions. I've recently used similar road condition websites in several other western states, and in my opinion the Arkansas' site is one of the best for being easy to use and understand.

Long Range Planning ~ People have already asked about the dates for the Missouri State Sacred Harp Singing Convention and the NWA Singing Convention in Harrison. 

The Missouri State Sacred Harp Singing Convention is scheduled for Saturday, March 10 and Sunday, March 11, 2018. I expect the St. Louis Shape Note Singers will likely put their flyer on their website in late January or early February. I usually post a link or copy on the website and in the newsletter.
The NW Arkansas Sacred Harp Singing Convention is scheduled for May 5th this year. We'll try to include more info in the newsletter or on the website as we get closer to that date.
The Fayetteville Public Library's Summer Reading Club has requested our help with a program during June or July. We need to discuss how we could assist and possible dates at this month's singing. 

Sacred Harp Publishing Company Newsletter ~ The December 1917 issue of the publishing company's newsletter is available online. Covering a wide range of topics from the history of Sacred Harp singing, building a community of singers, lessons learned from other singers and even a detailed article about how to repair songbooks or any book for that matter. You can check out the current edition at: http://originalsacredharp.com/newsletter/  and if you enjoy learning more about Sacred Harp singing you may sign up on their "infrequent newsletter mailing list."

That's all for a quick update. Hope to see you in Springdale on Sunday afternoon.