Unpredictable! Singing at Harrison and Singing on May 12th

Singing at Harrison on 5/4/13 - Unpredictable is the operative word as in the first May snowfall recorded in Arkansas since early settlers started keeping records in the early 1800's. Who would have expected to drive through snow between Huntsville and Alpena on our way to Harrison on Friday afternoon in May? White roof tops, snow in fields and ditches along the way but the snow quickly melted on the wet roads, and traffic was not a problem.

Photo: Due to the weather, the traditional group picture was taken inside the St. John's Episcopal Church Parish Hall after lunch. Only showing 13 singers, I missed a couple of folks and as usual the photographer gets to hide behind the camera. I think Penny and Lou Kujawinski from Colombia, MO earned the "furthest distance" recognition and a thank you from all the Shiloh Singers. [Click on photos for larger image.]

Dan Brittain was elected Chairman again, Andrew Albers elected as Vice-Chair, and Katy Black juggled songbooks and notepad as Secretary for another year. Thanks should also be extended to all the cooks, Dan and Myrna Brittain for helping with all the arrangements and the congregation of St. John's Episcopal Church who allowed us to use their facilities for the spring convention. Thanks to all who attended and helped, we had a good time and sang some new songs and some different songs from all three of our usual songbooks.

Mother's Day Singing on May 12th - Do they make red and white cookies for refreshments? I'm not sure how long Carnations will last over the weekend. Maybe we'll use red Cokes and white diet 7-Ups this weekend, but we'll try to think of some way to honor mothers at our usual 2nd Sunday singing in the Country Store at the Shiloh Museum this weekend. The singing will start at 1:30 P.M.

Photo: Syd Caldwell leads during the NWA Sacred Harp Convention in Harrison.

As usual, the Crawford County Gang will try to get to AQ's Chicken House in Springdale slightly before noon to reserve a table for any singers who would like to join us for chicken and dumplings or whatever else is on the menu. Ask the receptionist if she's seen any of the Shiloh Singers and they can usually point you in the right direction. The post-singing gathering at Denny's for coffee and fellowship will also be scheduled for those who wish to attend.

Other updates and a personal thank you note - Things that I normally do on the computer have been running behind schedule as I recovered from cataract surgery over the last couple of weeks. I appreciated all the encouragements and hints from so many people - many of them singers - who are already enjoying improved vision and the real Arkansas colors we're starting to see again during this unpredictable springtime. I didn't know what I was missing!

Work on the Discovery Box has been stalled until both of my eyes can again align on the same object on the computer screen for video editing. In the meantime, Gail Cowart has been working on other materials for new singers and a sign to put on the Country Store's porch railing on the Sundays when we sing.

In any case, the unpredictable last couple of weeks have given new meaning to the phrase, "Hope to see you on Sunday!! 

Shiloh Singers sing a "double header" at Springdale

Thanks to all 18 young folks, old folks, singers and visitors who spent some of their time with the Shiloh Singers on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, April 14th. We enjoyed meeting all the first-time singers and visitors and hope you'll sing with us again.

Dan Brittain gave a brief report on his recent visit to Ireland to attend a singing school and the 3rd Annual Ireland Sacred Harp Convention. Several asked if any video from the singing was available. You can get a small taste of the singing and surroundings at Cork's St Fin Barre's Cathedral at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FPyQi2mBWg

Photo: Alexis Walker leads the Shiloh Singers during the brief program at the Culpepper Assisted Living Center in Springdale on 4/14/2013. 

A little before three o'clock, the singers drove over to the Culpepper Assisted Living's Springdale facility, a short distance from the museum, for a brief program for their residents and guests. Bill Caldwell gave a short introduction about Sacred Harp Singing and several tunes were sung. All the seniors present seemed to enjoy the singing. The Culpepper presentation was followed with pie, coffee and fellowship at Denny's before the drive home.

NEXT SINGING EVENT - Don't forget  the Northwest Arkansas Sacred Harp Singing Convention on May 4th in Harrison at St. John's Episcopal Church. Details and flyers are available on our website at: http://shilohsingersnwa.blogspot.com/. We'll enjoy a good singing with friends from around the region and a pot-luck lunch so please bring your favorite dish or dessert. A kitchen is available if you need to keep your dish cool or warm something in the oven.

April and May events scheduled and March singings reports

March, April and May are always a busy time of the year

The first item on the list of reminders is our regular 2nd Sunday Singing on April 14th Singing in the Country Store at the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History in Springdale at 1:30 P.M. If you're on our email list, Syd Caldwell sent out a note about an invitation from the Culpepper Assisted Living Center to sing at their facility on Jones Ave. in Springdale.
 
The basic plan is to conduct our regular singing at the museum country store from 1:30 P.M.  until  3:00 P.M. Then those that wish to participate can drive over to the Culpepper Assisted Living facility at 672 Jones Road in Springdale.  I'll have a few maps for any out-of-towners like myself but center is only about 10 -12 minutes away and very easy to find. The idea is to sing a few songs there for the seniors. Then as many as wish to join us can adjourn to the northern Denny's next to I-540 on Hwy 412/W. Sunset which we'll pass on the way to Culpepper for pie and coffee before driving back home.

We had so much fun and fellowship at Denny's after the Wiggins event, I thought I'd add the Denny's option for anyone who wished to take part. Sometimes we're so busy singing that we don't have enough time to enjoy each others company.

Northwest Arkansas Sacred Harp Singing Convention in Harrison, May 4th

While we're together at the museum on Sunday, we'll need to take a few minutes for Dan to discuss the regional singing in Harrison at St. Johns Episcopal Church from 9:30 A.M. until 3:30 P.M. with a pot-luck "dinner on the grounds" at noon. Dan has already prepared a flyer that can be viewed or downloaded here. 

Photo: Singers at the NW Arkansas Sacred Harp Singing Convention in Harrison on May 5, 2012
   
The Harrison Convention always includes a splendid collection of casseroles and other dishes plus delicious desserts. We can talk more about who can bring what on Sunday too.

Wiggins Memorial  UMC Concert helped raise funds

Eleven singers from our Shiloh group were just one of the local individuals and groups that participated in the Palm Sunday afternoon concert at Wiggins Memorial United Methodist Church on March 24th. Our thanks also include those who wanted to join us but were frustrated by weather conditions or events already scheduled but who helped with ideas, moral support and I suspect a few prayers as well. As I opened the morning's emails the next morning, I found one of several thank-you notes had already been written:

good morning !! i just wanted to thank-you all again for singing for us yesterday . it was wonderful and we raised over $500 for our church !! what a blessing !! we will see you all again for singing at shiloh . we look forward to that. thank-you again and i hope you all have a happy easter !!  lea criss   wiggins church

Those singers who didn't have to hurry back home for a church program or to get back before the weather closed in, gathered at Denny's next to I-540 on the south side of Fayetteville for coffee and pie. We had such a good time, that was the catalyst for getting together after the short Culpepper Singing this month.

St. Louis Shaped Note Singers hosted another wonderful Missouri State Singing Convention March 9th and 10th

Photo: Bill Caldwell and Mary Ellen Wilkinson sing from the Missouri Harmony during the Missouri State Sacred Harp Convention.
 
The weather was a little colder and wetter that I expected but those who made the trip enjoyed the good singing, the good cooking, the fellowship of good friends at the Missouri State Sacred Harp Singing Convention this year. Dan, Bill, Syd and his family, Mary Ellen and her daughter Mary Alice, Katy and I made the trip. If you couldn't make the trip this year, you can mark next year's event on your calendar and reserve the dates: the 2nd Sunday in March and the Saturday before works out to be March 8-9, 2014. Those who can attend always have a good time - rain or shine.

Now that tax season and several other projects are winding down, I still have some video of the Missouri Convention I hope to edit and post on the site. It's just been a busy time of the year!