Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Camp Lebanon - one of my "favorite things"!


There's no "raindrops on roses or whiskers on kittens" but Camp Lebanon is one of my favorite "things". It is located north of St. Cloud and is a year-round Christian camp and retreat center dedicated to providing a 'Meeting Place with God' for children, youth, families and adults. I go to quilt (sometimes). This time I started a quilt using Batik fabric called Log Cabin Windows. The camp averages at least 75 to 100+ women each weekend that come and quilt, cross stitch and scrapbook. I personally go to play cards and sleep on a hard mattress. Makes you appreciate your own bed back at home, otherwise you'd never leave, it's that great. Most of all I enjoy playing Hand and Foot with friends, a card game much like Canasta.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Who ever heard of Dickerson?


If you ever have missed hearing the UWEC - Blugold Marching Band you have missed alot. To answer the question, Randal Dickerson is the director of the one of the most active marching bands in the upper Midwest. They have a unique and highly energetic marching style, their music is not your standard band music but songs arranged by not only Dickerson but band members as well. With a total enrollment of 232 members (when he came in 2000 there were only 60 members in the band) the Blugold Marching Band is America's largest NCAA D3 marching band. Just returning from UWEC to see Karen perform with the band was something worth the 2 hour drive. Playing drums in my college marching band made it even more enjoyable for me personally, even though my experience doesn't even come close to the experience that Karen has had over the last 3 years. Thanks Karen for a great afternoon of a truly remarkable marching band led by a truly gifted director.
This is just the drumline when they performed at the close of the High School Band competitions held at the Metrodome this past October. Karen is 2nd in from the right on cymbals.