Sharon Randall wrote a column in a recent Sunday Republic which sent me down memory lane. It was about a gentleman who asked her to dance at a club where she and her husband were listening to music played by one of their favorite groups. She gracefully declined and then proceeded to have second thoughts and wondered what it would have been like to dance since no one else was on the dance floor.
I, on the other hand, would have jumped at the chance to dance. Dancing is a wonderful and fun experience, takes no particular talent and does wonders for the soul; all you have to do is use your imagination, listen to the music and let your feet do the rest.
When my lovely daughter-in-law Judy left us a few years ago, she gave her young children a recording of a song titled “I Hope You Dance,” along with her beautiful thoughts and beliefs. The words are so meaningful. The song was recorded by Lee Ann Womack, the lyrics written by Mark Daniel Sanders and Tia Siller. Here is the first verse:
“I hope you never lose your sense of wonder,
You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger,
May you never take one single breath for granted,
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed,
I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean,
Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens,
Promise me that you’ll give faith a fighting chance,
and when you get the choice to sit it out or dance,
I hope you dance … I hope you dance.”
Our town is blooming in such a glorious array this year, albeit fleeting with the onset of rain that tries to interfere with the flowering trees and garden blossoms. But, nothing stops the enticing wonders of spring. With the season comes the advent of busy Garden Clubs.
Whip-Poor-Will Garden Club met at Harrison Lake Country Club for its annual spring luncheon, chaired by Linda Elmerick with co-hostesses Nancy Kauffman, Lois Ludlow and Barbara Fox (who was unable to attend). Tables were adorned with lovely colorful tulips in glass vases. The program was given by the daughter of Sandi Hinshaw, Jill Tasker and her husband, Doug Stender. They performed a vignette from George Bernard Shaw’s play “Pygmalion,” wherein was shown the relationship between Shaw and his mistress, Mrs. Patrick Campbell, a famous actress and the toast of London in the early 20th century while playing the part of Eliza Doolittle.
The musical adaptation of the play in film was “My Fair Lady” with a much younger Audrey Hepburn playing the part, whereas Campbell was 49 at the time. Jill and Doug were delightful and charming with lovely accents, being very professional actors who have appeared both in television and movies.
Shakespeare Club met at the home of Natalie Roll in April with co-hostess Virginia Kinnaman, who delighted us with a most delicious lemon cream dessert. The program presented by Cindy McMillin was a fascinating tale about Shakespeare and the Old West. Finding inspiration from several sources, Cindy included the novel “Interred with Their Bones,” by Jennifer Lee Carrell; “Shakespeare in America,” a novel by Esther Dunn (1939); and another copy edited by James Shapiro (2014). Cindy also quoted Mark Twain’s parody of Hamlet’s soliloquy in “Huckleberry Finn” by the king and the duke. Also included as a source was an article in the August 1998 issue of the Smithsonian, entitled “How the Bard Won the West” contributed by Jennifer Lee Carrell.
I have been participating in a project for my 7-year-old grandson, Daniel. I was given a paper cutout of a little man to carry in my travels and include in photos. Since my talents in photography are limited by my memory in always having the right things at hand, I was fortunate to have the help of Greg Benson, art director at Advantage One. We were able to put together a collection of photos enhanced with the little man.
