Thanks to the legislature for putting on this evening. I have to admit that I wish it had been more crowded. This kind of thing is quite interesting and enlightening. North Dakota’s legislature only meets every two years, so I suggest finding some time during the day to go wander around and take it all in. If it seems boring, it’s because you’ve never been there!
There are a couple of particular songs they perform that are stirring to the soul, but my favorite has to be “I’ll Fly Away.” When they wrap up the show with this hymn, I’m powerless to fight the waterworks as it always moves me to tears. Sometimes I last until the point where they invite everyone to join in, but the thought of everyone in heaven singing like that someday is overpowering. Tuesday night I actually made it all the way to the truck, but that’s as far as I got. Their music is simply lovely.
They’ve got a CD for sale too – you can listen to the songs and place an order on their website at www.glenschmidtfamily.com. They play at Buckstop Junction during the summer, as well as a variety of other events in Bismarck-Mandan and surrounding communities. I invite you to listen and buy a CD – you’ll be moved by the music and will be supporting a really special ministry.
On a side note, I think it’s funny that people like me will complain about spending $7.75 to sit through a two hour movie at a theater while happily spending $5 to cruise through a 15-20 minute Christmas display. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the five bucks, I just think the human nature of it is funny. While a theater like the new Grand is worth $7.75, Christmas in the Park is equally deserving of your five bucks.
I’ve been a Lorie Line fan since my wife and I started dating. She’s extremely talented, her husband does a great job as the emcee, and the production is always top notch. This year’s show was really good…but it was nowhere near the high standard they’ve set in years past.
One downside to the show is that gospel singer Robert Robinson is no longer touring with the group. That man’s voice could draw tears from the hardest of hearts! Hearing him sing carols like “Oh Holy Night” “What Child is This” is enough to make your knees weak. I wish him well in whatever his current endeavors may be. The bright side is that his replacement, soprano Kelly Smith. She’s definitely a worthy successor to Mr. Robertson.
Another element missing from this year’s performance is a trademark Lorie Line feature. She comes out with a legal pad and asks the crowd to belt out requests. She then sits down at the piano and makes an impromptu medley of the list! It seems that someone always yells “Spongebob Squarepants” but there are also requests like “Inna Godda Da Vida and other challenging tunes. We kept waiting for this part of the show, but it never came.
I don’t get it…this show’s theme was supposed to be “The Traditions of Christmas” but I didn’t really feel the Christmas spirit by the time the show was over. It was certainly a great performance by everyone, yet really didn’t capture the fun and sparkle that one normally gets at a Lorie Line concert. My favorite show of hers happened to be themed, “My Favorite Things.” This one, however, didn’t really seem to have a theme. Hopefully things will be back up to that sky-high standard next year.
If you have an opportunity to see Lorie Line this Christmas season, don’t pass it up. Don’t let my comments about not living up to last year’s show stop you: I doubt anything could match it. I do hope, however, that Lorie brings her legal pad with her the next time she comes to Bismarck.
There’s some really neat work on display down there. Jack Kline has some scratchboard paintings that are absolutely intricate. Tim Bumb has some watercolors that would complement any cowboy home. My friend Ken has some photographs on metallic paper that are absolutely spectacular. Please go check them all out!
I only took up photography a short time ago, and absolutely fell in love with it. It’s now starting to open my eyes to the Bismarck-Mandan art scene as well. I’d never known much, if anything, about BAGA in the past. There are also other shows in the area, and I look forward to exploring more of them! When I do, I’ll pass them along. There are a many such events going on around our fair cities that most people don’t hear about, and I’m going to help spread the word.
It’s such a great thing to know someone who serves their country by putting their life on the line! Some are like my friend Reed, who have been serving since high school, knowing that things like a year away from his wife and family might be required of him. Others are like my friend Alex, who signed up last year with the knowledge that he’d likely see combat in someplace hot and sandy. Then there are the husbands and wives who sacrifice too, staying behind while their loved ones go overseas to serve. I can’t even imagine what that takes. Thanks, guys… I just don’t know how else to say it. Thanks.
One of my reasons for starting this blog, other than a place to park my photography and flex my writing skills a bit, was to kick myself in the rear and get out to visit things in the area I should have seen long ago. By visiting these people, places, and events and telling you about them with pictures to boot, I hope that everybody benefits. So far I’ve had a blast and learned a lot. Hopefully you do too!
BAGA, the Bismarck Art and Gallery Association, is one place I had never visited. Today I rectified that as I went in and purchased an artist’s membership and wandered around the gallery. There’s some really cool work in there! I highly suggest you check it out. This photo shows one part of the gallery, but by no means all of it. I plan to have a little display of some of my photography when the opportunity presents itself.
Are you feeling artistic? An artists’ membership is only $25. If you’re a fan of art, take the time to visit and see for yourself what local artists are doing. You can purchase certain works if you so desire. BAGA is a neat part of our community, and I think we should all pay them an occasional visit.
Many groups such as the Boy Scouts use events like this to sell homemade items or concessions as a means of fundraising for their organization. A year or two ago, however, the word came down from the Downtowners that nobody could sell pop at this event but the Downtowners themselves. It’s actually in the Food and Vendor Application form available on their website. I asked around to a few of the places that were selling concessions, and none of them were very happy about this arrangement. People at some of the non-profits I talked to admitted that this did affect their fundraising efforts significantly.
The Downtowners allow vendors to sell “brewed coffee, brewed tea, and/or fresh hand squeezed fruit drinks.” I didn’t see anyone running around with much of any of those. I did, however, see a lot of people running around with Coke products sold by the Downtowners.
The Downtowners is the association that whines about parking and a lot of other pet issues they have down there. They actually kept a list of license plate numbers of people who they knew worked downtown so they could complain. When I worked at KFYR-TV, one of our reporters caught wind of that because his vehicle was one that they’d “tagged.”
Apparently some people think that downtown Bismarck is their own little area to regulate as they see fit. It’s just a shame that they’re taking away money from organizations that could really use it. I give the event a big thumbs-up, but the Downtowners Association two thumbs down. Their handling of this part of the Folkfest is a disservice to the community.
Here’s an idea…if they want to monopolize sales of pop so they can protect their deal with Coke, they should allow exemptions for non-profit groups. The exemption could give fundraising organizations the ability to serve fountain pop as long as it’s Coke products. Then the Downtowners could continue to sell the 20 oz bottled drinks exclusively. They could even include a stipulation requiring that soft drinks must be included in a food purchase, such as “Brat & Coke – $4.00” or something. Everybody could do their fundraising, including the Downtowners, and nobody gets cut out. And it would best serve the customer, too…did any of you enjoy waiting in line for a turkey leg, bread bowl, or indian taco, then having to run around to the closest intersection to buy a bottle of Coke?
If you agree with me, click here to email the Downtowners Association and let them know. I bet a few non-profit organizations and their fundraising directors would thank you.
I was there as a tech for the US Mint today so I got to watch the festivities. They included the Medora singers with “Teddy Roosevelt” and the Cannonball drummers. There were a LOT of school kids in attendance, and everyone under 18 was given a free state quarter at the end of the event!
It was interesting seeing all the security behind the scenes; an armored car from the mint was parked in the back garage with a LOT of North Dakota quarters in it. They’re transported in heavy-duty cases by armed guards, and there were plenty of local and state law enforcement personnel on hand as well.
On a side note, I also saw “Gentleman Wade” Westin and his little girl today. He’s not the host of the Medora Musical this year, but he is a dad for the second time as of last week – it’s a boy! Congratulations to the Westins.
If you want state quarters, they’re available now. For $5 you can get a little commemorative case with two quarters in it: one showing the front, one showing the back. First Lady Mikey Hoeven showed me hers, and I’m probably going to spring for a couple. What the heck, I love North Dakota!
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