Tidewater Classical Guitar Orchestra

We went to see the Tidewater Classical Guitar Orchestra at PVCC this afternoon.  The Tidewater Guitar Orchestra was founded in 1995 by Sam Dorsey, following a similar orchestra established in Costa Rica by Luis Zumbado.  Traditional classical guitars are supplemented by requitos (alto guitars tuned a fifth higher), and bajas (baritone guitars tended a fourth lower).  The requitos (six in the PVCC concert) were divided into three playing first violin parts and three second violin parts, in transcribed music.  Finding music to play was an early challenge for the ensemble as little is actually scored for a classical guitar orchestra!  There were three bajas and four classical guitars at PVCC.  The auditorium was pretty full though some seats remained. 
The concert began with the transcribed, familiar, Telemann Allegro from Sonata in C. 
Two pieces by Granados, a minuet and ‘Gallard?’followed.
An Astor Piazzolo Argentine tango, 'Verano Porteno' followed, evoking a summery scene at the port, reminiscent of the Tidewater Virginia home of the orchestra. 
Tres Danzas by Ignacio Cervantes followed including the fun Los Delirios de Rosita.
After the intermission, four players returned to play three selections from Debussy’s Children’s Corner transcribed for guitar including Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum, Serenade of the Doll and Golliwogg's Cakewalk.  The rest of the orchestra then returned to stage and played an original piece Jeriology, by orchestra member John Boyles in honor of his wife Jeri. 
The concert ended with two pieces from West Side Story—the prelude and a transcription of ‘America’. 

Fall '17 planting

Charlottesville bulbs planted include (from Brent and Becky's. gift from Phyllis)
5 Narcissus 'Delibes' planted at head of drive between azaleas.

Delibes - (2 Y-YYO) a terrific perennializer and an old standby; buttercup yellow, rounded, overlapping petals and a pale yellow/orange cup with a broad, bright orange rim; a bright 'happy face' that is bound and determined to make you smile! 12"-16"; early-mid spring; 1950; 14+cm. 
10 Narcissus 'Manly' planted at head of drive either side of Delibes in groups of five.

Manly - (4 Y-O) strong stems and sturdy, non-blasting single blossoms; pale yellow with mandarin orange segments; terrific for showing, bedding and containers; 14"-16"; late-mid spring; whz 3-8.
5 Narcissus 'Slice of Life' planted at head of driveway closest to house, from Manly.

Daffodil Slice of Life is a multiflowered split corona, and it is fragrant. This daffodil is 12"-14" tall and blooms late-mid spring; 12/14 cm.
10 Dutch Iris 'Rendez Vous' planted with Red Ember by garage entrance.

Often blooming around 'Mother's Day', these are good, long-lasting cut flowers and are ones that make nice clumps in the late spring garden; rather formal flowers that give wonderful linear form to the border; 18"-20"; whz 6-8; bulb size 8+cm unless noted otherwise.
10 Dutch Iris 'Red Ember' Iris hollandica

Late-spring borders sizzle with drifts of rich red colour when you plant this unique iris in groups of threes or fives! With its flamboyant form and unusual colouration, a planting of Red Ember closely resembles a flock of tropical birds at rest in the landscape. Smoky purple-red blooms lightly kissed with copper feature contrasting yellow blotches and stand atop tall, straight stems perfect for bouquets.

Note that many bulbs were dug up (squirrel presumably) then replanted.  All were sprinkled with 'RepesAll' and the iris with Irish Spring soap shavings.  Both suffered squirrel digging.

In Deltaville, planted the potted Gerberas by the shower--last year's plants were blooming still.

Also planted two peonies.  Kansas

by the driveway and Burma midnight

single flowered one by the HVAC unit.

In Charlottesville, planted four peonies in the bed to the NE of the birdbath between the older peonies.  From south to north, Adolphe Rousseau

then

Lora Dexheimer

and on the north of center Henry Bocktose

and President Roosevelt.

Spring planting

I decided to try planting peonies in the front border, by the road.  Planted Victorie de la Marne, a magenta mid season rose shaped variety to the right of the driveway entrance.

Further up the hill, where the iris were blooming nicely I decided there was good sun and planted Paula Fay, a very early lotus shaped sharp pink variety 1988 gold medal uphill among them

, and Red Magic AKA Hei Hai Bo Tao, a dark red mid-late variety rose shaped variety just downhill.

Finishing up the bulb planting

Planted 25 more daffodils on the hill above the heron and along the driveway incoming on the right. 
N.'Fortissimo' (5,25,50,250) 5 1.3000 6.50

Narcissus 5 5 0 01-0426 N.'Double Smiles'(5,25,50,250) 0.8000 4.00

Narcissus 5 5 0 01-1131 N.'Sailorman' (5,25,50,250) 1.3000 6.50

Narcissus 10 10 0 01-1420 N.'Rip van Winkle' 0.5000 5.00

Also planted 27 tulips to the left of the front porch in front of the boxwood.
10 10 0 02-0628 T.'Fire Wings' (5,25,50,250) 1.4000 14.00

Tulip 5 5 0 02-0925 T.'Caribbean Parrot' (5,25,50,250) 1.7500 8.75

F66246 Estella Rijnveld Tulip 6 @ $0.99 $5.95 Planted to left of front door

F66288 Webers Parrot Tulip 6 @ $1.33 $7.95 Planted to left of front door

Planted Nir paperwhites in marbles in glass bowl by coffee machine.

On New Years Day, planted Darby's tulips Tulip Hocus Pocus and Tulip Brownie in the planter with the catmint to the right of the walk to the front door.

Brownie

Hocus Pocus

Also planted three Allium giganteum between the beautyberrt bushes beneath the bathroom window.  Need to plant Purple Sensation.

Purple Sensation

Labor Day

I enjoyed Hillary's speech but didn't watch a lot of the convention--they all seem too conventional, without surprise, same old truck night after night. Of course, growing up on the Eastern Shore of Maryland which shares the Delmarva peninsula with Delaware we're quite familiar with Sen. Biden, who I think is a great VP choice, actually. I think I recall that his hair is all transplants from elsewhere on his body but if vanity is his worst vice I think that's OK in a VP. Far better, I think, than Gov. Palin. It will be interesting to hear the different commercials I hope in Iowa/NE/SD; I'm sure we'll be tired of the Va-Md ones by then.

We had a great time on the weekend with Allison. She stayed at a B&B then went to our place and surprised us with food and a full fridge, which was great as we wanted to see the UVa-USC football game, though we knew we would be crushed. It was on national TV and Darby is in the band (though they showed the USC band a lot, they never showed him, sigh but you can see him practice at http://picasaweb.google.com/alwootten/CavalierBand#
). Saturday we went for a cruise on the Miss Ann (see http://flickr.com/photos/24104502@N06/2478782657
) with my thesis advisor Paul and his wife Rachael, who were celebrating their 47th anniverary on 31 Aug. Although the day began with clouds, rain and a brisk NE breeze, by the time we cast off for our brunch cruise up the Corrotoman River it was beautiful. We had watched the ship's Saturday sunset cruises from our front deck for years; we had run out on the jetskis to circumnavigate it, but we had not been on it until this year.
http://picasaweb.google.com/alwootten/IdaLeeBirthday#
for Ida Lee's birthday. After we had returned home we visited a friend from U. Va's home a few miles away, very close to the home our cousin Put Rosenberg had lived in many years before (Cousin Edie Foster's daughter, Jennifer Scheid, still lives nearby). When we arrived to surprise them, they were just returning from the afternoon tea cruise on the Miss Ann (it leaves the area after 52 years next week). Then we went on to Paul and Rachael's new house--they had torn down all additions to the 1844 farmhouse and were building an ultra-modern new wing designed by Paul's son Tom, a NYC architect. It was amazing--lots of work to do (electricity in only one bathroom so far, for instance) but sits on a point surrounded by a creek about 150' across known as Horn Harbor--great sunset views. We had Ti Ponche (sort of daiquiri with extra lime and sugar) and watched the sunset--wonderful views! Next day we mostly relaxed before heading home, where I met my son Nate to go see Batman. Certainly a well put together movie but all effect and too little craft went into its making, I think.

More Fall bulbs!

Planted Dec 20:
By the driveway: N.'Fortissimo' (5,25,50,250) 5 1.3000 6.50
Narcissus 5 5 0 01-0426 N.'Double Smiles'(5) 0.8000 4.00
Above the Heron: Narcissus 5 5 0 01-1131 N.'Sailorman' (5) 1.3000 6.50
Narcissus 10 10 0 01-1420 N.'Rip van Winkle 0.5000 5.00
Left of Front Door:
Tulip 10 10 0 02-0628 T.'Fire Wings' (10) 1.4000 14.00 Ida Selection
Tulip 5 5 0 02-0925 T.'Caribbean Parrot' (5) 1.7500 8.75
3 3 0 03-0108 Allium giganteum  5.2200 15.66
Planted earlier along walk:
 Iris-Dutch 20 20 0 28-0133 Iris reticulata 'Pixie' 0.3500 7.00
In pots:
1 1 0 40-0160 Hipp.SA 'Ballerina': Sonatini 8.2500 8.25
1 1 0 40-0168 Hippeastrum SA 'Merry Christmas' 9.7500 9.75 Bloomed in kitchen

McClure and Zimmerman
Iris Siberica Mixed Colors 3 @ $3.32 $9.95 In lower garden to right of sundial
F60594 Red Nymph Amaryllis 1 @ $14.95 $14.95 In red pot planted 12/16 dormant
f62681 Nir Paperwhite 6 @ $1.66 $9.95
F63230 Dracunculus Vulgaris 1 @ $5.95 $5.95 Not available.
F66246 Estella Rijnveld Tulip 6 @ $0.99 $5.95 Planted to left of front door
F66288 Webers Parrot Tulip 6 @ $1.33 $7.95 Planted to left of front door

Alium aflatunense Purple Sensation
Tulip Hocus Pocus
Tulip Brownie

Thanksgiving 2016

Roast turkey rubbed with thyme, sage, rosemary, turmeric and garlic, giblet gravy and oyster Rockefeller stuffing,  roast cauliflower,   sweet potato fluff, cranberry sauce and cranberry relish, and the three π^2s: pumpkin pie, pecan pie and peach pie.