Grandpa's Band
My grandfather played bass with the H-Bar-C Boys in the 1940s in Central New York. He also played the violin and mandolin with an Eastern European folk flair. He refurbished musical instruments as a part-time job after he retired as an airplane mechanic. He filled our lives with music. He was also a craftsman and could work wonders with wood. I have a lovely table he crafted with beautiful designs of colorful inlaid wood. His brother Peter is listed as a famous Ukranian for his work as an aviation pioneer. His father was a Ukranian immigrant whose name rests today upon the memorial stones at Ellis Island.
This came to my mind as I searched for a site on Pysanky - Ukrainian Easter Eggs, which I used to enjoy making with my Grandparents at Easter time.
A blog shout-out to the Nagurneys-
Jane of Scranton Prep
Toby of Harvard (love to Aunt Julie).
Justine of Harvard (Don't ever let Larry Summers tell you that you can't do it).
Anna of U Mass
Still fairly newlywed Quinn of Jay Quinn Band (Keep on rocking)
Lad of U Hartford
...and so many more of you marvelous Nagurneys.
Happy Easter.
Quote of the Day
"President Bush, who scurried back to the White House to sign emergency legislation for Terri Schiavo, has let 1,500 Americans die in someone else's revolution."
- Amy H. Peterson, citizen speaking about the president's apparent lack of faith in the resilience of the collective human spirit - the ability of a people who want freedom to affect change in a populist revolution.
art credit:
Artists Forum
FBI Personally Escorted Saudis Home on 9/11The Saudis were nothing special on 9/11, says an anonymous FBI official. The F.B.I. gave personal airport escorts to two prominent Saudi families who fled the United States, and several other Saudis were allowed to leave the country without first being interviewed, documents show.
But they were no one special.
Heck, we would have done it for anybody.
Yeah. Sure.
Eli ThomasI wanted to share one of my favorite artists with you. Art and story telling are two ways that Native Americans share their culture. Eli Thomas is one of the best interpreters of Native culture, throught his art. Eli is a member of the Wolf Clan from the Onondaga Nation where he presently resides. He studied Fine Arts at SUNY Potsdam and Studio Art at SUNY Buffalo, but he now uses a technique which he considers to be self-taught. Displayed in his artwork are the oral traditions and cultural symbols of the Onondaga Nation. If you are lucky enough to meet Eli, you will see that he is every bit as vibrant, in his storytelling, as are his paintings. He will gladly sit with you and take the time to tell you the personal stories behind his artwork.
Eli Thomas
In Spiritual Symphony by Eli Thomas, you can look for the many hidden wolves and spirits within the painting. Native American singer Joanne Shenandoah, who is his cousin, can be seen in the sky. [See Two Hawks Gallery website for an image of the painting along with others by Eli Thomas.]
You can see a good sampling of Eli's artwork, along with commentary, at this website.
John Edwards - Scheduled TravelsJohn Edwards has a busy schedule coming up. (I'll bet he's got the NCAA game on his schedule for watching today - 2:40pm/CBS. The game between UNC and Wisconsin is being played in my own fair city of Syracuse.)
On March 30 at the US Naval Academy Stadium Club in Annapolis, John will be one of the honorees at Progressive Maryland's 2005 Awards Banquet
On March 31, John Edwards will be in Iowa for a fundraiser for Congressman Leonard Boswell, honoring his 20 years of service to his state.
He has agreed to an interview with Iowa Public Television, which will be broadcast statewide, and plans to meet with the Des Moines Register's editorial board.
On April 1st in Iowa, a "Thank You Reception With John Edwards" will be held. Everyone is invited, so please come.
Time: 2:15 P.M.
Location: Temple for the Performing Arts, Recital Hall, 4th. Floor, 1011 Locust Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50309
Please R.S.V.P. with your name and phone number, as they are planning food, to:
InfoOAC@OneAmericaCommittee.com
April 2- John Edwards will visit the innovative Harambee Center in Madison, Wisconsin on Saturday, April 2. He and Mayor Dave Cieslewicz will meet privately with a small group of Harambee clients, followed by an open press availability. Later in the day, Edwards will join Cieslewicz for a private reception.
He will also speak at a Founders’ Day Gala at the Italian Community Center in Milwaukee at 7:00pm.
On April 5 and 6, John Edwards will be in the Valley of the Sun (Arizona). He will keynote a health care forum sponsored by Arizona State University's W.P. Carey School of Business.
On April 13, he will appear at Harvard's Institute of Politics.
MAY
John Edwards will deliver the keynote address during North Carolina Central University's spring commencement scheduled for 8 a.m. May 7 in O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium.
In May, he is due in Dubai address the International Entrepreneurship Forum and Exhibition - Entrepreneurs in Dubai - to be held at the Dubai International Convention Centre.
