Weather and the frizzy's...

Well I have been here in the east since June 17th, first Rhode Island and now of course New Jersey. And the weather is the worst east coast June weather - sticky,cloudy,rainy - only one day of sun since I have been here. The humidity is almost worse when there is no sun! So we have the 'frizzy' hair problem which I remember well from high school.

It was so important to look like the other girls who had the straight hair. And no matter what I did, my hair would not cooperate. Ah the agony of feeling like I was somehow just not 'right'.

I wonder how many of us feel that still?I know I do sometimes. And how does that affect how we treat each other?

Just thinking out loud.....what do you think?

be in touch,

Anne-Louise

School is out!

At least here in the northern part of Oregon, school is out. I remember well that feeling of exultation on the last day of school. The possibilities seemed endless, fun awaited each and every day.
We spent a lot of time at the 'shore' as we call it in NJ. Almost every weekend the family went down to our little shack..and shack it was. No hot water, no bathroom, 2 bedrooms and a kitchen that was it. And there are 5 kids in my family! All of my cousins, aunt and uncles and grandparents on my paternal side had cottages,even some real houses right, on the same block.
We were about 10 minutes from the bay and 20 minutes from the ocean on property surrounded by woods. It was heaven for us along with our 11 other cousins. We had free range of the street,woods,woods road and each cottage contained a relative who cared about us!

It was just like the Kennedy compound in Mass. Well except for the shacks -no bathrooms - no hot water and outhouses!

Days at the beach, barbecues every night, all the fathers there on the weekends, always someone to play with,adventures to have with cousins. The boy hater's club and the women hater's club- these were institutions each summer. We kids had rules and regulations, handshakes, passwords and a fierce determination to beat the other club in whatever games we made up. We played outside till dark every night, tag though the woods scaring ourselves silly by screaming as we ran!
Ah summer..that's what it's all about.
May you and our children have endless adventures, days at the 'shore' and lots of love this summer and always.

Sleeop tight,be in touch,
Anne-Louise

Together!

At the performance in Hillsboro a few days ago, I met a wonderful band called the Oregon Beatles (at the moment at least). They were performing after me and kindly let me use their sound system. Even more wonderful was the fact that they backed me up on a couple of songs. It is so much fun to play with other people. It adds so much to whatever one is doing. I wish I could give you their web site or something but they did not have a card to give to me. When I get that info I will pass it along.
I had just seen a documentary about Pete Seeger where he was talking about making music together...singing...playing...together. I feel the same way...it is about the feeling of community that gives songs the power.

Here's to more power and joy for us all!

Keep on singing,

sleep tight and be in touch
Anne-Louise

too long

It has been too long since I last wrote. I am still having trouble understanding to world of blogs. And what to share with you, what would be interesting and helpful?
Shall I tell you about my trip to American bases in Germany? Each base has it's own school, just like here in the states. So many of the kids have parents who are now deployed...many for more than a year. Can you imagine that for your children and yourself? I can't really. Yet I did not hear any parents complaining or kids either.
I am grateful to be able to perform with these kids and parents. Because we all need music, it touches us in so many ways. Stories do to. So if I pay attention, be present , let go of my own agenda...maybe I can share songs and stories that will be of use sometime somehow. Or at least bring some laughter and light.

sleep tight, be in touch,
Anne-Louise

Why and Wonderments

Again it has been awhile since I have written. And I am wondering.. why... why do people like blogging? Why do people want to read blogs? Why do we want to spend our time on computers reading the words of other people? Why not call each other... see each other....write to each other?
How have other people's words on line become so important?
Are my words important to you ... my words here on this page? If you don't know me...why would they be? If I don't hear back from you, it is not a conversation is it?

Any thoughts?

Sleep tight
Be in touch,
Anne-Louise

It's been a long time

It seems so long since I have written and so much has happened. My time in the Lucia Mar School District,Ca - the children and teachers so caring. The district in much financial trouble, leaving the teachers and students uncertain as to what will be happening to them next year. Hard times for all.

Then a morning with the dedicated childcare providers of Clark County, Washington, a morning with artists as we figured out how to market ourselves guided by Bob Sterry and today ... a marvelous day with Mark Weiss of Operation Respect as he shared the Don't Laugh at Me Program with a group of teachers sponsored by Park Academy in Lake Oswego,Or.
In between, helping our daughter and son-in-law move, seeing friends, our boys, enjoying being home.

In other words, life! And another wonder...today I got a call from artist Kate Conrad. She came to a performance of mine in Sandy, Oregon. Aunt Lena, my alter ego performed with me. Kate was so taken with 'us' she is doing a painting of 'us'!! I am so tickled...and Aunt Lena is not surprised!
The painting will be displayed at the Sandy Library from mid April.

And tomorrow, if you are around at 11 am, come to Artichoke Music on Hawthorne St in Portland. Bring the kids and I'll be singing and telling stories. We can sing together.

Ain't life grand!!!

Put the kids to bed on time so you can rest.
Sleep tight and be in touch,

Anne-Louise

in sunny Ca!

good morning all,
sorry i have not written in a week! i had a great time at the storytelling festival in Corvallis, Oregon last weekend. now i am in Ca performing at school in the Lucia Mar School district till the 19th. what a great bunch of kids and teachers at all these schools!

things are very difficult here for schools with the budget issues. many many teachers have gotten pink slips, class sizes are being increased, so much is being cut from schools.

this morning i ask: how is it that we say in this country that we support our children ..we support education? because we do not put our money where our mouth is ..remember that old saying? our money has gone to war, to corrupt banks,stock markets,CEO's,to tax cuts we can't afford, bail outs...the list goes on.
today i just have to say this...ENOUGH....please stand up for our children across this country in whatever way you can.

and while you are at it..sing to each other and share stories. send me a story or song please, i need it today!

be in touch
anne-louise

tche man ...?

well maybe i will get the name right when i get there. if you are in corvallis, oregon this weekend, come to the festival! i am delighted to be performing in this festival. ok the name tche man wah...no that's wrong again.
ok just call me on my cell phone and i will give you the scoop. 503-720-6172!

i come home on Sunday and then leave for California on Monday to perform at schools there.
pant pant pant...

but here is something i found out that i wanted to share in this time of reduced financial resources for schools. the airbourne company (started by a teacher) has a grant process to give money to schools for arts programming. How wonderful is that? They have grants from $200 to $10,000.
So all you grant writers...get going and get those grants for you schools.

off to drive to corvallis,
sleep tight,
be in touch
anne-louise

What a Day

one never knows what a day will bring. today i had a meeting with Charlie Clark, a book and printing consultant. he is helping 'Aunt Lena' with her book Aunt Lena's Cucina. 'she'/i have decided to write a second edition of the book in paperback. he is marvelous and seems to know everything about the printing business.
if you ever need help with a book..call him. www.charlieclarkbooks.com

And through Charlie, 'Lena" and I met an wonderful graphic and book designer, Susan Bard.
She is doing a marvelous job.
I am blessed... and so is 'Lena'

hey this Saturday i will be performing at Holgate Library, Portland at 10:30 am or is it 10:15? you can check on the library website. it is free and the program is for families of all ages.
so come if you are around.
Then in the afternoon, i will be at Athey Creek School in West Linn Oregon doing a workshop on storytelling at 1:30 as part of the PCPO conference. so come along for that too.

oh muy gosh i am so tired so now off to bed
sleep tight and be in touch
Anne-Louise

sing and feel good

after a great time at the library ...i went to see my husband Bob Saturday night at Sherman Clay Piano's in the Pearl district of Portland,Oregon He sings, read poetry, his own and others and is generally a marvelous performer if i do say so myself. (as well as being awfully adorable)

After all that excitement, it is back to rehearsing and practicing for another performance at Holgate Library this Sat the 28th...come if you are around. Then giving a workshop on storytelling also on the 28th at a conference in west linn. all this in oregon of course. you can check my web site calendar for more details.

but in all this, the singing brings me so much joy. Making music always makes me feel good.
What is so amazing in a strange sort of way is that the brain research now confirms that very thing.

So you are feeling a bit low, open your mouth and sing your head off. Then let me know how you feel.

sleep tight, be in touch
Anne-Louise

learning curve and libraries

this blog thing is more complicated than i thought. i am trying to ovecome my phobia about all things tech, so i can learn about the world of blogging.

in case you are around today, i am performing at the Gresham library at 11:30 am. the library is having a wonderful day to promote literacy. there will a performance at 10:15 - a puppet show i think, crafts, free books and me. your children will love it and it is free!!
(this is Gresham Oregon of course)

i am all about 'free'. when our children were young we took them to every free event we could. the library was one of our favorite places. i would take the 3 kids, settle them down with books to look at while i looked at books too. they were engaged and i felt peaceful... for a short time!

when there were performances at the library... so much the better.
as teenagers, they were not thrilled with the library. but guess what, now as 20 somethings, all 3 use the library frequently.
they too finally see the value of 'free at your library'!

Performance in Sandy

Sandy Oregon, Friday the 13th. Could have been a bad day for a gig but in fact, it was so much fun.
The audience was warm and wonderful. The Red Hat Ladies came and brought one Red Hat man!
We sang together, Aunt Lena came 'out' and taught everyone how to tawlk New Jersey. If I closed my eyes,I could have been back there, that's how well everyone picked up the accent.

And... there were cookies and chocolate afterwards. What else could a person need? Singing together followed by treats.

And now it's time for bed. Sleep tight....
Be in touch,
Anne-Louise

more amazing things!

I just have to write and tell you this amazing news. My alter ego Aunt Lena ( if you have not met her, go to her web site www.auntlenasez.com) has written a book about cooking love and life... just a small book. You can find it on www.blurb.com - at least the prototype. It is being revised and edited even as we speak.
But that is not the news. The news is that Adriana Trigiani best selling author of the Big Stone Gap series plus many others books ( if you have not read her go and get one of her books. She is delightful and wonderful) was shown Aunt Lena's book and loved it and loved Lena. I am so excited.
Adriana told my sister in law - that's who showed her the book - I should email her cause she's wants to meet Lena .... so I did!

Some days are just miraculous aren't they?

If you are around, you can see Lena and I at the Sandy Community Center this Friday the 13th at 7pm ...Sandy Oregon of course!

Sang with a lovely group of children and teachers today at a Montessori School today in Portland.
There was a moment when we were all singing and as I looked at their faces, I was overwhelmed with the beauty of each of their shining smiles.

Sleep tight and be in touch,
Anne-Louise

amazing!

i just had my first lesson on this site as everything i wrote changed to some other characters. i found out that i had enabled my posts to be translated to Hindi! but the good news is i figured it out all by myself. from a technophobe this is progress.

isn't it amazing this way of communicating?

as a performing artist, storyteller, speaker working with people of all ages, i want to hear thoughts from all of you about any of those topics. i will post my ideas, articles,songs, stories and hope to hear back from lots of you.

i am still not up to date with all this but am working on it.

i am off to sing with a group of 3 and 4 years olds so will end now BUT..

if you live in the Portland Oregon area, come see me perform at Sandy Oregon this friday evening 7pm at the Sandy Community/Senior Center on Pioneer Blvd. Aune Lena will be giving instructions on love and life
you can go to her web site at www.auntlenasez.com If you are feeling a bit down this will cheer you up for sure!