The Screwtape Letters - the Lantern Theater

The Lantern Theater is my favorite Philadelphia "little theater." It's intimate. It's professional. You are very close to the actors - and the shows are different. Sometimes I don't care for their selections - but often I do. I've seen a marvelous King Lear there and a wonderful The Bacchae. In this case I enjoyed the show very much. Anthony Lawton and Guenevive Perrier are wonderful. Their physical/dance skits are terrific.

Mostly this is Anthony Lawton's show - in fact he wrote it - rather adapted it from CS Lewis' The Screwtape Letters - a tremendously perceptive book that I read at least 15 years ago.

The show is over now - and I'd only recommend you see it with a terrific star like Anthony Lawton because it is a one-man show - and if he's not good the show won't be either.

It was a mostly sold-out run. Nice to know that shows like this are popular draw and make money for the production houses.

RIP - Bobby Fisher

Bobby Fisher was a boyhood hero of mine. As much for his anti-establishment attitude as for his genius over the chessboard. After college I became a tournament chess player (reaching a USCF ranking of A-player with a rating of 1865). I later moved from chess into Go - but always the first cause in my love of games and human challenge is the inspiration I Got from Bobby Fisher and his match agasint Boris Spassky in 1970.

RIP - Bobby Fisher.

Snowfall in Perkiomenville, January 17, 2008

Snowfall in Perkiomenville, January 17, 2008. It was a pretty snowfall - wet and heavy. This picture has the holly tree in the foreground and the stone circle in the background.

RIP Sir Edmund Hillary

We who climb things hope that somewhere you are climbing still. You were a shining example of courage, humility, charity, refinement, and grace.

A place where Puck might dance

This is the Greenstead Church (The church of St. Andrew at Greensted-juxta-Ongar about 10 miles from Epping).

The author of the unofficial guide to Great Britain describes the churchyard thus "The atmosphere in this little churchyard on a sunny day is absolutely magical! Should you go anywhere near Chipping Ongar this church is an absolute must."

All Saints, Brixworth, Northhamptonshire

"Brixworth is one of the foremost Anglo-Saxon buildings surviving in the United Kingdom.

All Saints, Brixworth is essentially an Anglo-Saxon church, described by Clapham as 'perhaps the most imposing architectural memorial of the seventh century surviving north of the Alps'."

from All Saints, Brixworth, Northhamptonshire , March 23, 2007

by Idle Speculations

Giant birds in Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania

Over the past couple years I have noticed an influx of gigantic, almost pre-historic birds into our neighborhood in Perkiomenville. There's a pigfarm about 200 yeards away on the other side of the forest. It has always attracted a large number of scavengers. But these birds seem to be almost of a different species - of a different time. They are large, black, have an enormous wingspan, and menacing nature. They are like Pteradactyls. I fear they could swoop down and snatch away one of our kitties (Harry or Butterscotch). Liberals will of course accuse me of being prejudiced against them. But trust me - these creatures are animals - and they are frightful.

One of these birds is injured and for the past several days has walked through our yard. Today I was fortunate and managed to get this video of him.

If anyone has any idea of what this creature is - please let me know.

Perkiomenville Ice storm, December 15, 2007

Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania ice storm, December 15, 2007 - 7:45 AM.

St. Asaph's - from the inside

As you can see from my post of May 27 below - I enjoy church architecture. I was in St. Asaph's again - this time it was Friday, December 14. Here are some pictures of the inside of the worship chamber.

St. Lucia's Festival at Gloria Dei Church, Philadelphia

St. Lucia's Festival at Gloria Dei Church, Philadelphia, December 9, 2007. Addition clips & Pics.

Pretty song.

St. Lucia 2007 herself.

St. Lucia Festrival, Gloria Dei Episcopal Church, Philadelphia

St. Lucia Festrival, Gloria Dei Episcopal Church, Philadelphia

December 9, 2007

I'm so glad I went to this. It brought tears to my eyes several times in a short (1 hour) performance.

Connie, Philip, Lydia, Margaret, Barry.

Gloria Dei is the oldest church in Philadelphia. It is the second oldest church in Pennsylvania.

Margaret posing at the graveside of the first St. Lucia.

Nan

Buy Nothing (for) Christmas

I couldn't actually do this - but I sure admire and agree with those of us who can.

Buy Nothing Christmas

Audition/Birthday/BonFire

Yesterday was a good day. We had Midsummer Night's Dream auditions. They went well - a lot of talent showed up. Should be a good show. Hope I get cast.

Then the Crushes came over. We celebrated Barry's birthday and made a bonfire in the back. But it never got very big so we came in. Then the kids went out and after a while I looked out and it was huge. They built it up really big.

Then this morning, December 2 was our first snowfall of the winter. Here's our Christmas Holly tree this morning.

Awesome dance blog

Just discovered this really nice dancer blog - The Winger

Winger refers to one who views dance from the wings - e.g. other dancers. There's lots of great dance chat and pics from the wings taken by the contributors.

Here's some pics from a recent performance at Annenberg Auditorium on the Univ of Pennsylvania campus by the Martha Graham Dance Company.

Here's an evocation of the famous modern dancer Ruth St. Denis by Katherine Crockett.

Here's a wings pic of the dance company :

dancing forever..tom

Dead Tree in my Back Yard

I finally reached the terrifying summit of the dead tree in my back yard. I estimate it to be about 70 feet - maybe 80.

Here's what it looks like from up there.

In case anyone is worried for my safety - I am using a harness and rope lanyard - so I cannot fall. Thanks for your concern however.

There's Vic way down there

Success. Unfortunately there's a lot of tree left to get. This took 30 minutes to climb and 30 minutes to cut (I only brought a pruning saw because hey - the limbs look small from down there). It's going to be a huge job - probably knock off till next spring.

Dracula - the ballet

Just have to brag here. My daughter Victoria (A student at Boyertown Middle School) is becoming quite a nice ballet student. She just had a starring role (Sophie) in Dracula at New Horizons Dance Alliance .

Victoria

A Mother's Day flower blooms

Several days ago my lovely wife brought home a Mother's Day flower from church (this was on May 13). Today I notice it had bloomed beautifully. Here it is.

Mothers are magic - in them is our future.

Trip to St. Asaph's in Bala Cynwyd, PA

I visited St. Asaph's Episcopal church in Bala Cynwyd, Pannsylvania near Philadelphia over the weekend. I always enjoy it there. They have a lovely labyrinth which I walked, slowly and contemplatively - trying unsuccessfully, to get temporal concerns out of my head.

It is a majestic, old stone church that now shows signs of wear and tear. This usually means that it is in a hands now of people who cannot match the passion, and spirit of the founders. Certainly the neighborhood is less affluent than it was 100 years ago. But somehow I think is has become a church dedicated to a belief in man rather than God. It calls itself a "Church of radical welcome" - this usually translates into Traditionalists are not welcome here.

Here are some photos I took of this lovely church.

Gargoyle

A perfect image for Pentecost - looks as if the Holy SPirit is coming down from above.

This was really cool. An outside set of stone stairs built into the wall to climb into the bell tower.

Abortion is Back - in 2008

PJB: Abortion is Back – In 2008


by Patrick J. Buchanan

"The partial-birth abortion ban is a little like the state outlawing the beheading of innocent people, while approving of their execution by more humane means. While the ban is most welcome, it remains but a limited victory for those who believe in the sanctity of all human life."

"Look for Right to Life groups to run ads linking the Democratic nominee to this barbaric and now criminal procedure, which even the high court agrees can be treated as a felony, justifying two years in the penitentiary for any abortionist who performs it.





If the Democratic presidential nominee can be credibly portrayed – in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio or Pennsylvania – as seeking the return of this pagan practice, it could be decisive."

Thank you Bishop Bennison for the most secular Easter I can remember

The Right Reverend Charles Bennison of the Pennsylvania Episcopal Diocese paid an Easter visitation to St. Dunstan's church - and in the space of an hour and a half managed to bring up - the Holocaust, our gay and lesbian brothers (now 15% of the population), feminist liberation theology, racism, and several other things that felt more like a New York Times editorial than an Episcopal Easter homily.

I'm sure that he must have casually mentioned the resurrection of Jesus Christ - but somehow I missed it.

Church today was filled with people who come once a year but are perfect candidates for commitment. I cannot imagine how they felt. They could have gotten the same message in a Hillary Clinton stump speech but in half the time.

The Episcopal church deserves its fate. And Bishop Bennison is a perfect escort for its descent.

WANTED: A "SAFE PLACE" FOR ORTHODOX EPISCOPALIANS

Wanted: A safe place for Orthodox Episcopalians

by David Virtue

April 2, 2007

The churches of the Anglican Communion must be a safe place for gay and lesbian people, says the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams. One wishes the Anglican leader had the same concern for besieged orthodox Episcopalians.

Perhaps the ABC should spend some time in the U.S. (he has been invited often enough), and chat with orthodox parishes and their priests caught in revisionist dioceses. If he did, perhaps he might issue another edict. It could read: The Anglican Communion must be a safe place for Anglo-Catholic and Evangelical Parishes and their priests who are being enslaved and persecuted by revisionist bishops who hate them and want them to change their beliefs for The Episcopal Church's new religion.

Now that would be a word that would ricochet around the communion. There would be rejoicing in Africa, Asia and Latin America not to mention in dioceses like Florida, Pennsylvania and California. The raw naked truth is: it is not gays and lesbians who cannot find a "safe place" in The Episcopal Church, they have thousands of "safe" parishes; it is orthodox Episcopalians who are being hounded and harassed by bishops who want to broker a new pansexual religion that the orthodox want no part of.