Make a Joyful Noise

Jeff and I have thoroughly enjoyed the Olympics these past two weeks. When I thought about what music to play this morning, all I could think about was Psalm 100. There has indeed been a ton of joyful noise shared during these Olympics, by many lands.

As we bid farewell to the Olympics today, here are a number of different settings of this text by composers (and choirs) from around the world.

University of the Philippines Madrigal Singers with Jubilate Deo by German composer Simon Wawer (2008)

Adoremus, a Slovak Choir, with Jubilate Deo by Franco-Flemish Composer Orlande de Lassus (~1555)

Alvorada Choir and Orchestra in São Caetano do Sul, Brazil with Jubilate Deo by American Composer Jay Althouse (1988)

Venlo Cantata Treble Chamber Choir from Holland with Jubilate Deo by German Composer Thomas Hanelt (2003)

University of Utah singers with Jubilate Deo by Japanese composer Ko Matsushita (2008)

Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford with Jubilate Deo by British composer William Walton (1971)

Back to work

A few people have been wondering what I'm doing, now that school is finished. I was planning to take the summer off... but an amazing project in my former field dropped into my lap. It's turning out to be not just a fantastic opportunity for me, but for my community... and since community development is what gets my mojo running, I just couldn't pass it up. I'm starting with a research project (in the area of employment and adult education), which led me to stumble across this:

My view Wednesday

Beach walk at low tide. 

Salmon #13 Lemon Mint Gremolata

Gremolata is an Italian chopped herb condiment usually made of parsley, lemon and garlic.  Until last year, I had never heard of it... but while on vacation, I had the most delicious roasted lamb with a lemon mint gremolata that I still dream about. Lamb is not something I cook (although we both love it) but it seemed that gremolata could be a great fit with grilled salmon. And it was absolutely beautiful. I think that #13 might be my favourite recipe so far in this challenge.

hybrid of recipes from here, here, here, here and here

serves 3

1 lemon

2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh mint

2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

1 garlic clove, finely diced

2 tsp olive oil

1/4 tsp sugar

1 salmon filet, bones removed

salt & pepper

olive oil

For the gremolata: Zest the lemon; add the juice from half of the zested lemon into the zest (reserve the other half for the fish). Add the mint, parsley, garlic, 2 tsp of olive oil and sugar. Mix well and set aside. 

Remove bones from salmon and cut filet into 3 equal sized portions. Cut 3 slices from the reserved half lemon and set aside. Squeeze the remaining lemon over the fish, drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top each portion with lemon slice and grill over medium heat until the fish is opaque and flakes easily. Remove from grill and serve immediately, drizzled with a tablespoon of gremolata. 

In Bloom

Jeff at the Olympics

If you've been following the Olympics at all, you've probably heard about Michael Phelps smashing the record of most Olympic medals won by an individual. What you haven't heard is how Jeff helped him, and the rest of the US swim team, a little bit. Check this out. 

Cool, huh?!

Photo courtesy of AFP/Getty Images retrieved from CNN

Tradition and purpose

This week, Jeff and I were part of an interesting conversation about the inevitable tensions that most protestant churches navigate between tradition and contemporary relevance. I sit somewhere in the middle of that continuum. I like tradition... but I like tradition to have a purpose. Doing something simply because it's how we've always done it just doesn't cut it for me. In fact, it drives me nuts.

After this conversation, I got thinking about church music. This is an area where I really struggle... mainly because I think a lot of new music has little purpose, or message. That's why I love contemporary hymn writers Stewart Townend and Keith & Kristyn Getty so much- because their lyrics are full of solid theology. When I think back to the kinds of songs that were widely sung in church during my childhood, there are a number of really great ones that seem to have completely disappeared. That makes me sad.

Here are two old gospel pieces that I suspect have had very little air time during the past 20 years (but were popular enough when I was a kid that I still know them both entirely by heart).  The full lyrics are found here and here and I'll let you draw your own comparisons between them and the kind of lyrics found in contemporary Christian music today.  I know this kind of music is not what most young people want to hear... but I'm hard pressed to believe that the same 20 theologically shallow (and musically boring) songs we all are repeating week after week in church are cutting it either.

The pianist for both pieces is Daniel Hopkins. And yes- he's playing totally by ear. No music needed. 

Tofino Part 2

The second morning we were in Tofino, we hiked down to Combers Beach and walked 2+ kilometers along the foggy beach at lowest tide up to Green Point. On the beach at Green Point, there is a rock formation that is accessible only during lowest tide- because these rocks are underwater most of the time, they are a great place to find all sorts of sea creatures. Jeff's parents discovered this while camping at Green Point a few years back and made sure we got there during the narrow window of low tide when it is accessible. I think for all of us, it was one of the best parts of the trip.

Foggy morning at Green Point

Mussels and starfish exposed at low tide 

  

Tide line at low tide is still right up to the rock cropping

Green anemones, starfish and assorted arthropods and clams

Caves underneath the rocks

Walking back toward Combers Beach, still in the fog