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riverwind
Riverwind Storytellers Co. 3322 West A St. Belleville, IL 62226 |
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Tellabration Recap This year the Riverwind Storytellers held Tellabration! 2006 at a new venue - the Blum House. It is an old Victorian next to and belonging to the Collinsville Library. I truly felt like I had stepped back in time. The huge white house had a wrap-around front porch. Inside the foyer was a crystal chandelier with lighted sconces on every wall. It gave the rooms an elegant, old-fashioned feel. The large windows reflected the muted lighting giving the rooms even more atmosphere. At times, I felt like Mark Twain himself was going to make an appearance and ask to tell a story. Forty chairs were set up in the front parlor. In another room - probably, at one time, the dining room, the Collinsville Library provided the luscious food - cheesecake, vege platter, cookies and coffee. A table in another side room held the attendance prizes. At first we were concerned that no one was coming. Then one by one, couple by couple they filtered in. We had a donation basket ($86.00 for the local food pantry) at the door and slips for attendance prizes (and our mailing list). It was wonderful to see the variety of people the event attracted - St. Louis, Collinsville, past attendees, young (in their 20's) and (ahem) my age. Close to 40 in attendance! Ron Adams, our president, read the proclamation, and we were off. I emceed the event segueing from one teller to the next with short storytelling quotes. Here are the storytellers and the stories they shared: Warren Wyman warmed up the crowd with short, anecdotal stories with either a punch line that made us laugh or a poignancy that made us think. Marion Nichols - (The Snowflake Lady for the City Museum) told a true story about hearing and following the sound of the loons early one foggy fall morning. She witnessed "the loon dance". It wasn't until 30 years later that a National Geographic special verified that indeed she did see this miracle of nature. Mary Lu Bretsch told Jane Yolen's "The Hundredth Dove." This hauntingly beautiful, image-rich story reminded us that "servos"..."I serve" can have its consequences. Marilyn Kinsella launched her new story "SS Admiral, I Salute You." The audience was mostly of just the right age for this story. One young man came up to tell me that his grandmother, who recently passed away worked on the ship for about 20 years and she had a boat-load of memories about the "Mistress of the Mississippi." Ron Adams told "My Father's Hands" – a wonderful reminder of the gifts our fathers pass on. In this story his father cannot read, and it held him back in so many ways, and yet it never kept him from becoming an expert in his own endeavors. We took a short break and hungrily attacked the refreshments. We received so many compliments I can’t even begin. Only one guest left – and she excused herself due to a prior commitment. There was even a “young” man who expressed interest in storytelling and possibly coming to our meetings!! Ya-hoo!! The second half: Mary Lu told a Native American myth about a great challenge between bear and frog to decide the length of day and night. Warren told an old favorite, traditional story about two bowls of water – one that held sorrow and the other laughter. The young man that could tell the difference was married to the king’s daughter. Marilyn told another Jane Yolen favorite – Once a Good Man. (besides, Larry was in the audience and that’s his favorite) Ron finished with a myth from Babylonia – Why the Mulberry Tree Bears Red Berries. Yet another reminder to build bridges not walls! I blew out the candle and thanked everyone. Tellabration sparkled, not only with the lights but with the stories. Once a beautiful old home lay vacant on the streets of the village. The last person to live in that house had no family. She put in her will that whoever could fill the house would inherit the Victorian Lady. For years the house remained empty for no one knew how to fill it. Then one day, the library decided to try to fill the house. So, they added chandeliers and sconces to fill the house with light. They brought in food and the house was filled with the delicious aroma of coffee and cookies. They brought in storytellers who filled the house to the rafters with stories and songs full laughter and tears. That house – The Blum House - exists today on Main Street in Collinsville, Illinois. It stands next door to the new landowners – The Collinsville Memorial Library. The Victorian Lady once again brought back to life.
It's October - yearly dues are due. Please have a check for Mary Lu at the meeting. Riverwind XXV with Naomi Baltuck. There is much more information on the Riverwind Webpage. Just click on "Story Stretchers" above to find out... the rest of the story: Please forward this link to as many of your friends as you can...Thanks. Contact Information Ron Adams 618/345-7880 President mythmaker1@charter.net Mary Lu Bretsch dmlbr@charter.net 618/234-9698 Treasurer Marilyn Kinsella 618/397-1377 markinsella19@hotmail.com Editor
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December Delights "All hail, wassail" - we couldn't help but sing, as Lucy Grondahl poured forth good cheer - literally and liberally with a surprise bowl of Egg Nog. She even passed on Gwen's tradition of having a gift for everyone by giving us the Christmas mug that we used to wassail.
Marion Nichols let it snow, let it snow...as we cut out
snowflakes in fancy designs that only the Snowflake Lady knows! For a
cyber-fix on cutting snowflakes, go to this website that a Storytell -er
sent to me...Make-A-Flake Bob totally outdid himself. The rooms were decorated and the tables were set. Then, Bob made the most scrumptious dinner - Crown Roast, spinach pasta, and peppered salmon were among the highlights. Oh, and did I mention the dessert. No? Well, it was indescribably delicious - so I won't even try. We had a quite a discussion around the table - memories of Christmas past and storytelling information. The good news for the New Year is that Ron will continue on as our President! He will be at the January meeting to take our stories into 2007. As you know, Marilyn will not be there in January. Note from Marilyn: I left early and did not hear all the stories. Before I left I told "The Christmas Fairy of Strasburg." I apologize for not getting a complete list of the stories.
Janus looks forward and back as we come to the cusp of the New Year. We have been blessed to find a new home at Bob's. He has delighted us with his meals and he genuinely likes having us at the Rendezvous Room. Of all sound of all bells... most solemn and touching is the peal which rings out the Old Year. ~Charles Lamb
The Old Year has gone... The New Year has taken possession of the clock of time. All hail the duties and possibilities of the coming twelve months! ~Edward Payson Powell
But, now the New Year... A New Year's resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other. ~Author Unknown
We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day. ~Edith Lovejoy Pierce
Good resolutions are simply checks that men draw on a bank where they have no account. ~Oscar Wilde
One resolution I have made, and try always to keep, is this: To rise above the little things. ~John Burroughs
As you can see, Riverwind is off to another year of stories. Please join us as we ring in the New Year! |
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