Helloooo Winter!

So, winter has finally descended on us here in Edmonton. We had a nice long autumn with some beautiful weather, but the past couple of days has swept that away. Now we have lots of snow, painfully slow driving conditions and frigid temperatures. The kind of weather that makes you yearn for a vacation in warmer climes . . . now that's the real Canadian Dream!

Oh, Four Tuna

One of my favourite modern classical cantatas is Carl Orff's Carmina Burana. He composed the music in mid-1930s Germany, using for the libretto a series of secular medieval poems written in Latin which largely concern boozing, gluttony, gambling and lust -- things which never go out of style! The best known movement is O Fortuna concerning the fickleness of fate.

Last weekend over at PENolan's blog Menopausal Stoners, I saw an absolutely hilarious video of O Fortuna's misheard lyrics. Here it is for your listening pleasure but I warn you -- you'll never hear O Fortuna quite the same way again!



To see O Fortuna's real lyrics in Latin and English, click here.

Louis Riel, Canadian Folk Hero

On today's date 125 years ago -- November 16, 1885 -- Louis Riel was hanged in Regina, Saskatchewan after being convicted of treason. On behalf of his dispossessed and beleaguered Métis people, he led the unsuccessful North-West Rebellion against the Canadian government. Most English Canadians supported his execution and most French Canadians opposed it. His death continues to be controversial in Canada, even after all these years.

Sixteen years earlier in 1869, Louis Riel led the Red River Uprising in Lower Fort Garry (Winnipeg) during which he negotiated more favourable terms for the creation of Manitoba as a Canadian province. He is quite rightly regarded as Manitoba's Father of Confederation. However, once the province was established in 1870, Riel became a wanted man for the murder of Thomas Scott, an Ontario Orangeman who had been executed on Riel's orders during the Uprising. Riel disappeared and went underground in the United States for years, although defiant Manitoba francophones and Métis persisted in electing him as their Member of Parliament three times in his absence.

Following his execution, Riel was buried on the grounds of St. Boniface Cathedral in the French part of Winnipeg. Today, there are a number of Riel statues in Winnipeg plus several buildings, a school division and a bridge named in his memory. The St. Boniface Museum contains a wonderful display of Riel artifacts.

Riel's death is marked each year in Manitoba with ceremony and honour.

Christmas Rush

My busiest time of year is at hand -- the Christmas rush! I hate crowds, so I always try to get my Christmas shopping done early -- by the end of November, if possible. Then there's sending cards, putting up the tree, decorating, wrapping gifts. All the holiday socializing in December. Places to go, people to see. Plus this year we're having company for Christmas as well. Phew, a lot to do!

So my blogging will be a bit sporadic until the New Year, I'm afraid. But I'll still pop up when you least expect me.

And now -- to the mall!

Remembrance Day

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

--from "For the Fallen" by Laurence Binyon

LEST WE FORGET

Virtual On-line Labyrinths

Another great way to walk a labyrinth is to use one of the many virtual labyrinths available on teh interwebz. Here are my two favourites:

Labyrinth Online (click here) gives you a choice of designs and "carries" you through the labyrinth, so you don't need to use your cursor. The walk is silent but you can play your own choice of music on a headset or other device if it would enhance the meditation for you. The "button" which travels the labyrinth changes colours as each circuit is completed. It goes through each rainbow colour of the seven chakras. If you want, you can pause the button and then resume the walk at your convenience. You'll enjoy reaching the centre of the labyrinth!

A virtual Chartres labyrinth is available at Gratefulness.org (click here), source of the cute labyrinth-walking cat photo that everyone liked so much the last time I posted it. This site gives you a choice of being carried through the labyrinth or moving the cursor yourself (click and drag -- not conducive to optimal meditation, in my experience). You also get to choose whether you want photos, text or both to periodically appear during the course of your walk. There's no music though -- this virtual labyrinth is also silent. And you'll enjoy reaching the centre of this one too.

So dare I say it? Of course. Let Your Eyes Do the Walking!

Today's History Lesson: Marie Antoinette