Red Rocks

Red Rocks

Friday, December 27, 2013

Deer blogging?

Sitting in a ground blind (a converted water tank, actually). The 2013 deer bow season is winding down and Luke is finally going to see if his mad target shooting bow skills translate to live deer.
We are hunting courtesy of Wolfman Jack, the last DJ.
Today is much, much warmer than the last three weeks so we can actually sit out here and not risk freezing to death. The main road out here is completely blocked by snow so we travelled cross country through the farmyard, over the (frozen) creek, up the hill and through another gate with major driftage. And then to within a quarter mile of the stand. Walked in and here we sit. The quietest place on the planet, several miles from any cars or occupied farms or highways. Nice country.

Saturday, November 30, 2013

"O Tannenbaum..."


Have always wanted to do this the old fashioned ways and boys volunteered to help! An old fashioned Christmas tree. Only issue was this tree had a divided trunk so couldn't cut it off where I wanted to... hilarity ensues.

Sunday, November 03, 2013

Concert Tour



Just a couple of photos off my iPhone. Penultimate performance of the Fall Concert Tour was in Bismarck at the Belle. Lots of fans present!

It was a really good concert, this orchestra can really put out some sound.

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

What we did on our summer vacation...


Here is another old draft post I found from (I think) 2009 vacation to Colorado.



I found an old draft post of the Bis-Man Youth Symphony Final Concert





I found this draft from several years ago at a Bis-Man Youth Symphony Concert at the then brand new BSC Energy Center. Boys have sure grown up, but know doubt who was who ...


A wonderful weekend with Family and Friends at Itasca State Park













Sunday, October 13, 2013

Planet changes Orbit...

The first concert of the year at Concordia and it is aptly named the Homecoming Concert. Football team got rocked by Div III #5 in the nation Bethel College, so the highlight of the weekend may have been the concert.

Concordia livestreams these events so we watched it huddled around the iMac. I have Apple TV but it appears the signal is too weak over WiFi to carry consistently to the new TV room in the basement using airplay. I will work on that.

For background, Hunter is a Regent's Scholar at Concordia, and an Honors Program Chemistry major, but has a little side gig as the Concertmaster of the Orchestra. There was a nice article about him in the first issue of the school year's student newspaper The Concordian. You can copy and paste a link to that here:

http://theconcordian.org/2013/09/11/student-receives-high-honor-student-earns-concertmaster-of-orchestra

So last night (after learning that his soccer mates who are still in high school had continued Century's state soccer domination for another year) he prepared for his first ever Concordia College Orchestra Concert.

Parking lot pre-concert

He has a snazzy tux (black bow tie instead of funky plaid Concordia colors bowties on the Band men, What's up with that Dr. Beyers?) and looked a little more tense before the concert than after.

He said it went well (A Copland piece from Rodeo followed by the big finish to Dvorak's New World Symphony) despite the fact that halfway through the Dvorak his "A" string unravels and when he tries to tighten it or move it out of his way, the peg simply falls out on the floor. Being the player he is he finishes out the piece sans string but plays all the other notes. He said only a couple of other principal players (cello and viola) even noticed and you can see them laughing about it in front of the director's podium after the concert. I don't think the concert is uploaded to youtube yet, but I will post a link if I find one.

Mr. Relaxation after the concert

A trip to the violin shop in Fargo is in order.

The big Fall Orchestra Concert Tour starts Oct. 26th in Sioux Falls and ends with the home concert Nov. 3rd in Moorhead. Stops in Rapid City, Bozeman, Helena, Great Falls, Billings, and Bismarck. The Bismarck concert is at The Belle Mehus Auditorium at 7:30 November 2nd.

8 concerts (and a lot of miles!) in 9 days.

And so it goes...

So yesterday was ND Boy's Soccer state championship day. The games were scheduled for Jamestown but after 8 games and 3 days of rain Rotary Field at the high school was unplayable. In the late semifinal Friday night against Minot Century wore white and Minot Maroon. Conditions were so muddy that by the end it was Century in medium Gray and Minot in deep Gray. It was decided to cancel the 3rd and 5th place games so Minot and West Fargo both place third, and Shanley and St. Mary's both placed fifth.

The not-yet-completed stands and press box at Shiloh Christian High School Miller Field

The NDHSAA (wisely) took a page from previous history and moved the final back to Bismarck where it was sunny and windy but more importantly, there is a brand new artificial turf field at Shiloh Christian's Miller Field. I think it was 1997 when the BHS vs. St. Mary's Final had to be moved to Bismarck from Jamestown due to weather and field conditions. (Despite Joe Towle's best efforts, the Demons prevailed for their last state soccer championship.) I sat with Luke and Will in the Century section while Earthgirl went down to the field to take these incredible pictures.

Brad Kelly defended by Cody Evanson
A pretty good crowd showed up for the game which started at 3:00. BHS had the best early chances relying - as they have for all of Tim Green's time as head coach - on a Through Ball/Long Ball/We've got the fastest guy on the field approach. The Century defense withstood the challenge and settled down. Scoreless first half and it was obvious by then that this was going to be a one goal game, it was just a question of who would get the break or take advantage of one.
Keeper Zach Sweep ready to rock one down the field
Matt MacArthur takes a ball between Willi Ulness and Cole Olson

Century's best chance in regulation was a 30 yard rocket of a shot by Richter that hit the crossbar. 0-0 at the end of regulation so then they played two scoreless 10 minute overtimes. By this point Century's depth and conditioning were starting to show, and they had been controlling play since early in the second half. BHS had almost no time with the ball in either overtime, but prevented a Century score. Max Cook did put one in in the second overtime but it was disallowed because of offsides.

Wyatt (#2 !) Holwegner goes up for a header
That brings us to the shootout. In North Dakota high school soccer the rule is you put all 10 potential shooters in order on the field before it starts so coaches can't change the order or shooters after that. There is a coin toss to see who goes first, and BHS got first shot. The penalty spot is 10 yards back from the center of the goal. The goal itself is 24 feet wide and 8 feet high, and the goalkeeper must be stationary with feet on the goal line when the kick is taken. The teams alternate until the first five have all kicked or until one team is mathematically eliminated.


Needless to say, the advantage is with the kickers. Cole Olson of the demons drained the first kick but Matt MacArthur of Century answered right back. 1-1. Then Willi Ulness (Sidenote: the younger brother of CHS head coach Nate Ulness) put a ball hard and low toward the left corner but Century keeper Zach Sweep got a touch on it and it rolled wide.

Sweep gets his right hand on the ball from Ulness

Dominic Neameyer coolly put the next one in and it is Century ahead 2-1. The next Demon shooter in Cody Evanson (who Luke and Will played U16 with during the summer ) and he puts a hard shot low and to the right, but again Sweep lays out and deflects the ball wide.




Jacob Richter of CHS puts the left footer in and it is 3-1 Century.

At this point most of the pressure shifts to BHS since they have to make both remaining shots and Century only needs one to win and none and guaranteed a tie after the first five. If it is tied after 5 each, it becomes a "golden goal" situation where the first made goal is the game winner, which would be a huge BHS advantage since they shoot first.

The next Demon shooter is another summer teammate of Luke and Will's named Cole Lawrence. Without fanfare he made a clean shot. Century's 4th shooter was junior defenseman Anthony Morrell. His shot was too close to the keeper and the diving Matzke stopped it. The score is now 3-2 CHS with one shot apiece remaining.

The final Demon shooter was a kid who played JV for them all year but was rostered for the tournament, and I think it was his first appearance for the tournament. What pressure, but Ari Rasidovic buried the shot.

It is now 3-3 but Century gets the last shot. A make and they win, a miss and it goes to the first goal wins phase of the shootout. Century's final shooter is an exchange student from Germany named Julian Wilhelm. He played on Hunter's championship team last year, and scored the only goal in the 1-0 Century win over Fargo Davies in Thursday. Steps up, sets, and pushes the ball softly into the net where the goalie was before he dived hard to his left in anticipation of another low hard ball.

Julian setting up

Goal!
Champions

And with that Century Boys are the 2013 State Champions, and completed the Threepeat. They have played in the last 5 championship games winning 3, and won 4 of the last 7 championships.

Mr. Green in disbelief AGAIN


Thursday, October 10, 2013

"Out on the road, out on the road, I'm Willy Loman, I'm Tom Joad, Vladimir and Estragon, Kerouac and Genghis Khan..." Loudon Wainwright III


So we had bought the concert tickets months ago, and who would guess that the concert would be the same night as the opening round of the 2013 Boys State Soccer Tournament in Jamestown. As it is a school night we decided to skip soccer and go to a real live show. None other than a couple of my guitar singer/songwriter heroes. The opening act at the Belle was Loudon Wainwright III, who played all new music (from what will be close to album 20) and recited a couple of long pieces that were written by his father for Life magazine, and proved to be great setups for songs. I first saw him 27 years ago at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, and, yeah, he can't sing as well as he used to, and the playing isn't nearly as crisp (or complicated) but the sense of humor and storytelling were still there.

The headliner was Mr. Leo Kottke. He is really showing the wear and tear of aging, with what looks like arthritis and/or nerve damage to his right hand, and a pretty big decline in vocal skills. But still a great raconteur with stories that tease you and then deliver punchlines that are humorous and often moving. The twins were impressed with both characters but Kottke's skill and technique wowed them the most. I wish they could have seen him 30 years ago when his playing was at the peak - breathtaking.

Pretty small crowd, hope they do better in Fargo tomorrow night. We'll be off to Jamestown where BHS takes on West Fargo at 5:00 and Century meets Minot (upset 3-2 winners over Shanley in double overtime) in the Patriots quest for a three peat.

The photo is Loudon in the glare of the spotlights, Leo requested no photos or video so I honored that.

Monday, October 07, 2013

"...just give me one extra season, so I can figure out the other four." John Prine

Having some trouble keeping up with all the stuff. Busy with work and family, everybody really busy. Didn't post on Mentahnas or Varsity Reserve soccer, or Hunter's recent master class, or the fact that the basement is 99% done except for the furnishing. My 3 car garage is still a one car garage and I do not want to put much of that back in the basement.

Oh let's see... a month ago we got hailed out and the check from insurance company won't pay half of the bill... this weekend we got big wet heavy snow but only 3-4 inches and not the 18" they got in Hettinger, ND. The Republicans in Congress really are trying to drown the government in the bathtub, and my place of work just celebrated its 40th year of existence; I have been present for the last 22.