The Pear Tree

Archive for the ‘Features’ Category

I made a fun, new discovery yesterday, with help from a Facebook friend, and I thought I’d share it here because, chances are, you’ll like it, too.

It’s part classical, part Celtic, part hip hop and part sprite violinist Lindsey Stirling. Apparently, she was a finalist on the fifth season of America’s Got Talent in 2010 (which I don’t actually watch – apparently I’m missing out!).

Since then, she’s produced a number of music videos, featuring both her own, original music and covers of songs from a variety of genres. While she plays she also dances in a style that blends, like her music, a bit of classical, a bit of modern and a bit of hip hop.

The video that first drew me in was called Crystallize (click the link to view), but I soon found a treasure trove of other well-made, engaging music videos on Lindsey’s own Youtube channel, Lindseystomp.

I urge you to check them out. Even if you’re not big into the violin, the videos are creative, high quality productions, filmed by videographer Devin Graham.

Here are three of my favourites…

Shadows (reminds me of Peter Pan, with a hint of Audrey Hepburn’s Funny Face dance scene)

Lord of the Rings Medley

Zelda Medley

What do you think? What’s your favourite?

- Words by Lori-Anne Poirier

- Photos from online

“Nobody has measured, not even poets, how much the heart

can hold.”

-Zelda Fitzgerald

I hope your heart is holding lots of love today, and everyday. Happy Valentine’s Day from The Pear Tree!

We’ll be making and distributing cards to our nearest and dearest today. What do you have planned to celebrate this Valentine’s Day?

I tried, this year, I really did. I tried to make the transition from traditional book-form agenda packer to techno-savvy iPhone calendar user.

But alas.

Mid way through January I caved, nipped over to Chapters and picked up one of the last remaining agendas in stock. Happily, they were on for half price, and one of the ones I’d been eyeing before Christmas was still there.

I started buying appointment diaries – or engagement calendars or day planners – when I started university. I went to school in England, and fell in love with the ones I saw in WH Smiths every year. Rather than just your standard, business-minded book with little more than numbers to mark the dates, these ones had decorative covers, and graphics or quotations (or both) throughout.

When I returned to Canada, I was hard-pressed to find anything that motivated me to keep track of my appointments… aside from the need to keep track. I bemoaned what I found long and hard.

But the tides have turned, and today my biggest dilemma is choosing just one attractive day planner from the multitude out there.

Then, last December, I inherited an iPhone 3G. With, of course, an electronic calendar. “I can do this,” I avowed, thinking about the paper I’d save, not to mention the efficiency of having everything together in one little gadget.

I resolutely ignored the fact that it takes three times as long to type appointments into the calendar than it does to quickly scrawl something on a bookmarked page. I reminded myself that, if this calendar layout is too humdrum for my whimsical taste, I can probably find another, nicer one in the apps store.

What drove me over the edge, however, was booking appointments on the phone. How, pray tell, am I supposed to ensure that my calendar is clear before committing to something if I can’t access it because it’s currently being used as a phone? Hmmm?

After running into this problem a few times in the first fortnight, I abandon the idea and went to back to the way I love.

The paper way. With heavy, silky pages to turn, room to jot things in my own personal font, and not just appointments but random thoughts and impressions.

Of course I do love that my phone can remind me of my commitments with a little ding, so I’m going to keep using it for important reminders. But I know now that the book calendar is here to stay.

What do you use to keep track of yourself?

- Words and photos by Lori-Anne Poirier

There are two ways I’ve found of getting through the winter. The first is to hunker down in a warm place and bide my time safely removed from the elements. When I get sick to death of that, I force myself outdoors to confront my discomfort with the cold, and attempt to find some pleasure in it.

Last week, with temperatures nosediving down to minus 30C (with the wind chill), it was a hunkering week. We only went out when absolutely required.

This week we needed – all of us – to break the cabin fever and do something, anything, somewhere, anywhere but home.

So we headed to Father Pandosy’s Mission, in Kelowna’s Mission area, with its collections of old cabins, houses, sheds and a little chapel.

My kids loved snooping through the buildings last summer, imagining how Laura and Mary and their family and neighbours might have lived in the Little House on the Prairie days.

While we could still come onto the property and wander around, the buildings were locked up for the winter…

Leaving us to peek through the handsome, heavy windows to glimpse the inside…

Or just photograph them from a distance.

Father Pandosy’s Mission is a popular place for wedding photos. I used to hate the pics I saw from there because they always boasted a heavy country/western theme. But lately, I’ve been seeing the old buildings with new eyes, and find them endlessly inspirational for photographing.

So I thought I’d share some of my favourite shots from today’s visit here.

All these pics were taken with my Instagram app on my iPhone. If you use Instagram yourself, look me up: I’m @MrsPearTree. I’ll follow you if you follow me

These stairs were so skinny and steep, leading up to a little room above the chapel, I couldn’t help but wonder how the person or people who used them daily felt about going up and down everyday – especially in the winter!

There’s an open shed filled with old buggies, wagons and sleighs that the kids love sitting in. I loved all these wheels – layers and layers of them.

Amélie was right at home in this old buggy. It was pimped out with flashy red wheels.

I love the idea of adding to the history of these old buildings by living our own stories in and around them.

Our visit really did help brighten the winter doldrums. And now we’re back home and the snow is coming down again. Time to hunker back down, at least for the rest of the afternoon. At least we have electricity and central heating, which is more than I can say about those poor settlers who gave us those buildings. Another thing to be thankful for!

- Words and photos by Lori-Anne Poirier

A way back in October I told you about the new skill I had gleaned: Knitting in the round. You can read about it here. At the time, I didn’t tell you what I was making, because it was going to be a Christmas present for someone in my family.

Well, as luck would have it, I didn’t quite finish these aubergine fingerless gloves in time to package them up for December 25.

It’s so unfortunate. I’m so sorry, and I think about whomever they would have gone to every time I wear them, which I seem to do a lot. And I smile. I suppose it was just fate.

I’ve always loved fingerless gloves and the way they keep your hands warm but your fingers free. Working as a freelance photographer for a local paper for the last dozen years, they were definitely a staple of my winter wardrobe. This is the first pair I’ve made, though, and they don’t have the rather important removable hood that protects your fingers when they aren’t being busy.

But there’s myriad other reasons to wear them. Being an outdoor musician, for example (I, myself, am not actually talented enough to take my music beyond my living room). Most recently, I’ve found them useful when I want to use my iPhone outside, whether to make a call, take a photo or use one of the several other apps I’ve collected.

Right now it’s so cold that I’ve been wearing them over a pair of black leather and angora/wool gloves. They’re so cozy!

I’ve got just enough wool (an acrylic/wool mix) left to make a scarf or hat to go with them. But first, I’m thinking of starting another pair to actually give away for Christmas. If I start now, I’ll surely be finished in time…

- Words and photos by Lori-Anne Poirier