I dragged myself out of bed this morning at an unearthly hour for a Saturday. Packed up all my gear, the dog, and my choir book and hit the road.

The choir at church is putting on The Messiah this Christmas, and I absolutely love this piece. I’ve done it three times and this Christmas it will be the fourth. I have to laugh at my love for this piece because when I was young, the orchestra fascinated me but the arias, solos and even some of the choruses didn’t appeal to me at all. I guess I thought of them more like opera pieces, which were extremely unpopular in my mind at the time. Now? I LOVE most of the solos, and all the choruses. It has been a gradual love. After singing The Messiah the first time in high school, I really started to fall in love with all the choruses, not just the “popular” ones. I preformed it one more time in high school, but the real love for the whole oratorio didn’t come until during the time I preformed it during college with full orchestra. That time we had AMAZING professional soloists and it was the first time that I was able to hear a soprano that was so crisp and clear in her tone without excess vibrato (which I think detracts. I know, I know, that’s part and parcel of the whole period that Handel wrote and lived in).

I’ve been privileged enough to go to a couple of professional performances and I just fall more in love. It’s been a few years since I’ve last personally sung The Messiah and I’m a bit rusty, but a thrill goes down my spine each time that I sing some of the phrases and melodies praising my God.

November 5 Thankfulness

Today I’m thankful for my Missy. (Well, I’m always thankful for her but I am especially thankful today.) She is my adorably cute little Shetland Sheepdog aka Sheltie.

I got her a year ago in October from the local shelter. She had just been surrendered minutes before my parent’s got there. The shelter hadn’t even gotten her checked in or anything and she was just sitting in the lobby/desk area. Apparently she had been surrendered for excessive barking (which Shelties are known for commenting on everything!) and not being housebroken. Well, she was housebroken in just a few days once she came to our house. My mom knew that I had always wanted a Collie or Sheltie. I have always been a lover of Lassie, and Lad of Albert Payson Terhune fame. So Mom did an amazing thing and showed up to my work during lunch with this cute, scared bundle of fur. She is two and a half years old and so smart! I have a hard time keeping her mind occupied. Ever since the day she came home, she became the joy of my heart!

After choir (which she waited so patiently in the car,) we drove down to Chico’s Bidwell Park. After wandering around on some of the trails in lower Bidwell away from the massively popular One Mile Recreation Area, we moved to Upper Bidwell Park and did some serious hiking. I’ve never done much exploring in that part of the park until today. It was glorious!

Missy is wondering why I told her to stay and why she couldn’t hunker down out of the wind.

We reached the top and took a much-needed break.

She looks like she is on Shetland Island with all the wind blowing through her ruff and coat.

Are you coming mom?

Heading home! She’s such a happy girl.