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Saturday, August 16, 2014

Scenic Manor Sing and Picnic

Last Sunday my family and I sang at Scenic Manor, one of our favorite nursing homes, on their special event day.  The event also featured a hymn sing, 2 other groups, dinner, and games for children. It is attended by residents of the home, their family members, and locals.
I enjoyed singing and the crowd was a pleasant audience.  Unfortunately though, my shoulders, arms, and fingers have been programmed to hold a guitar for the duration of a 45 minute concert, so by the time our hour was up they were fatigued; my strings were starting to dig into my fingers with every chord...evidently I need more practice!

Next up was Sugar and Spice, an old time country and gospel duo (pictured above).  I hadn't had the opportunity to listen to them in a while, so I was happy to hear them sing again.   I especially enjoyed their gospel picks.

Joan sang her beautiful rendition of Coat of Many Colors by Dolly Parton; it's a very thought-provoking song that tells how love, not money, makes a person rich.  Phil sang Long Black Train on request; it's one of our favorites...who doesn't like train songs?  This one tells about how the world--the long black train--can be so alluring, but we should avoid it at all costs.  
While Sugar and Spice sang I enjoyed my share of smoothies and root beer and ate a funnel cake in my attempt to recuperate from our performance.  Volunteering at the event were three identical red-headed triplets, 2 of whom are pictured above with another volunteer. 
There was an impressive selection of pies on hand...decisions, decisions!
Thankfully no rules limited me to one slice, so I got to try both apple and blackberry during the course of the afternoon.  They were both delicious!    
Inside was a display of quilts and quilt blocks.  Obviously we have some talented quilters in our vicinity!
Kettle corn, watermelon, pickles, lemonade, and bottled water were all freely available and there were games for children.
After Sugar and Spice sang, we helped the chaplain with the hymn sing, and then settled down to listen to the last group of the day, Home.
They had 2 guitarists, a pianist, and a drummer; the pianist and drummer also played trumpets.  Their music was deafeningly loud to start with, but thankfully they turned the volume down.  I liked their rendition of quite a few gospel songs but didn't enjoy their secular songs very much at all.  They are talented musicians, but they could do better on their song selection.
Part of the audience is pictured above.
While Home was singing we got in line for our dinner.  Fresh sweet corn, potato chips, and pork burgers were served.
The sweet corn was brought in two grocery carts and cooked in the kettles pictured on the left.  The Iowa Pork Producers cooked the pork burgers in the contraption shown on the right.  It was interesting watching them flip all the pork patties by just turning a handle!  In all they cooked 420 burgers!
I decided to be a vegetarian for the day and just enjoy the sweet corn.  Phil noticed that it was interesting how some of us (like me) ate like typewriters (in rows from one end to the other) and others, himself included, ate around the cob.  I had never noticed that before, but from now on I'm going to be watching my fellow sweet corn eaters!  

Thanks to the Scenic Manor staff for blessing us with good food and a pleasant afternoon, and thanks to the Lord for giving us such nice weather for our concert!

What do you think is the most efficient method of eating sweetcorn?

22 comments:

  1. I believe you have spent a great time. The selection of music as well food was wide. Eating corn at my place is not very popular.

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    1. Yes! It was a great afternoon. That's interesting corn is not popular where you are from. Around here the fields are full of corn and soybeans; corn and pork could almost be Iowa's official foods.

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  2. You had me at sweet corn and watermelon :) Two of my favourite foods! I think the best way to eat corn is the way where not one kernel is left :)

    What a lovely time. Good company, beautiful weather and lots and lots of delicious food! I have never had blackberry pie. I don't think I've even seen that anywhere. Very interesting.

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    1. Sounds like an excellent method of eating corn Martha!

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  3. This looks like a fun and interesting day! I'm sure the residents of the care home had a great time. :) Does your family sing/play for many events?
    I eat corn all the way around the cob. :)

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    1. One of those eat-the-corn-around-the-cob people, eh? We love you anyway ;)

      Yes, we sing at a lot of nursing homes and care centers, but only occasionally at churches and our local bandshell.

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  4. Yum. I LOVE corn on the cob and that pie looks amazing.
    R

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    1. Too bad you couldn't have been there. One thing I like about Iowa is the abundance of pies! At almost every church gathering at any church the ladies have pies and other goodies to treat everyone with afterwards!

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  5. Bethany, very interesting, good idea.

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  6. How wonderful that you spend time doing such a lovely thing for the seniors. God bless! I eat my corn typewriter style, too. Ha!

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    1. Thanks, God bless you too! Glad to find another person who eats corn correctly! ;)

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  7. What a wonderful event for the nursing home residents ..
    Those pies look so good, I love blackberry pie

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    1. Yes! and for me as well!
      Sounds like you have good tastes!

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  8. Yum to the sweet corn and pies (among other lovelies pictured above)! Coat of Many Colors is a wonderful song about a wonderful truth--love it! Thank you for giving of your time to enrich the lives of those senior citizens:)
    Blessings,
    Aimee

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  9. Looks like a great time, wonderful company and delicious food! :)

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  10. Sounds you all had a great and happy time!
    Thanks for sharing so lovely photos!

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    1. Yes, it was a very happy time! Thanks for visiting my blog!

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  11. Thank you Bethany for your visit and nice comment on my old pictures!
    Wishing you a lovely week! :)

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