James Hunter at SOS

James Hunter is an R & B artist from England. His music sounds like old fifties and sixties music. Two of his songs (Carina and You Can't Win) were listed on the DJ's Top 50 most requested beach songs. I really enjoyed listening to his music during SOS Spring Migration this year.

Lovely Lupine Garden

Lupines, Lupines, Lupines!

What would become of the garden if the gardener treated all the weeds

and slugs and birds and trespassers as he would like to be treated?

- T. E. Huxley

These are pictures of my lovely lupine garden.  I'm just wild for these magnificent North American natives. My Mother planted the purple lupines several years ago. I added the other plants last summer and to my surprise some of them are yellow. Several people have asked I save them the seeds from the yellow lupines. I am planning to harvest the seeds this year instead of buying more plants. If interested in learning how to save Lupine seeds, click on the link below:

How to Save Lupine Seeds | eHow.com

Lattice-Top Strawberry Pie

Lattice-Top Strawberry Pie

I made this pie three times this spring using fresh strawberries. Been a long time since I made a pie crust from scratch but worth the effort.


The crust:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus some for dusting the board
• 2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut in small pieces
• 6 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
• About 6 tablespoons ice water
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

The filling:

• 3 pints fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Preparation

1. To make the crust, combine the flour, 2 teaspoons of the sugar and the salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and shortening and rub into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually and gently stir in just enough water to make it come together. Gently press the dough into a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes.
2. To make the filling, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, toss together the strawberries, sugar and flour. Set aside.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out half the dough to fit a 9-inch pie plate. Fit the dough in the pie plate and spoon in the filling. Scatter the butter evenly over the top. Roll out the remaining dough, cut it into 1/2-inch strips and weave a lattice top over the filling. Trim and crimp the edges. Brush the egg over the crust and sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees. Continue baking until the crust is nicely browned, about 30 minutes. 
4. Place on a rack to cool. Cut into wedges and serve.

YIELD One 9-inch pie 

Winston-Salem Journal Review - "All Shook Up"

Surrendering To Passions- Twin City Stage has a winner in '50s musical All Shook Up

By Ken Keuffel

JOURNAL REPORTER

SMART-SILLY: STAGE DIRECTION, CHOREOGRAPHY ARE A-1

The words that the King loved to sing came to mind as I reflected on the musical Twin City Stage is presenting at the Arts Council Theatre.

The show, which opened Friday, is All Shook Up. I couldn't help falling in love with it.

All Shook Up, which premiered on Broadway in 2005, capitalizes on the enduring appeal of 1950s nostalgia by integrating Elvis Presley's music into Joe DiPietro's retelling of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. The story takes place in a small American town during the mid-1950s. The dreams of mechanic Natalie (Katlyn Shaw) and a surprise visit from a guitar-playing stranger in a leather jacket named Chad (Darren Fuller) lead to several couples finding romance -- and giving into a rock-induced lust for necking.

The hookups run the gamut, growing out of friendships, love triangles, unexpected revelations, the shared love of Shakespeare and efforts to break down class barriers. One of the most memorable -- and funny -- connections happens when Chad falls for "Ed," who is Natalie in disguise. Another very amusing romance is consummated when Sheriff Earl (Daniel Alvarez) finally speaks up and gets Matilda (Margaret B. Gallagher), the town's too-moral mayor, to do with him what she has spent too many years crusading against.

So, yes, this spoof manages to be clever and silly at the same time, having benefited from imaginative stage direction and choreography of Rodney Luck.

And often, Presley classics are converted from solo-vocalist fare into everything from intimate love duets to stirring large-scale choruses; when it happens, the new version is just as appealing as the original or even more so.

Fuller stands out for moves that recall what made Elvis so famous. Watch his pelvis.

Wesley Hudson leads a pit that plays with polish. But the quality of the solo singing is uneven, with faulty intonation or an inability to project marring many of the vocal efforts. The show's best singers, however, really shine.

The technical crew deserves high marks for the nice 1950s retro feel achieved in the show's visuals. These range from small signs that hang on the walls to dresses that extend outward in the manner of an umbrella.

kkeuffel@wsjournal.com
727-7337

Twin City Stage will present All Shook Up through March 28 at the Arts Council Theatre, 610 Coliseum Drive. Evening shows will be at 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and March 25-27. Matinees will be at 2 today, next Sunday and March 28. Call 725-4001 for tickets.

All Shook Up Cast Puplicity Photo

Publicity cast photo for All Shook Up. Everyone dressed in their fifties attire, since we hadn't been fitted for costumes. Note my leather motorcycle jacket and authentic penny loafers.