My Perennial Flower Garden

Always a surprise and delight to see my perennial flower garden in bloom. My island of mixed perennials consist of  Red Hot Poker, Iris, Lupine, Yarrow, Lavender, and Stella De Oro daylily. The Lavender and Stella De Oro have buds and are getting ready to bloom.

My Mother planted these Lupines and I'm always happy to see them return each spring.

Red Hot Pokers are putting on a show!

Installing my Nucleus Hive of Honeybees

1. Collected my nucleus hive of bees from Beech Mountain Beekeeping. Secured in car to make sure no bees can escape during the journey to Banner Elk.
2. Placed nuc hive in position near the hive stand.
3. Placed new hive on the stand, with the entrance block in place to reduce the entrance.
4. Sprayed three empty frames with sugar water.
5. Opened nuc hive and gently smoked the bees.
6. Lifted out first frame of bees and placed in hive.
7. Continued to transfer remaining frames of bees.
8. Added one frame of foundation at front and in-between each frame of bees.
9. Shook any bees still in the nuc hive into the new hive.
10. Fitted crown board and the hive roof.
11. Gave the bees a feeder full of syrup. Will continue feeding until the bees have drawn out all the frames of foundation.

Happy Earth Day 2017!

The bees were buzzing in the apple trees on this beautiful Earth Day 2017 in Banner Elk, North Carolina. Happy Spring!!

Honeybee (top left) working the apple blossoms.

Promise of apples this fall!

Winesap apple blossoms!

Little Theatre’s ‘Joseph’ is a colorful, fast-moving spectacle - Winston-Salem Journal Review

Originally a short pop cantata, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” eventually blossomed into a longer recorded piece, a stage production and even a movie.

As envisioned and enlivened by Nick Zayas, directing the popular musical for Little Theatre of Winston-Salem, it’s the kind of storytelling that definitely benefits from visuals and spectacle.

The Little Theatre production, which opened Friday night, puts a large cast to good use throughout the show, and brings pizzazz and impressive technical work to the tuneful tale.

If you don’t know this musical, “Joseph” uses a mixture of mostly modern music genres — including western, go-go dance club, French café and a particular 1950s rocker — mixed with more traditional tunes.

As with other Webber-Rice works, the show has no spoken dialogue. Everything is related in song.

The Biblical tale of Joseph’s relationship with his 11 brothers, along with his dream interpretation skills, moves from his fawning father’s gift of the “coat of many colors” to his brothers’ plotting to get rid of him. Father Jacob thinks he’s dead and gone, while he works through challenging times in Egypt.

Saying more would give away too much, and the occasional nods to modern situations should be surprises. Let’s just say Joseph has his troubles, but holds on to the good.

Andrew Brodeur presents a firm but believably humble Joseph, with a youthful presence and a commanding voice.

The show primarily belongs, however, to the Narrator character, who pushes the story along with her information and observations. Charity Hampton was in very good voice from beginning to end in that vitally important role.

On the amusing “Those Canaan Days,” as they lament the downturn in their situation, brothers Mark Walek (Reuben), Glenn Otterbacher (Napthali) and Calum O’Boyle (Gad) get well-performed solo shots.

Jed Macosko (Pharaoh) also makes the most of his “Song of the King.” And from the lively “Jacob and Sons” near the beginning to the ending songs, the combined voices of the cast make a strong impression. Margaret B. Gallagher, music director, and her orchestra support them nicely.

Director Zayas and choreographer Becky Koza work the cast well with the song and dance aspects, but nowhere better than with the 12-member children’s chorus. The young performers are actively involved, which is not always the case.

The scene with “Go, Go, Joseph” impressed for color, costume and dance as well.

A nod must be given to Daniel Alvarez’s striking set design and lights, and LeeAnn Farrell’s costuming. A three-person “fly crew” hints at an impressive and aggressive scene design, which certainly turned out to be the case.

At its core, though, this “Joseph” is well-organized, transitions smoothly and keeps the action moving right along. For many audience members, it should be just plain fun to take the ride.

By BILL CISSNA Special Correspondent  Apr 2, 2017

Winston-Salem Journal Article: 'Joseph'

Little Theatre’s ‘Joseph’ is a song-filled telling of an ancient tale 

By Bill Cissna Special Correspondent Mar 26, 

Mariedith Appanaitis photo credit

                The biblical saga of Joseph has been told in many ways. None, perhaps, mixes story and musical motifs more thoroughly than the pop cantata first heard in 1969 on a vinyl record.

      After their success with “Jesus Christ, Superstar,” Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice expanded the musical story of “Joseph” and put “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” on the stage.

As with many Webber musicals, “Joseph” has a sung-through format, meaning that the song lyrics tell the entire story, with virtually no dialogue.

The recently renamed Little Theatre of Winston-Salem will put a large cast on stage for two weeks starting Friday.

The musical traces the story of young Joseph, who is sold into slavery in Egypt by his jealous brothers. It features songs such as “Any Dream Will Do,” “Jacob and Sons” and “Close Every Door.”

“One of the biggest challenges is putting a different spin on the proceedings, balanced by practicality,” said Nick Zayas, the director. “The show has been seen in the area previously, including a Little Theatre version. How do we create a version that so far is unseen?”

As Zayas looked back on the original release and the stage adaptation, he wondered why the show has a narrator and, especially, why it includes a large group of children. Zayas ultimately concluded that “what we’re seeing is a projection of the kids’ imagination. Thematically, that concept fits well with the overall theme in ‘Joseph’ about dreams and becoming who you were meant to be.”

Zayas wants to find a way to do justice to the real story of Joseph, but faces the fact that composer Webber and lyricist Rice make light of some of the drama. “We’re finding that balance,” he said, “and in some cases, finding the justification for those musical numbers,” which often jump genre and style. But with the dream-world concept, the musical changes can be seen as fitting the circumstances.

“These random things happen in dreams all the time,” Zayas said. “It’s a roller-coaster fluidity through the show. Time and musical style are not really relevant in dream world.”

Andrew Brodeur, tackling the centerpiece role of Joseph and his coat, has more to deal with than just his singing responsibilities.

“Nick’s approach to Joseph’s story has that story happening around me, to me and about me. I’m almost a separate entity in my own story,” Brodeur said. “A challenge for me as an actor is to weave myself into the dream world but keep Joseph as real as possible.

“I’m working very hard to connect the biblical story to the show’s take on it,” he said. “In both, there are lots of ups and downs. It’s not smooth sailing for Joseph at all. I’m finding it both very interesting and difficult.” Brodeur will have plenty of support with a cast of 38 filling a number of roles

In addition to Charity Hampton (Narrator), Roberts Bass (Potiphar), Shelly Beard (Mrs. Potiphar), Jed Macosko (Pharaoh) and Kirk House (Jacob), actors of all ages portray Joseph’s brothers and the wives, along with the 12 youngsters in the children’s chorus. Margaret Gallagher handles the musical direction.

Both Zayas and Brodeur feel that the PG-rated production tells a story that will appeal to audiences of all ages. “One exciting aspect for me,” Brodeur said, “is that we have a line-up of powerhouse singers. The show is a mix of references to the ancient story and to modern times. You’ll come to the theater and have fun. It’s fun to be in and fun to see.”

Zayas sees a musical with something for everyone.

“’Joseph’ is an uplifting show with lots of style, genre-shifting and references,” he said. “It’s going to be a spectacle, especially in terms of set, lights and costumes. It clips right along with movement and choreography. That’s why we think young people will enjoy it as much as older audience members.”

By Bill Cissna Special Correspondent Mar 26, 2017