Handel and Haydn give us Bach and a whirl beyond - Christmas Flowers Mexico

As Boston winter holiday traditions go, the Handel and Haydn Society’s “A Bach Christmas’’ does not have the cachet of “Messiah’’ or “The Nutcracker’’ or Holiday Pops. But what would Christmas be without Bach’s Advent and Christmas cantatas, and in particular his “Christmas Oratorio’’?

The program that American conductor Steven Fox, in his H&H debut, has assembled for this year’s celebration opens with Bach’s Cantata No. 133, “Ich freue mich in dir,’’ and closes with Cantata V from the “christmas flowers mexicoOratorio.’’ But in between, Fox takes us on a whirlwind sleigh ride that even Santa might envy, with musical stops in Mexico, Bolivia, Russia, and the United States. It’s a stunning tribute not just to Bach but to his influence and that of the Baroque style.

Thursday evening at Jordan Hall, “Ich freue mich in dir’’ stretched somewhat the 13 instrumentalists and the 16 singers, from whose ranks the vocal soloists were drawn. There were occasional intonation problems and hectic moments from the orchestra, and soprano Margot Rood, though pleasantly nasal, sounded thin and did not enunciate clearly. Tenor Stefan Reed, rich and soft, was the vocal standout. And everything came together in the lulling final chorale, where the chorus vows to sleep in the newborn “Jesulein.’’

Scored for seven strings and organ, the anonymous “Sonata Chiquitanas,’’ an instrumental piece from Bolivia, provided an agreeable palate cleanser. The villancico “Celebren, Publiquen’’ by Mexican composer Manuel de Zumaya - a contemporary of Bach’s who blended Old and New World styles - is a hymn to Mary rather than Jesus. Both chorus and orchestra made a joyful noise, even if the Spanish pronunciation did not have much bite.

Generic pronunciation was also a minor blemish in the Russian hymn that opened the second half of the program, Dmitry Bortniansky’s “Tebe Boga Khvalim’’ (“We Praise Thee, O God’’), but the flavor of this odd amalgam of Italian (Bortniansky spent 10 years studying in Italy) and Russian church music was spot-on. And the performances of the two American hymns, “The Shepherd’s Star’’ and Jeremiah Ingalls’s “The Apple Tree’’ (which likens Jesus to the tree of life), were the evening’s best.

Cantata V from the “Christmas Oratorio’’ describes the journey of the Three Wise Men to Bethlehem. I missed the trumpet and percussion that elevate this piece’s other sections, but it was Bach’s decision to use here the softer, gentler oboe d’amore, and Stephen Hammer’s introduction to the bass aria glowed like a christmas flowers mexico blogs candle. By this point, the singers were in full angelic flight. Fox explained that they were going to repeat the opening chorus “because it’s fun to perform.’’ It was fun to listen to, as well.

Nostalgic Places, Gifts To Share During Holidays - Christmas Flowers Mexico

In last week’s Savvy Shopper article, I listed some places and products to trigger an appreciation of the past and how far we have come in some areas. Among many possibilities, I thought I would offer a few more with christmas flowers mexico in mind. Since many are traveling and shopping during this time, nostalgic destinations and gifts offer unique ways to enjoy this time of year with family and friends

Theaters

In another era, theaters were designed to mirror the glamour of the movies they showed. With financial pressures ushered in by television and movie rentals, theaters have slowly transitioned into highly functional multiplexes with minimal grandeur. While most old theaters are torn down or no longer used to show movies, there are a few exceptions. The National Theater (http://www.nationaltheatreofgraham.com/) in Graham and the Paramount (http://paramount-abilene.org/) in Abilene are two traditional theaters and are restored to their original condition.

Soft Drinks

Back in the day, Cokes were served in glass bottles. The fact that glass does nothing to interfere with drink flavor makes it taste best. Coke in glass bottles is available at many grocery stores and Cracker Barrel restaurants. For maximum authenticity, avoid Cokes from Mexico. They are formulated with more sugar and less carbonation than the American version.

To learn some history you may not want to repeat, try Tab. In case you haven’t heard of it, Tab was one of the first diet soft drinks. Even with the introduction of drinks like Diet Coke, a loyal fan base has kept Tab on the shelves at select retailers like United. In addition, aside from a tweaking of sweeteners, the formula is the same (or close to it). Although it isn’t very good, I believe experiencing a valley can bring an appreciation for a peak.

Stuckey’s

Anyone who traveled on an interstate in the 1960s and 70s should remember Stuckey’s. Up until the mid-70s, gas stations sold fuel and performed repairs. Although most stations had a vending machine, it always struck me as something that station owners tolerated more than wanted. If it weren’t for Stuckey’s, a traveler who wanted quick refreshment would have had highly limited choices. Actually started in the 1930s in Georgia, these stores served as a precursor to the travel centers we see everywhere today. Although it is difficult to describe, they were a convenience/fast food/souvenir/fuel establishment. On top of that, they served renowned pecan rolls. By the 1980s, these stores largely disappeared. However, there is a Stuckey’s in west Texas, a well preserved example of what they were like in previous eras. On Interstate 40, you can find it at Exit 18 in Adrian.

Internet Wayback

Machine

Is there an Internet site you remember that is long gone? All is not lost! There is a good chance the Internet Wayback Machine (www.archive.org) can take you back. If you remember the address, enter in the search function, and it may just show up.

Vinyl Records

In the 1980s, there was a T-shirt with the caption “Stop Digital Madness!”. At the time, I was sympathetic to the message because it seemed like the rampant digitization happening everywhere was overkill. Fortunately, the T-shirt failed in its mission, and we can reap the benefits in photography, music, and other media. Nevertheless, I suspect that there are some (like me) who still have a soft spot for the vinyl records (LPs) predating MP3s. Although LPs have made a slight comeback among audiophiles, they can be hard to find. One exception to this is The Record Shop in Big Spring. If you want to see and select from a variety of unused vinyl records, this is a good place. Call ahead to verify business hours (432-267-7501).

Retail

In an economic sector where consolidation and centralization rule, there are holdouts who exhibit the best qualities of “Mom and Pop” including service, knowledge and dedication. An example of this is Davis Furniture & Hardware in Lamesa. This 85-year-old family-run business sells hardware, plumbing and electrical supplies. In addition, they are known for stocking the hard to find products. If there is an item you have been looking for but haven’t found, your search may be over!

Ultimately, I hope you can enjoy at least a few of the things detailed in the past two articles. All are available in Lubbock or in West Texas. I also hope that readers will let us all in on similar treasures that may be unknown to most of us.

If you have tips on such things or other ways to connect with our history, please visit our Facebook site (Log on to Facebook and enter “Lubbock Savvy Shopper” in the search tool) or write us at SavvyShoppers@lubbockonline.com and let us hear about it. Our community keeps growing and we are hearing great things. Don’t miss out  christmas flowers mexico blogs !

SEAN FIELDS is one of The A-J’s Savvy Shoppers. Read his columns Wednesdays, and catch Rachel Hardy on Sunday.

No snow yet, but history shows a white Christmas still possible - Christmas Flowers Mexico

Here it is, nearly the middle of December, and no snow on the ground in west central Minnesota.

That’s just fine with some people, but for every person who’s happy to wait for it, there’s someone else, possibly a short person with a sweet, gap-toothed smile, who asks, “What will Santa do without snow?”

Not to worry. The questions could go away as soon as the middle of this coming week.

“We’ve got a system coming in the middle of next week that gives Willmar a good chance of a white  

christmas flowers mexico 

,” said Jim Taggert, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

In an average year, western Minnesota and the eastern Dakotas could expect to have about 10 inches of snow on the ground at this time of year, Taggert said.

The only appreciable precipitation seen around the Willmar area for the past month was a few inches of snow in mid-November, he said, and the area could be about a half foot behind its normal snowfall.

“The pattern now is a much drier pattern because most of the storms are going south of us,” he said.

This has been one of the driest falls on record. The Weather Service classifies west central Minnesota as having moderate drought conditions, he said, and there’s a severe drought in parts of southwestern Minnesota.

According to a report from the Minnesota State Climatology Office, there’s a good chance of having some snow on the ground for Christmas, but it may not be much.

A report on the history of white christmas flowers mexico blogs in Minnesota reports a 70 percent chance of having at least 1 inch of snow on the ground in Willmar by Christmas Eve. Percentages are similar for a sampling of other communities: New London, 76 percent chance; Litchfield, 68 percent; Glenwood, 74 percent; Montevideo, 62 percent; Benson, 84 percent; and Bird Island, 69 percent.

One inch of snow will give you a white Christmas, but the chances aren’t quite as good for deeper snow. Over 44 years of records, Willmar has had a 36 percent chance for at least 5 inches of snow, and just a 20 percent chance for at least 10 inches of snow.

Other communities have a similar chance of 5 inches of snow; some have an even lower chance of 10 inches.

At the Redwood Falls airport, with 54 years of record, there’s a 6 percent chance of 10 inches of snow.

AccuWeather.com, a private weather forecasting service, issued a report Friday predicting a stormy week leading up to the holidays for much of the nation, including the upper Midwest.

The long-range forecast from AccuWeather discusses the likelihood of several storms moving out of the Pacific Ocean and across the country in the week before Christmas.

They are expected to pick up moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and move into the Midwest and Northeast. There are no predictions yet of what track the storms might take.

Delays at border longer during holidays - Christmas Flowers Mexico

SAN LUIS, Ariz.— The christmas flowers mexico blogs season is also the time of longer waits to cross the border.

Longer pedestrian and vehicle lines form at the U.S. Port of Entry at San Luis, at Andrade, Calif., and elsewhere as more people on both sides of the border visit the neighboring country, whether to see relatives or friends, to vacation or to do their christmas flowers mexico shopping, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

In December 2010, the average wait to cross the border at San Luis was a little more than an hour, compared with an average wait time of 42 minutes in May of the same year, according to CBP.

“Really, there's no way to avoid (longer waits in the holiday season),” said CBP Supervisor Teresa Small in San Luis.

But CBP officials say border crossers can do their part to help expedite the flow of traffic into the United States.

“It would help us tremendously,” Small added, “if (border crossers) declare all items they are bringing from Mexico, and if they have their documents ready to present to the officers.”

U.S. citizens are required to present passports or passport cards. Failure to declare items being brought from Mexico can result in fines.

Small said simplifying the border inspections not only benefits travelers but allows CBP officers to focus on catching those vehicles or pedestrians who may be carrying across narcotics or other contraband.