A Place at the Table for 2019

           

From left; Bill Studley, Theresa Gladue, Dave McGowan, Linda Studley, MC Greg Wandling, Barb Munro, Preteek Jain

          The “Peace Songwriters” had a successful night (Nov. 30, 2019) with our “Place at the Table” concert and raised a few dollars for the Salvation Army as Christmas approaches.

Contributors to the show included;

Bill and Linda Studley, Theresa Gladue, Barb and Ian Munro, Denise Gardiner, Preteek Jain and Greg Wandling who was also the very entertaining MC.

Denise Gardiner

The work presented was a variety of original songs and rhymes as well as ‘covers’ of traditional seasonal work. Clayton Studley did some video work and I expect there will be a DVD available sometime in the future. The 2018 “Place at the Table” can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikHVkwkE3X4

Door Prizes drawn during the evening

          A special bonus this year was the arrival of long time members of “Peace Songwriters” who now live in Grande Prairie and made the trip to help us out. Janina Carlstad and John Fletcher AKA as the duo “SomeAre Solstice Flutes”

         

Janina and John

Thank you Janina for the pictures

Event director / song writer / entertainer Barb Munro and sound man / lighting & effects/ bass & piano player Ian Munro

I wrote a rhyme specificly for 2019 entitled “Just Feeling Good” and for 2018 “An Old Rancher’s Christmas”.

Just Feeling Good

© Dave McGowan 2019

There are many things in life that can upset a person

You don’t have to be old to have joints and muscles hurtin’

Perhaps it’s the cost of livin’ that has you all uncertain

Or long hours of labour for the lowly wage you’re earnin’

We all have some little thing that’s driving us insane

Perhaps it’s seething anger at some politician’s name

Or perhaps you were out of town but still get the blame

Different strokes for different folks but upset just the same

But all that angst, worry and want won’t make anything better

It’ll cost you sleep, scramble your brain, make you into a hater

We pass it on to our young; they worry, eat and get fatter

And then as we all get close to the end we learn it doesn’t matter.

So forget those things that simply ruin your days

Sure there’ll be pain, anger and unhealthy ways

And people not thinkin’ about what they say

And others doin’ things that get in your way

There are people much worse off than you, but they cope

As their life stampedes down an ice covered slope

Instead look at the child whose eyes shine with hope

And climb out of your pit, don’t whine, worry and mope

You can give that child’s eyes more reasons to shine

Or a person who’s down some help with their climb

Give him a hand up from the precipice

And make that child a part of your Christmas

You’ll suddenly find you’re sleeping better

And feel in your heart you did what you could

It won’t fix your joints but it won’t really matter

‘Cause you’ll be smiling and just feelin’ good.

An Old Rancher’s Christmas               

© D.M. McGowan, 2018

The ranch is lonely this time of year

Now that my sweetheart‘s gone

We hadn’t planned for either one

To leave for the great beyond

Hitched in harness, a team we where

Going the same direction

Pulling together we made a pair

But now it’s all reflection

Daughter found herself a man

And they’re off chasing the dollar

The boys the same, all working lives

But their kids pleasing grandfather

They don’t listen much to me

That life ain’t about the buck

I think you need beauty and humor

Or you’re just plain out of luck

That no one listens to me

Well I’ve got used to that

Horses usually take instruction

But cows no more than a cat

Always have to repeat myself

And some folks have to be led

Just like a pig I once had

Didn’t hear a word I said.

But the daughter called today

She’d been talking to her brothers

Said them and her husband agreed

And they’d talked some to others

They want to come back to the ranch

Her call gave me quite a lift

As the year rolls up to Christmas                

I couldn’t get a better gift.