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.
