Adam Gopnik, in Winter (Anansi, 2011), says that in Canada winter “is an inescapable fact rather than a part-time recreational possibility” (p. 32), and this is surely coming home to me during this winter of more than usual hibernation. Navigating snow and ice and especially slippery slush is more hazardous this year, even with the recommended walker (four points of contact reassures my physiotherapist). So in the coming months I am going to try to recreate that cozy book-by-the-fireplace experience of winter where “indoor warmth meets the frozen window … and winter is entirely exterior” (p. 23). But, as Gopnik warns, I must temper the joy of my imaginings with a healthy fear of getting locked inside my own head!
But I am getting a lot of work done! Laundry Lines, my summer project, made it to the editor in early November, and the draft of We All Become Stories, Make Yours a Good One is being reviewed for publication while I work on revisions and write précis for the elders’ appearance on my web page — check out Margaret Lam’s creative design at http://www.anncarson.com/stories/
Donna Langevin and I continue to read and critique each other’s work, via email when she is out of town, and over sushi when she’s here.
Thanks to the kindness of friends like Marilyn Luciano, who shares my love of music and theatre, my Tarragon Theatre group, and noble Grethe Jensen who enjoys art gallery hopping too — even wrestling a walker into the back seat of her car — I am having a full exterior cultural season.
Marilyn and I were at Stratford in October for Cymbeline and Much Ado About Nothing, and to Michael Healey’s wonderful production of Proud. Irene Poole in The Little Years fascinated me with its perspective on time and space, and Melody Johnson was amazing in her one-woman portrayal of three generations in Miss Caledonia. Christine Moynihan and Carol Anderson made it possible for me to see Older and Reckless on Nov 30: unforgettable performances by four male solos. Kudos to Claudia Moore for an outstanding evening.
A much music winter with Tafelmusik concerts, the always original performances of theToronto Consort and the outrageously funny Polaris Ensemble. Opera Atelier (almost as outrageous in its own way) with Meg and John, to be repeated in April, the first Amici concert with Mairy Beam and Martha Saunders, and Henry Purcell with Toronto Masque Theatre rounded out this part of the season.
There were three not-to-be-missed shows at the AGO: Frida and Diego, Michael Snow’s Objects of Vision, and sculptor Evan Penny in Re Figured. I lasted longer than I ever have at an art gallery thanks to walker privileges — first in line and a place to sit down.
There were new book opportunities at intriguing and sociable evenings with Pam Mordecai’s launch of Subversive Sonnets with TSAR Press in September, and Gianna Patriarcha’s Too Much Love at QSpace in November: the outspoken poetry of dayliness in all its un/familiar guises — lighthearted and dark.
I celebrated OWN’s 25 years of advocacy and service at Hot House Café in November with an amazing group of older women, listened with pleasure to the work of emerging writers amid the general melee at the Draft Reading Series in December, heard an ancient Persian story and took part in readings at an Iranian Solstice celebration on December 21 at the Queen Gallery, thanks to Banoo San.
Keeping my hand in on the reading circuit I presented “Remembering Our Stories”: a selection of stories past and present, to an attentive audience at the Ulyssean Society on Nov 11, 2012.
Mary Perdue’s Centennial Portraits was launched at the Heliconian Club on November 16 and I read two poems to the accompaniment of Debussy’s Ballade played by Margaret Lam. Lovely! I do so enjoy collaborative performances, and the rehearsals for this one were enlightening, thanks to Margaret’s patience and humour.
I was in hospital in February for my scheduled presentation at Portobello Saturdays but Linda Stitt found me a slot as guest poet on December 1, the afternoon that Susan Helwig was the feature poet and Allan and Holy Briesmaster were in the audience. This is one of my all-time favourite groups — hats off to Linda and Peter Somes for organizing it the first Saturday of every month. I will be reading again with them on February 2, 2013.
Peripatetic grandchildren meant two festive family dinners for 12 this Christmas thanks to wonderful cooks, daughters Meg Salter and Hilary Salter. I listened with awe and pleasure to the exciting beginnings of six young people’s careers, people for whom the world is still a wonderfully beckoning place — as well as being recognized as very tough.
A surprise visit from Margo Little on December 30, down for a few days from Manitoulin, celebrating New Year’s at Chef Lambros’ Avli Restaurant with Marilyn, Carolynn Bett and Erin Harris and beginning 2013 with The Musicians in Ordinary on January 1 at the Heliconian Hall. All wonderful ways to end a year and begin a new one.
winter haiku
maple leaves droop red
clothes on the line
stiff as winter fingershoarfrost tips the grass
shiny new shovel at the door