The Phantom Carriage

As I mentioned in yesterday's blog post, we spent yesterday evening with John and Cynthia. It was actually a gift they gave us for Christmas - dinner at an Indian restaurant and a special movie experience at Episilon Spires - a 1921 silent movie, The Phantom Carriage, accompanied by a live sound track - someone playing the classic Estey Pipe Organ which is there - a holdover from the church. Episilon Spires is the name of the venue that was formerly First Baptist Church. The congregation dwindled to the point that it could not maintain the massive building it inhabited on Main Street, so they sold the building to an arts organization, Episilon Spires, and ES has done some extensive remodeling, though the sanctuary still looks very much the same. A very large screen now hangs in front of the organ pipes for the showing of a film. For a concert, I presume the screen is rolled up out of the way. The acoustics in that venue are very good - I have sung there many times both as a member of the Blanche Moyse Chorale and as a soloist. I believe that the First Baptist Church congregation still exists and now uses the Methodist Church as their place of worship. That church building also contains an Estey Pipe Organ, though a smaller one. Our dinner at the Masala Indian Resaurant was very nice. Ellen and I had eaten a late lunch with Max, Tamar and Mais, so we weren't very hungry, but we got Dal Mulligatawny Soup, and shared Naan bread and Vegetable Pakora, which came with chutney and mint sauce. They were delicious and not too much to eat. There were very few patrons and very spread out; both the hostess and the waitress were wearing masks - it felt very safe.

Indian artiacts at the restaurant

Some art work on the wall of the restaurant

This is where we sat for dinner - John is finishing up some paperwork on the bill.************************ After supper we went to Epsilon Spires, and again, very few people and very spread out. The organist, Jeff Rapsis, who goes all over the country doing these silent movie gigs, gave an introductory talk. This was his first time playing the Estey Organ here, and he loved it. He wants to come back. He did a magnificent job accompanying the film - which is an amazing art in itself. It entails improvising music and sound effects on the organ which appropriately express the actions, moods and emotions being depicted on the screen. Not easy to do! But he clearly is very experienced in doing it and is a master at it. The film itself was also very interesting. It is 100 years old exactly, having been released in Sweden on New Years Day, 1921. It had Swedish subtitles, with an English translation. It is highly regarded in the history of film, not only in Sweden, and Europe but world-wide. It is thought to have influenced many directors, including Ingmar Bergmann. Here is a Wiki article on it: "The Phantom Carriage (Swedish: Körkarlen, literally "The Wagoner") is a 1921 Swedish silent film directed by and starring Victor Sjöström, based on the 1912 novel Thy Soul Shall Bear Witness! (Körkarlen) by Swedish author Selma Lagerlöf. In the film, Sjöström plays a drunkard named David Holm who, on the night of New Year's Eve, is compelled by the ghostly driver of Death's carriage to reflect on his past mistakes. Alongside Sjöström, the film's cast includes Hilda Borgström, Tore Svennberg, and Astrid Holm. The Phantom Carriage was released in Scandinavia on New Year's Day 1921. The following year, Metro Pictures Corporation re-edited and released the film in the United States under the title The Stroke of Midnight; it was known as Thy Soul Shall Bear Witness! in the United Kingdom. The Phantom Carriage is notable for its special effects, its innovative narrative structure with flashbacks within flashbacks, and for having been a major influence on the works of Ingmar Bergman. It has been characterized as belonging to several genres—it has been called a morality tale, a melodrama, a fantasy film, and a horror film. It is sometimes considered one of the first horror films due to its atmosphere and its impact on later entries in the genre. The film is generally considered to be one of the central works in the history of Swedish cinema." The character, David Holm, took on an unexpected contemporary relevance. One of the ways he shows contempt for society is by coughing on other people - he has consumption, and he says- "Why should I be the only one sick? Why shouldn't everyone be sick? I'm just as good as they are." This attitude ends up giving consumption to the young Salvation Army "sister" who is trying to help him and his family and save him. That fact drives the plot of the movie. The Salvation Army girl, however, has (inexplicably) fallen in love with him and on her death bed, she calls out for him determined to save him. David Holm, in today's terms, is an anti-vaccer and an anti-masker. But ultimately, the SA girl is successful and he repents. I think this film should be shown extensively in red states! It is a very dramatic film, and Jeff's organ-playing added a lot. It was a great experience. Thank you John and Cynthia!

Jeff Rapsis giving his introductory talk. We were sitting in the balcony, so we were looking down at him.

Jeff at the organ console

The set-up for showing the film, with organ console at lower right.

A scene from the film: David Holm, a drunkard, has died, and his "spirit" is seen rising up out of his body while "Death" looks on.

A publicity shot of Jeff, the organist, taken in Sioux City, Iowa.

New Year's Day with Max and Mais

We are in Northampton at the Feinlands. We have met Max's friend, Maison, (Mason) who is called "Mais" for short. We just went out for a late lunch - at a burger place downtown, and then a sweet at the Maymarket Cafe (Herrell's was closed). I feel too stuffed and we are meeting John and Cynthia for supper in less than two hours! Now we are back at the house filling in a bit of time before we go. back to Brattleboro.

Scenes at Haymarket Cafe. Mais is in the orange jacket.

Decorated tree

Katie and Savanna and Brendon came up yesterday for New Year's Eve afternoon tea, which turned into a light supper. We had a nice visit and Brendon drew with pastel crayons much of the time - very nice! Sorry not to get photos. We finally got some decorations on the tree - got a picture of that!

Our tree************************* After KS & B left for home, we watched the Amidon family (with Keith Murphy and Becky Tracy) annual New Years Eve concert on Zoom - they were live at the BMC with a small audience, but many more at home due to Omicron.

Amidons, Keith and Becky, Zara and Stephan. *************************
Happy New Year Everybody!!!

Rediscovering Kierkegaard

We will be starting a new course from Swarthmore in January. It is called "Uncanny Voyages" and will be led by Phil Weinstein. The first reading assignment is Søren Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling. Ellen has never read Kierkegaard, but this assignment brings me back to a very important part of my life. My first memory of Kierkegaard actually goes back to when I was six years old! I was walking down the sidewalk in our neihborhood with my dad in Minneapolis, and ahead of us was an older man coming out of his house. My dad said, "That is Professor Swensen, the translator of Kierkegaard." Well, that is what I think he said - all I remember is learning that a neighbor had a connection with someone named Kierkegaard, who must have been someone important. I of course knew norhing of Kierkegaard as a six-year-old, and only later did I learn that David Swensen was indeed the person who had "discovered" a book by Kierkegaard in a Minneapolis bookstore, written in Danish, taken it home, read it, and immediately became a fan and tried to lay his hands on as many books by Kierkegaard as he could find. At that time, the early 1900's, Kierkegaard was esentially unknown in the U.S. Swensen made him known, and translated several of his works. It was only in seminary that I actually read Kierkegaard, and when I met Shirley, Thanksgiving weekend, the fall of my first year at CTS, we discovered we had Kierkegaard in common - she had read him at Wellesley, and had been much affected by his thought. I was impressed! Kierkegaard became an important part of our faith, and figured prominently in Shirley's ordination paper. I owe to K my love of paradox, and while I make no pretense to really understand his thought, I feel he has shaped my understanding of what it means to be a Christian in a significant way. So, we have dug out Kierkegaard. Quite literally - a few years ago I boxed up a bunch of books, and my library of Kierkegaard was in a box in the storeroom. Among them - the book we are assigned to read, Fear and Trembling. Reading Kierkegaard is tough sleding, and to help us I have started reading aloud to Ellen an overview of his life and thought by Perry LeFevre, who was one of my teachers at CTS and the author of The Prayers of Kierkegaard, which includes an introduction to Kierkegaard which is clear and intelligible. I'll be very interested to see what Phil Weinstein and the class make of Kierkegaard!

My library of books by or about Kierkegaard. For some reason, I have two copies of Purity of Heart. My favorite of all his works is Works of Love, which I used to own, but which I gave to someone years ago, so we ordered it yesterday and it will come next Tuesday. I am excited to get back into Kierkegaard! This week I have gone to the pool twice - I now have purchased a 3-month membership. Katie and Savanna are coming for a visit this afternoon and tonight we will attend the annual "First Night" concert by the Amidons and friends online (they will be doing it at the BMC and a few hardy souls will be there in person). Tomorrow we are going to Northhampton to see Max and meet his friend Maison (pronounced Mason), and in the evening we are going to a silent movie with live organ acccompaniment with John and Cynthia - that will be at the Baptist Church (now called Epsilon Spires) where there is one of the grand old Estey pipe organs.

Christmas with John and Cynthia

We had Christmas with John and Cynthia yesterday. I went to the pool in the morning, bought a 3-month membership, and had a good workout. I came home, had a snack, vacuumed, mopped, and just as I was finishing they arrived. Ellen had made great hors-doevres, including home-made gluten-free crackers, which were delicious! The newly repaired fireplace was cozy, we talked, snacked, exchanged presents, opened gifts from other family, had a tasty supper of roasted root veggies with kale and solyanka (potato, cabbage and cheese casserole). Our gifts included food items, a game, Cranium, and socks. Also a date for a silent movie on New Years Day, and a Koren cartoon book. I gave warm socks, CDs I had made, and a book, The Unlikely Farmer, by George Kempton, a friend going back to Dummerston days in the 1950s. One gift I gave Ellen generated a lot of interest: a box of "Crotchety Cards." This is something new I invented: from the "Instructions" -- "Crotchety Cards are a new invention designed to provide a positive intervention when I seem to be in a crotchety mood. They are a way of my giving permission for you to intervene by selecting a card that seems appropriate at that moment, to, in effect, change the mood. You will give me the card, and I will both immed-iately know that I have been crotchety, and will enter into the new dynamic created by the card. The cards are not a mandate, they make a suggestion and are a mood-changer. I hope you will be willing to give them a try! Your loving husband....." Here are some cards: ggg Crotchety Cards A trip to Allen Brothers for donuts ggg ggg Crotchety Cards A trip to Ocean State Job Lots for whatever ggg ggg Crotchety Cards A trip to Ogunquit to walk on the beach ggg

These cardsheets were cut up into individual cards and put into a little box.

Card box************************* Ellen really liked this idea! I was very pleased. I think it will make a difference.

Our cozy supper

Christmas Eve

COVID changed the plan for Christmas Eve. Dummerston and Guilford both decided not to have congregations present and streamed the service. Jim and Mary decided not to come to our place for Christmas Eve and went directly to Katie & Savanna's. Dummerston had no choir. Mary Westbrook and a cellist friend provided music, Shawn spoke and that was it. In Guilford at the 11pm service, there was a small choir that Ellen and I were both in, and we both read scripture. Pastor Elisa led the service, Dwayne Johnson played trumpet, Rachael Johnson played piano. It was a lovely service, despite the absence of a congregation, and we were glad to be there. It's on YouTube.

The choir singing at Guilford

Reading John 1:1-4

Change in plans

Well, it isn't COVID affecting us today, it's the old fashioned reason - weather! It is freezing rain today, and we checked every online resource, and also talked with Zach and every indication was that it was really bad and we would be crazy to try to drive anywhere today. So we didn't. That was this morning at about 11:00a.m. Now it is almost 3 p.m.and we are wondering if we might make it. Ellen is talking with Katie - I think we might try it. We'll see! LATER We did it! Ellen tried out the driveway and it was fine. It was above freezing, so we gave it a try. No problem - the roads were fine. It obviously was very icy earlier but there had been both melting and road treatment in the meantime. So we made it fine and are in time for dinner! Amazing. The Feinlands are here, Tye and B, Jim and Mary, and of course Katie and Savanna, and Brendon. Ellen is so happy to be with her family and she was able to deliver the plum pudding, the stollen and the basket we made up for gift exchange. Yay!

Here we are!************************************* More photos:

Max with Theo and "B"

Buffet

Jerry and Max We had the drawing for baskets and we got the Feinland basket.

I've got my eye on the bottle of kombucha! And then we had figgy pudding:

AFTER EATING we played "fictionary dictionary" and seven of us played: Mary, Tye, Ellen, Jim, Savanna, Katie and myself (thw Feinlands had left by then). The words we got were shahi, rohun, epulary, septarium, primstaff, kirpan, and croodle. You got one point for anyone who voted for your made-up definition, you got a point if you voted for the right definition, and if you were the one who found the word and no one voted for the real definition, you got a point. Mary attracted the most points for her fake definitions, and won with a total of 12 points. I had five points, gained mostly from someone voting for my fake definition. By the time we were ready to leave, the weather app said it was freezing rain again back home, so we spent the night with K&S (we had brought stuff in case). We got up early and made it to the Guilford Church by 8:30a.m. - early for choir practice. Another service with a small choir and no congregation. It was essentially a carol-sing - we did two carols as anthems, Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming and the Ralph Vaughn-WIlliams setting of O Little Town of Bethlehem, and sang about six-seven other carols, as the congregation. Ellen read the prayers of the people. After church we went by the Davis' briefly - they are quarentined because Emma tested positive (she is not feeling very sick) - we waved from a distance. We had no trouble getting up our driveway, and had a quiet afternoon at home. John and Cynthia are coming tomorrow.

The choir this morning singing Lo, How a Rose.

Ellen, reading the prayers of the people