Songwriting is my way of channeling my feelings and my thoughts. Not just mine, but the things I see, the people I care about. My head would explode if I didn’t get some of that stuff out.
Dolly Parton
When I was 14 I had an active imagination. I told wild stories, streamed consciousness all over paper using vivid imagery, and I wrote sonnets about unrequited love.
My parents watched The National every evening and the news was always on before dinner. It was in the background but I didn’t pay much attention to it. Money was tight, but we didn’t know that, and spring break was spent playing with my friends and making sure the house was tidy before Mom and Dad got home from work each night.
Things have changed.
HBear asked to join the songwriting camp through the Penticton Academy of Music and The Ignite the Arts Festival. HBear isn’t a singer but enjoys music immensely! HBear loves to write lyrics, play the drums, and can play some keyboard, trombone, and guitar. I thought it would be a good experience to meet people… Her people.
HBear has had a hard time with that. In middle school there were a lot of roadblocks. A new language, a new school that amalgamated many elementary schools into one, and of course… Covid. Covid hit HBear’s life half way through the first year of middle school. There were no field trips, there were no school activities, there were no concerts, dances, or even lockers. It was an isolating time.
High school has been eye-opening. HBear has made some really great friends. Actually, her closest friends were kids she had met years ago in her Gifted class and has reconnected with over the past 4 years. Her People. People that think outside the box, value diversity, and let their weird flags wave proudly!
Proud. That’s how we felt this weekend when we attended the Ignite the Arts Festival at The Dream Café, featuring the teen Songwriting Camp and their teacher Corwin Fox.
I had no idea what to expect. HBear told us that she had written a spoken word song and that she would be accompanying herself with her drums. She told us that she would be accompanying a few of the singer songwriters throughout the performance too.
She told us that as a large group, they made a band, they call themselves The Dream Team. She also collected a few of the shyest kids and created a band with them called The Neon Dawgs and they also played an original song! There were about a dozen kids, mostly 14 to 17 years old, with a few younger kids, the youngest being 9. Their first song was written and performed by the entire group. It was called, Easier. It questioned when things would get easier. Each performer sang about their insecurities, disliking their smile, not fitting in, not being treated well, and wondering when, and if, it would get easier. First song… First tear rolled down my cheek.
The next song was written by a beautiful 9 year old, a little girl in SBean’s class! In her angelic little voice, she had written a song about kids not liking her. About friends being fake. But how she had met new friends and was going to be OK. My heart broke! Every kid got up there and sang their original songs. It took so much courage to do that! Not all of them were fantastic singers, but boy, they were ALL amazing little songwriters. There were songs about being stabbed in the back, about a drunk boyfriend that was abusive (which I later found out was written from the young woman’s mother’s point of view of her ex-boyfriend, which broke my heart even more to be honest). There were a few songs about hope and even a few songs that were just plain silly. But even songs about caterpillars, elicited imagery of changing, not staying the same, and how hard change is.
By the time it got to HBear’s performance, I had no idea what to expect. HBear wrote about her anger about what is happening to LGBTQ rights, and women’s rights, or as she likes to call it, human rights.
Her words were powerful! They were thoughtful and provoking. At the end of the performance people rushed to the stage to congratulate HBear on her talent, bravery, and much needed words in this world right now.
For the past few years, I’ve been scared. So scared for my Bear. But after this weekend, I took a big sigh of relief that I haven’t felt since that day in July 2021 when HBear came into my room, looked me in the eye, and said, “Mommy I’m struggling. I think I need help.” After listening to her conviction, seeing her smile, and the acceptance from people… Her people… I think everything is going to be OK. I am so proud of each and every one of those kids. For using their voices, finding their place in this crazy world, and for having the courage to stand up for their convictions.
Bravo 💛.
Check out How Was Your Week, Honey? Episode #322: Really Big Feelings HERE! This week we get together after a youth concert performance for Ignite the Arts. Topics: laundry, Oliver, the Goonies, songwriting camp, Canadian Fun Facts, first time on stage, & Euro Dance.
Is Easter earlier this year? It feels earlier this year. SBean wanted to bake some Easter treats this year and make a special SECRET Easter Basket for her cousins! We went to the Dollarama and bought 4 similar sized large candy boxes, some Easter “grass”, plastic eggs, small chocolate wrapped eggs, and a Nerds Rope. When we got home she filled the plastic eggs and then hot glued the boxes together on top of cardstock that she cut to fit the bottom. She added the Nerds rope as a handle, stuffed the basket with the grass and topped with the chocolate filled plastic eggs!
We had a few ideas for baked Easter treats but settled on these 2 and we are SO happy that we did! These classic lemon bars are tart and sweet and the crust is just delicious! I am NOT a lemon fan but I ate 1 up and then immediately craved another one! Ninja loves lemon and he never gets it so he was happy and said they were scrumptious! Our other treat uses 2 of my favourite things, mini eggs and chocolate chip cookies! It was super tasty and neither of our treats lasted long but they were the perfect appetizers for Easter!
Easter Cookie Cake
Adapted from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
1⁄2 cup butter
3⁄4 cup brown sugar
1⁄4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1⁄3 cups flour
1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 cup chocolate chips
3⁄4 cup chocolate candies, divided
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9-inch pie plate with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a large, microwave-safe bowl. Mix in the sugars, then the vanilla. Then stir in the egg.
Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Then mix into the butter mixture just till combined.
Add the chocolate chips and 1⁄2 cup of the candies. Reserve the remainder of the candy to garnish the cookie cake when it comes out of the oven. Mix well.
Scrape the dough into the prepared pan, then smooth the top with an offset spatula.
Bake for 25 minutes or till the top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and gently press the remaining candies across the surface of the cookie cake while it’s hot.
Classic Lemon Bars
Adapted from Joy the Baker
Adapted from Joy the Baker
For the Crust:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
For the Topping:
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
Pinch of salt
Powdered sugar for topping
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
Pinch of salt
Powdered sugar for topping
Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease a 9×9-inch baking pan, line with parchment paper (so that it over hangs slightly from the pan) and grease the parchment paper. Set aside.
To make the crust, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream together butter, sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add flour, salt, and coriander. Beat on low speed until dough is incorporated. Dough may come together, but if it remains shaggy, that’s fine too.
Dump the crust into the prepared pan and use your fingertips to press the dough into the bottom of the pan.
Bake for 15 minutes until just browned around the edges.
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, and lemon zest until well combined and slightly thick.
Add the flour, cornstarch lemon juice, and salt and whisk until blended.
Pour the filling over the still warm baked crust. Return to the oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until lightly browned on top and no longer wavy-jiggling in the centre.
Dust generously with powdered sugar before serving.
Second week of spring break is in the books! SBean had gymnastics, while HBear spent every afternoon at the Dream Cafe, honing her song writing techniques! I was lucky enough to spend a day with SBean and my Nieces while Ninja, and our BIL’s took in their first round of golf! I took the Kids to Honey Toast for a delicious baked goodie, we dropped HBear off at camp, and then we went for a walk to the Koi pond! The Kids ran around the garden for almost an hour making up the most incredible stories and playing so well together! It made my heart so happy. We cuddled lots, enjoyed a delicious shepherds pie made with love from my BIL, did some baking, we kept HBear’s Baby Yoda chia pet alive, watched the season opener of the Blue Jays, took the dog to get his nails clipped, and enjoyed HBear’s performance at the Dream Café with family and friends. HBear enjoyed the new Dungeons and Dragons movie with her MushroomBestie, and we ended spring break with an afternoon at Meeples and Milkshakes playing family games. This spring break wasn’t filled with trips or nonstop action, but it was exactly what we needed. Relaxing, together, and filled with love 💛.
