Christy Chase's

Green grass of home

When I'm out walking, I like to check out the many gardens I pass. I love seeing how flowers and plants develop over days, weeks and the months of summer. Lately, though, I've been looking at people's lawns. Some people go all out to keep their lawn green, weed-free and shaved like a new recruit's head. Others take a more natural approach, allowing grass to grow longer and the odd weed to creep in. In my opinion, the so-called perfectly groomed lawns  are over-rated. Yawn. And definitely not environmentally friendly. According to the dictionary, lawn is an alteration of a medieval English word, launde, or glade, from an old French word meaning heath or pasture. Yawn, on the other hand, is from the medieval English word yanen, an alteration of the old English yonen or yenon.

Word countdown

According to Global Langauge Monitor, which tracks English usage and words, the number of English words will hit 1,000,000 on June 10. That's its best guess. The word is expected to come from China or India. Here's the link www.languagemonitor.com/. One million words. How many of them do you use?

Spring

Spring is one of my two favourite times of year, the other being autumn. I love spring for its moderate temperatures, its sunshine after a hard winter, the colours and smells of lilacs, irises, tulips and lilies of the valley and that wonderful, bright green of leaves as they sprout on the trees. Chartreuse, in other words. That's one of my favourite words. The word spring has that bouncy, optimistic feeling to it that the season brings with it. And, despite the rain and cool temperatures, it's nice to see an older type of spring this year, one that lingers and takes its time before it springboards  into summer. So I plan to enjoy what's left of the season. Spring.

Animals of influence

Today's word is one that's been bandied about quite often in the last week or so. And that's influenza. According to my dictionary, it's derived from Medieval Latin word influentia or influence, based on the widespread belief at the time that epidemics were due to the influence of the stars. And they certainly had plenty of nasty epidemics to blame on the stars. Today, we know the heavens to be blameless and look closer to home for causes, such as pigs in Mexico or birds in Asia or mad cows wherever they pop up.

Twilight

No, not the movie. Definitely not the movie. The word. One of my favourites is crepuscule, which means twilight, one of my favourite times of the day, although not when I'm driving. According to my dictionary, it's Middle English derived from Old French from, originally, Latin. Crepusculum/creper meaning dark. I think I like it because it's such an awkward, rather icky sounding word for a beautiful time of day. The adjective, crepuscular, is even better.

Words down under

 

Last month, just one week after I started my new job here as copy editor, I took a two-week holiday, something I hadn't done in ages.
I headed off to Sydney, Australia, where my sister and her husband live, and then on to New Plymouth, New Zealand, where my daughter had just finished a six-month internship at the Puke Ariki museum. I had a wonderful time and enjoyed all we did and saw. And the weather was glorious - sunshine and warm temperatures the whole two weeks.
While touring around New Zealand, I kept my ear out for word usage. Here are a few differences I spotted, with help from my daughter.
We say flip flops. In Australia, they are thongs. In NZ, they are jandals.
Magic marker - vivid in NZ
Exit - way out in NZ
Meet up - hook up in NZ
Straight razor - cut-throat shave in NZ
Yield sign - give way in NZ
Take-out food - take-away food in NZ
Make out - pash in NZ
Candy - lolly in NZ
Cottage - bach in the north island of NZ, crib in the south island
Bologna (lunch meat) - luncheon on north island, belgium on south island
Peppers (green, red, yellow ones) - capsucums in NZ

Same language, different  meanings.
By the way, the picture is my daughter, her boyfriend and me  at Sydney Harbour.

So long, farewell

Yes, it's time to say goodbye to the entertainment beat. Due to restructuring of Metroland's Durham division, I'll be wearing a new hat (it'll still have a press badge in it) as of the end of this week. I will be one of two copy editors who will be carefully checking over all written news content in the papers and online at newsdurhamregion.com. I will miss the people I've met in Durham's art scene but it's time for new challenges and responsibilities. Thanks to everyone in the entertainment biz locally - it's been fun. Taking over entertainment will be Mike Ruta, who's handled the entertainment scene in Ajax and Pickering. You can contact him a mruta@durhamregion.com. And watch this space of a new blog about one of my favourite topics. Be seeing you.

Pan-tastic

Friday night, I ventured over the ridges and through the snow to see Peter Pan, the original play by J.M. Barrie, as interpreted by the Borelians Community Theatre at Town Hall 1873 in Port Perry. I'd sat in on part of a rehearsal a few weeks ago and was eager to see the final product. And I was delighted. Director Carey Nicholson, crew and a cast of 35, including only five adults, did a great job, especially since it was obvious several of them were under the weather. (Apparently you can get sick in Neverland. Who know?) I especially loved the crocodile (a rather scary beast), the mermaids, Nana and the way Peter Pan et al "flew." Pictured are Graeme Powell as the dastardly Hook and John Jackson as his right-hand (or should that be right-hoo) man, Smee, in a photo taken by our photographer Celia Klemenz. This is a classic story for children that will delight you no matter your age. It runs Feb. 26, 27, 28 and March 6 and 7. www.borelians.org.

Flying School

Last Saturday, I went to the Robert McLaughlin Gallery in Oshawa for a concert. A chamber group played beautiful music, backed by some contemporary art. It's a great experience and certainly took our minds off the winter storm blowing outside. Before the concert and during intermission, I took the time to visit the two art exhibits, Tourist by Durham photographer Gary Greenwood, a wonderful, not-your-typical look at travel and connections, and The Defibrillators by Diane Landry. One of Landry's work's, Flying School, stopped me in my tracks and made me grin. I just stood there for several minutes taking it all in. That's it pictured. Now throw in music that kind of sounds like harmonicas breathing and picture the umbrellas going up and down, and that's almost it. It's just a thoroughly delightful installation and I love it. You really need to see both exhibits.

Depressing news

I received some sad news today. Due to the economic crisis we all find ourselves in, Oshawa Durham Symphony Orchestra has had to cancel its Feb. 13 concert. Donations from individuals and corporations that normally come in to ODSO throughout the fall and early winter have all but dried up, leaving only enough money for two concerts for the rest of the season, instead of the planned three. Some hard decisions had to be made and that led to the cancellation of next month's event. Things are still a go for the March operafest (thank goodness for that) and the May Disney concert. Let's hope this recession doesn't take an even bigger bite out of our arts community.