It was a hot time at the old fire station on Sunday, January 26, 2014!
by Debra A. Berke, social event coordinator for the Cherrydale Citizens Association (photographs, below, by Valerie M. Blitgen)
The weather outside might have been cold, but the music and drinks inside were hot. We were treated to a lovely concert by Tina Chancey, Valerie Loomer, and Nick Blanton. They played Irish music from the earliest sources on original and handmade instruments. The musician friends came together to jam for us from places near and far. Tina resides in Cherrydale; Nick lives in Shepherdstown, West Virginia; and Valerie is here for a month hailing from the town of Orfeuille in the Ardèche region of France. The wood floors and size of the fire station made for perfect acoustics. We got a mini history lesson on the music and the instruments which included a viol, a renaissance violin, theorbo, cittern, early guitar, hammered dulcimer and a very unusual set of bagpipes. Nick joked by telling us that his bagpipes are a safe instrument since they have a seat belt and an air bag. We gave Cherrydale “bling” (hats, bags, water bottles) to the performers. Valerie said that she would wear her baseball hat with the Cherrydale logo all around the Ardèche Mountains of France.
After the concert we met with neighbors and enjoyed the abundance of cookies and hot cider and hot chocolate. The Huther Family of North 20th Road won the cookie contest hands down with an entry of white snowflakes and white snowmen cookies with icing. They were beautiful and tasted even better.
A special thanks to everyone what who made this a nice afternoon concert and gathering. Also many thanks to our generous Volunteer Fire Department for helping set up and tear down. Thanks also to Cherrydale’s Valerie M. Blitgen for photo-documentation of the event.
The weather outside might have been cold, but the music and drinks inside were hot. We were treated to a lovely concert by Tina Chancey, Valerie Loomer, and Nick Blanton. They played Irish music from the earliest sources on original and handmade instruments. The musician friends came together to jam for us from places near and far. Tina resides in Cherrydale; Nick lives in Shepherdstown, West Virginia; and Valerie is here for a month hailing from the town of Orfeuille in the Ardèche region of France. The wood floors and size of the fire station made for perfect acoustics. We got a mini history lesson on the music and the instruments which included a viol, a renaissance violin, theorbo, cittern, early guitar, hammered dulcimer and a very unusual set of bagpipes. Nick joked by telling us that his bagpipes are a safe instrument since they have a seat belt and an air bag. We gave Cherrydale “bling” (hats, bags, water bottles) to the performers. Valerie said that she would wear her baseball hat with the Cherrydale logo all around the Ardèche Mountains of France.
After the concert we met with neighbors and enjoyed the abundance of cookies and hot cider and hot chocolate. The Huther Family of North 20th Road won the cookie contest hands down with an entry of white snowflakes and white snowmen cookies with icing. They were beautiful and tasted even better.
A special thanks to everyone what who made this a nice afternoon concert and gathering. Also many thanks to our generous Volunteer Fire Department for helping set up and tear down. Thanks also to Cherrydale’s Valerie M. Blitgen for photo-documentation of the event.
