Encouraging All to Host a Soup Gathering

Winter is upon us and many of our neighbors and friends are without work. Let those of us who have jobs remember to share and hold those in need close to us. I've posted the Vegetarian Chili recipe I created for the Garden Harvest Benefit Concert to help you spread the spirit of giving. This is a basic recipe; add whatever you would like to make it your own. Happy food, fun and friendship.


Pot O' Vegetarian Chili
Saute in 1/2 cup of olive oil:
4 large onions chopped
1 bunch of celery chopped
2 lbs of sliced carrots
Add:
2-110 oz cans of kidney beans drained and rinsed
1-110 oz can of chili beans
2-102 oz cans of diced tomatoes
1-106 oz can of peeled pomodaro tomatoes cut up
2 1/2 lbs of frozen corn
3 oz of chili powder
2 oz of cumin
Once mixture is heated add:
4 cups of dry TVP (textured vegetarian protein: a soy product)
Salt and pepper to taste

Looking Forward to the Benefit Concert

The excitement is escalating while we prepare for the big event. Seeds have been gathered and items for the silent auction are being accumulated. Some of the auction items include homemade applesauce from a family recipe and grape jam from garden grapes. There will also be artwork, organic sugar scrub with lavender and coconut oil, organic salt bath, and floral arrangements. We hope to have an area for children to create artwork from garden materials. Many have offered to bake pies for the pie auction: apple, mincemeat, pumpkin, sweet potato, and lemon meringue. There will be lots of homemade soups for sampling so bring your cup and spoon and enjoy an afternoon of food, fun and music.

Call to All Fabulous Pie Men and Women

Would you like to have a reason to bake a beautiful pie cause it's just that time of year??? Well, you can satisfy your desires AND share a wonderful gift with our community. We are appreciative of anyone who would like to donate their favorite homebaked pie for our Harvest Pie Auction taking place at the Garden Harvest Benefit Concert Saturday, October 3, 2009 in the residential gardens at 128 E. Kane Street in Port Washington, WI. Let us know what you would like to donate by calling 262-689-6984 or email mary@biochild.net Happy Baking Everyone

Garden Harvest Benefit Concert 2009

Hi Everyone
Mark your calendars.....you, your friends, family and children are invited to our Harvest Concert 2009 benefit fundraiser for Choices: Women's Lifeline Resource to Recovery Center in Port Washington, WI (http://www.womenslifelineinc.com). We will be featuring Carrie Melton singer/songwriter and Hubing/Deutsch with soulful acoustics for entertainment. Bring a blanket, beverage and a cup for sampling different homemade soups made from local/seasonal produce served with a variety of breads. For dessert we ask anyone who loves to bake to donate a homemade harvest pie for the "pie auction" while providing guests with a chance to indulge in the talents of local bakers. Participate in our silent auction offering many special items. In addition, save your seeds that are developing in your gardens now for a Free Seed Exchange (I have poppy seeds for those who came to the Garden Walk this summer).

All of this excitement and entertainment will happen:

Where: Residential Gardens of Mary Bernadette at 128 E. Kane Street, Port Washington, Wi 53074
Date: Saturday, October 3, 2009
Time: 1:00-5:00PM. We're requesting a $5.00 donation and non-perishable food item for the Food Pantry per person. Children 12 and under Free with item for Food Pantry.

Looking forward to seeing a great crowd of supporters and your smiling faces having lots of fun with good food, friends and music.

Mary

Successful Season Finale'

What a great crowd and great evening. The tent was filled with a fabulous variety of foods that guests shared throughout the evening. Our music was provided by the talented Inland Moss and Hubing and Deutsch. Watch for one more concert before winter...... We will host a Harvest Concert with homemade stew made from local produce simmered el-fresco. Guests will bring their favorite homemade pie created from fruits that are in season. Watch for more on FB and local media. Once again, thanks again to all our bands for a wonderful season.

Season Finale' for Garden Soiree' Series

We have had a wonderful first season thanks to everyone who came out to enjoy our featured singer/songwriters in the garden setting. To wind up this years soiree' we are having a Music Fest presenting a variety of artists i.e. Inland Moss a bluegrass trio, Logan Kinny playing classical guitar, as well as other surprise guests. We are going to have a pot luck so bring a dish to pass and your beverage. Remember to please use non-disposable dishware to lighten your impact on the environment. Gardens open at 5:00 with music to begin at 6:00. Inland Moss Bio: After a successful attempt at presenting a song for an freshmen english project, Bruce and Ian decided to keep on pickin' and then later Eric was recruited. We went by with no name for some time, then the name was finally agreed upon (Inland Moss). Time passed and we got better and better at playing together and settled on a sound. We play just about any odd place you could think of: beauty solons, pancake breakfasts, church basements, sports bars, pizzerias, fourth of july celebrations, private parties and more. The bluegrass trio was recently invited to the Governor's Mansion to play their original and cover works for a gathering of dignitaries, family and friends in the state's grand mansion. To listen to Inland Moss go to http://www.myspace.com/inlandmoss
Logan Kinney has studied dadgad guitar and will be coming out w/ a good number of compositions/songs in the next 6months. We are fortunate to have him perform with us.

Bantry Bay Weathered the Storm and Performed with an Encore

What a wonderful evening. Attendees arrived early to peruse the gardens and get themselves set up with their picnic baskets. The air echoed the harmonies of Donegal fiddle tunes as guests danced freely in the lawn. Midway through the concert we sat under tents enjoying "iced creamed coffee" a recipe from the hostess' while the rain passed. The evening finished with Irish spirit and an overwhelming encore. Thank you Bantry Bay for such a great night.

Saturday July 25th Artist "Bantry Bay"

It is sure to be a night to remember. Come and sit under the stars midst the gardens and listen to Bantry Bay. Bantry Bay is a traditional Irish music band based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The band consists of Amy Otis Wilborn (Fiddle) and Patrick Daspit (Bouzouki & Guitar) sometimes joined by Sandy Weisto, their sound engineer, on guitar & vocals. The group performs throughout southeast Wisconsin for both private and public events. Frequently, friends and guest musicians also perform with the group.(see our photo gallery) . The band’s repertoire includes traditional Irish dance tunes and original melodies. Amy and Patrick are both strongly influenced by the Donegal fiddle tradition and many dance tunes from that region are to be heard in their music. Their material also includes traditional Irish songs, frequently with a maritime theme.

Stroll the Garden after the Garden Walk and Listen to John Higgins

Singer/ Songwriter John Higgins spent some time in the USN, a lot of time as an “at home” dad and as much time as possible playing guitar and banjo and writing songs. His songs are about every day life and usually include some kind of positive message. As a teacher for at risk students he finds great material for songs in the interactions of the people he meets. With his flat picking style of guitar and banjo playing he hopes to inspire folks into making the world a better place. John also would like to invite everyone to join him on the first Friday of every month, except July and January, at the “Acoustic Open Mic Live” an open mic he hosts at Living Hope Lutheran church community room in Saukville WI.

BiG 4th of July Blast

WOW - WHAT a celestial event!!!! The 4th of July was celebrated with family and community friends in the midst of a sublimely balanced melodic repetoire blended with great food, conversation and friendship. Embedded Reporter was perfection and here are a few pics to lure you into the garden to participate in next week's performance with John Higgins and Friends. You won't want to miss it!!

Fouth of July Celebration in the Garden

Yes, the evening threatened rain. Only in the last half hour did we get sprinkles. After the concert was all packed up, the guests huddled under the umbrellas and food tent for more conversation and fare midst a light summer rain and the the twilight of flickering lamps.

We've invited Embedded Reporter back for the Fourth of July Garden Celebration. The grill will be on for anyone who wants to grill an entree'. The hostess will also serve her secret Margaritas with all guests. Come for music and fun. After the event, everyone is invited to Cate and Burt Babcocks' for viewing of the fireworks over the Marina. Looking forward to celebrating the holiday with you. Mary

The Fabulous Mark Lefebvre featured Saturday June 27th

Bring your favorite wine and a bite to eat while enjoying our next guest, Mark Lefebvre. Mark has a very unique musical style that leads you to sway to the resonance of his strings in concert to the rhythm of your heart. His venue includes some cover, but he shines when performing his original lyrics complemented by his acoustic guitar. As a teaser we have included a sampling of his works. Go to http://www.myspace.com/markedlefebvre to listen.

Wonderful Opener for Garden Soiree' Kick-Off 2009

After a week of torrential rains and tornado warnings, the skies cleared for a beautiful opener for the 2009 Garden Soiree' Series. The night was beautiful, the music over the top and the guests all mingled and enjoyed the sharing of wine, personal picnic baskets and conversation. We are looking forward to next week's artist and another opportunity to meet members of our community for a relaxing evening of music and food. Join us Saturday, June 27th for an evening with Mark Lefebvre. Gardens open at 6:00 and music 7-9PM.

A Garden is to be Shared

My hands have been embedded in the soil since 8 when my mother handed me a number of marigold seeds and instructed me to use my finger to draw a trench to bury them. As they grew, my interest and love for color, design and being a part of a natural miracle progressed. Everywhere I have lived, I made a pact to leave a mark of beauty behind.

I purchased my home in Port Washington late 2001 and immediately took a tiller to the front yard to scribe a flower garden. The rest is a series of garden stories. After a walking tour of Umbria/Tuscany in 2008 my heart was changed by the example of St. Francis of Assisi. His life breathed service and giving. I realized that all the work and energy of this garden was not to be for myself. My motto has become "a garden is not to be gated, but rather a gateway for the splendor of God's tapestry to be shared". May the work of these hands be an honor to Him and may this space provide rest and peace to all that enter.

2009 Garden Soiree Series

Come and relax in one of Port Washington's residential gardens while listening to local singer-songwriters. Gardens open at 6 and the performance begins at 7, followed by campfire and conversation. BYO food, beverages and blanket, we provide re-useable dishware to minimize garbage. A recommended donation of $10 for the musician and a non-perishable food item for food pantry per person is appreciated. Please note that google map image is not my house. Though my address is 128 E. Kane, when you go to google map approach 166 E Kane to find the house. This is a 6 week series beginning 6/20/2009. Adults Only. Rain or Shine. See you there. M

Kick-Off June 20 Embedded Reporter

Assignment Earth, Filing Stories, Making Deadlines

"Embedded Reporter" is a live music resource. The music is all over the map style-wise including ballads, Broadway, film-tunes, rock, blues, country, folk, roots, Latin, and more. Vocal harmonies are rich—everyone sings. Instrumentation is largely acoustic although the band does amplify as the situation warrants. One caveat: Embedded Reporter is not a "cover band", although it does "cover" a lot of great tunes. However, they tend to do them differently from the original—many people say, "Better!"

Artistically, there’s a lot of latitude, making Embedded Reporter music appealing to a diverse audience.

Embedded Reporter, a commercial band tipped toward original material, is able to split into assorted combinations of Embedded Reporter personnel to meet the needs and budget of a particular gig.
Who is Embedded Reporter?
* Howard Lewis (lead vocals, vocal harmonies, guitar, keyboards)
* Darrell Smith (lead vocals, vocal harmonies, violin, and percussion)
* Anthony Deutsch (lead vocals, vocal harmonies, keyboards, guitar, harmonica)

Embedded Reporter Bio
“We tell stories about what we see and things that have happened to us,” says Howard Lewis. “They are snapshots from a personal point of view, but many of the experiences are universal in nature. Others are just plain funny. All sorts of people relate to the music.”

Lewis formed his first band, Alberta Blue, in 1971 shortly after returning from Vietnam, touring the East Coast for five years. Along the way he began crafting material. “Songwriting and feature writing have been on the front burner ever since,” he says.

Violinist and Percussionist Darrell Smith, a native of Chapel Hill, NC, joined Embedded Reporter in 2003. According to Lewis, “Darrell sings harmony to my lead parts, and I return the favor when he has the lead.”

Relatively new to the scene is keyboardist Anthony Deutsch. “Anthony defies description,” says Lewis. “His keyboard skills are phenomenal, and he also translates his musical gifts to the guitar and any other challenge presented to him.”

The songs are rich in lyrical content. Embedded Reporter is a singer’s band. “It’s very joyful,” says Smith. “We do lowbrow music for smart people.”

Embedded Reporter is dynamic in concert. The music is all over the map style-wise including ballads, Broadway, film-tunes, rock, blues, country, folk, roots, Latin, and more. Vocal harmonies are rich. Instrumentation is largely acoustic. “We do amplify as the situation warrants,” says Lewis “We’re not a ‘cover band’, although we do ‘cover’ a lot of great tunes. But we tend to perform them somewhat differently from the originals. Audiences can also expect to hear a broad range of original material in many different genres.”

Contact:

Howard Lewis
(262) 573-0325
hhinterthuer@hotmail.com

Darrell Smith
(414) 313-4323
naturalo@sbcglobal.net

Anthony Deutsch
(414) 305-8316
sgtpeppers04@hotmail.com