Picasa Photo Gallery Is Available!

Hi again! The link to the website photo gallery for the MVC in France is: http://picasaweb.google.com/mesillavalleychorale.

Once there, clicking on any of the pictures on the main page will take you to galleries showing other pictures in that group. It's quite nice! In addition, on the upper right-hand corner of the page you'll notice a heading called "Linked Galleries." There are currently a couple of links("johnandmer" and "tnw.lc") which you can click on and you will be taken to galleries that others have uploaded also. LOTS of great pictures!

Dan Brady, Meredith O'Connell's brother-in-law, set this up and sent out instructions on using Picasa to uplaod pictures. If you didn't get the instructions, let me know (stingem2@gmail.com) and I'll be happy to forward them to you. I have glanced over the instructions, and they are really nicely done - a 'soup to nuts' primer on how to view, use, and upload photos to the site. Even without reading them closely, however, it is very easy to browse the galleries - and once you do you'll want to read the instructions so you can upload your own photos!

Til next time!

More Mesilla Valley Chorale Members Return to New Mexico!

After I put out a request for additional stories and pictures from other chorale members who just recentl.y returned, I got many replies! Jim and Kay Swedburg visited Germany BEFORE going to France, and then after the Fete de la Musique went to Paris also. After Paris, they attended a family reunion in Illinois, and drove back to NM. I suspect they're still recuperating! Jim said he has put most of his better pics up in his "Photobucket" (www.photobucket.com/MVC-France). TONS of great pictures! I've posted one of them here. Please visit Jim's Photobucket site!

Meredith O'Connell also reports that her brother-in-law (Dan Brady) is setting up a similar site, but one that everyone can visit to view and UPLOAD pictures as well! That will be fantastic - as soon as I get the site info I will post it here.

Pam Smith is reviewing her pictures, and told me her Paris trip was great. To quote her: "The music festival atmosphere was still very evident in Paris....music at each metro entrance...The weather was perfect and the crowds very crowded!" She and others took bus tours, boat tours, visited Moulin Rouge, restaurants, the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe... I could go on, but I think I'll save it for the next post once I get a picture or two from her. She sent a great summary of the trip and I'm not sure I could do it justice (as I'm sitting at an airport about to board a plane!). Thanks to everyone who sent info for this post, and stay tuned for more as everyone recuperates and gets back to normal!

Happy July 4th!!

Hi everyone - not sure if anyone is still keeping track of the blog. After a few days at home (after the trip), I took off on another trip of six days for my family reunion, and was out of the reach of the internet so haven't been updating the Mesilla Valley Chorale blog. I sent out a note to a couple of other MVC members, trying to get some new pictures and paragraphs about the trip AFTER the Fete de la Musique - I hope to have other stories and pictures to post shortly! In the meantime, Happy 4th of July!

YouTube Clip of the Mesilla Valley Chorale

Hi everyone - I attempted to put a link to a YouTube clip of the Spring Concert at the Rio Grande Theater in May, but apparently I'm technologically challenged! I will keep trying to get the link to work. In the meantime, if you go to http://www.youtube.com/ and search on "Mesilla Valley" the clip will show up. It's more dated than the trip to France, but since the program was the same I thought I'd put this up. I'm not actually sure who posted this to YouTube - I'm sure it's a member of the chorale, or a friend/family member! Thanks!

In the meantime, this is a picture of Notre Dame in Paris.

Reminiscing - Chenonceau Revisited

Hi everyone! I haven't heard from any of the chorale that stayed in France, visiting Paris and such, but that won't stop me from blogging! I was thinning out the 1200 pictures I took while in France - got it down to about 1160, making progress! I ran across a really cute picture (at least I think so!) of Nancy and Sam Ritchey, and Michel Serpin (Joyce's friend who started all this!). This was taken during our tour of Chateau Chenonceau - just thought I'd post it to keep blog rolling! Stay tuned!

Random Pictures from France

Just some random pictures from the Mesilla Valley Chorale's trip to France. I didn't realize until I got to our hosts' home that the Music Festival (or Fete de la Musique) wasn't just a one-shot deal in Le Mans - it is a nationwide French holiday. For those of us that love music, what a wonderful thought.

Above, the cathedral in Le Mans from inside - it was an amazing sight, and I think I'll be posting more pictures (of the stained glass especially!!) in a later blog. In the second picture, several of the chorale members pitch in to help Monique (2nd from the right) finish up dinner. And the last picture was an impromptu one taken when some of the members of the chorale showed up at the same time at the Concert Hall in Le Mans on June 21.

One Itinerant Blogger Returns Home!

Well, my trip with the Mesilla Valley Chorale has come to an end! My brother Mike and sister Cathy Boeker (our 'tie in' with the chorale) left Paris Monday June 22 just after lunch. I hope to have some contact with the folks still in Paris and other points in Europe - as many of you know, much of the chorale will be staying after the concerts to sightsee (HINT HINT - those of you still visiting feel free to email me at stingem2@gmail.com to provide pictures and updates!!).

This picture is one of my brother Mike, Ruth Ann Hamlin, and me taken with our host family Irene and Remy Glenche. I think I speak for everyone in the chorale when I say that the warmth and gracious hospitality we experienced with our host families, and indeed the whole of Savigne l'Eveque in general, was incredible. It sets a very high bar for when the Chorale de Savigne visits Las Cruces!! I almost hate to start thanking people for fear if I leave someone off the very long list of gracious hosts that I will offend, but that certainly isn't my intent! Our hosts Irene and Remy were unbelievable, that's about all I can say. Thanks to Jean Picoleau, Chef de Choeur, and Michel Serpin of the Chorale de Savigne for their hard work in making this happen, and thanks to the entire Chorale de Savigne for their hospitality towards us and the beautiful music they produced with us last Friday and last Sunday. Monique, Nicole, Francoise, all so helpful...I know I'm forgetting people... I also want to express thanks, on behalf of my brother and myself, to the Mesilla Valley Chorale, for accepting us as members of their incredible organization, and for giving us the chance to experience this trip of a lifetime. MERCI MERCI MERCI BEAUCOUP!!!!

I hope to be able to update the blog for weeks to come, with personal stories and pictures from other members of the Mesilla Valley Chorale, so stay tuned!

Matt McFee