RETURN OF THE PRODIGAL

That's yours truly.   Have been away from blogging for a while.....   life interferes.   But will try to keep up from now on.  Thanks for your support, dear readers.

Almost done with the Rusalka 50th Anniversary book.   So many wonderful stories!

Something that dropped into my lap most unexpectedly was the Taras Shevchenko 200th Anniversary of his birth project of a traveling exhibition across Manitoba on the poet and artist.  Write it!   And include as much information about him as possible, but keep it short and concise because people don't read any more!  [that's what happens when you miss a meeting - upon return, you find out you're the one doing it!]  After a few months of research, stress, and much editing (thank you, Ostap and Myrosya), the exhibition was completed.  Launched at the Manitoba Legislature, then traveled to Canada's National Ukrainian Festival in Dauphin, Manitoba, was exhibited at the Kyiv Pavilion at Folklorama in Winnipeg, and will be going around Manitoba until March 2015.  Thanks also to Alice Bass of Graphics Girl, for her talent in graphic arts.

Then there's my major project that is on its way.  I finally decided that I will compile my many articles on Ukrainian Christmas traditions into a book.  Over the last four decades I have written quite a few.  The first ones were in the New Leisure Magazine of the WInnipeg Free Press four decades ago, and since then the two or three a year in The Ukrainian Weekly.  No matter where in North America -- and Australia -- I have gone to speak, people have been asking "when are you going to compile your articles?  I'm tired of taping your columns back together -- I've used them so often."

After meeting with my graphic designer, we agreed that a launch this fall is unrealistic, to put it kindly.   The text will be ready, but not everything else. So it's the fall of 2015!    Grants are still being applied for, others received, editor awaiting the texts, and on and on.    If there are any philanthropists out there interested in supporting a worthwhile cultural project, please contact me!

That's my update.  Now back to the writing.......      So much for retirement, eh?