Vancouver Naturalist_March 2012.pdf - Nature Vancouver

Nature Vancouver’s
First Annual Christmas Social
- A Report in a Nutshell
by Rosemary Taylor
For many of us, appreciation of nature comes somewhat
‘pre-packaged’ in the form of slide shows, talks, field trips or
camp experiences. However, enthusiasm bubbled over at the
December social, when the call went out for something to add to
a show-and-tell display to augment the cheese and chatter.
We saw so many ways of interpreting nature - paintings,
photographs, sketches, the finest of fine needlework, crafts,
real rocks, small sculptures, a revolving slide show, and music
and song. Such a wide range of talent, so many ways of seeing
things, and such enthusiasm to share the way nature impacts
our lives. As a result there was much to enjoy besides meeting
friends old and new, tables full of food and drink, and catching
up on the latest news. So much so, that unfortunately there were
not enough tables, or enough room to put all the contributions,
even in a very large hall and smaller entrance space. Every
possible table was pressed into use, the demand was amazing,
and my apologies go to those for whom there was literally no
room at the inn. Large decorative stars made from twigs hung
from doors along the side of the hall, small white tables were
set out for people to gather round, and each had a green spray
of fresh conifer, tied with red ribbons, making the hall really
festive.
Two musicians tried ever so hard to avoid using a microphone
for fear of drowning things out, but eventually decided
amplification was the only way to go. They sang and played all
evening, including in their repertoire both seasonal songs and
those celebrating nature, that added so much to the atmosphere.
A revolving slide show played continuously on the screen, a
composite of pictures from several photographers, taken on
a variety of occasions. My thanks to all who brought their
treasures to share with everyone, and to a wonderful small team
of helpers and advisors who worked so hard make the evening
enjoyable. It seems that the event was a runaway success,
so having set a precedent and perhaps started a new Nature
Vancouver tradition, maybe ‘great oaks from little acorns grow’.
Stay tuned!
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