Seriously, no time like the present for a rousing rendition of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.” Nights and nights in the 20s. The garden is a mess and when I left the cut Christmas tree outside for one night and filled the red bucket with water, it froze solid as a hockey rink. Good thing we didn’t shell out for any front-porch poinsettias. Always hiccup on the poinsettia pronunciation … poins easy, it’s the setia or setta part that’s the stumble.
Not a stumble or a skip of a beat did I hear from the Gilroy High School choir which took the stairs at a lovely holiday soiree hosted by John and Michelle Adams. Guests brought toys and food to donate to St. Joseph’s Family Center for those less fortunate and choir members serenaded the guests under the direction of GHS’s good-natured and entertaining new choir director Jonathan Souza. I took a quick video and sent it to daughter Mariah, a former GHS choir singer, who appreciated the homespun thought. Miss Mariah responded with “No Place Like Home for the Holidays.” Choir note: The Gilroy High School Choirs will host the “Songs of Winter” concert at 7 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 18 and 19 at the Gilroy Presbyterian Church. Sharp acoustics, plentiful seating and a great holiday repertoire.
Know it’s tough in chilly December to think warm July days and the Garlic Festival, but I have two suggestions as additions to the Garlic Festival repertoire. Local radio station KRTY always does a great job infusing the country stage with top talent on the ranch side and there’s a unique group which would be great. “Home Free” is competing in the TV show “Sing-Off” which features a capella groups, and ya’all know that a capella country is unique. The group has an awesome collective persona. They’d be a great G-Fest addition. Then, there are the “Killer Bees”, a rockin’ Bay Area all-girls Queen cover band (see today’s fun front-page story) featuring Gilroyan Dana Parker as the drummer. They’d be a smash in prime time on the amphitheater stage. That’s my retirement gig wish – musical talent scout for the Great Gilroy Garlic Festival … ah, such lofty goals.
Goal for Steve and Jan Peat, patriots, entrepreneurs and steadfast contributors to the Gilroy community is to demonstrate their belief in and love for our country by flying can’t-miss-them American flags at the locations on First and 10th Street. Someone called in to complain that the flag on First Street was tattered, and indeed it was, whipped by the fierce recent winds. Because it’s such a large flag, a replacement needed to be special ordered. The new flag is up now, and I just wanted to salute the Peats for flying the colors. The sight of our beautiful symbol waving in the wind has positively punctuated many a drive down First Street.
Punctuating the drive home after work on Tuesday is the never-ever-boring Jeff Garcia radio show on KNBR hosted by Tom Tolbert. Our favorite son NFL Pro Bowl QB who led Gilroy High, Gavilan College, San Jose State, the Calgary Stampeders and the San Francisco 49ers, gets fired up for each show and starts rolling with a steady stream of astute gridiron observations. I particularly liked his recent comments about Colin Kaepernick and his persnickety post-game chip-on-the-shoulder press conferences. Garcia gave good advice, essentially that Kaepernick should “raise his game” for the good of the club and that he really has a responsibility to do so for the fans and the kids who look up to him. It’s part of the $1 million-plus-a-year QB position. If Kaepernick matures into that role, he’ll be better on the field, too. And Garcia’s right, too, about instant replay. The NFL should do what the NHL does. There should be a central video review command station. It would speed up the process and help make sure the call is right.
Right call if you’re looking for a bigger ticket item like a pellet or gas stove or a hot tub for the back porch is to go see Jason Adair at California Home Resort on Tennant Avenue in Morgan Hill. He’s a straight shooter, who knows his product line and can fill you in on what’s what in a relaxed manner. He’s local, so it’s not San Jose price gouging, plus it’s homegrown service with a smile.
Owls make me smile. Much to the chagrin of my canine buddy, Rocco, I hoot back and forth with them in the backyard whenever they’re hanging out in the trees. Anyway, Wildlife Education and Rehab Center Director Sue Howell has a young female saw-whet owl rescued in July after suffering a fractured left wing and nerve damage that makes her permanently unable to fly. So, the unnamed owl will join the WERC educational team and soon there will be an email contest to name her. Stay tuned, it should be a … yep … a hoot.
Hootenanny. Now there’s a word not often heard. Wonder if that came from the owls in the barn yakking and translated to humans having a party in the barn?
Still think it’s a “barn” shame knocking down the vintage red barn on the Ranch Side of Christmas Hill Park. Gilroy’s got $25 million or so in the bank, can’t we use a a smidgen to clean the barn up and put it back in use?
Reach Editor Mark Derry at ed****@ga****.com.
