Talent Tuesday

 

I always like a great photo or painting of Lincoln School, my grade school alma mater. 

Randy Wilhelm painted this, and why not?  Like me, he also attended grade school there. 

Then, when it turned into the Lake Pend Oreille High Alternative School, he taught inside the building.

Randy was always a beloved teacher who took a personal interest in each of his students. 

And, now retired, he's having more time for another of his passions:  art.  

Those who know him are all happy that he's retired and busy in the community. 

Artwork by Randy Wilhelm showing Lake Pend Oreille High School. Wilhelm was a long-time teacher at the school until his retirement in June 2025.

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Opening Reception: Three Decades of Coloring Outside the Lines by Randy Wilhelm. 

 Come and check out this post-retirement retrospective by Randy Wilhelm. 

 This exhibition highlights artwork spanning three decades and honors Randy's 27 years of teaching at Lake Pend Oreille Alternative High School, where he inspired generations of students to take risks, think creatively, and color outside of the lines. 

Don't miss it on Friday, Feb. 6 at the POAC Gallery, 313 N. Second Ave. from 5-7 p.m. All are welcome.

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When I asked my former student Jeremy Birdsall to send me a couple of paragraphs about his experience at the Grammys on Sunday, I knew he was busy.

Indeed, he was, as he flew back to Florida from Los Angeles first thing yesterday morning after his night at the Grammys.

 

But Jeremy is and always has been an upbeat and gracious guy.  By late afternoon, he had texted me and said he had put something together.  

I told him that I was thrilled and that anything he wrote was fine.  

So, here's some more information about the 1994 Sandpoint High graduate who is fast becoming a Grammy veteran. 

From Jeremy

I've been writing and performing music since I was 12. Sandpoint High School choir director Jon Brownell and band director Tom Walton constantly pushed me to hone my craft as a pianist, bassist, vocalist and arranger. 

I'm forever grateful to them for not accepting laziness or mediocrity and encouraging me to always be better than I was yesterday 

I graduated from the University of Idaho (Go Vandals!) in 1998 with a degree in Music Composition. 

As a composer, songwriter, producer, recording engineer, instrumentalist, vocalist and artist, I have been a voting member of the Recording Academy since 2017. 

This year was my 3rd Grammy Awards to attend in person. It is a fairly surreal experience to be in the same room as such luminaries as Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, Billy Joel, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Joni Mitchell, and so many more! 

My favorite aspect of the actual awards show is learning and discovering remarkable new artists that I might never have heard before and get to see their performances live and in person! 

It has been an enriching and rewarding experience to work with some of the best in the entertainment industry.

I have been beyond blessed to have a variety of experiences in this business, including writing music for ESPN, NFL, NBA, and to play multiple instruments on stages across the US and Europe, and this year I sang on a Grammy nominated album! 

Bio Info:  Jeremy Birdsall is a member of the recording Academy/Grammys, a Grammy U mentor, and a Grammy Advocacy Day Captain. 

He serves as a judge for the NAACP's national ACT-SO competition in the Music Composition and Music: Instrumental Performance categories.

Jeremy lives with his wife Lynn and their two cats, Jackie Chan and Snow Pea in Orlando, Florida. 

He is an endorsing artist with Aguilar Amplification, Korg, Vox, Dark Glass, InEarz, Gator Cases, Gold Tone Instruments, and DR Strings, and he is a proud alumni of Sandpoint High School Class of 1994! 

Go Bulldogs!

Aaron and Jeremy Birdsall. 

And, if that isn't enough, Jeremy comes from a very talented family.  His brother Aaron, with whom he  often collaborates,  also attended the Grammys on Sunday.  

This morning Jeremy sent me some fascinating information about Aaron. 

So, here goes from our back and forth texting:  Yes, my brother Aaron attended the Grammys this year with me! Aaron went to SHS from 95 to 98, and got his GED.

Became a nurse in the Army, and then studied music composition, and voice at NIC and Audio Engineering at Video Symphony in LA.

Aaron has been an active part of the film and TV industry in the Spokane area. He worked on dozens of films and TV shows, most recently including Train Dreams, which is up for four Oscars this year.

He has also produced hundreds of artists in his recording studio in Coeur d'Alene.

Aaron started a sibling band called "Flying Mammals," with our brothers James and Andy Birdsall. Flying Mammals toured all over the US & Canada and released four albums.

I joined the band on Flying Mammals' fourth album, VIER (German for "Four," as it was their fourth album.

I was the fourth member, and German because we recorded this album in a castle in Germany, with Sylvia Massy (Prince, Johnny Cash, System of a Down, Tool) producing and engineering.

Aaron is a co-writer with me on my work with ESPN, and we also have an original project we are working on now about how we both experience synesthesia and how that relates to music.

[Synesthesia is a harmless, usually lifelong neurological trait (affecting 1–4% of people) where stimulation of one sense triggers involuntary, consistent experiences in another, such as tasting shapes, seeing colors when hearing music, or associating letters with colors].

In addition to his work in film & TV and writing and producing music, Aaron has also launched a new Queen tribute project, "Champions Under Pressure," and Aaron plays Freddie Mercury! Their next show is Saturday, March 7th at the Bing Crosby Theater in Spokane.

Thank you so much, Jeremy, for sharing some of your busy schedule with me so that I could share this story. 

As noted, you are a true gentleman. 

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The Flying Mammals 

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I wonder if my self image would be better or worse if my scales had looked like this all through my life. 

I think it's a toss-up. 

It was dry and sunny and pretty around Las Vegas yesterday, and our daughter Annie was there with her Iphone for geocaching and for taking photos. 

So, I'll close with this pictorial reminder that we'll have dry and sunny and pretty days sometime in the near future. 

Thanks, Annie. 

   

Happy Wednesday. 🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞

Monday Miscellany

 

I heard that some blog readers have wondered what the green tint is to the Iphone photos I take in the early morning. 

Not all of these photos have that tint, but those taken from near the barn do.  I think the coloring comes from the barn light.

I don't know why, but that's my final answer, and I'll stick to it. 

 The full moon this morning offered another opportunity to capture some fun very early morning scenes with my Iphone.  

Plus, it was pretty out.  I'm hearing more and more early-morning critter sounds, besides Bridie's barking, as spring draws closer and we have more morning light. 

This morning I even heard a honk or two in the darkness, but it wasn't a goose.  It was Gary Finney heading off for his coffee Klatch.

The morning sounds signal that spring is getting closer.  

Bill said it's not anatomically correct for a beetle.  If I wanted it to be, I guess I could use AI. 

No need.  

It was just a cute roadside display while we were driving through the Hoodoo Valley yesterday. 

It turned out to be a rainy, gloomy Sunday.  I was watching a very compelling Netflix documentary about the kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart when Bill came home from church. 

When the documentary ended, my plan to spend some more time outside suddenly changed. Rain and dark clouds had set in, and it looked as though both had arrived for the long haul. 

So, I suggested that we load up the dogs and go for a driver.  Ironically, I had already thought about the Priest River--Dufort Loop, when Bill suggested that very same idea. 

It was a good plan to leave the house and, if it was raining, at least we'd be seeing something different. Happily, by the time we reached Laclede, the skies brightened a bit and the rain stopped for a while. 

I love driving through Priest River, especially on quiet winter days.  It's a timber town west of Sandpoint where the residents have displayed great pride in its history.  

Each time we drive through, there seems to be an added touch of historical sophistication. 

More roadside auto art in the Hoodoo/Edgemere area. 

We stopped at a launch area in Morton yesterday.  It was quiet except for two people doing some winter fishing in the Pend Oreille River. 

And, it offered a supreme sniffing experience for Bridie and Foster. 

After we arrived home from our afternoon drive, the Grammys had started in Los Angeles. 

While on our drive, I saw on Facebook that a very talented former student would be attending the annual music awards event. 

So, I sent him a note and asked if he'd send me a couple of paragraphs about the experience. 

So far, Jeremy, who composes music for ESPN, Monday Night Football, Sony, etc., has sent me some pre-Grammy photos and has said he'd try to put something together for his old English teacher.  

Jeremy Birdsall before last night's Grammy's. 

 

Brothers and accomplished musicians who graduated from Sandpoint High School,  Aaron and Jeremy Birdsall.

JEREMY BIRDSALL

Multi-Instrumentalist

Known for his electric stage presence and ability to play multiple instruments at the same time, Jeremy Birdsall is a composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist based in Orlando, Florida. 

Jeremy performs and records regularly on bass, piano, guitar, percussion, cello, mandolin, ukulele, dulcimer banjo, sitar, Chapman Stick and vocals. 

Jeremy is the President of Kavode Studios, where he provides music instruction, audio post production and music composition for film, TV and video games.

Throughout his performance career, Jeremy has played venues and festivals with attendances of 10,000-100,000 including Universal Orlando, Walt Disney World, Hard Rock Orlando, Amway Center and SunFest, and he has opened for national acts including Sammy Hagar & The Circle, Huey Lewis & The News, Toots & The Maytals, Hunter Hayes and Sawyer Brown. 

The opportunity to tour with 5-time Grammy award-winner, Sandi Patty, is a cherished career highlight. He has been featured as a street musician in a national commercial and is a recipient of the “Musician of the Year” award from Songwriters Showcase of America.

As a composer and recording artist, Jeremy’s solo release, Acoustic Healing, is an ambient, instrumental album featuring beautiful, contemplative melodies and exotic instrumentation. 

As a member of alt-pop sibling band Flying Mammals, Jeremy has had the extraordinary experience of recording an album with legendary producer, Sylvia Massy (Prince, Johnny Cash, Tool, RHCP, etc.).

His passion for arts in the community led Jeremy to found the instrumental music festival, Shut Up & Play, as well as the Orlando Jazz Community Facebook group. 

He has also served as a board member for the Central Florida Jazz Society and Circle Member for the world-class Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.

Jeremy is extremely honored to be an annual judge for the NAACP’s National ACT-SO Competition, voting member and District Advocate for the Recording Academy / GRAMMY Awards, Mentor for the Recording Academy’s GRAMMYU program, and voting member of the GMA / Dove Awards. He is proud to endorse Aguilar Amplification, Gold Tone Instruments and Gator Cases.

Instruments:

Bass (electric – fretted/fretless, acoustic bass guitar, upright bass)

Piano/keys

Guitar (electric/acoustic/classical)

Percussion (drums/auxiliary)

Cello

Mandolin

Ukulele

Dulcimer banjo

Sitar

Chapman Stick

Vocals

Another amazing graduate of Sandpoint High School. 

Happy Ground Hog Day.  

I don't think I've ever gotten too worked up about whether the groundhog sees his shadow or not. 

Spring will come when spring wants to come. 

Annie has been in Las Vegas and Yuma, Ariz., this weekend for a geocaching event. 

It's always nice when she goes to see the sun during the winter.  

In gloomy times here, I can steal some of her photos to add a little color to my blog posts and reminders that spring is coming. 

It could be that she'll bring some of that warm weather with her when she comes for a visit this weekend.  

We may hit the 50s this week, so that will be a welcome change. 

It seems to be an action-packed week ahead with appointments and good television (the Olympics), basketball games and just general enjoyment watching the snow disappear and the green grass re-appear. 

Plus, there as the snow melts, there will be abundant dog piles to pick up and remove. 

Definitely doggie doodoo clean-up season. 

Happy Monday. 

Hello, February

 

Former President Obama posted this factoid on Twitter today:

February

4 Mondays 

4 Tuesdays

     4 Wednesdays 

  4 Thursdays 

4 Fridays 

  4 Saturdays 

4 Sundays 

 This only happens once every 823 years!

And, since I don't think I'll be posting on Slight Detour on Feb. 1 in 823 years, I thought it was worth sharing today. 

Thanks to the Winter Olympics, February is a loaded month for television sports viewing this year. 

So, it should be fun times for pretty much all 28 days. 

The weather forecast is also looking fairly pleasant  this week AND I saw and heard robins in the north lawn yesterday. 

It appears to be a definite emergence from the winter doldrums as we also greet more light with the ever-increasing longer days. 

All good.  

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Today is St. Brigid's Day in Ireland.

I learn a little more each year about St. Brigid, the second most famous saint in Ireland.  

She seems to be a multi-tasker as far as saints go cuz she watches over so many aspects of life in Ireland. Plus, she's multi-faceted as both human and myth. 

Because we spend at least one night on each of our Ireland trips in Kildare---where her story is most prominent---we've become St. Brigid admirers. 

Over the years, I've brought home and given away many St. Brigid's crosses like you see in the photo below.

If you are one of my Facebook friends, go to my site and be sure to see the multi-media artwork my favorite Irish artist Suzie has posted today.  

It's lovely and exquisite, like all the work Suzie does. 

I saw this post last night and kept trying to remember to follow its guidelines, but the intensity of the ZAGS-Gaels game got in the way. 

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Put your scarves, hats or whatever outside tonight, folks! Tomorrow (Sunday) is Imbolc (or Imbolg), the traditional festival that marks the beginning of Spring in Ireland. 

It was originally a Pagan festival but when Christianity was introduced into Ireland, it morphed into the Feast of St. Brigid (nickname: Bridie).

Now that's tomorrow (now today) but celebrations for Irish festivals always begin on the eve of the day itself because that was considered a very liminal time when the otherworld was close, so appeals for protection and blessings were extra effective. 

Tonight, on the eve of the festival, Brigid is said to walk the earth.

Traditionally, families would have a special St. Brigid's Eve supper and leave some of the food and drink aside for the saint. 

By doing so,  they were inviting her into their house. A bed was made up for her and before retiring for the night, each member of the family would leave a piece of cloth outside the house for the saint to bless. 

The cloth is called Brat Bhríde (Brigid's Cloak), and can be anything from a strip of material to a scarf. 

In the morning it's brought inside and, because it now possesses powers, will be used for healing and protection throughout the year. Bill (the author's hubby) and I both both have our scarves out. 

Once they're blessed they can be wrapped around the head to cure a headache and, traditionally, were widely used by midwives to help women in childbirth (Brigid being, among other things, the patron of healers and midwives). 

There were no epidurals back then of course, but no need! All the mother-to-be needed to do was hang on to a scrap of cloth and she'd be grand.

This is a fun song about St. Brigid's cloak. 

On Friday when I went to the Riverside building to have my hair done, I saw a neat chair in the lobby of the building which serves salons and other small businesses, including that of a local artist. 

I loved the design on the chair, so had to take a photo.  It adds a wonderful splash of color to the "old building," mentioned in the note below. 

You may have guessed that the flyer with a message was taped to the inside door of a bathroom stall. 

Does this mean that all old buildings often have "remnants" left over for others to enjoy and do we just have to expect to flush twice if the building is old?

Just wondering.  You can be sure that I left no remnants after my visit. 

Yes, it was a tight ball game last night when the St. Mary's Gaels came to the Kennel for what may be the last time.   

Gonzaga is going to another league, so the two teams won't necessarily meet each other again, unless a nonleague game is scheduled. 

The narrative that Graham Ike, who's been sidelined for a couple of weeks with an injury, pretty much played out the way he had envisioned.  He was not going to let St. Mary's win for a third consecutive time in the Kennel. 

Thirty points later for him, mission accomplished.  The ZAGS won. 

It was a good day for Bulldogs yesterday, as Willie's Sandpoint Bulldogs took a 46-26 win on an away game matchup with Moscow.  

Willie said it was a grinding out game, but it was a convincing victory. 

Congratulations to all Bulldogs.