One Man Band

Lately I've been featuring artists and performers on the Inner Harbour Causeway. Today I'm going out to the Saanich Peninsula to pick some strawberries or, more accurately, to photograph other people picking strawberries. But before I leave the causeway I have to post some photos of the most enduring Causeway performer, one man band Dave Harris, whose music has enriched the Inner Harbour for thirty years.

Dave's a consummate musician in the long tradition of minstrel one man bands stretching back to the middle ages and before. It's a pleasure to listen to him play and sing and it's always interesting to see the variety of spectators that watch and listen spellbound.

Mermaid

It's interesting to consider how persistent is the idea of human/animal combinations. I am tempted to cite the "current" fad of vampires except that it is not really current so much as ongoing. In film, one only needs to look at Nosferatu (1922) and the dozens (if not hundreds) of vampire films that followed. Right now we have the Twilight series which features both vampires and werewolves. Humans may assume other animal forms in other cultures. In West Africa the leopard is often the chosen form of black magic or juju priests. The combination is not always dark and horrible - here on the Inner Harbour Causeway we have a charming mermaid. This is Hilarie Ann Higgins who performs with her accordian as the Mesmerizing Mermaid.

Curiosity

Though we never really lose our curiosity completely it does seem to be one of those characteristics that fades as we mature. I suspect it has to do with the growth of confidence and decisiveness. You can't act with confidence unless you feel sure that you have a firm grip on the nature of reality. There is no place for wonder in such a state of mind. Yet curiosity is what enables us to explore the world, meet new people and learn new things, a process that should never end.

Dancers

The Cooper Sisters

Though they're playing under an overcast sky, The Cooper Sisters manage to inject some sunshine into the environment with their sweet voices. Both girls (Jillian, left, and Brittany, right) have had considerable musical training and it shows in their polished performance. Their CD, entitled, "Inspirations," containing nine original songs is also a delightful listen. You can find out more about The Cooper Sisters on their website by clicking here. To catch them on the Inner Harbour Causeway this summer, check the Causeway Artists Schedule by clicking here.