Don’t forget your mom on Sunday

With this week’s forecast being mostly sunny, and temperatures expected to soar to 23-29 degrees, the heat is on and I now feel safe to take my tomato plants out from under a mock green-house and put them in the ground.

My mother taught me how to plant; we always had a big garden in the back of our Gordon Road home. I didn’t value it much as a kid because instead of going to the beach with my friends, I had to help weed, dig, pick, water, the garden.

Now, I feel blessed that all these lessons are being put to use; I love that I know how to grow my own food as well as preserve it, come fall harvest. This weekend is Mother’s Day — days that we acknowledge what our mums do for us.

There are quite a lot of ways we can show our appreciation — my neighbour has asked her family to come over and help her with her garden, lawn and flower-bed that is the gift she wants.

A girl friend wants Tiffany jewelry from her husband to add to her collection.

My mother-in-law loves to drive somewhere so I told her about a special Walk at the Osoyoos-Oroville border crossing on Mother’s Day in celebration of the cause of peace and justice worldwide.

This annual walk is in its 35th year joining Americans and Canadians together. There will be presentations, music, dance and the renewal of acquaintances and friendships.

Everyone is welcome to attend the Annual Mother’s Day Walk for Peace on the lawns — Canadians meet at Haynes Point Provincial park at noon then celebrations at the border from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Inquiries and car-pooling in Castlegar: 250365-3613 ext 21. Oroville 509-476-4072, Grand Forks 250-442-8252 or Keremeos 250-499-5417

Another beautiful drive is to Fintry for the spring fair. Located on the grounds of the Historic Fintry Estate, half way between Kelowna and Vernon. This event is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will feature activities for the whole family. For more information phone: 250-542-4031 and leave a message or e-mail info@fintry.ca.

————— This year, I have asked my mother, my sister and the men in our lives to join me at the Delta Grand Hotel on Water Street for their annual Mother’s Day Brunch Buffet.

This array of traditional and seasonal culinary creations will have on the menu my favourite brunch food ever: eggs benedict, but will also include scrumptious food like beef carving, sushi stations and everything in-between to include those decadent desserts.

On top of that, my fabulous jazz trio will be performing. The band is Loni Moger, Stefan Bienz and me.

Tickets are $44 for adults, children under 12 years; $23 and seniors over 65: $41. Taxes and gratuities are not included. Call Shauna at 250-868-5615 or e-mail shauna.singh@deltahotels.com to book your spot.

————— The Okanagan Symphony Orchestra is performing this weekend in Kelowna (Friday), Penticton (Saturday) and Vernon (Sunday).

This will be their season finale and it’s very aptly named Triomphe!

This incredible season ends with featured guest artists; the Gryphon Trio, one of Canada's pre-eminent chamber ensembles. The trio has performed to critical and public acclaim throughout the world and BBC Music Magazine described their playing of Beethoven as exquisite, with breathtaking tonal control and sensuous beauty. The second half of Triomphe! is dedicated to Antonin Dvorak’s Symphony No. 7.

For tickets find the links through their website at okanagansymphony.com or call the Kelowna Tickets box-office on 250-862-2867

————— On Saturday Night, the Kelowna International Choir is having its spring concert - dinner- dance with a theme aptly named It’s About Time.

This choir, under the leadership of Neal Facey, has a brand new repertoire of songs relevant to the theme. Choir arrangements of songs to include Time After Time (Cyndi Lauper), The Longest Time (Billy Joel), Morning Glow to name a few.

Neal asked me if I’d be the guest artist at this concert. I said yes because Mr. Facey was my high school drama and choir teacher and it’s about time that we got work together again.

The concert will then include a meal and dancing after to Vics Dance Band all this for the ticket price of $40 — happy hour at 5 p.m., concert at 6 p.m.

The concert will be at the Rutland Centennial Hall, 180 Rutland Rd N. You can purchase tickets at the door, through a member or at the website kichoir.weekly.com.

————— Theatre Kelowna Society will present The Fighting Season from May 16-19 at the Creekside Theatre, 10241 Bottom Wood Lake Rd. in Lake Country.

It’s directed by Stephen Jefferys and performed by Graham Daley, Anita Reimer, and Don Plant.

The play, written by Sean Harris Oliver and inspired by his father’s deployment in Afghanistan, examines the Afghan war through the eyes of a Canadian field medic, a doctor, and a recovery room nurse. I know all three actors and I am very excited to see this live. Tickets are $25 through KelownaTickets.com ñ show time 7:30 p.m.

Anna Jacyszyn is an award-winning jazz singer. Email artafactevent@gmail.com