Yall. Help me pick stuff for mom's 70th birthday in September.

[Voran]

I'm trying to prepare well in advance by saving up a package of nice gifts for her. I'm also trying not to be boring by just sticking to easy things I know she likes. Help me think out of the box a bit.

She likes:

- rabbits and hares, so I'm collecting some hare and rabbit themed pins

- dark chocolate, no sugar though, I usually get her Montezuma 100% but wouldn't hurt to have some variety

- Cello music or stuff by countertenors, which I know absolutely poo-all about

Anyone got ideas for things I might have missed?

 

[pondweed]

google is your friend...

GRANDFATHERS LETTERS SIR HENRY THORNHILL - HATHI & HARE POSTCARD CELLO - NEW | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for GRANDFATHERS LETTERS SIR HENRY THORNHILL - HATHI & HARE POSTCARD CELLO - NEW at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

The Woman and the Hare Cello Sheet Music by Harrison Birtwistle | nkoda

The Woman and the Hare sheet music. Access this edition published by Boosey & Hawkes and 110,000 other scores on the nkoda app.

www.nkoda.com

 

[DuckyI]

I'm not sure if you are looking for classical music in particular for high male voices.

Here's a jazz option. Jimmy Scott, a jazz singer with an unusually high voice (contra-alto!) due to a medical condition. Hauntingly beautiful:

 

[kkimura]

Throw in a big hug while your at it.

 

[EDW]

If your mom likes music outside of classical, you might look up music by the Cellist David Darling. He recorded a wealth of music as a solo player and also with the Paul Winter Consort, especially the landmark album Icarus.

The countertenor https://jakubjozeforlinski.com/ is quite renowned.

 

[Renaissance-Man]

Hey Voran,

You know your mom best. I'm sure she'll cherish any gift from you.

Here's a duet by two world famous musicians, Jake Shimabukuro and Yo-Yo Ma. Yo-Yo Ma is a cellist. I'm not offering this as any suggestion. Just enjoy it for what it is. It's pretty music.

 

[Voran]

Thanks, everyone. I realize I could just use google but I needed some out of the box suggestions.

 

[Ziret]

That’s so thoughtful that you’re getting started early. As someone who’s three months younger than your mom, I think you know her a lot better than I do! Just don’t forget a card. Somehow my kids and I quit giving cards and it (apparently) has been rewarding to all of us to give and receive cards again. Store bought or homemade, it’s where the thought really is what counts.

You know, unless she has specifically said, “No more cards! They’re stupid and sentimental.”

 

[bbkobabe]

For my birthday last year, a friend went to a fancy French bakery and bought a few loaves of fancy breads. Popular with my whole family... and I'm still thinking of how awesome it was a whole year later. Surprisingly endearing as a gift.

My mom was an earring person... one year, no one got her any and she was NOT pleased... and let us hear about it. So last year, I got her...

Well, you know. She passed in December so I guess I won't have to worry about making that mistake again...

There is a local (California) group called "Dirty Cello" that really has an interesting take on cello music. Have you heard of them?

 

[Joyful Uke]

A friend is a fan of rabbits, and I donate to a rabbit rescue group in her honor. Not sure that is the type of thing you mean, though.

My dad enjoyed bassoon music, so my "outside the box" gift for him one year was an album by The Bassoon Brothers, which included songs like Purple Haze, (yes, on bassoons only), some Beatles songs, and other out-of-the-ordinary music for bassoons. He got a kick out of it.

So for cello, 2CELLOS popped into my mind. It might not be at all the type of thing that she'd like, but I'll mention it just in case. Examples:



I suspect that your mom has Bach cello suites, and the more typical kind of thing if she likes cello.

Maybe you could write her a song? I bet she'd cherish that.

 

[Joyful Uke]

Another idea:
I think happysocks.com works in your area of the world, too. If you go to their site and search for bunny, there are a variety of bunny themed socks. They're expensive socks, but are good quality and comfortable.

 

[ploverwing]

Organic Fair Chocolate is a local (just down the street, and our kids went to kindergarten together) family owned company that makes bean-to-bar chocolate. It's really good. I can pick up and ship you some if you like? Just let me know a couple or few that you'd like to try

 

[Voran]

That’s so thoughtful that you’re getting started early. As someone who’s three months younger than your mom, I think you know her a lot better than I do! Just don’t forget a card. Somehow my kids and I quit giving cards and it (apparently) has been rewarding to all of us to give and receive cards again. Store bought or homemade, it’s where the thought really is what counts.

You know, unless she has specifically said, “No more cards! They’re stupid and sentimental.”

I'm absolutely terrible at being organized so I'm compensating by starting on this early. If I buy something each month on payday then by September she'll have a nice collection

 

[Voran]

Organic Fair Chocolate is a local (just down the street, and our kids went to kindergarten together) family owned company that makes bean-to-bar chocolate. It's really good. I can pick up and ship you some if you like? Just let me know a couple or few that you'd like to try

Ooh tell me more. What kind of flavors do they sell? Any non sugar super pure dark chocolate?

 

[Voran]

For my birthday last year, a friend went to a fancy French bakery and bought a few loaves of fancy breads. Popular with my whole family... and I'm still thinking of how awesome it was a whole year later. Surprisingly endearing as a gift.

My mom was an earring person... one year, no one got her any and she was NOT pleased... and let us hear about it. So last year, I got her...

Well, you know. She passed in December so I guess I won't have to worry about making that mistake again...

There is a local (California) group called "Dirty Cello" that really has an interesting take on cello music. Have you heard of them?

I JUST googled them and I think she'd enjoy both the cello and the bouncy upbeat bluegrass elements. THANKS!

 

[ploverwing]

Ooh tell me more. What kind of flavors do they sell? Any non sugar super pure dark chocolate?

They have all of their flavours here, but if you want straight low sugar chocolate, this is it. They have three "terroir" bars: Guatemala, Haiti and Belize that are each 80% cacao and not much sugar. Some of the other flavours are sweeter (like their Christmas seasonal bars) than others, but they are none "candy bar" chocolates. I live right down the road from their store and pop in more regularly than is healthy for my bank account.

 

[Voran]

They have all of their flavours here, but if you want straight low sugar chocolate, this is it. They have three "terroir" bars: Guatemala, Haiti and Belize that are each 80% cacao and not much sugar. Some of the other flavours are sweeter (like their Christmas seasonal bars) than others, but they are none "candy bar" chocolates. I live right down the road from their store and pop in more regularly than is healthy for my bank account.

Oooooooooh nice let me have a look

 

[Voran]

Decided to get Mom the album Bluesy Grass by Dirty Cellos.

 

[Joyful Uke]

Decided to get Mom the album Bluesy Grass by Dirty Cellos.

I've got to check that out. It sounds like something I'd like, too.

Edit to add:
Ohh, just started listening to it on Bandcamp, and I hope you mom enjoys it as much as I'm enjoying it.

 

[Voran]

I'm reasonably confident she will. She likes bouncy upbeat bluegrass stuff.