Sunday, April 20, 2008

Esa Noche


I watched the fox last night at dusk again. That is the usual time that he makes his rounds though as we know, dropping by at four in the afternoon is not unheard of. He was running through the pasture, tail flying. He would suddenly stop, pounce to get a mouse, then run off again. When he reached my neighbour's decorative fence (it doesn't keep anything out) he lifted his leg and marked his territory then went toward their back door where I lost sight of him. This was all seen through binoculars. Just watching the way he was running made me think he seemed very happy. I don't know if that's so but he seemed almost joyful.

The temperature didn't warm up today like it did on the mainland. I went for a walk and wished I'd taken gloves and a hat. Maybe tomorrow afternoon I'll get in the garden. I still have all the tulips to plant that my friend took out. I got the daffodils back in but ran out of time. They're in a mud slurry so are ok but I believe they will be set back. I guess that's ok as they will bloom later, when the others are finished.

I'm listening to Latin music trying to build up some heat. Truthfully Latin is a genre I listen to a lot, when I'm hot or cold. I love to move and what better music to move to! I also love slow ballads and Latin ballads have a special appeal. I don't know the language enough to get all the lyrics so get lost in the feeling. I explain in a previous post about a favorite song and not understanding the lyrics:

Dos Gardenias is my favorite song from Buena Vista Social Club's first groundbreaking album, Buena Vista Social Club. I'm not fluent in Spanish but can get by after a few days of immersion. I can usually figure out the written word even easier.

This song I loved so much, but just couldn't figure out. It didn't make sense. These were the days before I knew about Babelfish. Turned out I had it figured out correctly. A few years later, in Mexico, I asked a friend for a translation and the jist is this: A man gives his lover two gardenias. If they die it means she is cheating on him and does not love him. Of course, being flowers, they did what flowers do, and died.

I have so much music to choose from. Most days what I'm writing about dictates the music but since I'm challenged with the language and lyrics, I'll just choose some favorites. These were removed and are from the essentials that I'm trying to bring back to the pages. Hearing this song about ten years ago from the Putumayo album, Music From the Coffee Lands sent me on a search for MORE from this artist Susana Baca. It was difficult as we don't have any great record stores here but I was able to order some cd's. Here's Maria Lando, the song that introduced me to a really fine Peruvian singer. Here is Cafe Tacuba from the same album with Esa Noche. I can not tell you how many copies of this album I've bought to give to friends. I even bought one in Australia for a friend there.

4 comments:

Ralph said...

Good stuff!

nan said...

Very nice musical selections! I love that Putumayo label. I have a few albums from various parts of the world, and hearing this puts another on my wish list!

Cuidado said...

Susana Baca is amazing, Ralph, and I love Mexican music best in the Latin genre - well, Cuban is maybe equal.

Cuidado said...

Nan, I agree. Putumayo is fabulous. I prefer listening to compilations, have always been like that, making mixed tapes and cd's. I think it comes from playing stacks of 45's. I have their Coffee Lands II as well, but I prefer the original.