Saturday, June 27, 2009

Getting Through Summer


I've had an upset in my life that requires that I take some time for myself. I won't be posting here for a while but will continue photos on my other blogs that are listed at the right. I will be photographing and am doing some very cre8ive things in the studio. I'm enjoying it and will come back here and possibly show you when I'm ready. Check out:
I'll add more and swap some from time to time. I'm perfectly ok. My life is just going through some changes. Music? Of course. A Change is Gonna Come is a favorite of mine. I have many covers of the song but will feature it's creator, Sam Cooke. One of my favorites is this live Al Green cut. I so would love to see this man live. I've heard other cuts of his concerts and he has great audience rapport and is just so fine. This is a fine example .

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Summertime


I surely do love my days off. I wake when I want, eat what and when I want, do what I want all the day long and enjoy every minute. I have to go to town tomorrow so this was an at-home day. It was absolutely wonderful. I did a hundred chores and none of them seemed like work as I was able to putter and do everything with a devil may care attitude with deadlines but no particular timeline. I still have lots to do such as supper, folding laundry, visiting a shut-in, and preparing some artwork for the consignor. I'll do it all with love. The food will taste better, the visit will be sweeter and maybe some of my best pieces will be chosen for sale. Laundry - it will still and always be just laundry.

My summer calendar is filling up. My daughter is moving back to the Maritimes and we will see each other for a lot of the month of July. We have a trip away planned. I have another adventure planned in August. This one has been in the works for many years. Two old roommates and I from 1972 have planned to meet in the middle , Moncton, and have finally set a date. I so look forward to it. I've seen both women in the meantime but they haven't seen each other since ' 74 or '75. One is coming from Alberta.

Yesterday's post was entitled Summer Time and could be again today since it too is related to summer and the epitome of time, the calendar. I think this time we should play a couple of versions of the classic with the same name. Unless I had much more 'time' I could not count how many versions I have of this song in my record collection. Here are a couple of versions: The live version of Summertime by Nina Simone is a treat and wonderful for any jazz lover (she mentions Porgy) and Summertime by Janis Joplin is probably one of the most well known pop versions. Though I love both, neither are my favorites but I'll save those for another time this summer.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Summer and Time


My, it's been a long time. I've been working very hard and have not had a chance to get back to this sorryfully neglected blog. I predicted it. I can't keep up with it all. An Island Walk and Pictures and Pursuits are easy in that I only have to upload photographs. I do take photographs constantly so have lots to choose from to keep things fresh. Younger bloggers have an advantage as far as stamina goes and older bloggers who are retired have extra time to contribute. I am between two worlds and have a demanding job. I don't want to complain; it's just reality.

I got to the beach since I last was here. I went in the morning one day before work; just to say I'd been there and while I was there, snapped a few photos. I plan to get to the beach this week too if that's what it takes. I want to go to a favorite spot in a bikini (where no one sees me) rather than in business attire but I will get there when I can. I had several driving in the country errands today and have to go to town tomorrow or Wednesday. That's life for the seasonally employed in this beautiful province. 'You make hay while the sun shines' is the old adage.

My aunt and uncle who spend there lives feeding, housing, spaying and neutering and caring for their entire neighbourhood's cats are having a very sad time. They lost one of their family. They had a thirteen year old brother and sister pair of cats and lost the brother, Tommy, their beloved. I sent them special momentoes and sympathy cards etc. today. The music today is for them. They're jazz lovers so I recommend Toot's Thielemans with Over the Rainbow and to introduce them to something other than jazz is Chris Stills with When the Pain Dies Down. It's a rainy day here and this came to mind and fits their loss. Let's hope 'their dam becomes a river.'

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Busier Than ......


Everything is sparkling and shiny in my house. I've had a real spring cleaning day. Every surface has been wiped, cleaned or scrubbed. My hands have that dried out feeling that only a liter of Mr. Clean can bring and I am quite pooped. Not pooped enough to stop mind you. I will have this break and continue the assault on the house in a bit. I am expecting the sis-in-law to drop by so may get another break. I was outside very little today so getting outdoors is my plan for tomorrow. Balance is always the aim.

I bought a gorgeous piece of antique furniture yesterday in my travels. The store called a while ago to say that a mistake had been made and that the item had been sold previously and the sign taken off. I'm very disappointed. I planned to out my whole collection of CD's in this wonderful cupboard. He said, I'll give you a credit and I told him that it would be cash only for a refund. He did agree to that.

Today's music is 'music to clean by'. Usually the faster and more fun, the better but it's not a rule. I used to have a favorite double album, cassette tape of James Brown that I played for cleaning. I still use it sometimes but today I chose a bunch of songs in just a few minutes and these stand out. Working in a Coalmine by Lee Dorsey easily fits the theme but is not fast. Funky music is rhythmic and this song, A Funk I Won't Forget by Lauren Ianuzzi says a lot, is fast, and thus works really well for the housecleaning genre.

I hope I am more rested tomorrow when I'm here than I am right now.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Freed


I've had the most unexpected and fantastic day! I was perturbed to discover I had to 'go into town' for an errand before ten. It was totally unexpected and I'd had my day planned for other things. I quickly decided I would make the best of it. It turned out to be a great adventure of meeting friends, shopping, lunching and shopping again with another friend, and beating the traffic both times. Having to be in town by ten is better than having to be in by nine. The day was beautiful. Every clerk, teller, or operator had a smile as did I. I had enough chuckles, photo opportunities, wonderful moments and experiences to call this a fantastic day.

Three days off this week seems like a dream come true when I think of having two more days off right now. I need this time to get a whole lot of things done. I've been gardening each previous day off and a lot of chores have built up. The weather is forecast to be beautiful - Yeah!

Bettye LaVette is providing the music tonight. She is so unbelievably, wonderfully, incredibly, superbly, awesome. No one expresses emotion like her. First, Talking Old Soldiers, a song I'm absolutely smitten with and that describes a good part of my day and Joy, a song I was unbelievably, wonderfully...... smitten with for more than a year a couple of years ago. What an incredible talent this woman is.

Three days off in a row is like a long weekend eh?

Sunday, June 14, 2009

End of the Week


This is my last day at work this week then I have three glorious days off. I need the break because I need time outdoors. I hope the weather is nice. There is laundry to be hung on the clothesline and some minor gardening to be done. Four mornings in a row the deck pots looked like this then on Friday even the raccoons stayed under cover because to torrential downpours. The plants are battered and bruised and need some help.

I'm looking forward to wonderful dinners too. Since I work though the dinner hour, I have dinner at home only on my days off. I plan ribs, lasagna, and roast chicken. I'll make the lasagna on the same day as the ribs but eat it the next day. That gives me a day off from the kitchen with only a salad to make before the meal. My son appreciates my days off too. He's a good cook but works long hours and doesn't really feel like cooking when he gets home.

Since Putfile disappeared along with all the music files, some essential songs have to played again. This is ok because these good tunes deserve another listen. One of my favorites is Kate Rusby's cover of Iris Dement's, Our Town. I love this version so much! Dan Hicks is featured quite often here and any chance to do so makes me happy. Here he is with, I'm Saying Hello. Now I'm saying goodbye.

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Flowers and Music Go Together


This is what this grouping of flowers looked like last evening. It is not what it looked like this morning. A raccoon attack changed all that. All the pots were strewn about with the plant out of them, trampled and torn. I've replanted everything using this photo as a guide but some of the plants are very bedraggled looking and some broken off entirely. They knocked over two pots from another grouping but did no damage to them. I love having wildlife around but, like the foxes, would like them to stay off my deck.

I have planted all of my garden except for squash and cucumbers. I will do that in a little while and then my gardening is over except for maintenance. Maintenance is time consuming but enjoyable. The digging and removal of couch grass was not so enjoyable but it's over for now.

A couple more bouquets have entered the house this morning. The perennial bachelor buttons (larger than the real ones and comes only in purple) looks great with the golden mound bush in a clear vase and I have bouquets of sweet lily of the valley in both bathrooms. One is especially pretty mixed with the end of the forget-me-nots. Bouquet has two meanings when it comes to lily of the valley. Oh what a great scent!

Flowerparts by Bob Schneider is one song for the day. The other is These Flowers by Martha Wainwright. Enjoy the flowers and the flower music.

Monday, June 08, 2009

Lupins and Lobster


I've been waiting for a friend who said she was going to be here between three and four. It's now five-thirty and she's not been here yet. I need a break though so I've come inside and can do a post.

I'm sure by now that I'm sounding like a broken record when I say I've been doing intensive gardening. It is supposed to rain tomorrow so this is the perfect day to get seeds into the ground. I've got my beds almost finished and will plant seeds after dinner. I got thirteen packets of seeds and want to plant tomatoes too so everything will be planted closely and perhaps there will be no room for weeds.

I've had some wonderful bouquets in the last couple of weeks. My tulips and black irises are finished for the season. Lupins are in bloom already. The first ones are always a bit small but it's nice to see them. The lilacs are heavenly and apple blossoms are still perfect on the later trees. I washed a ton of vases this morning and will fill more in a bit. It's busy, busy, busy on my days off.

A couple of songs by great musicians today. There is no one quite like Leon Russell though he didn't get as much fame as he deserved. He has gotten a lot of recognition from other musicians as his songs have been recorded by many, especially his Singin' This Song For You. I saw him in concert twice; once in Toronto in rain in a muddy field and one at UMass. He's fabulous! My daughter told me today that she is moving back east so this song, Back to the Island, is for her. I love his raspy voice and simple piano. Harry Manx is another favorite of mine and it's time to post his Only Then will Your House Be Blessed.

My friend has arrived in the middle of this and brought me a whole bag of lobster. I have to go now. Yum, yum!!!!

Friday, June 05, 2009

A Detour

I think I should have vegged out. I just wrote a whole post for this blog. It took over two hours as I had several interruptions. Problem is, I was signed into An Island Walk. Please go there for today's post. No, this is not April first.

Wednesday, June 03, 2009

Swimmin' As Fast As I Can


It's an early post today or none at all. I need a break from couch root removal and I am going to work in a bit to fill in for someone, so this is the only time I have. I am back working full time now so posts will be less often anyway. I just can't keep up with everything.

We are having wonderful weather so I've happily been outside in the gardens. The birds singing, the ducks quacking, and the frogs trilling are wonderful music to work by. The cats help as best they can coming by to get little rubs against my legs and dirty gloved hands. Yesterday a friend and I saw a very lively courting ritual; between three herons in the pond. I think it was probably two males competing for a female. They were fascinating to watch. I did not get photos for I knew that if I opened the kitchen door they would have flown off.

Some music is as wonderful as bird song. Here are a couple of songs that fit for me; Aretha Franklin with Nessun Dorma . When she filled in for Pavarotti at last minute on The Grammys with this song it blew people away. One that blows me is Lila Downs with the best ever version of Besame Mucho. There's nothing else even close.

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Back and Forth


I have been in the garden all day today and am exhausted. I seem to have said that here last week and maybe the week before. I am about a quarter of the way through removing the couch grass from the vegetable garden. It's a long and painful process. I have to keep telling myself that it will be worth it for completely organic vegetables. I can get fresh veggies all summer but they are not organic and that makes a difference to me.

Yesterday was extremely windy so I did not garden. I went adventuring with a friend and had a marvelous day. He found a VHS copy of an old movie I had been looking for for years so we made an evening out of our adventure too and watched it. The movie was The Egg and I which is the precursor to the Ma and Pa Kettle movies from my youth. I had the book, lost it, this friend found one for me and now the movie. I was thrilled to see it again.

For music: Tim Seely with On Film I Play Myself and Great Lake Swimmers - with Moving Pictures Silent Films .