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!!!!

Friends

A bit of an early post today. I'm leaving soon to have a Scrabble game at a friend's house, dinner, then possibly another game of Scrabble. I haven't had a game in a while though it was once a very regular activity. I've not been keeping my chops up in any other way either so don't expect to do well.

I was at another friend's house for a lovely dinner last night and visited a friend who needed some support yesterday afternoon. Winter can be very hard on those who live on very, very moderate means. I'm just glad to be able to help.

All winter I've been remembering the predicament I was in last year at this time. I needed help in so many ways and friends came through for me. My sister journeyed to take care of me for two weeks, my sister in law became my chauffeur from late December till mid-April, my son shoveled snow, a friend loaned me button up shirts, other friends calmed my mind and listened to me whine about the unfairness of it all and others brought food. I appreciated these kindnesses very much and will never forget them. I've always given a helping hand to my friends and hope to watch it turn round and round amongst us all, giving and receiving help in turn.

Here are some songs that came to mind during this post:

• Thank You by Charlotte Kendrick
• Only Then Will Your House Be Blessed by Harry Manx
• Company of Friends - Danny Schmidt
• Thank You by Dido
• If I Were An Angel - Nina Storey
• That's What Angels Can Do - The Wood Brothers
  

A Needed Break

I'd love to show how excited I am to be getting off the Island and somewhere new with a photo of a big smile on my face but a shadow of jumping for joy will have to do. Yee Haw! I so love to travel but don't have the means for a lot of it so love it when I get a chance. My job isn't very hard. I'm responsible for driving and walking the dog and said I will do the cooking. The dog and cooking I will enjoy but will grin and bear the driving.

While I am gone, you can fight amongst yourselves. LOL There are lots of songs to listen to on the music pages and you can go back in the archives to peruse photos from other times "in the tiny life on PEI". There is so much to look at on the internet. It's a marvel! I'm amazed, really, that people actually stop by here. I'd like to revamp and do a few things here when I get back but I do have a glass commission to take care of first.

I think I need to leave some extra songs. Some of you will not go back into the archives or onto the music pages so for fast clickers here's a few:

• Go Now - Bessie Banks
• Dont Forget to Miss Me -Harry Manx
• Hit The Road Jack - Mo'Horizon
• Greyhound Bus - Oh Susannah
• On The Road Again - Katie Melua
• On My Way - Mavis Staples
• Can't Help But Wonder - Tom Paxton
• You Ain't Goin Nowhere - The Byrds
• Car Wheels On a Gravel Road - Lucinda Williams
• 500 Miles - Peter, Paul and Mary
• Long Ride Home - Patty Griffin
• Try Your Wings - Blossom Dearie

I'll still be reading blogs and on line but until I'm back I won't be posting. See you before Christmas!

An Aaahhhhhsome Day

Today I start my new work schedule with an additional day off - Mondays!!!! Those exclamation points can hopefully express my excitement. I'm so in need of an extra day off and I'm enjoying it fully. I have friends coming for dinner and have all the salads made, the lemon meringue pie in the fridge, the ribs slow cooking in the oven and the floor swept. I've been very busy but I'm not going to work. Yeah!!!! I don't like being indoors for the dishwasher cycle so took that time out for a visit with two friends so I feel happy all around. An extra day off will do that, much like a long weekend usually does.

I have resident crows. The same ones hang around and keep watch knowing I will often feed them. They are checking it out constantly. There are three in this first photo - one is in the shade to the left of the tree. I like having them around. I've always admired their shiny black feathers, their intelligence and fierce tenacity. They are a bit shy even though they should know after all these years that I'm no harm.



I've been blindly clicking different playlists on the mp3 player every time I sit at the computer. That there is so much great music always amazes me. There is more than any of us could listen to in a lifetime if we played music from this moment on. Like books, where couldn't ever read them all - even a speed reader. Here are two good songs I listened to today that are no longer on the music pages. Baby Please Don't Go is done here by Greg Brown and Bill Morrissey. Here are a couple of other versions too. One from the late, great Dutchie Mason and one by our Harry Manx. I won't play Van's version as was requested a while back by the Net Sheriff.

Oh oh, Dutchie's is no longer here. If I knew how to make the horizontal line through it I would. I'll put it back some other time. Mississippi Fred McDowell's is gone too.

The other choice today is the traditional blues song, Trouble in Mind, by Snooks Eaglin and here's a bonus. It's the song that's playing at the moment. Speed of the Sound of Loneliness by Nancy Griffith and John Prine. This song always reminds me of a friend who sings and does a fine job with both these artists.

My friends are here. I will add music later.

Update: When I look back on this post after a few drinks and a great dinner and visit with dear friends, I see a strange mixture of music from me. It's not related other than the songs were all on playlists I'm listening to and they grabbed my attention. So much more than just these songs has enthralled me. I listened to a live cut from The Waifs live album on one of the playlists and have enjoyed it so much in the mix.

All Over and Back

The house is filled with new vases of flowers. It's corners have also been vacuumed, it's surfaces cleaned, it's corners shined, and good odors are wafting throughout. It's my day off! I'm loving it. I had one friend's visit for a couple of hours and am expecting another any time now. I'm not getting as much done as I intended but that's ok. Tomorrow brings a short trip to town but I can get everything else done then too.

Rain was forecast but we're not getting any. We're getting a bit of a wind (a nice breeze) from a tropical storm passing up the Atlantic but the rain stopped yesterday. The sun peeked through only a few times but it's a lovely summer day to be outside. My friend and I sat outside on the deck and it was wonderful. My flowerpots are beautiful. I took photos but they're in the camera. Another day or so and I'll have uncovered the photos.

I made a cd for my daughter the end of April called Daughter's Day. I usually make a copy for myself too, of all cd's I've made. I play this a lot and here are a couple of the reasons why:

• It starts with this song.
• It has this:How Am I Different - Bettye LaVette
  Company of Friends - Danny Schmidt
  Black Mountain Blues - Nick Drake
  Is You Is Or Is You Ain't - Diana Krall
  Don't Forget to Miss Me - Harry Manx
  Baby Please Don't Go - Dutch Mason
  Woman King - Iron & Wine
  I Love You So Much It Hurts - John Prine
  Eyes On The Prize - Mavis Staples
  Sun Dirt Water - The Waifs
  Will You Still Love Me - Amy Winehouse
  Happy - Martin Sexton
  Country From The Domecar - Brook Miller
  A Song For You - Leon Russell
  The Beach Is Free - Billy Bragg
  
• Changes - Better In the End
• La Meme Histoire - Feist in the middle
  
• It ends with this.
  

I'll pick away and link more songs when I have the time.

A Ducky Day

I've been cleaning my bathroom and need a break! That's not such a big job you're thinking but you'd have to see my bathroom. I have more than a hundred ducks and they're on every surface. They're on the walls, the window, the floor, several shelves, the old fashioned bathtub, the ceiling, the radiator, the towel racks and the back of the toilet. Once a year I do a thorough housecleaning and today is the day. The bathroom was all apart as I had a plumber in this morning finishing the tap installation. My friend had some problems so I had to call a plumber. It seemed like the right day for the big job.

I'm going out for dinner with my son, nephew and sister-in-law. I'm sure it will be a fun evening and the best part - I don't have to cook supper. My sister-in-law works on the north shore and experienced a snow storm/blizzard today. We have none on the south shore. Weird, eh? The last few posts on An Island Walk were from the area where she works and now those photo spots are all covered in snow.

Songs for today: Sweet Little Duck by Kathleen Edwards and Diving Duck Blues by Harry Manx and Kevin Breit. Those are already on the pages. To be replaced is the other song that I'd consider my favorite song on the pages along with Renee Olstead's version of Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby that I talked about a couple of days ago. This is Phoebe Snow's version of There's a Boat That's Leaving Soon For New York. This has been one of my favorite songs since Never Letting Go, the album it's on, came out. I think it's from that album anyway. I have all of her albums and am a big fan. The job she does on this Gershwin song is remarkable. It stills stops me in my tracks every time I play it and that is quite often. Also today is Shirley Horne's version. If you choose only one, let Phoebe's be it. Spectacular, I say.

Happy Halloween 2007

I love this photo of Kenz taken two years ago. It was scanned in low resolution so is not great from that respect but the pose is pure Kenz.

I had a regular sized pumpkin on my Shutterchance blog today and some commented that they'd never seen pumpkins so big. It was smaller than the one behind Kenz. I happened to have taken some photos of a giant pumpkin this afternoon in front of a grocery store. I made a post on a blog I use for photo challenges and linked to it for the people who had never seen a big pumpkin. This pumpkin is on a standard pallet and I asked a man who was walking into the grocery store to pose to further show scale. It's not the biggest one I've seen but it's pretty big. Here's the link.

It's been an incredibly busy day in that I'm just getting to this now. I've run lots of errands and completed lots of jobs. That's a good feeling. I had a problem with my car checked out and have to listen for this and that tomorrow. Oh, oh...I'm not very good at car diagnosis or even listening for errant sounds.

There is so much great music on Lonely Girls. I'm not finished with it yet. Today it's Norah Jones with Don't Miss You At All. Harry Manx is contributing too, with Don't Forget to Miss Me. Love that Harry Manx!

Normal?

Back to normal today; not hung over, returned to work with a newly hired student to orient and take care of. I've known him his whole life so that's kind of cool. Still haven't got to the bottom of my car problems. Toyota thinks it may be the distributor (very expensive part) but aren't sure. I've ordered a gas filter which is someone else's suggestion. It costs $25.00.

Every moment outside this weekend required the wearing of a sweater....in July. I'm not sure if I remember a cold summer like this ever happening before. The whole week is supposed to be showers, then rain and continuing cold. As I said recently, with weather, you take what you get. What else can you do?

Music today is from Harry Manx again. You know I like him and this weekend he is playing on the Island and I'm hoping to get in to see him. It depends on the car, really. Long Black Veil is one of my favorite songs and here's Harry with his version. It's hard to believe I have only one version of the song up already - Johnny Cash's which is nice because of his fabulous voice. Harry's has his characteristically fabulous guitar and wonderful rhythm. A Little Cruel is another song from Harry and I'm not sure that he isn't talking about our weather.

Music For Ducks, Music by Duhks

In for a little break from outside. It's quite nice though it's windy. The temperature is fourteen and it's sunny. I've been puttering outside all day and have had two walks already. I still didn't walk to the beach which was planned but may get there yet.

The ducks in the photo are from a park in Halifax. I got only a few photos as the park has stopped selling food to feed the ducks and have signs asking people to stop the practice. The ducks can't read, sadly, but some people are ignoring the requests, and the ducks are happy for it. I seem to be missing the ten ducklings that had hatched on Sunday. I haven't seen them in the pond since. They're probably still there, just hiding.

My children are all gathering again as there has been a death in my ex-husband's family. Just last week I was saying how nice it was to have everyone together when it wasn't for a funeral. This week, in comparison, will be very sad for everyone.

Music today is for the ducks and it's all Canadian. I've got Harry Manx and Kevin Breit with Diving Duck Blues and Kathleen Edwards with Sweet Little Duck. Here's a couple of links to the Duhks that I already have up there on Page One. The Duhks are pronounced The Ducks. I've heard they separated and hope that's not true. I like them a lot after seeing them a few years back. Here's one, two, three.

Baaaak Home

I just got home from another Charlottetown walk and a lovely leg of lamb dinner with friends. Our walk this afternoon was pretty cool. We were on a Charlottetown section of the PEI trail system that has been made on the site of the former railroad tracks across the Island.

The above photo is quite curious to me. Click to enlarge because it's hard to see all the birds in the size above. The photo shows a wet spot in a field that birds are flocking to. There are several pairs of ducks in the marshy area as well as some gulls. I'm not sure if they're planning to nest there but after spring it seems like a spot that would dry up. We noticed it before we got to it because we were watching a pair of ducks walking through this field. Finally we saw their destination.

I love music with a good beat and I love it more when it is provided by a one man band like Martin Sexton who I sampled about a week ago or from Harry Manx who I had up a couple of weeks ago. Here's some more from Harry. I have a couple of songs that I've loved for decades and collect versions of. One is Help Me. I have one other version on Page One. Harry Manx does a fabulous job of this old song. He puts his own percussive and soulful spin on it and it deserves a listen. Baby Please Don't Go is another old blues song that he does a great job on. I have three other versions of this song on Page One. Here's a Wikipedia article on Harry Manx. I saw him at a folk festival in 2002 and have been a fan since. Here's a link to his official site. He's an interesting man and a great musician.

Blessed

A blog when you can day. My guest is having a bath in the old, claw footed, deep tub. I have a couple more people coming to a dinner party tonight, so I'll be busy this afternoon. I'm having a wonderful ham with scallopped potatoes and candied sweet potatoes that will all be cooked in the oven and a salad that I made last night and potato salad that my house guest brought with her. Yum, yum, yum. I know how to excite my kids!

We're having so much fun but you can really tell our ages in that we have all the fun we can yet we're in bed early. This house has hosted a lot of my friends and relatives over time and a song today reminds me of that. Ony Then Will Your House Be Blessed by Harry Manx is something to give me a message once in a while. Good Girls by Merry Clayton is the other selection today. Talkin' bout those good girls at my house, the one that's blessed.