Grandma's Job

I'm still in cleaning mode and cleaned my big upstairs walk-in closet today. This big, old house can be overwhelming at times. It's a big job for just me.

It's East Coast Music Awards (ECMA's) in Halifax this weekend. I had just begun my blog when they were held here on PEI last year. The ECMA's are a really great opportunity to hear live music for a weekend in the dead of winter. They rotate between the four Atlantic Provinces, so everyone gets a turn.

Last year when we went to see Chucky Danger Band, my kids' friends, we also saw the wonderful talent, Jill Barber, doing the song, When I Make Love To You. The version I'm putting up was played live on a radio show at station CFRC. A group I don't have up from the Atlantic region is Great Big Sea. My younger kids have been to several of their celebrations such as the Great Big Picnic and The Great Big Party etc. Here they are with Scolding Wife. They're very energetic and popular in the region.

Wish I was in Halifax. My youngest son is there but he's not likely to be out there like I would. You never know though, he wasn't out last weekend and it was the Guinness World Record breaking Pub Crawl. He may be just itching. I'll give him a call now and find out.

Signs of Spring

I just lost my whole post. I have no idea how but I think Kenz' twitchy tail might have something to do with it. Here goes again but in briefer form without the details. The photo, though not very good, is of my first robin sighting of the spring. We have less snow now than before the mighty storm. New Brunswick got a terrific amount so we got off lucky.

I came across a couple of cuts by Jenny Gear the other day. She was a contestant on Canadian Idol a few years ago and hailed from Newfoundland. She was a very unusual singer and interested me from the start. She surprised and delighted me each week but got voted off before the end. One of the cuts I found was Song of Bernadette. My kids were around when I nearly wore out Famous Blue Raincoat, Jennifer Warnes' fabulous album of Leonard Cohen songs. Song of Bernadette was my favorite song on that album. Here are those two versions plus one by Aaron Neville. Heck, since I had to do this over again and had upload time, here is Jenny Gear's version of another Leonard song, Tower Of Song.

Love Links

Kenz and Bella have both agreed, separately, to be my valentines. This day has brought to my ears fantastic love stories. All morning and at noon the radio was filled with these awesome or unbelievable or inspiring love stories. The one o'clock phone-in was asking for favorite love songs (this is mine) which brought more stories and then Oprah this afternoon put me over the edge. I've had fabulous love stories happen in my own life and they are what makes the world go 'round. No doubt about that.

I cleaned this window today. It was kind of an all day job as it involved washing, drying and ironing curtains and cleaning the blue blottles and heart-shaped shells and rocks that I collected over the years. I had to be careful with the hoya plant and lost only two leaves. One branch is over 15 feet long.

Some days I think I am going be taken over by hoyas. They are one plant I can certainly grow and several encircle the main rooms of my house. The one pictured below is nearly in bloom again. Early. The ones in the kitchen are the most immense but don't bloom as often as they once did. There are always cautions about repotting hoyas and the kitchen plant is a perfect example of why. They just don't like it. Hmmmmm. Maybe I'm like a hoya.




I haven't any music about hoyas but can manage a requisite version of My Funny Valentine. My favorites I don't even have on my computer but I do have a few versions in the files. This one is from Chet Baker. I had planned on the Ella version but a music blog that I read daily beat me to it. If you don't have a lover, here is something you can dance to all by your ownself. It's a great version of Moody's Mood For Love by Amy Winehouse. I can't velieve I don't have a version of this great song up already. I'll have to double check.

Being a ballad lover I have about a thousand "love songs." If you're into it here are a couple more that are already uploaded. I'm saving you the work and at the same time showcasing my favorites. Browsing the music page wil help you glean even more, maybe favorites of you own.

Here's one from kd, one from Betty and Ray, one from Ella, and another from Peggy Lee. Don't forget Phoebe Snow who is wishing what we all wish. Willie also wants to be heard, and you know we'd never forget this one by Leon Russell. This one alway confused me as being the weirdest love song but it is truly a love song and one of my favorite versions is by Maria Rita Morena. These are my four more of my favorites, 1, 2, 3 and 4. Whew!

Let's Tango - Whatever Lola Wants

We're expecting weather again; a massive storm is coming up from the US but it's uncertain at this point what PEI will be getting. At least there will be a break in the cold. Oil prices are so high and this is a big house. I've had quite enough of winter already. Bring on the daffodils. Of course there are a few plusses to winter. There are always beautiful birds at the feeders, it's absolutely gorgeous driving in the country, some bugs (earwigs) are dying in the ground, foods like soups and stews are on the menu and mosquitoes or black flies are on their annual hiatus.
Yes, we have to find beauty and gratitude even in winter.

The radio's weather forecast is now in. Tomorrow night: snow changing to ice pellets then rain at midnight. Plus one celcius by morning and windy throughout. We can take that. We'll just dance through that.

Today's music is to get those dancing shoes warmed up. It's some of what I've been dancing to. I love Gotan Project and have some of their music up already. I really like them and play them a lot. They are definitely a band I would love to see live. Today's selection is a remix of Whatever Lola Wants with Sarah Vaughan and Last Tango In Paris.

Monthly Music Stats

I didn't realize that yesterday was music stats day. It must be ok because nothing disappeared after not getting a click after 30 days.

• Quite a few selections did not get any plays this month. Dutch Mason's Hard Times and Nine Below Zero, Midnight Special from the Skiffle Sessions, Leela James' version of A Change Is Gonna Come, Hold On, Hold On by Neko Case, Can't Get you Out Of My Mind by Sonja Kitchell, Rene Olstead's Slow Boat To China, Madeleine Peyroux's La Vie En Rose, James Brown's version of September Song, Gone Going by The Black Eyed Pesa, All Is Well by Ollabelle, Aint No Sunshine by Al Jarreau and Mark Knoppfler, Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean by Ruth Brown, Come Rain or Come Shine by Dr. John and lastly, Take Me As I Am by the October Project. Lots!
  
• I Scare Myself by Dan Hicks got 20 plays as did Take Me To The River by Al Green, Cheryl Crow, BB King and Lenny Kravitz, Joy by Bettye LaVette and Just My Imagination by The Temptations.
• Llorona by Chavela Vargas got 24 plays this month.
• Someone To Watch Over Me by Blossom Dearie got played 26 times.
• John Mayer's Waiting On The World To Change received 30 play.
• Harpo's Blues by Phoebe Snow was played 34 times.
• Our Town by Kate Rusby got 38 hits this month.
• Don't Lie by the Black Eyed Peas has not lost it's popularity. It got 258 hits this month and has now been played 1202 times on the music page. Quite remarkable n'est pas?

Music today: I Can't Stop by Bettye LaVette. Her songs were popular this month. Only Joy got more than 20 plays but overall, she got quite a few hits. Chavela Vargas was the same; overall quite popular with only one song getting over the "20" benchmark. Today I'm adding 1994 - Maria Tepozteca.

Couch Potato

It's been a quiet day on the couch today. I can't party like I used to, heck, I can't stay up past ten like I used to. I really had fun last night, dancing and dancing but I sure am tired today after going to bed after two am.

Music for today: Whiskey for Everybody by Gary Jules and I Drink Beer (and sometimes too much) by Dan Reeder. This short post is all I can manage. I'm going back to the couch.

Waiting For Tulip Time

It is still sunny, bright and very cold. It's great traveling weather once the car is warmed up. It feels like spring is just around the corner though. The days are getting noticably longer and soon enough we'll have fresh flowers in our gardens. I had wondered a while back if the local greenhouse would be providing tulips this winter. They are and they are again wonderful. They are only $5.00 for 10 if you pick them up at the greenhouse and $7.00 or more if you pick them up from the local stores.

I've had enquiries for a glass commission. It sounds very exciting but I have to check it out and come up with an acceptable price. I'd love to do a glass commission as it's been two years since my last one. The painting is going well but I'd drop it in a minute.

I have my party shoes on for tonight, a fun sounding party with live music and lots of fine people. Music for today is party music for sure....What is Hip by Tower of Power and Can I Kick It Like That, a remix by DoppleBanger. My kids will probably like this last one; they're not much into the rest of my music.

Fondling Friday

It's Friday, my favorite day of the week. I had a visitor from away and that made it more like the Friday ritual that I loved when it was still alive. Friday Happy Hour at my house was a happening thing for a few years but slowly drifted out with everyone's changes.

I've reconnected with my genealogical expert cousin. He's actually taking some more genealogy courses at U of T. Rediscovered me through notes on a census entry. He's been sending me tons of great photos. The one above is of my great uncle and my godfather. They are all still alive. I love the guitar in this and Arthur's haircut. There is another one from that day with my father in it but I can't seem to find it. Heck I'll go look. Found it. Look at Dad and godfather, Arthur's haircuts. They were out of Brylcreme apparently. I like Dad's big ears and smile. He was having fun....as he still loves to.

I always play The Skiffle Sessions album at some point on a Friday gathering . I truly think it's the best Friday "end of the week" album ever made. There is an energy in skiffle music, especially this trio, that just brings that end of the week joyful feeling. Here's a couple more as there are several already on the music page. You have to look this time. I just had to resave the top photo. Too much work for a Friday. I can give you some help on a couple more. They're some of the first I uploaded, at the bottom of the page. For today enjoy The Outskirts of Town and Lost John. I'll eventually have the whole album up but I do love it and play songs from it in many, many playlists. Feel good and be joyful!

Always a Bit Confused About It All

Chickadee At Night

My camera is home. Hurrah! Now I'll have to get busy.

Today was town day. Appointments happen. When you live out of town and love the fact that you do, you go to town as seldom as possible. This is more so since gas has become expensive but for me it's always been a way of life. You cram as much into the day as possible and my personal benchmark is being home before Oprah. I got a lot done today and feel good about it. Bonus!

Music: In reference to the music of the last couple of days, Pattie Smith also does a cover of Prince's When Dove's Cry. I really like this song and like the varied covers. They're all different and bring their own meanings to the fairly heavy lyrics. I feel connections to so many songs. I am a collector or songs, as I have said in previous posts. One in my collection is Fever. Here's a version by Greg Brown, Ani DeFranco and Gillian Welsh.

Anyone who does any version of any song brings their own energy to that song. We can like one version better than the other and often that same version is not always and forever "the favorite". This is what I love most about music. It elicits an emotional response and emotions being what they are, the responses can change from day to day. Everyone has different taste. My brothers and sisters prefer rock and roll and country and we grew up in the same house with the same parents.

The differences of life are the best parts of life and are what should be celebrated. I'm not sure if anyone gets this.

Wildlife

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Yesterday, immediately after publishing my post with Missing My Camera the title, a coyote walked by in front of me then by the window with the blue glass that was recently the photo on this blog and toward the road. I'm going, "Darn, no camera." I wish I could somehow share this.
I then see a truck slow down and my favorite ex was driving by and had to slow down to let the coyote pass. She came in and visited and we amazedly discussed this sight. The coyote was definitely healthy looking and not the half starved, straggley coyote that we usually see. I actually thought it was a huge very dark silver fox but it was bigger than any fox I'd ever seen. I just haven't seen coyotes look so healthy.

I'll have my camera tomorrow and promise never to forget it again. I have the photo with just my tire tracks surrounded with snowy branches. I'd have had it with NO tire tracks had I not forgotten my camera at work. It happened a couple of times in the summer too. I have to be more careful (cuidado).

I know I have someone doing Joni's Coyote but can't find it. Instead how about The Be Good Tanya's version of Prince's When Doves Cry. Also, Cold Day by Sonya Kitchell. It certainly is a cold day, not fit for wildlife. No wonder the doves have been crying.

Missing My Camera

It's even colder today. We had a high of minus 15. Thank goodness for a reliable furnace and warm food. I am grateful every day that I am not poor. I have no extra money but I get by and can afford oil and good food. Yeah!

Painting has been going well except for today. Just a clumsy, paintwise, kind of day. I have them sometimes with shaky hands that become shakier the more you think about it or days when you can't get the paint to do what you want technically. I kept at it and shouldn't have. I know I'll be fine tomorrow. It happens.

I went to Youtube to see Prince's Superbowl performance. Of course it was Prince kind of cool and I love his cool. He is truly a showman. Music today is from Prince, two good old ones that were popular in their day, Te Amo Corazon and When Doves Cry.

Blue Alert

I forgot my camera at a friend's house and miss it terribly. I feel lost. It kind of replaced cigarettes in that it was always there for something to do with my hands and concentration if I needed it. I've wanted it several times today.

Way too cold to be walking today. Sunny but windy and cooooold. Did a bunch of dancing instead and in ways, it's more fun. If the weather is fabulous walking is great but if it's too cold or damp or windy it can feel like a chore. Right now an added bonus is the music that goes with the dancing. I never really got onto the mp3 player that I bought after Christmas. I'm always photographing while I walk and the wires and earbuds were just in the way. I need a course in earbud management.

For music I have comparisons or covers, as they're commonly called. Leonard Cohen's song Blue Alert is the song. The singers are Anjani, his sometimes back-up singer and Madeleine Peyroux. Which one do you like?

I clicked this link on a blog I was reading to see a very cool wave. I'm passing it on.

Saturday Snow

Storm watch was cancelled and we had no weather last night but had a couple of inches of snow this morning. It was nice to get out to walk in it. I should have made a snowman. It's very fluffy and pretty. My favorite ex went skiing twice today before coming to visit me. Having a bit of snow has made life soooo exciting!

It was a beef stew kind of day so that was the menu tonight. Delicious, too. Knowing I've cooked beef stew makes my daughter homesick but I talked to her a while ago. She doesn't have to see it here first. I've sent her the instructions but she hasn't attempted it yet.

I've chosen a couple of songs from Calexico for today's music. The songs are very different. Yours and Mine is from their album, Garden Ruin and is a nice quiet ballad. Alone Again Or is from the album Convict Pool and is livelier. They are diverse like that.

Watusi

Thinking of spring and missing Clarke.

I don't know when I last heard music that I didn't like, song after song. A couple of months ago I had a letter and song on a weekend radio show that received a lot of response. People were sending me cd's and I received another one yesterday. It is Xavier Cugat and it is soooo bad. I haven't ever taken such a dislike to any other music. Besame Mucho, the song that started the whole thing is the best of the 26 songs and though I would listen to another one again, I would highly NOT recommend it.

We are on storm watch. I kind of doubt anything will come of it though it does feel low pressure like. On my walk today there was complete stillness and now there's a breeze. This current satelite image suggests we miss it but I'm no weather predictor. I'm all set if we do have a storm. There's never a panic if you don't smoke cigs. Oh dear, this cd is ending now with Bing Crosby singing, You'll Always Belong to My Heart. Not one already in my collection LOL.

For some good music, try Watusi Boogaloo by Willie Rosario. I'm still dancing every day and it fits the bill. El Galleton by Tempo 70 is a fast latin funk that can really get you moving.

Mooning

I am back to real food tonight. I had my stitches removed today and my mouth is ok for active duty. I've had extensive bruising but no pain and everything is healing well so give me something to chew. Yeah! I've certainly missed my diet of interesting combinations and good, real food. I've had pasta for four out of the last seven nights and I'm not a pasta lover at all. Tonight I'm having a hot Indian curry and a cool (and cold) broccoli salad thingy that I made up this afternoon; and of course, REAL rice.

My walk today was good. I probably overdo it but like overdoing it so I guess that's what I'll continue to do.

The moon is full tonight. It has been amazing at five thirty am. When I open my eyes I think I've overslept because of how bright it is. The moon is shining into the window and it seems like daylight.

The music today comes the moon. Lamya, a newish find for me, sings about Pink Moon. Nate Farrar who I featured last week with Let Me Down is here with Moonlight's Just A Memory. I like his voice.

Crowing

I've been watching the crows this afternoon. They're puffed up against the cold and are enjoying the fallen apples under the trees out my window. I have my share here but in Charlottetown they are everywhere. I was able to get some pretty cool photos of them during my walks there. I saw an eagle coming up from Orwell Bay on Monday and I saw a large hawk (one of the hovering types) over a field today.

My property has always been a birdwatcher's delight. I have a pond with fish, a forest, farmer's fields, wild fields, lots of fruit trees, large coniferous and deciduous trees, and small bushes so I get all types that prefer specific habitats. I have all those habitats. I even, some winters, get salt water ducks like cormorants, goldeneye and mergansers. Not yet this year though. Right now I have about a dozen blacks and mallards and the heron.

My camera is a bottom of the line Canon with not much telephoto ability so I rarely get good photos of birds. I've been trying with the digital zoom in addition to the optical and have a problem with camera shake/bluriness. Oh well, I visit some fabulous photography sites that specialize in birds on a regular basis and that will have to do.

Music: Joni's Black Crow by Diana Krall and Joni's Blue by Sarah McLachlan. Joni Mitchell was inducted into the Cdn. Songwriters Hall of Fame this week. I love her songs and I'd say the two Canadian women singing her songs here would probably say they've been influenced by her. Here's a link from the music page of Joni's version of Blue. I'm doing the work today.

Birds and Boots

I just polished and treated my boots. One of those little maintenance jobs of everyday life of which there are hundreds. Housework encompasses hundreds in itself. This big old house sometimes overwhelms me in all that there is to do and maintain.

We are having cold winter weather. It is sunny so the sun's heat shining through and taking away the grey....something to be thankful for. The nights are brilliantly starlit like you see only on cold winter nights. The moon is almost full and at 5am it almost seems like daylight. I so love moon shadows.

Since I started with boots I'm going to end with boots. Boots of Spanish Leather by of course Dylan and also by Nanci Griffith.

Looking At What's Real

I've been on a walking spree but in Charlottetown. Yesterday I went for a fabulous duck dinner at a friend's house and a walk on part of the trail system through Ch'town. Today I did the boardwalk off Victoria Park where lots of other people beside myself were out for a lunch hour walk. It was warmer when we left for town than it was at walk time but ok. Yesterday's weather was beautiful. A perfect winter day.

I haven't been leaving links but these are what I've been consumed with lately.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnylM1hI2jc
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1063749803579204077
http://www.donnawilliams.net/about.0.html
http://ballastexistenz.autistics.org/

This is the line of work I have my education in and lots of work experience with and have some pretty deep feelings about. These are the most interesting pieces I've come across since I heard of the above Donna Williams when Peter Gzoski interviewed her. So fascinating! I watch the first one over and over.

Music: Some rhythm; gotta keep dancing. Mama's Chant by Nil Lara is up. I have one of theirs back there, I Will Be Free, that's pretty good too. I'm not looking it up this time. I have three songs by this woman and love her music; Ejigayehu (Gigi) Shibabaw with Kwass Meda (Soccer Field)

Safety First

I am so glad I didn't venture to town last night. The weather was atrocious. There was not a lot of accumulation but the wind was really blowing so we had a blizzard with zero visibility. The wind is still gusting quite strongly but is not sustained like it was last night. The windows were rattling, the house was shaking. It was terrible. I went for a short drive early in the evening before it was too bad and that helped my resolve to stay home. I'm bored but not dead.

One more day of soft food. I keep dreaming of what I'll have tomorrow. I have about ten things picked out and am leaning toward a hot curry or maybe roast chicken or maybe meatloaf and baked potatoes....I just know it will be good to chew something.

Music: Something lively to bring some heat to this freezing cold day is Soul Drummers by Ray Barretto. An old one to get me moving is Tighten Up with Archie Bell and the Drells. My ex husband was in a band called Freddy Bell and KeArboSo and they used to do this one.

Overwintering

This is the first year a heron has visited the pond all winter. I don't know if they sometimes overwinter here but have never seen one here at my pond at this time of year. I never get a photo because I don't see it until I open the door and it flies off.

I'm missing a women's festival wrap up tonight because of impending weather. We're supposed to get 5 to 10 cm. and it's blowing snow. No thanks for driving back home in that. Too bad though because we always have a marvelous time together.

Music is for that group of women tonight. Ragged Company by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals and Arenita Azul by the always wonderful Lila Downs. The last one is for the dancing we like to do when we're together.

My playlists eventually came back on Windows Media player but only after restarting. It's an all new interface and a pain. I wish I'd realized that was going to happen. I wouldn't have changed to the new version.

Soft Food Blues

I am a little under the weather this evening. I had dental surgery today and am on a soft diet. What hurts the most is the soft diet. I like real food and am going to have warm (not hot) soup and yogurt for my supper. This is very hard for me.

I like the whole cooking nutritious, healthy food every day aspect of my dinner time. Even though I'm alone I cook a complete meal every night, occasionally having a simple meal involving eggs. I'm a bit lost right now. I have to open a can of soup and scoop out some yogurt. Only my kids can sort of imagine what I'm like over this. My favorite ex just left and she was going home to a dinner her husband was cooking. I was salivating as she described it.

Music: It Hurts Me Too by Keb Mo and Lucinda Williams with Hard Times Killing Floor Blues. I just discovered that every one of my playlists on Windows Media Player has disappeared. I accepted a new download of Version 11 last night and just turned it on now. What a bummer! It wiped out everything.

At Home

Blogger was down and everything else is still a little wonky even after restarting. Is Mercury in retrograde?

Too brisk a wind to go walking in the country today but I did go outside for a while. I made Bella go out too; just to blow the stink off her. Kenz will always go out but Bella is a fair weather cat and has to be urged to go out if it's not twenty degrees. The photo today is of Bella after she had a roll in the dust and was emerging from under the deck.

The colours in the landscape are so beautiful right now with a dusting of white snow, bright blue skies, and the yellows of dried grasses. Soon there will be those unbelievable spring greens, and then flowers. With stones large and small, driftwood, and cats, my garden is definitely at it's best in the spring when it is filled with daffodils and tulips. I can't wait for those bright colours to begin.

Music: Just Like Heaven by Katie Melua and Comfortable by John Mayer today. That's how I feel about my little space on PEI.

Walking This Life

It has been a day for walking. I went for two walks and a half hour after I returned from the second, I had a call asking if I'd like to walk to the beach. I was expecting the favorite ex so declined. It was really a beautiful day to be outside; around minus 5 or warmer and sunny, no wind, absolutely gorgeous.

Something weird is happening to my computer today. It's time to reboot, something I only do when necessary. Stupid, I know, but mainly lazy.

Music: First, Walkin' Blues by Dutchie Mason. Click the link to save yourself the time looking it up. Also, Luz de Luna by Chevala Vargas and Cielito Lindo, a song which brings me straight to Mexico. This version by Los Panchos, of the many I have, is the most Mexican-authentic. I'm in a very latin music mood these days, dancing when I'm not walking, and dreaming of warmer climates.

But The Sun Is Shining

Blogger is slow today. I've had to abort this post once already. I feel slow today too. Too much napping yesterday? Truly, I think it's the cold. My body is kind of molassas-like. I'm a better oiled machine in the warm weather but when it's cold.....things run in sluggish mode.

Today is the day that passports are required in order to enter the US and coincidentally the day I am reapplying for mine. They've become a bit more complicated in the 7 years since I last filled one out. There have been tales about passport photos from well-established photographers being rejected recently. My photographer assures me that he has had two rejected in all his years and they were two years ago.

Music today is from Billie Holiday (that's where my head is at) and her sound alike, Canada's Molly Johnson. From Billie, Comes Love and from Molly, Miss Celie's Blues.

Slackening The Tightened Tendons

Capricorn
A loose energy takes over today, slackening the tightened tendons in your neck and making you feel a lot more relaxed. This is an appropriate day for sleeping in, slowing down and asking yourself, 'what's the rush?' Everyone else may be on a tight schedule, but you know you've got plenty of wiggle room, so why not use it? Take a long afternoon nap -- it will refresh you for the rest of the evening, and fill your mind with inspiring, amusing dreams.

Sounds good to me.................it's cold and windy and not a nice day to play outside.

I will take the time to choose some music: Mary Black with Lay Down Your Burden and Nate Farrar with Let Me Down. Very different songs from each other.

No Crowing

Ooh, those fruits, cheeses and herb crackers! I'm making a habit of it. Company does it; makes you bring out the goodies and treats.

I just had a very serious fire warning. A friend who was visiting was just leaving and a smoke alarm went off in my house. Apon investigating we found a charred mantlepiece in the room where we had, just a half hour ago, been dancing and having a wonderful visit. A Mexican "lacey" pottery candle shelter was the culprit. The heat inside got too intense and charcoal was forming. It gave me a good scare since it is only six months ago that I got this smoke alarm functional after having none for a year or two. A good warning.

Music: "Rude awakening, guess it's time we all woke up," are the lyrics from this Ron Sexsmith song, And Now The Day Is Done and Tango Till They're Sore from Tom Waits' 2000 - Live In Seattle album. Both those songs are figuring into my night.

Frosty Window

It's been a day of music, painting, and photography. I've enjoyed all three. Had work related phone calls and e-mails to deal with but it's all necessary.

The temp has moderated this afternoon and we're expecting snow, then rain tomorrow. I may be cancelling my eye appointment. Winter is here. You usually think it happens gradually but with this sharp turn, you know that that is not always the case.

Music: Made a cd for a friend today. The songs for today are on it. C'mon A My House by Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks and Never Letting Go by Phoebe Snow. Both were very big with me in the seventies. I still play a lot of the music from then in all my playlists. Soul, gospel, Joni, Van, Leonard, The Bob, Neil, and on and on and on. Anyway it's music that sticks with you. Good on a cold winter day.

I'm unsure of what to do about the music page. Five hundred songs is just around the corner. It's hard to look after now because I often have to go through lists to see if something has been uploaded. Some have been twice. I'm still pleaing for a computer geek friend who could advise me.

Oh my! The said playlist just reached the climax of this song and then moved into this, then this ........bonus tracks. See the work I go to....LOL. That actually took a lot of time.

Half Stormstayed

It was sunny and cold today (minus 17) and quite windy. Everything on the Island shut down. In a normal year this wouldn't happen but everyone needed a storm day. We, of course, shut down for major storms but this was basically blowing and drifting snow which made a fairly high windchill factor, terrible driving, and the real need......a day off.

Storm days are part of the Canadian culture. We love them! I laughed at one of the radio's public service announcements. They announced that all government offices in Souris were closing and said, "This also means the liquor store." Folks in Souris were disappointed I'm sure, because many a good party has begun from being stormstayed.

I must say I didn't venture outside. I had no reason to and was warm and cozy. I would have liked to get some photos though. Since it was sunny there were some cool shadows in the snow photos waiting out there.

Music: From a Griffin and a Griffiths. Stangely, I have relatives with both names. I found this puzzling when I was a little kid. Pattie Griffin with Top of The World and Nancy Griffiths and Friends with Wasn't That A Mighty Storm.

Hunkering Down

Put on a lovely big pot of beef soup for tonight's dinner, had an early lunch and was back out playing in the snow before noon. The wind had begun to rise by then so my ears were colder than they had been before. I didn't wear the right hat for a windy day.

Oh, but what a glorious walk! I didn't take many photos. It was snowing so I had the camera in an inconvenient backpack. The snow wasn't deep and there was lots of stubble. I could have made the walk without snowshoes but oh well, I got the extra legwork. Only saw one set of tracks and lacking skills in that department, I couldn't identify them.

We've had flurries most of the day and I guess tonight we are headed for the big deep freeze. I say bring it on. I can't imagine I'll get as much pleasure out of the first cold spell as the second snow but maybe I will.

Music: I said a few days ago that I'd put up some newer music that I'd discovered. One is really, really funny to me because I have a little brother with the same name as this song and amazingly it is about a little brother. Here's Alfie by Lily Allen. I like this guy's sound. I've had his songs for a couple of months but never put any up. He's Brett Dennon and this song is called There Is So Much More.

Snow Update

I'm known to appreciate the simple things of life but really am surprised at how much I am appreciating this snowfall.

We didn't get a lot of snow and it's light and fluffy so easy to shovel. Good thing too because my plow person did not clean out in front of the car as is usually done. It had to be shoveled along with the deck and path to the car. Now that the chores are done the way is free to go out to play. The favorite ex is already out there. Hopefully she will want to come out again later or I'll go solo - no matter. She has others to help with shovelling chores.

Kenz really appreciated the snow too and was the first one out.

Back later with today's music.

Anticipating Weather

The above photo will never go on a photo blog but will go on this blog. It's how I found the girls when I went to bed last night. I went back downstairs to get the camera but kept the light off when I came back to take the photo. They're quite the girls!

Don't you just love the flavour of brie cheese and rosemary crackers? I'll be having a late supper tonight because of a fairly extensive visit/snack just now but that's ok. This flavour on my tongue will see me through.

I was out visiting earlier today and made plans to go hiking next week on some brand new trails which promise to be a photographer's delight.

I love my friends. Two today have made me feel sooooo good. I appreciate my good friendships more every day. To accept one person for who they are and be accepted for who you are are just the basics. I celebrate my friends today and every day. We're there for one another and that is to be celebrated.

We are expecting "some weather" but the newscasters are being a little over-dramatic. I heard one say this afternoon that we were in for a "big system", in very dramatic fashion. The forecast is for 15 cm (6 inches, Carol) and winds gusting up to 50 km/hr. Nothing really big but since it's only our second taste of winter it's all feeling very exciting.

We love our storm days. They are an excuse to take the day off - a mental health day. After all the drama has passed I want to snow shoe. My favorite ex (sister-in-law, sometime I'll get a cuidadopedia) wants to cross country ski so we've decided on a field where we can do it together.

Music: Canadian, Ron Sexsmith, clever and likable in God Loves Everyone and an old favorite from 1970 or '69, also Canadian, is Melanie and Beautiful People.

Housekeeping 2

Was just looking something up in my archives and discovered that on March 28th (in a post entitled Housekeeping), I planned to put up a couple of songs that somehow never made it. There were lots of problems getting on Putfile in the past or I could very well have forgotten. Here's the description copied over so I don't have to type it again.

Today features a super version of Tracey Chapman's Down to Zero by Bettye LaVette.

Also, I've put up a song that I've loved since these boys wrote it for prom a few years back. It features Robbie, one of the Chucky Danger Band, Eric, my nephew, Miles, a neighbour and I think Colin, who is also from Chucky. Robbie gave me permission long ago to spread it around. He can't actually remember how the song goes even though he wrote it and sings and plays piano on the piece. I don't know which is the band name vs. the song name. Here's Changes - Better In The End.

I've been getting lots of new music lately and have been having a great time listening, grooving and dancing. The weather has not been conducive to walking the last couple of days but the dancing is always available. I'll share some of the new, as always, but wanted to get these old ones up. Changes - Better In The End has never been released anywhere so it's very rare stuff. It was written for a prom and forgotten about except by me.

Lovin' the Music

We have a dusting of snow and we're going to minus 5 this afternoon....probably just enough weather to cause icy roads. I followed the salt thuck home last night. I have no idea why they were spreading salt. I didn't find the roads slippery once I passed it. A mystery.

I still do not have glaucoma and that is very good news. My grandmother had it and was blind because of it as there were no treatments. They found one more early sign or risk factor in yesterday's exam. The test I mentioned yesterday is next week but does not require the dreaded drops in the eyes.

Music: Bettye LaVette is still turning my crank. I didn't know her in the sixties but I sure like her now. I'm not the biggest fan of her 50's music but have been able to find lots of great cuts from later. If you liked her version of Joy, here's a couple more good songs. I love her slow ballads best, of course, but I also like the Joy-type, soulful songs like, How Am I Different. Here's a slow, sexy ballad, Thinkin' About You. Whew!

A Day To Celebrate - For Me

It's one year today since I quit smoking. Up until this year I was a pro at quitting as well as a pro at starting again. The difference this time was that I decided not to smoke any more. Not party smoke, not a drag here or there, not out-of-the-province smoking. Sort of like the anti-drug slogan of a few years ago......I just say no. Making the decision actually makes it easier because you don't ever have to choose whether you will or won't when you're out at a party. You've already made the decision.

I was thinking about it this morning. My first attenpt to quit was in '74. Then '75, '76, '77 and so on and on and on. It's about time I got it. People say that I didn't want to quit before or they say that you have to want to quit. I don't think it's that simple as I know I truly wanted to quit every other time. The difference is making the decision to quit. It may not seem so but it's very different.

I've been craving recently and it's because I had a couple of drags a month ago. I "fed the dragon." I didn't think it would hurt because I knew that I would not start again. I've certainly learned from that. There will be no more drags because I won't again get the nicotine into my body where it tells the brain, "Just one more."

My niece quit many years ago and has had a couple of incidents over the years of craving out of the blue. Here's her latest tale. The fourth paragraph tells about it.

Music: The Temptations (ha ha ha ah ha) with Just My Imagination and All or Nothing by Casey Dienel. I love the lyrics in this. She's not talking about cigarettes but I can relate the words to them....I barely remember your name, I'm going to be just fine, etc.

Hurrah for me!!!

Music Makes The Day Go Round

Let Me In!

The best thing about not having to go to work each day is that you don't have to stick to scripted out days. You can do something entirely different than you had planned. For instance, I had planned to put the beads away and start painting. The beads beckoned me again while I was packing them up so I said the heck with it and sat down and made a ton of earrings today. Maybe tomorrow I'll put them away. Maybe not.

I find out tomorrow the status of my glaucoma. I have to undergo a visual field test where drops are put in my eyes and a baseline measurement is taken. Fun, fun. I guess I won't change that plan and go with the flow like I can with beads and paint.

I listened to cds today while into the beads, not my own playlists. It was fun playing albums that bring back a time or incident. I listened to The Waifs, Joni, Diana Krall, Mana and Stan Rogers. Nothing similar in any of it but all good; all excellent to me, actually.

I have only one Stan song on my computer, one Mana song and a small number of the Waifs, Joni or Diana compared to the number of albums I have of each. The British woman I talked about the other day, Corinne Bailey Rae, has a song about "your records" that is appropriate to the feelings you get playing those records. Have a listen to Put Your Records On. I sure do like her sound. One from the above mentioned group should go up today too so here's Service Fee by The Waifs, my favorite Waifs song. It's a very serious song and should. be. listened. to. in. a. serious. way.

January's Music Stats - Songs 399 and 400

Photo taken a while back (since there's no snow) by my brother.

Songs 399 and 400 are accompanying this month's music stats - a day early. It's been a busy month with only a few surprises. Because Halleluja has been a popular choice I'll put a couple more versions up because it is a Halleluja moment to get 400 songs up and take care of them. Here are versions by Damien Rice and Alison Moorer. Damien's is live.

I think the stats are defintely showing patterns. The same favorites keep popping up every month. Here's December, November and October. You can go back further. They're usually posted on the 11th.

• There are quite a few with zero plays this month. Kate Rusby's, Lonesome Road, People Get Ready by the Blind Boys of Alabama, Come Rain or Come Shine by Dr. John, Breathe by Sia, Nervous Tic by Andrew Bird, and Celebrate by Rare Earth.
• With 20 plays there are a large number: Hard Times by Dutch Mason, Llave de Paso - Negra Luca, Haircut by the Waifs, Fairytale From New York by the Pogues, Sonny's Dream by The Wonderful Grand Band, The Body Breaks by Devendra Banheart, Climb by Ryan Auffenburg, Tom Wait's The Briar and the Rose, and An Occasional Man by Jeri Southern.
• Tonight Will Be Fine by Teddy Thompson received 21 hits.
  
• Leonard Cohen's Dance Me To The End of Love was popular again this month with 22 plays. Also with 22 was S'wonderful by Diana Krall, Hands by Jewel, Halleluja by Jeff Buckley, and my personal favorite find of 2006, Joy by Bettye LaVette.
• I Shall be Released by Neil Young, Sarah McLachlan and Phish got played 23 times.
• With 24 is Que Ondo Guero by Beck, Old Fashioned Morphine by Jolie Holland, Not Dark Yet by Greg Brown (I've probably played it that many times as well), and Rufus Wainwright's version of Halleluja.
• Lyle Lovett's Church getting 26 plays was a surprise because it hadn't received over 20 on any other month. Buena Sera by Louis Prima got 26 as well. It placed somewhere up there the last couple of months
  
• Leonard's own version of Halleluja got 28 hits as did Sunshine on a Rainy Day by Zoe and Alright Okay by Peggy Lee.
• No surprises here as these two are popular month after month. Quisas, Quisas, Quisas by Lila Downs and La Larona by Chevala Vargas each were played 34 times.
• Have you been waiting for it? Black Eyed Peas' Don't Lie got 166 hits.
  

Old Friends

On a perfect day for a long walk, I spent the day driving. I took my 91 year old friend, Billy, out for the day. I told him it was all on me, the drive to anywhere he'd like - to visit friends or sight see, then lunch and a bit of shopping for him. We had a great day and did it all. It was sunny and warm; heck, we both were in sweaters. We drove all over Eastern PEI and truly enjoyed each other's company and the scenic views.

It was the first time I've seen him alone since he got a room mate in his nursing home. I wanted to get the scoop and find out how he was getting along. He's not had a great history with room mates and can be a bit difficult at times. He's quite a character and I've certainly had my share of troubles with him over the years. He is happy with his living situation for now so I'm pretty happy about that.

Music: An old timey song I picked up last summer was Out On Penny's Farm by The Bentley Boys and a short, live number by from the Old Crow Medicine Show, Tell It To Me.

I'll walk tomorrow, and varnish, and basecoat, and put away beads, and vacuum ( I fixed my machine), and clean J's room. There's time.

Getting On With It - A New Year

We had snow earlier today but rain took over by mid afternoon. We will be left with slush after the temperature rises as is forecasted. It looked pretty while it lasted. The photo above is from last year and is an animal track I saw on my way to the beach during a mid-winter walk. I like the deep shadow.

I've been surrounded by good friends who love me. I just pass it on. I've had a long list of phone calls to make to celebrate the new year with friends from all over the world. I've been making at least one of these phone calls per day; sometimes more. They are all similar in that the person is glad to hear from me and we catch up on a year's activities in each of our lives. There has been a lot of laughter, a few tears, always acceptance and compassion for each other's situations and most of all, love that has spanned the years. What more can a person ask for?

I heard today that Oprah is having a concert one day soon of Mary J Blige, Carly Simon and Corinne Baily Rae, who I mentioned last week is new to me. I'll definitely be tuning in.

The new year has begun in earnest. I made quite a few pairs of earrings today and have several paintings from last year prepared to varnish tomorrow. I feel like painting, at this point, so will start some base-coating tomorrow. I find it therapeutic and look forward to it.

Music: I really like Mary J. Blige and really like this song, About You featuring Will-I-Am, that has samples of Nina Simone in it. Also up is Not Gon' Cry (good advice) by Mary as well. She's been a wonderful example of finding joy in dark places.

Friends

I was invited out to dinner today and have declined the invitation. I find it so easy to just stay home. I spent yesterday out visiting and really enjoy spending time with my friends but today was one of those days to hunker down. It's windy and the temperature dropped to one this afternoon. It is supposed to be zero and there's weather such as freezing drizzle and snow in tomorrow's forecast. Another day to hunker down?

A friend gave me a bottle of rum for a birthday gift. I'm having a Bloody Mary with said rum and have a bottle of Clamato juice in the cupboard too. Today's music is for friends. When you have them, you know it. All of My Friends is by Amos Lee. When you don't have them, you also know it. Walk Away is by Ben Harper.

Tomorrow really means my New Year has begun. Time to get started on some projects. I think I'll just hunker down and get at them. I spend way to much time on-line. I enjoy it so much but things doen't get done by themselves.

Goodbye Big Guy

My son goes off tomorrow, back to university for his last term. He graduates in the spring. Time has just flown by but probably not in his eyes. He works very hard and gets good marks. Back to all that hard work.

It's been raining for a couple of days and the temps are about 12. The ground is completely saturated and the weather is all everyone is talking about. Two big ski resorts have closed in Ontario in the winter for the first time in their 65 year history. Golf courses are booked solid instead. Very disturbing really. It was showing on the news that people have been finding live grasshoppers on their lawns.

Music today: From Tom Waits' Unreleased Studio Recordings, I'm Crazy About My Baby for my son. From Tom Waits', 1992's Bone Machine, here's, Little Rain.

Nothing to Thaw

Our temperatures today are in the double digits and there is light rain. Certainly unusual but there is snow in the forecast for Monday.

What a busy birthday! I truly had no time to blog. I had visitors all afternoon right till supper time and the phone never stopped all day or evening. It's nice to feel loved.

I got a couple of new cd's for a gift. JJ Cale and Eric Clapton put out a new album recently. I love the title, Road to Escondido, as I'm always "on the road to Escondido." The other was Colin James' new album, Colin James and the Little Big Band 3. Both are good and when I get them onto the computer I will share them.

I promised new music for today. It may not be brand new but it's new to me. I just discovered British singer, Corinne Baily Rae and I love her old soul sound. This song, Season's Change reminds me of so many old songs and was released in June. She has a female Stevie Wonder sound. I don't know anything about her so maybe she is the female version of Stevie. Others compare her to Bill Withers, Zero 7, and Alicia Keys.

Something a bit newer is from a Canadian Band, Patrick Watson. I put up their song Giver a while back when it was first released and today I give you Luscious Life.

Yikes! There are now 390 songs on the music page for your listening (and now downloading) pleasure.

Old and New

The weather is soooo great. I'm not sure what the temperature is since my thermometer is broken but I am able to go walking without a hat or gloves....in January. The temps are predicted to go up and up all week.....in January. Walking today was really fabulous. I know I talk about the endorphens released when walking but wow, they make you feel glad to be alive.

Things happen in threes they say and I've seen this happen. Yesterday someone hit into my car. Today I've discovered that my vacuum cleaner sucks. It actually doesn't suck thus it really sucks. Do you get vacuum cleaners repaired or buy new ones?

I've been having these bad luck cycles in the last month. What's the saying? "If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all." They pass, I guess.

Old music for the end of an old year. I kind of consider my birthday on the fourth to be more of a new year for me than the first. Today's music is from another era, the grandparents of our modern music. I love both of these cuts. This one, You've Got To Move by Mississippi Fred McDowell is already up by yesterday's choice, Greg Brown (here's the link to compare) and sticking with Mississippi....here's Mississippi John Hurt doing Since I Laid My Burden Down. I like listening to this old roots music then to other versions.

I guess tomorrow should be new music. Hmmmmm.

Weather Woes

I stayed in town last night. After dinner at a friend's house, I went to leave and there was a half inch of ice covering my car. I wouldn't have attempted to drive in freezing rain. My son overshot the driveway when he came home and I heard the roads were terrible.

One time I was visiting these same friends. They live on a fairly narrow street and when I came out the mirror had been knocked off the car. This morning I found that the signal/park light housing had been hit and is just hanging. The fender is also scraped. Nothing I can do really but pay to have it fixed.

My son is taking me to dinner tomorrow night for my birthday. That will be very nice as I've not spent much time with him over the holidays. He worked every day except Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Years Day, and Sundays.

Music: I'm still into that deep Greg Brown voice. Here's Treat Each Other Right and Brand New Dodge and for Greg Brown with Bill Morrissey here's the link to, He Was A Friend of Mine.

Happy New Year

My aunt became a grandmother for the first time around when my dad, her brother just two years older than her, became a great-grandfather. She waited a long time. She does a sketch of her grandchildren every year for her annual Christmas card. Above is this year's.

I cleaned off all the photos from my fridge today and put up new photos that I got for Christmas and some old ones. Seemed like a New Years Day type of thing to do.

Music: I'm busy burning cd's today for birthday presents. Most of what I'm burning is already up on my music page but here's As Long As I'm Movin' from Ruth Brown , who died in November and Suddenly by Carmen MacRae.