One Way to Warm Up

Had a quiet day at home today. There is a cold wave in place so staying close to home is a good plan in my books. I went outside for a walk and down to the pond to watch ice freeze. I actually got there a bit late as it had already frozen over. When I looked at it in the morning and made the plan to go outdoors in a while to get a couple of photos, I didn't know it would happen so fast. All of the dark portion of the pond in the above photo was still water this morning. It was nice to be outside because I was dressed for the conditions.

I got a double workout today as I also did eighty minutes of dance in the morning (while the pond was freezing). It was a great way to warm up and has had me bopping all day, singing in my head. I made a CD a couple of months ago that I called Swirling and Twirling. It opens with the Alabama3 (A3) song, Woke Up This Morning, made so famous as the theme for the HBO series, The Soprano's. It's an awesome song to start a workout. Francis Dunnery and his live, American Life in the Summertime, is one of the songs on it that can really get you moving. Check out what I mean.

Ralph had an issue with a commercial showing up when he played one of yesterday's songs. It also happened last week to someone on Shutterchance. I played the same song as Ralph last night and all was fine. I played a few today and one ad came on in the middle of the song. zShare does say that the service is ad driven and it seems that an ad cuts in sometimes. There was an easy way to exit the ad by clicking an X on the top right hand side of the page. The song immediately restarted. Just thought I'd let you know.

Short but Some Sunsets are Like That

The big storm that was predicted did not materialize. We were on the warm side of the front and had only rain. Thank goodness! I had the dreaded mammogram rescheduled for today and did not want to have to get worked in again. Best to get it over with and stop the daily dreading one goes through for this procedure. There was no problem at all to get into town so the dreaded procedure is over and done with. We are now expecting bitterly cold temps for a few days.

My son and his friend are building an ice fishing shack. Sonny went to town for the load of plywood last night but has business dinners three nights in a row so may not get back to the construction for a few days. He's going to take me fishing some day this winter. He owes me as I supplied a propane cookstove for heat last winter and they probably want it again this year. Ice fishing is quite fun. I'll take some photos of my time and hope to get some fish to boot.

I bought dog food for the crows today. I hope this is helpful to them, not harmful in any way. I will get some mixed bird seed for them too. I feed only black oil sunflower seeds to the other birds and the crow's beaks are too big to have to crack those for the small meats. I think they swallow them whole, actually.

Here are a couple of songs in honour of the mammogram that every woman must have to ensure a healthy body. Mash it Funky is from DJ BC and Every Little Bit Hurts from Alicia Keys.

Wood is a bit of a theme today as well so here's a couple of songs to fit. Here's Friday Morning's Regret with The Wooden Sky and Wood River by Canadian, Connie Kaldor will fit quite nicely. I've always loved this song, Wood River.

For Da Birds

I visited a friend in my community today and we've come to the conclusion that we're feeding the same family of crows. She noticed the one with ruffled feathers so that basically identifies my crow family. With both of us the number in the family is the same, five, and one sits guard and calls the other four. I feel a lot better because I know now the birds are getting fed more than I've been giving them. I've just not had enough leftovers for a steady diet, only a supplement. She feeds them dog food and I thought that was a pretty good idea. I think the crows would love that. Another friend recommended chicken scratch.


I enjoy the crows so much and the cats do too. Kenz only 'cat chatters' for the crows, never the songbirds. The crows chatter with me and maybe some day I will understand their language too.

We're expecting a storm overnight and tomorrow morning. of course, I have a mammogram scheduled for tomorrow. They tell me the next appt. is in November. This is the one I rescheduled because of the trip to FL. It is amazing the lineups we have for these medical tests. I'll insist on getting in a bit earlier as this was first scheduled earlier.


Today's music is bird music, for the birds and for you. We can pretend can't we, that these are Black Doves, just so we can hear this nice folksy/rootsy song by Lewis and Clarke. Nina Nastasia tells the crow's story in the first line of Bird of Cuzco.

Three Years Smoke Free Today!!!

The pond has not frozen over well enough to skate on this year. Yet. There is time left this winter so I hope it does. My pond was a very active community site 30 or so years ago when all the boys of the community kept it clean and it was the village's official hockey rink. Then a rink was built in the community and hockey and skating moved to the new facility. I bought the property 25 years ago and my sister-in-law and I kept it clear for several years, when our kids were young. Since then the current changed and the climate has changed and it doesn't always freeze well enough for skating.

There is nothing like skating on an outdoor pond. Nature is all around. You can see the bird nests in the trees from the previous year, fresh tracks of pond visitors and a sense of being out there in the wild. OK, a car drives by now and then.

It is three years ago today that I quit smoking. I think of smoking now as an unfortunate period in my life that lasted forty years. I beat it finally, after many monstrous attempts, and know I will never smoke again. I beat the addiction. I may sound smug to some but feel very certain and proud of this accomplishment.

I Feel Lucky by Mary Chapin Carpenter says it all. She even talks about lighting up a smoke. Jolie Holland's Old Fashioned Morphine and John Prine's Sam Stone fit the bill too in talking about addiction today.

For anyone struggling with addiction I can say only - persevere! I could give pointers that all that I learned but feel it is an individual battle where you have to learn enough to finally conquer an addiction to anything. It's all in the mind set, attitude and way of being.

C'mon a My House

I got a crazy idea yesterday, called my Aunt J and said, "Why don't you come for a two week visit?" She said, "OK, book me a ticket." It was that easy. I am so excited!. My aunt and I have our birthdays one day apart and are quite alike. We always have a good time together and like to do the same things. We talk regularly on the phone. I talked here over a year ago about the last time we were together. We stayed at my dad's and walked the woods and forests and roads for days with our cameras. She's an avid walker like me. I do hope we have some fine walking weather while she's here.

I told Aunt J that I needed help with a drawing and would give her meals and a car trip if she could help. She is an award winning artist and created the above drawing so she has no problem helping me do the bit of tweaking I need. She does a drawing of her grandchildren every year for her Christmas card and this photo is of last year's. I was planning to go see my Dad anyway, so we can now go together. We have two weeks to play the weather systems to assure good driving conditions.

I called my other aunt (J and Dad's sister) and uncle this morning to tease them a bit. I knew that the two sisters would have talked already as they talk on the phone a couple of times each day. I've been trying to talk this other aunt and uncle into coming for a visit for fifteen years. I told them, "It's a lot easier to talk Aunt J into something than it is for you two." I didn't have to twist arms, break legs, anything. I just asked nicely."

I'm glad for the whole spontaneous nature of this happening. Aunt J and I are Capricorns, our birthday's one day apart. Caps are not known for spontaneity in like situations. We like to plan and organize. We're very spontaneous at home and in other aspects but to agree to leave home like that, during a one minute phone call, is a little unusual.

Here is another version of one of my favorite songs; Rosemary Clooney this time. We've had previous versions of C'mon a My House from Chemie Eri and Dan Hicks. I so love the version by Dan Hicks. I play it a lot.

I made my daughter a Renee Olstead fan with her song Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby, another favorite. This one, Meet Me, Midnight, is for her and to celebrate Aunt J's spontaneity. Lots of good music for a Sunday. I know I have strange favorite songs but I can't explain it.

Ice Candles 101

I had a comment after yesterday's post asking how ice candles were made. I thought I'd give a little tutorial with photos. The process is very easy. Finding the proper materials is the difficult part.

There are two materials required. One is a container that is used to hold water to create a large ice cube. The second is a container that is used to displace water in the center of this cube. Both must be able to freeze and item number two must be able to be easily removed from the ice-filled mold. I started one today and here is what I used. I have a large plastic salad bowl and a container that is used to hold a corn set. It is plastic as well, and floats in the water so I have it filled with rocks to weigh it down.


I'm sure you could come up with some unique containers. The center one is more difficult to find. If the mold is shallow a wine or beer bottle filled with sand or partially filled with water (to allow expansion room to prevent the bottle from breaking) might be used. Soft plastic is better as it is flexible. My molds are all too deep so the bottles don't work.

I have only one layer of water in the photo below. When this freezes I can add a layer of coloured water, let it freeze, add another colour or clear and go on that way making stripes. Or, I could add a material here. Glass shards which I have tons of, marbles or glass nuggets, plastic flowers. Again use your cre8ivity to come up with something that fits your theme. Clear is perfectly fine too. When the center container is sitting in the bowl of water some water will seep underneath and a thin film of ice can form. It is easily tapped out or melted out with a torch.


The hard part is waiting for the freeze. If you know you are going to have super cold temps you can crank them out. If you have a large freezer you can store them during a thaw. Depending on the size of the center hole, a tealight or larger pillar candle can be lit. Of course rain and snow put them out but you may have a sheltered spot you can display it in every night. You can make as many as you can get to freeze and line your walkway with them.

They do melt and this is what I've done with a partially melted one: I made a bird feeder out of it. Until it melts the birds can have little skating parties and invite their friends.


For today's music I went to my Melanie file. I know I just played her on Wednesday but I thought I had her song Candle in the Rain. I do not but wish I did. It would be perfect. I've been singing it in my head since I started the post. The only thing off hand I can think of is Buena Vista Social Club with Candela. I probably have other candle songs but am not coming up with anything quickly. So....... Tonight is supposed to be the biggest full moon of the year so we will have a song for that, Clair de Lune by Django Reinhardt. This is an instrumental - not the song you are probably familiar with. Happy candle making - unless you live in California or Sapin or Florida or Mexico or anyplace that is not freezing.

Round and Round and Everywhere

This first week of January week has gone so, so fast! It's hard to believe it's Friday already. I think it has to so with how busy I've been. I've hardly been in the house this week. I had planned to finish up some painting to start some glass work but didn't get much done and nothing finished. Moments ago I got the go-ahead take my car in for the bodywork it requires as the result of last week's accident. The body shop has ordered the parts. Yeah! I'll have a rent a car for three or four days which will be a treat after my old jalopy.

I've been making ice candles but the success of the endeavour is entirely dependent on weather. They won't stay lit if it is snowing or raining and they melt if the temperature gets warm or it rains. I've been having fun with them though. I've promised to make some for some various friends.

I went for a longish but very brisk walk today. I didn't have time for lingering but wanted to get out there. I would say I was speed-walking without the exaggerated arm movements. I know it certainly did the job as far as raising the heart rate to provide a good fitness workout.

I have a nice Celtic/folk style song, Winter Song by Scottish singer, Emily Smith, with it's nice soft sound for one of the songs today. This week has been a beautiful winter week. Since the huge blizzard on the 1st day of the month I've been lots of places and seen incredible snow drifts and sculptural effects that have been really beautiful. My Shutterchance blog had a few nice ones featured.

You can listen to something with more energy too. It's an old timer's song. I grew up with this and other Hank Snow songs. If it was old country, I grew up with it. The aunt I just visited told me once of meeting Hank Snow a long time ago. Her parents were musicians living in Nova Scotia, as Hank was. It was when I had a Phoebe Snow song here that she told me this story. She wondered if they were related. Anyway, here is Hank Snow with I've Been Everywhere. That is the kind of week I've had.

Hot and Spicy

I had a lovely day in town with my sister-in-law, a fabulous hot and spicy lunch and I picked up some good deals as well. I needed a memory card for my camera and got a 2 GB SD card for $9.96. I bought two. I purchased my 512 MB card for $25.00 on sale a couple of years ago. Amazing, eh? I also wanted a camera bag. All the bags I was seeing were too expensive for what I was getting so I decided not to get one. Later I was in the dollar store and picked up a nifty little bag for $1.oo. It will work perfectly well for the time being.

We had rain overnight and it was 6 degrees today. Perfect snowman snow. If I'd been home I might have made one. A friend and I made a woman a couple of years ago that lasted most of the winter. She was pretty special.

Every once in a while I have a song that really moves me, becomes a favorite and I play it a whole lot. About three of four years ago it was Lucinda Williams' song Joy but the fabulous version by Bettye Lavette. Well, another Bettye LaVette song has got me by the heart again and I'm happy to share. Maybe it won't do anything for you but I find her delivery so compelling. I think she is just the greatest and wish she were more well known. She's been performing since the 60's but didn't become a household name like Aretha, Diana Ross, and a host of other 60's soul/r&b women. She's still very active and I would really love to see her sometime. The song that I am now enthralled with is Talking Old Soldiers.

Another woman I'd most like to see live is Lila Downs. Though she's half American, she dresses in traditional Oaxacan folk costume. She always has a fabulous band too as I've seen a lot of her on YouTube. I think it's only a few days ago I had Lila here but what the heck, it's a new year. What I've chosen, Pa Todo El Ano, is a live recording and easily shows why I want to hear her.

More Colour For Kat ....and Me

I've been trying since I started today to get a photo up. Blogger's having a little indigestion and will be back to health soon, I'm sure.

I've tried to jam too many things into this day. I did errands and had a bunch of things happening at home too. My errand run to the nearest town had seven stops. Each one was necessary and took driving and waiting time. Yesterday I had only three but had a visit to a friend and felt less rushed. Today, I felt rushed.

Tomorrow, I have a friend taking me to lunch in Charlottetown and have an hour and a half while she keeps an appointment to finish up my 'to do' list. I've only been in town once since I've been home from Florida and that day started with the car getting smashed in the parking lot of my first errand.

In a rush is not a good way to pick music when you sucked once already this week and picked randomly. I wouldn't dare do it again so give me a minute.

I was reading and researching someone I listened to extensively since the 60's or early 70's. Until I did the research, I for some unremembered reason, for the last 38 years, have thought she was Canadian. Today I read she was from NYC; Astoria, Queens more specifically.

I saw her in Toronto in August '71 and I was wearing a fur coat. I was very, very ill with rheumatic fever and was freezing in fever for a couple weeks before I went to a doctor. I remember people staring at me thinking I was tripping on acid because people were freaky in those days. I was just sick, freezing and needed the coat. I wasn't going to miss Melanie. I saw a lot of great concerts in Toronto and Boston in those days, living in both places. Anyway, Melanie (different link) is a wonderful singer, songwriter and performer. Check her out. Here are two to start you on your way. Ruby Tuesday and and I'm Not In Love Anymore. I had all of Melanie's albums until I left them all at a friend's in Port Perry, Ontario. One of many times I gave my albums away.

Windy Weather

Sorry to blind you with colour but it is what I need after two days of being out driving in a white landscape. I need to see colour. I planned on painting today but had only a half hour of good light after I got home

I've been out since this morning running errands and visiting friends and let me tell you it is beautiful/nasty out there. It is beautiful like yesterday with bright blue skies and wonderful sun but the wind is really strong and the roads are drifting in like crazy. It is plain old not fun to be driving out there today.

I had the fender bent out today , a temporary measure before a new one replaces it. When I had a passenger yesterday there was some scraping and of course, I couldn't open the door. It's workable for the moment.

I think Blogger is forgetting bloggers over forty with their new font in their dashboard for making posts and the new comment pop-up page. I can't read the font in the comment pane and it's more difficult with the dashboard. The dashboard change has been in effect for a week or two but the comment change is new today or yesterday. Maybe someone will write a letter.

I cheated yesterday with the music but ran out of time. I'm busy today too but am going quickly. If there are spelling and grammar mistakes forgive me. There will be music. It is not going to match the post but it's a song that has meaning to me. My boyfriend at the time and my room mate practiced singing this song together in '72 or '73 as a birthday present for me. They had the proper dance steps of the times all worked out and did a fabulous job. It is the first song I ever downloaded on the internet. Me and Mrs. Jones by Billy Paul; do you remember it? Since I'm in the soul mood I have something a bit newer as well. It's an old song from the 80's actually, made famous by Bette Midler, but this version by Freddie Jackson is soulful, reminding me of those Billy Paul days. Here's Wind Beneath My Wings. I loved soul music so much I thought I'd never listen to anything else ever again.

The Real New Year

My, my, it's hard to get here in time. This is the time I prefer to blog but it's also time for friends to drop in and/or phone. Late afternoon and time slips away. I had extensive dinner prep (everything is now simmering) and I'm just getting here: 5:42. Late again.

I just got back from a phone call from my Dad. It's 5:58. I had to break the news that the trip to see him has been postponed until my car is fixed. I hadn't told him about my 'run-in'.

I received my new camera today but have had only time to glance through the book and take a couple of test shots. No memory card came with it so in only moments I ran out of room on the spare 16 MB card that I had, only 5 photos. The test photo above was taken through a dirty window - not bad , eh?

I took an elderly friend for a drive today but only after I invited him and he walked a great distance on a cane to get out to my car, did I remember that my passenger door would not open. All hilarity ensued when we got him into the car through the driver's door and then back out the same way. He is 93 and pretty stiff. We laughed until we had tears with the two of us working so hard to bend him enough to get in and out. It was all worth it as we had a great time on our drive and a few stories to tell after the event. I had told the staff I was kidnapping him for an hour. We joked that they didn't know how true it was as I had him held without a way to get free and could do whatever I wanted to him. He was my hostage.

Music: I haven't even thought about it and it is late. I have to get back to cooking dinner. I'm going to choose some random things, random- not having anythging to do with this post and already in the library. Random 1. Random 2. Surprise. Hand picked(random) music today, mind picked tomorrow.

Brand New

I'm tired out and if it wasn't almost five o'clock, I'd have a nap. I finished all the shoveling today and it was longer and harder than I anticipated. I thought I had done about half yesterday but underestimated. I also woke up with a sore neck from having slept in an awkward position. I think you know what I mean as we've probably all done it. Anyway, after all the shoveling, my neck is very sore.

It was exactly the same temperature today as yesterday (-9 celcius) but there was a world of difference in how it felt. Yesterday was still very windy and mostly cloudy. Today was calm and sunny. I had to come in a couple of times yesterday to warm my fingers. Today I had to take my hat off while I was shoveling. I would have liked to have had time to go walking somewhere pretty with my camera.

Speaking of cameras, I am expecting a new one in the mail on Monday. My two youngest children again gave me a camera for Christmas. I got to pick it out and we ordered it a few days later. It is a Canon SX10 IS and I am pretty excited about it. I have very wonderful and generous childern who realize it's best to keep Mommy busy and occupied.

In honour of the new camera I've got a couple of 'Brand New' songs. They're actually old songs that you'll recognize: the 1070's Brand New Key by Melanie Safka and Brand New Companion by Townes Van Zandt from his '07 album Be Here to Love Me.

It's taken what seems like hours to get here. I've been cooking, answered the phone several times and got into lengtly conversations. I started at just after four and it's now almost six-thirty. Now my son has just arrived home for dinner.

White World

We had quite a storm. My escape route is pictured above. My back door was solidly blocked. My son shoveled the door open in the early hours and I shoveled paths today. I just got off the phone with my driveway clearer. He's on his way. I am usually done early in his route but he was called away this morning before he got to my driveway and never got back. There were very neat drifts all about and it was pretty out there but cold. Ha, I can hear that my snow-blowing guy is here now.

I just took a little break and watched him do his job. I have a difficult driveway to do and he is a pro. It's an amazing job to watch. Amused me, anyway.

I have a pot roast in the oven and the smell is overwhelming. I can tell it is going to be delicious already. When something smells this good there is no doubt. I don't even have veggies in it yet.

I got a heads up from Ralph today about an NPR story about Lila Downs, a singer he says I introduced to him. I have a couple cuts already off her new album and was glad to hear the interview. This is from the new album, Shake Away - Los Polla ( chicken or the chicken, in English). There are quite a few English songs on this album, more than usual. Here's one from the new album, for example, Minimum Wage. I must say I prefer her latin music though I like Little Man from the new album a lot! I've led you to her website many times so here's her mySpace page. Hope she's enjoying better weather than I am.

Though there is much more snow than in the above example (from a late winter storm) our fierce blizzard today is forming some pretty neat snow sculptures. Ones that were there this morning have long been covered over and new ones, differently shaped, have appeared. There is no snow at all on the main part of my deck but my door is completely buried under a snowdrift. My son will have to shovel to come in. I can exit through another door in an emergency.

Luckily our power is still on. I got up early to turn on the heat thinking that if the power did go out at least the house would be warm. Plows have not been out on the Island yet. That's how extreme this blizzard that began overnight is today. I've plenty to eat and drink, electricity and a telephone. It's all I need today.

Those who've been reading here for a while know that one of my all-time favorite songs is Don't Fence Me In. Here's my favorite version, by Ella. In honour of the snow barring in my back door today, you get to hear another version or two or three. Here's Roy Rogers and The Sons of the Pioneers and one by Louis Armstrong and Velma Middleton, my second favorite. It has that humourous, fun-singing that certain jazz singers did in those days which I love so much. When you need a more country mood Willie Nelson and Leon Russell can't be beat. Love that song!

Happy New Year again. I guess I said it a little prematurely yesterday.

Great New Year

Rural Prince Edward Island has looked like this for a week or so but is to change overnight. We're going to usher in the New Year with a big blizzard. We had a storm last year too but it started early in the day on NYE and a lot of snow fell. I was upset with my son last year for driving into town in the midst of the storm. This year it is 7:30 and hasn't even started to snow yet. People will be able to get to their parties and find themselves storm-stayed there, at a New Years Eve party. Nothing wrong with that!

I'm happy to be heading to a new year. That is the time I always get the clean slate feeling. Some people get it in September when school begins but I feel it more in January. I don't make resolutions but pray a bit and think about what I hold hope for in the future for both the world and myself. I'm a Capricorn and my birthday is near so it's become a time of passage for me each year

Music to end a new year could be from a large varied pool of songs in my mind. I've chosen songs from a few categories. I want to say goodbye to 2008 in a formal way so Melody Gardot will help say it for me in Goodnite. I'd love to party, but at the same time, don't want to be out in a storm so have decided to stay home. I'll play this song instead and groove a little bit - World Party by The Waterboys. I can usher in a new year just fine when I think that maybe a good part of the world sees this time as a new beginning and will strive, just like me, for a Great New Year! All my hopes and prayers for a Great New Year is now on it's way to you.

Get Me Through December

I've not been posting very regularly since I've been home. Just like all of you, I've been busy. The holidays should all be over soon though and a steadier winter routine will set in.

In my last post, I told you that so many days in late December hold powerful events and memories in my life. So far, December 29th had not had any big events attached to it's date. I was glad about that. Then yesterday happened.

A man in a pick-up with a big steel bumper backed into my car in a parking lot. It was his fault and I doubt I'll have trouble with the insurance but the car is a mess. It can be fixed but I had planned to have some mechanical work done this week in preparation for a little winter trip to see my father. My brother says I should have that done following the body repair and an alignment after that.

A car is only a car and it's mishap was not the big event in my life. No, my dear Nanie passed away last night. Twenty-five years and a day after her grandson, my brother. She had been in an almost vegetative state for a long time and in just a couple of days weakened and passed away without pain or suffering. She was soon to be ninety-one. My mother was her only child and I was her first grandchild of five. Only four survive her. She also has nine great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren. She has in the last few years lost most of her brothers and sisters but has two remaining sisters, both of who were with her when she died. She was the second oldest (oldest girl) of ten.

I told my son today that I plan to hibernate from mid December to January third every year. You think posts have been scarce lately......

Ralph, now you know why Get Me Through December is "my song". For my grandmother, I would choose a Van Morrison song but have been asked not to play them. My Nanie was a very deeply religious woman and many of Van's spiritual songs would fit with this post. They would comfort me and help send her on her way. My brother who died twenty five years ago was famous for his singing of Amazing Grace. Since I don't have a recording of him doing it, the Blind Boys of Alabama have replaced him at my request. I also have an old hymn that she would approve of, Johnny Cash with In the Sweet By and By.

This twenty-five year old photo shows my Nanie (in the red skirt) when she was around sixty-six. Also her mom, my mom, my sister and niece. I took the photo and was pregnant with my second child. We were a five generation family for quite a few years back then. God Bless My Nanie!

Passages

Most of the events of great importance in my life have happened in late December. I mean major, major events. I won't go into any right now except for two of them, ok three of them.

It is one year ago today that I dislocated my shoulder. That led to two surprise surgeries in the following months, one to put a pin in my upper arm and one to remove a kidney. I'd never had surgery before. To say that the events of that morning a year ago have had lasting effects would be an understatement. I feared in the worst way that I had kidney cancer from my years of smoking. It is not a cancer with very positive outcomes so to have be spared this diagnosis has been a wonderful gift for which I give thanks each day.

Five years ago yesterday I became a grandmother for the first time. I did say major events didn't I? Last night I was talking to my grandson about the events of his big day. We talked about being at his other grandma's, playing with his cousins, Santa coming into his room on Christmas Eve, his gifts, and lots of other things when suddenly he said, "Aren't you going to sing Happy Birthday to me, Grandma?" Now someone who would actually ask me to sing has to be a great addition to your life.

It is twenty-five years ago tomorrow that my brother died of Graft Versus Host Disease following a bone marrow transplant. He died at 27 so would be 52 now. His wife passed away very suddenly just over a year ago. Last week I sent his kids a great photo of their parents when they were dating and so happy in love. His kids were one and three years old at the time and my daughter was three weeks. That all this time has passed and those children are all grown up brings the most profound lessons of all. I ponder all of these events and all the others of late December and early January and give them the respect that they deserve.

A fitting song for today might be How Will You Meet Your End by AA Bondy. It dares ask that question we all wonder about and will all realize at some time.

The rest of the songs today are for my brother. They're from our childhood. We made up a game when we were kids and this song (by the Patsy Cline version) was a part of the game. A newer version that I think my brother would like is I Fall To Pieces with Aaron Neville and Trisha Yearwood. Another old one is The Battle of New Orleans with Johnny Horton. With that song, I'll stick to the version 1959 we knew best.

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

And there are lots of excited kids in my family. I talked to my grandchildren yesterday and they were so sweet and at three and five years old, very filled with joy and anticipation. I had my son e-mail photos right after talking to them and got a bonus of my grandson's fifth birthday and his kindergarten's Christmas Concert. That's the best part of my Christmas so far. I went out with my sister-in-law this morning dropping off gifts to her family. I introduced myself as Joy and her as Cheer. We had lots of fun. I'm in a great mood this Christmas which is unusual so I can be Joy with no problems at all.

We've had light snow all day, about 5 cm. We are to get rain and possibly freezing rain tonight. The temperature is going to be 9 tomorrow so I would say we're seeing the end of our white Christmas. A plus is that the roads will be good for travelers tomorrow. I canceled a drive in to friends who are having a party tonight.

I just remembered to take the turkey out to thaw. It's not too late, I hope. It's a small one as there are only three of for dinner. I am missing my daughter terribly. She is usually Joy and I am usually Comfort. Sis-in-law is always Cheer.

I am making my annual Christmas Eve CD. It's a long tradition. It is always a sample of songs that say something of what is going on in the world or my life and a few Christmas songs. I can play any one of them and remember the year. Some people do this at New Years but I've always done it for Christmas Eve. A couple of songs on it this year are Silent Night by Johnny Cash and Winter by Ethan Lipton.

Have a wonderful, Christmas Eve, family and friends and as always, I wish for peace.

December Storm Day

We are in the midst of a serious storm - snow and high winds, in other words a blizzard. We were expecting it so everything on the Island is pretty well shut down and lots of people have stayed home and indoors. It's a great day for wrapping gifts, baking and cleaning. I cleaned and organized a few things. The power was out for a few hours but not long enough that I had to light the wood stove. My son made it to work and planned on picking up any employees who couldn't make it in. If he fails to make it home tonight he has a place to stay in walking distance from his work.

My daughter is spending her first Christmas away from her family this year. I gave ornaments to my kids each year so that when they had their first Christmas away they would still have something from home. I sent her all her beautiful angels to decorate her first tree. Her "inlaws" have arrived to spend Christmas with her and her boyfriend, their son. I miss her and can hardly imagine her loveliness and liveliness to not be amongst us this year.

For her today is Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Victoria Williams and some blues cause she likes the blues. Here's I Want My Baby For Christmas by Jimmy Liggins and His Drops of Joy.

Christmas Is Coming

What a busy day I've had! My ears are ready to fall off. If I'd not gone for an afternoon walk you could have said I've been on the phone all day. I got out for the walk because we are expecting a storm overnight and tomorrow. I had lots of chores to do but could push them to the storm day and take the walk in the bright winter sunshine so that's what I did.

I walked and visited a friend for and hour, walked home and got on the phone again. It was easy to do lunch and supper prep while I was on the phone so had a marathon of conversations. I had my family's Christmas gifts in the mail before 25 November but that was a little early for Christmas cards so I'm phoning. They are phoning me too so there's a game of telephone tag as well.

I always play this song at this time of year......one absolutely beautiful song. I have other related songs.....songs for the season: Morningtown Ride to Christmas by The Seekers and I Saw Three Ships by Sting. I like throwing a surprise in every once in a while.

Back to the Ice and Snow

I make friends wherever I go and this trip was no exception. Georgia, or Miss Peachy Pooch as I called her, was my charge for three and a half weeks. I walked her around a one and a half mile diameter lake twice a day and we got along famously. I walked the distance twenty minutes faster than her master did so got her good and tired which kept her out of mischief, a necessity with this pooch. Her lovely friend Boots, sitting behind her in this photo, took the brunt of her mischievousness. They wrestled by the hour but Boots has been declawed so she's at a bit of a disadvantage. The cat is biting back though and 'starts it' most times so you have to let it go on.

I had a wonderful time with my relative. She is a double amputee and I was very impressed with her abilities at maneuvering a series of wheelchairs and some aiding tools to do basically everything for herself. She just could not manage to walk the dog three miles a day and I was gladly able. We got a lot of shopping done, something her husband dislikes. I normally don't like it myself but there were some good bargains to be had due to the US economy. I got some terrific deals.

Though it was nice to come home, it was a bad experience coming home to the airport last night. It was really cold and there had been a recent snowfall which left my car windows covered with snow and ice. I had a skirt and tights on, a light sweater, a light winter jacket and no hat or gloves. I had to clean the car off and defrost the windows before I could drive. When I went back into the terminal to get my luggage I asked the security guard if the return flight had left yet. We had a laugh. It was 1 am and the flights had ended for the day but he understood. Ah, the Canadian winter! My sister in law said that there has been wonderful weather here and that winter came by just to welcome me home.

I read a lot while I was away and read Howard Soune's biography of Bob Dylan, Down the Highway. Maybe Bob can make winter better with Winterlude and this version of In the Bleak Midwinter by the Crash Test Dummies would make anyone feel better about it. Another Canadian does the same with Song for a Winter's Night by Gordon Lightfoot.

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!

Happy Trails

Two more sleeps and I'll be in the air. Everything but my toothbrush and medication is packed and I'm raring to go. The cats know I'm leaving. They always do. I find one of them in my bag every time I go upstairs. The bag in a guest room, on a bed with things all around it and both cats have taken to sleeping in there in the daytime. We will miss each other, my kitties and I, but they will gets of love from my son who will be home soon.

I will miss music too. I play music all the time but most people don't. I questioned my aunt about it over the year and found out they rarely play music. If they do, it's country. I may bring a cd or two along with the cd of photos I made for her. I have to design a window I have a commission for and music is necessary for me when any cre8ive tasks are at hand.

I grew up with country music. It has always been my parents choice and I love a lot of it too. I'm not very familiar with modern country but the old country of Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves, Johnny Cash and all those, I am very familiar with. I Fall To Pieces by Patsy Cline was a favorite of my mothers. We'd all be singing that at the top of our lungs, accompanying the 33 1/2 record. My brother and I made up a game called I Fall To Pieces and we'd sing it while we played. I've got a great version of the song by Aaron Neville and Trisha Yearwood. My mom would have loved it. I actually may have played it to her years ago as I had the cassette it is from, Country-Soul. Song number two is Border Line from the lovely David Francey who I've seen in concert quite a few times.

Winter's Entrance

What a day! It was a snowy landscape this morning but I thought the day would be a nice one with a bit of shoveling in the sun and go on as usual. Then the power went out - twice. I have not had a shower. This is a very rare occasion and I'm not exactly happy about it. The wind came up about 9:30 and from then on it was a very windy day that definitely was not conducive to going out. A nasty day! I shoveled the deck mid-afternoon but had to warp the door to get it open this morning. Nasty! Winter has arrived. I'm going to ignore it all I can and try not to complain about it here.

The birds and cats are marvels. We, all three, were out on the deck together and it was wonderful. All living as we should. We all talked (chirped, meowed, maybe) and got along as pleasantly as could be with snow all around us. I provided seeds. The cats stayed out longer than I did and have been napping since. I love how it all works out.

One of my favorite songwriters of the past few years has been Brandi Carlile. I've been singing her praises since here. Her song The Story is still one of my all-time favorite songs. She is a wonder! Today I have her song, Hiding My Heart. I so love this woman's music and hope you do to. Brooke Miller is a girl I've known since she was young. Her mom is a friend of mine. She's married, a step-mother and living off-island now but I love her albums. Here is World On a Whim for today and Country From the Domecar as a bonus. A simple Google search brings all this.

Talking It Away

We missed PEI's first taste of winter two nights ago, but tonight - the snow is coming. I wanted it to hold off until the airplane I boarded was heading south; four more sleeps! My daughter, a snow lover, was very excited last week when she was getting her first taste. I told her that I find it hard to believe that she came forth from my loins. Did none of me rub off on her?

I just want to escape it. Every year, the same thing. I complain about it and complain about it . "If only I didn't have to drive", I say over and over. All the while that I'm complaining, I do what I have to to live safely in winter's culture. Today I got my snow tires on. I have my kit in the trunk for emergencies. The shovel is on the deck. I haven't resorted to socks yet. That is the last gong for me. The three week escape I'm heading for will be precious to me in the respect that I will miss three weeks of driving in snow. Ha! What am I thinking? I trade it for three weeks of driving in a couple hundreds percent increased traffic on roads I'm completely unfamiliar with!

White Snow by Ben Weaver is perfect for today. Might as well keep it real. I hate winter but accept that I live in it's throes. I don't think it's forecast to be this extreme but Snowed In by Joel Plaskett will add to the Maritime tradition that if you talk enough about it - blow lots of hot air - a storm won't come. We'll see if it works.

Winterlude

I'm late today but for the best of reasons - I got a phone call from one of my oldest and dearest friends that I'd been waiting for for a couple of months. She had moved far, far away in August and I'd been waiting for a call announcing that all was well. I've received that call now and feel a lot more relaxed. It was like one of my kids was missing. Just this week I had been complaining to a friend that my friend hadn't called yet and it was the first time we had been out of touch since '72. That's a long time.

Western PEI was completely shut down today because of 20 cm. of snow overnight. Some homes are still without power. Hundreds of cars were stranded overnight on the Cobequid Pass, a highway in Nova Scotia that should never have been built, but that's beside the point. Here in the eastern end of the island, we got no snow at all. Lucky buggers weren't we?

My list of things to attend to before traveling is getting shorter. The list of instructions to my son is getting longer. Makes sense to me.

Today I have some easy, pleasy, lovely songs for listening to with both your ears and heart. Yes, your ears and your heart are needed for these songs. The ears will love the intro. It's Johnette Napolitano with When I'm Gone. You'll then move seamlessly to Peter Case's song, Ain't Gonna Worry No More. I give my daughter weekly talks about worrying and this says it better than I can. The two songs sound great together.

The internet or my connection to it is very slow tonight. Actually, it seems there may be a Google problem. Can't add a photo at the moment. Will try again in a bit.

Free To Be

I don't have to cook dinner tonight and for that I'm thankful. A night off stove duty is just what the doctor ordered. I feel like I have no responsibilities today, no chores that have to be done NOW or any important matter to attend to. It almost feels like the first day that I've been completely free to do what I wanted or felt like at the moment. Kat talks about retirement sometimes and I feel like she enjoys these type of days quite often. Someday....

I painted off and on for a couple of hours but today was dark and raining and it was a bit difficult. I paint only in natural light and when it's really dark and overcast it's too much of an eyestrain. Using the vacuum cleaner doesn't require such extreme visual concentration so I did a bit of that too. Dancing and Oprah were on my list of doing what I wanted, as well as some packing and organization. I made a trip out to the post office and boy the weather has changed; I had to wear a jacket. It has cooled considerably and has rained lightly most of the day.

Today I have a song for the dark and dreary of rain and one for the sunshine dancing brings me. Eleni Mandell has this lovely number, It's Raining and for the dance, It Don't Mean a Thing by Club Des Belugas is fabulous. I love this band. Their song, Skip to the Bip, was one of the songs danced to on So You Think You Can Dance Canada a couple of weeks ago.

November Nonsense

I got a letter from Google and have asked them to send me in plain English what they are asking me to do. It is so full of legalese that I don't know what it is saying. They took a specific post away for copyright infringement. Since they took it away, I can't view it so don't know what specifically on it was unsatisfactory. I've replied as such to them but they haven't replied back to me.

I'm having my sister in law for dinner tonight. My son is away so I'm back to eating fish instead of meat. Her husband doesn't like the smell of fish cooking at their house (the same as his nephew, my son) so we get together for fish meals when one of them is away. I've cooked homemade baked beans - just took them out of the oven - and home made fish cakes made from salt cod. It's a tradition Maritime meal. Chow Chow, a type of pickle, is served with them and we have that and lots of other homemade pickles to choose from. Yum!

I'm packing up this piece of stained glass to take to my aunt. I had made it twenty years ago for my grandmother. It was returned to me when she was taken to a nursing home. My aunt and grandmother were very close so I'm passing it on. A lot of people I know are traveling at the moment. I have two different friends going to Vancouver on Thursday, most likely on the same plane. They don't know each other.

Rosie Thomas and Rosemary Clooney are bringing the music today. I'll let you guess which one is which. Here's Much Farther to Go and Any Place I Hang My Hat is Home. I am still experiencing difficulties from Putfile and am using the alternate method. I'm no longer going to mention this. Whatever host brings you the song, is ok with me. Putfile dosn't allow uploads and the alternate does so some people are happier.

Letters From the Past

I'm having a very nice day today. I had a To Do list but didn't follow it. Instead I did what I wanted at each given moment. I got lots done, just not what I had planned. There's always tomorrow, eh?

I wrote my grandson a letter. He didn't know what a letter was so I told him I'd send him one. Can you imagine? Any of us over fifty certainly knows what letter writing is about because letters were vital parts of communication in our past. Emails have taken over but they're quite different. I have saved years of correspondence and went through it all one weekend probably 10 years ago when a friend wanted to explore some old books I had. While he was rummaging through the books I was holding and remembering all those letters. I moved to Toronto from Massachusetts at one point and have awesome letters from friends, and groups of friends; sometimes big sheets of paper laid out during parties that were later mailed to me. It's possible my grandson will never get another friendly letter, only business letters. Amazing to comprehend sometimes.

Today's music is for Tom Waits fans. Here's Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis and Telephone Call From Istanbul. I was tempted to play some dance songs but these songs go better with letter writing. I had my dance early today - before I even got dressed and dance music has been in my head all day.

In Waves

I had an unexpected visitor this afternoon so am a bit late with posting. I was quite happy to welcome a visitor. I'd been cleaning most of the day and it was nice to have the break. We visited for a while, then played a game of scrabble. She brought me two boxes of ibuprofen that she bought at a drugstore in the US for 88 cents a box. It was an error at the drugstore so she bought 6 boxes. I plan on stocking up on some items if I can get some good deals when I'm in the US but will probably spend most of my money at the Body and Bath Store.

My son is probably just leaving this beach bar in Mexico right now, on his way to get something to eat before tonight's partying begins. Oh, to be in my twenties again (with what I know now). I remember them well but can't live at that pace at all anymore. I partied in this Mexican town when I was in my twenties too. I didn't need sleep then. My upcoming vacation will be much different and I'm ok with that.

I figured out a way to keep Windows Media Player on the task bar which also kept the last played playlist without saving. Only trouble is that when I came in now to do this, it is nowhere in sight. I went through the steps I went to to get this and the command is checked but it is not here on my desktop. I should stop publicly complaining about this but it's the first time I've had to reformat a computer. It's all a bit difficult to me. Ask me if I do windows......and I have another interpretation.

Today's music is what impressed me today while playing some of the cd's I've made. First, City of Night by Pink Martini. I really like this band.

Just had a phone call that made me lose my train of thought about the music. Am I talking about an age-related thing again? Song....something quick... I remember. One of the cd's I played today was called Citified and it had New York by Luke Doucet.

My son is "hoping to make it to New York" as the lyrics say. He has his ticket so as long as he leaves Mexico on time he'll spend four nights there. He will be doing different things than I do. I talked to a friend today who also just returned from a trip to New York with her husband and she didn't do the things that I'd do either.

My vacation can't come fast enough. I'm starting to get itchy feet.

November Flocking

I've been watching the usual November flocks of blackbirds. They're gathering in preparation for flying south. It occurred to me today that that is exactly what is going on around this house. My son is going to Mexico and I'm flying to Florida. We're just like those gathering birds, clearing up loose ends, and making plans, in our own separate ways. I'm leaving after he returns so there is some continuity in the house, but we've both been very busy beavers, getting things organized for our journeys. I've been filling and have finally mailed Christmas boxes. My computer break has gone far in getting this done in a faster manner.

I have the latest version of Windows Media Player and am having a heck of a time finding my way around. I had kept the old version 9 forever but it can't be downloaded on XP anymore. It's a sad day. My son thinks I should be accepting these upgrades when they come out but I tend to hang onto the familiar. I didn't upgrade to Firefox 3 either, until now.

We have two songs today by woman singer-songwriters who are very similar in that they beautifully paint a picture with their words. These songs are lovely vocal stories. First Azure Ray with November; this is a duo not a single woman and Kim Richey, with Mexico. Both are worth a listen.

Balance

Balance - what we all want to achieve in running our lives. I think spending less time on the computer may be helping me successfully reach this end. Especially this laptop computer of my son's. We're not working well together. Putfile is somehow involved too as it works one minute, not the next. It seems such a hassle to come on line, I think I may stay off till mine is back from the shop. Missing the music, as usual and I miss sending it out there - to you.

Checking In

They say these things come in three. Lets hope not! My repairman just left with broken dishwasher parts - the same repairman who was here last week to repair my furnace. My computer is in the shop for the second time, this time to probably be reformatted, and I take my car into the shop on Thursday for a problem it is having but is as yet undetermined. I need a bigger bank account.

My son loaned this laptop to a colleague for the week so I've not been online since my last post here. I miss my online friends. I looked at a few blogs this morning but don't have my bookmarks to point me to the ones I usually visit. I went to only ones I link to. I hope I pick up my computer and that all will be back to normal soon.

Sunshine and Shadows

I've spent the last couple of hours in the woods with my friend Kayla. She's pictured above, greeting some of her neighbours. She is surrounded by pasture and has a great relationship with it's habitant cattle. The border collie in her makes her feel protective of us all so she's lovely to take into the woods. She goes exploring by going an average of forty feet off-path, into the woods and underbrush, and back out onto the path, no matter how far we travel. A call of her name brings her right back to the road. Our way was very steep and in a few places it was quite rugged. We also explored some woods that I wasn't familiar with. It was a dead end of a kilometer long road.

We've had spectacular temperatures. I hiked in jeans and tank top today with my sweater tied around me. It's a bonus for November, quite Indian Summer-like. It is supposed to rain for a couple of days now so I'll be back to dancing again. Here's a couple of songs I'll be dancing to: Whenever I Say Your Name by Mary J Blige and featuring Sting and to slow down, Hold On by Los Lobos. Try it, you might like it. It's best to do it alone and don't dance like you would in public. I do a combination of dancing movements and dancing- aerobic movements. No, you wouldn't do this on a dance floor. CD's are eighty minutes and that's a lot of exercise. It's a sweaty, fun, pleasurable workout that uses up some of that energy (food or nervous).

My computer may be going back to the shop. It's not working at all well so I think it may be necessary. Also, Putfile seems to not be working again so , the alternate method is again in effect.
It's taking me forever to get anywhere it seems, so I hope I can get that music up. If not today, asap. Some very weird things are happening so I am not going to go any further. Pages that say they are Google or Wikipedia are taking me to other places - places to shop and look at celebrities. Sorry folks.

Ghosts

I've earned a rest so am going for an early post today . I've been working like a fiend and have most of my outside chores finished. Enough for today anyway. I can finish up tomorrow. I need a bit of help with some heavy lifting too. It's lovely outside at fifteen degrees but the sun didn't come out as forecast. Maybe tomorrow.

The birds finally showed up at the feeders so I had some retraining to do with the cats. They've been conditioned not to bother birds but required a bit of a refresher. I think they'll be fine. I hope so anyway because they're outside together now.

My daughter's best friend is coming for supper tonight. She was almost part of the family at one time and has had many a meal here but not for a while. My daughter has always been surrounded by an entourage and with her gone, I've been missing having the young people around.

I recently discovered Denison Witmer and his new album entitled COVERS. Is There a Ghost, a Band of Horses' cover, reminds me of the ghost of all the young people's voices that once filled this house. It's amazing all the changes and stages a household goes through. This simple quiet version of I Can't Make You Love Me is nice too.