October 29, Night

Tonight,  a sliver
of a moon
set against
an ebony sky;
A trillion, zillion stars
glimmer and shine
like rhinestones on
a paper crown

Vinyl Records & Bing (Crosby)

 On the way  driving to  Clarkston Thursday, my mother and I   stopped at a thrift store in Moscow. I was delighted to find a collection of Bing Crosby vinyl (78) records from the 1940's, and quickly purchased them.   They are thick and heavy, like records were at that time - allowing for a deep, rich sound,  and  recorded on Bing's long time  label, Decca.

Everybody has their favorite male singer. For many, maybe most,  Frank Sinatra is considered   the best pop vocalist of the twentieth century. No doubt, Frank had a great voice, but for me, Bing Crosby is the voice beyond compare.  His is like a finely tuned instrument so sweetly, and beautifully played.

I could hardly wait to get back to the house and listen to Bing sing.  For an hour mom and I sat in the charm of her downstairs family room, and played record after record.  Pleased at their good condition, and quality of sound, we agreed it was like having Bing right there in the room , singing to us alone , in his vibrant, melodic  baritone;  Night and Day, Begin the Beguine, Far Away Places, and Tarra, Ta-Lara Ta Lar.

Later that night , after I was in bed and said my prayers, I thought  how wonderful   it was that  a man long dead , a man who recorded his first song before either my mother or I were born continues to bring a smile to others by the tunes  he croons.

October 25, 2011

Sixty one candles on my birthday cake
Sixty one reasons to celebrate
Sixty one reasons to sing and
dance, grateful for the gift
of a wonderful life
Like a kaleidoscope of
color on a big movie screen
there's sunshine and laughter
mixed with tears and rain
Featuring a star-studded cast
of family and friends
with stories to tell, sweet
memories to last 

My Birding Experience

    Stealth like,  it  swooped low and flew very near where I was walking,  startling me  out of  my reverie and quiet reflection. With its wings spread wide, the bird was huge and kept my attention as  he glided through the woods. I continued looking up, and followed his direction.  Maybe one reason I pressed on despite the wet leafy terrain, getting my pants soaked and shoes all muddy is because I had recently seen Steve Martin's new movie, The Big Year, a story about birding, and was motivated to see and document a bird myself.

I was still several   feet away when I watched with awe as the mighty bird made its landing on the limb of a tall pine . With his cat like stare he looked at me , as I looked back at him.  Continuing to move forward,   I saw he had  ear tufts (horns) and no neck,  and recognized what I thought was a  hawk, wasn't a hawk at all, but a Great Horned Owl.

                                                                 

  

Disappointed I didn't have my Nikon, I took  a picture using my cell phone.  That seemed okay with the Great Horned one. In fact, he sat on that limb for the longest time,  like  he was posing for a bird magazine  photo shoot - tilting his head to the side,  and  allowing me to take picture after picture.   It wasn't until  I tried hooting, hoo- hoo-hoo, hoo- oo, hoo-oo ,  that he  stretched his wings and flew away.

Safe Haven

All year long
deer and rabbit, and
a persistent Blue Jay
find shelter and food
under the trees
at Dobbs' Domain
And now, a stray
gray cat sits
outside the door
under the eave
waiting her turn
for a bowl of
milk, and pet
behind the ear

Will she go? Or will she stay ?

You Tube, Lyrics & Sutton Foster

I had fun this afternoon  browsing You Tube searching for songs by  some of my favorite lyricists, i.e. Lorenz Hart, Jerome Kern, Berlin, Sondheim, and Cole Porter. Another reason  I was motivated in finding a song is because  I've added a new  gadget on my blog allowing me to share videos with blog followers.    You Tube is a musical haven for anyone who enjoys listening, and  watching  great songs performed by great artists over and over again.

In my search today, I came across several clips from those golden MGM musical years of the 1940's and 50's. A favorite is June Allyson dancing, and singing Hart's Thou Swell in the biopic Words and Music, a film loosely based on Hart's life.  His lyrics

"Thou swell, thou witty, thou sweet, thou grand
  wouldst kiss me pretty
  wouldst hold my hand"

may sound corny and simple to some, but I find his choice of words clever and well put together.  Better examples of his fine lyrics  might be  My Romance, Blue Moon, or Ten Cents a Dance.  In my opinion, all wonderfully written.

I also viewed several of  Bing Crosby, Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, Frank Sinatra.  I'm a huge fan of  Judy, and was happy to find  many  videos  of her singing and dancing at her best ,   but the one I finally went with  is this years Tony Award winner, Sutton Foster,  for her starring  role  in Broadway's  revival  of Cole Porter's Anything Goes.  Please check video link at end of this post. Believe me, it's a treat to watch.  Not only does Foster give an outstanding performance, but it's wonderful to know the lyrics and music of Cole Porter are timeless !

Sweet Remembrance

How sweet life is.  Even through
trials and mishaps, there is
the joy of being with family
and friends; The laughter
and  silliness of a  shared
moment  forever remembered
bringing  a smile , and warming
the heart of those no longer
young, but growing older in age.

A Cousin's Gift, A Grandparents Love

When I grabbed the over size padded envelope from the mailbox earlier today,  I didn't  need to look at the return address to see who it was from.  I recognized the familiar handwriting,  and knew right away  it  was from my cousin, Shauna.

 Since it had been a couple months since I heard from my cousin, I was anxious to read what she and her family have been up to.   Shauna's letters are always thoughtful and caring; Full of fun and affirmation, and interesting.   I already knew she and her husband, Al  made  a trip to  Boise to visit their daughter, and grand-daughters, and  Shauna  planned  to paint a mural on the girls bedroom wall.    Blessed with a double set of creative genes, Shauna  is an immensely  talented artist, so upon opening  the envelope I happily anticipated  finding  a picture of  the newly painted mural.

 But there wasn't any picture. No, it  was something else entirely.  Something totally unexpected, totally endearing -  ever sweet, and very lovely. A precious gift from my cousin  to me,  made even more special as it  was  first given to our grandmother from our grandfather before they were married,  while Grandpa was stationed in France during World War I.  The postal card with  a  dainty  handkerchief stitched in pink,  says  Souvenir of France. The  back side is dated France 8/23/18.   Grandpa, so telling of his optimism and good cheer -even  in the midst of such  horrific times,  and of  his  love for Grandma  wrote this note:

Dearest Vera
Am fine. Could not be better. Everything is going fine here. Have not received mail since I left Meigs (sp)  Will write first chance. With  Love, Cecil.  Cecil E. Cooney  Pvt. Mobile Laundry Unit 311  A.E. Fr. 

It is addressed to:

Miss Vera Williams
20th  21 St.
Council Bluffs, Iowa
U.S.A.

On a second , smaller gift card  Grandpa had written, With the Greatest of Love, Cecil.

I read the aged note cards again and again. The very  cards my grandfather sent to my grandmother so long ago. I held them to my lips and  kissed them, then  pressed them against my heart thinking of grandpa and grandma,  and their  love for one another, remembering their love for their children and grand-children, and how very dear they were .  Thankful for the grand legacy they left to  each of us.

And of  Shauna - so generous in spirit, and  how proud  our grandparents would be of her for so  graciously sharing this beloved family treasure with her  grateful younger cousin.

Heaven's Door

Those in the pews
at the Funeral Mass
sit in silence; Solemn
and sad , gathered together
to mourn, and bid farewell
to one who has died. But there
is  also joy, and smiles in
recalling the life who touched
other lives with a kind word,
a warm embrace, special
moments shared , and laughter.
And hope eternal  that the
one no longer here
crosses Heaven's door
and is greeted warmly
on the other side