Delicious Ambiguity

"I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned, the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next. Delicious Ambiguity."

- Gilda Radner


Circle Limit - M.C. Escher


What an amazing way to look at the changes presented to us in our lives. To think that Gilda was able to articulate this idea so beautifully as she was immersed so suddenly and deeply into the treacherous waters of cancer is a testament to her shining soul.

Sometimes welcome, sometimes despised, Change comes. It can stalk us for days or weeks, or it can assault us suddenly. It may be heralded by great joy, or preceded by angry tears.  Still, it comes, uncaring and even completely unaware of our personal needs or desires.

Change comes. We cannot control it, we cannot avoid it. We can only hope to experience each moment as a sort of delicious ambiguity.

Our beautiful Young Man will soon be released from his tethers to this world. This is the most unwelcome of changes to all of us who love him so dearly. The only ambiguity is in knowing how truly delicious it will be for him to breathe free for eternity.

Memorial Day 2011

"What a cruel thing is war: to separate and destroy families and friends, and mar the purest joys and happiness God has granted us in this world; to fill our hearts with hatred instead of love for our neighbors, and to devastate the fair face of this beautiful world."
 - Robert E. Lee, letter to his wife, 1864

Red Poppy - Georgia O'Keeffe, 1927
Oil on canvas, private collection

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.


We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.


Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army

Granary Burial Ground, Boston, Massachusetts

The B-List

"The year's at the Spring
And day's at the morn;
Morning's at seven;
The hillside's dew-pearled;
The lark's on the wing;
The snail's on the thorn:
God's in his Heaven -
All's right with the world!"

- Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Portrait Study - William Adolphe Bouguereau, 1898

Some days, serendipity takes over and I don't try to fight it. I woke this morning and took a look at the "to do" list I jotted down last night before I went to bed, giggled, and thought, "why not?"

Are you a list-maker? I sometimes wonder what my brain would do if left to its own devices. I suppose it's more of a security blanket to me these days, but it's a habit I began in the stressful days of early motherhood, and it has served me well. Why mess with success, right?

Here's the list, as it lay on the antique washstand by my bed:

-- Blog (Birds' Battle of the Bands?)

-- Barnes ICU (Barrett-Browning for Josh)

-- Beauty Brands (brow gel)

-- Barbeque for Mon. (Brisket, beans, and potato salad. Need buns)

Well, I supoose I'll save the bird post for another day (though they have been deliriously happy lately), but the rest of the activities are still on.

My husband took me out to our favorite Mexican restaurant last night, and I enjoyed a fabulous margarita with my meal. I wonder if that had anything to do with my B-List?

I hope you enjoy a bit of serendipity in your day today!

Of course, I had to choose one of the "Three Great B's" for today's music (Bach, Brahms, & Beethoven), and I went directly to Brahms' "Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77," 1st Movement. This beautiful rendition is from violinist Henryk Szeryng and was filmed at the ORTF, Paris, December 1962 with conductor Paul Paray and the  Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatorie.

Short blog post = long music post, I guess. At around twenty-two minutes, you may want to allow it to play in the background as you work, but if you have the time, you will certainly enjoy observing Szeryng inhabit his instrument and his music. His posture, confidence, and assurance are equaled only by his stamina in this demanding movement.

Oh, one last thing...I'm sorry for the video quality. It's a BIT BLURRY.  Enjoy!

The Tango of Spring

"Life is like Tango...sad, sensual, sexy, violent, and quiet."
- Unknown



Red Canna - Georgia O'Keeffe, 1923
Oil on canvas, University of Arizona Art Museum



Spring is such an interesting season. We like to think of spring as a romantic time repleat with blossoming flowers and burgeoning with new life. In my mind's eye I can see the nymphs with flower garlands dancing in the newly verdant meadows and the faerie folk blissfully taking a dip in the pond deep in the woods. Idyllic Spring, right? I suppose the transition from winter to summer takes place peacefully some years, but not this one.

This year, Spring has come upon us with all the fire and passion of a tango. Like the dance, the last few weeks have been a push-me, pull-you season of moments of great beauty interspersed with moments of anguish.

I feel the struggle of the season, and I know others have felt it, too. One dear friend has been posing the question,"What's happening this spring?" in many different ways, deeply feeling the tango of this spring in her soul.  Another friend, an artist, has found himself nearly obsessed with a painting he's working on of....what else? The Tango.  Talk about feeling the dance.

I love passion. I'm in awe of Mother Nature. I adore watching good dancers, and Mother Nature is one of the best.

But really, can we have a nice waltz now?

I wish you a beautiful spring day today.

The four seasons have been the topic of many composers through the ages. How does one attempt to musically describe spring? Well, Vivaldi held the same romantic notions I hold, and his great work, "The Four Seasons" is timeless.

Unfortunately, his music in no way describes our spring this year. For this fiesty spring, I'm selecting the Argentinian composer, Astor Piazzolla's "Four Seasons of Buenos Aires" - Primavera Portena (Spring). This is performed with all the fiery passion of the season by Peter Wienhardt on Piano, Johannes Brandl on Violin, and Nicolas Altstaedt on Cello. Enjoy!

The Glad Game

"Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared."
- Buddha




"Pollyanna" by Eleanor Porter

  
 
Things are tough right now. Tough for most of us, terribly tough for some of us, and downright tragic for more than a few.It's easy to get stuck in the quagmire of the sturm and drang of recent events.
 
Okay, let's face it. It's time to pull out the big guns today. This is a job for Pollyanna.


I always loved Pollyanna. Did you know that the character in the book (I'm not sure it was mentioned in the films) was from the Ozarks? Well, the Ozark Mountains are located well south of my hometown of Kansas City, but I always found it inspiring that a girl from the rural hills of my state could end up on a plantation in New England. So intriguing!
 
According to the story, Pollyanna's late father was a minister, but he shows signs of being a Buddhist to me. He taught his daughter The Glad Game, how to find something to be glad about in each moment, and how to share that perspective with others.
 
It's not a big lesson, and doesn't usually involve great mental gymnastics. It's just a little thing, one little thing that might just affect the way we experience our day.
 
With that little lesson in mind, allow me to share just a few things with you that make me glad right now;
 
- First of all, I'm planning to meet up soon with a friend I've not seen since sixth grade! We've had a bit of trouble sorting out our crazy schedules, but we will soon spend the day together, and just the thought of that fills me with gladness.
 
- Secondly, a wonderful blog friend, Cheryl, (or 'Jojo' to her two lovely granddaughters), from JOJO's JOYS has most generously offered to help The Graceful One as she makes her transition to the Atlanta area to begin her new job with The Georgia Ballet. How gracious is that?
 
We have some arrangements yet to make over the next few weeks, but I certainly hope to see Cheryl, introduce her to my daughter, and share a glass of sweet tea or lemonade.  I also look forward to telling her how glad she's made me feel with her warm, southern hospitality.
 
- The Graceful One began her career with two wonderful years in the beautiful city of Portland, Maine, and I'll be sad not to visit that charming city, which quickly became my favorite vacation spot...
 
but wait...this is the Glad Game. Nevermind. The silver lining to the imminent move means that we will be able to spend a few precious weeks with The Graceful One this summer, a treat we rarely get, so I'm very glad for that.
 
- Something else that makes very excited is coming up in just two weeks. I'm set to reunite with fellow graduates of Ruskin High School for our fortieth...yes, 40th! class reunion! Thanks to the magic of Facebook, I've become reaquainted (and in many cases, finally aquainted) with many friends, and have so much to look forward to that weekend, I can't help but feel glad. 
 
 
- Lastly, The Coach and The Fashionista in Las Vegas have gotten an adorable new puppy. I'm receiving regular updates, lots of photos, and I'm sort of hoping they'll love the experience enough to start a real family! (No pressure, Kids.)  Here is a photo of my new 'granddogger' Lily...



Lily

  
                              Awww. What's not to feel glad about?
 
Today, I hope you share some happiness.
 
 
The music choice today makes me feel happy all over. It's Chopin's "Étude Op. 10, No. 5 (Chopin)" or the "Black Key Étude." The entire right hand (and most of the left)is played only on the black keys of the piano. Who would think to compose a piece like that? Well, Chopin, of course!
 
This is performed by the outstanding Valentina Lisitsa. Watching her happy expression as her fingers fly across the black keys is delightful, and it does, indeed, make me feel glad. Enjoy.