My Way

2007-03-22T20:41:00.000-05:00

It's official....I've moved. Change your links and keep reading Songbird's posts at Quarter Notes . Hope to see you at my new place soon!

2007-03-21T21:41:00.000-05:00

I'm back!! Hope I haven't lost all my readers during my long absence. I'm trying out a new blog site at Quarter Notes . Check it out and tell me what you think!

2007-02-26T22:03:00.000-06:00

Just a quick post tonight with a picture of my pretty spring flowers. I took my middle school choir to contest last Friday. They did such a great job! They received three excellent ratings on their prepared music and they earned a superior in sight reading.

For those of you who are clueless about sight reading, it works like this. The choir and their director enter the sight reading room where a judge is waiting. A student assistant gives the director a piece of music to study while the same piece of music is being handed out to the students. The students must keep their copies of the music face down until the judge tells them they may look at it. The judge begins a timer when he tells the students they may look at their music. The students and their director now have three minutes to work the music (which they have never seen before). During the three minute period, the choir must learn the rhythm of the music, establish the key that the music is in and attempt to sing the music correctly without accompaniment. When the timer goes off, the choir can sing through the music once with piano accompaniment. The choir is then given one more minute to work through any problems and make any corrections necessary. All the work done during this one minute period is without accompaniment. When the timer goes off again, the pianist gives the starting note or chord only and the choir must sing the music a cappella for final adjudication. Needless to say, sight reading is not an easy task!

The next day I took two high school auditioned ensembles to contest. Both of the ensembles received three excellent ratings on their prepared music. The high school groups also earned excellent ratings in sight reading. All in all, it was a great weekend for my choral program.

I am leaving this Thursday to judge sight reading at another choral contest in Jonesboro which is almost six hours away from where I live. I will be judging Thursday afternoon and evening, all day Friday and all day Saturday.

In the meantime, I am doing research and polling for a report that I will eventually submit to my school administrators. I have to prepare lesson plans for my substitute on Thursday and Friday. I have list of about twenty-five other things that must be done before I leave early Thursday morning. So, I will not be posting or commenting for a while. I hope to catch up with blogging activities next week!

2007-02-21T21:05:00.000-06:00

Eagle Watching

Last Sunday, while my nieces were visiting, Mom and I took them on one of our many expeditions to Lake Wilhelmina to watch the eagles. Eagles winter in this area and they are such an exciting bird to spy in the wild. It was a brisk Sunday afternoon with strong wind gusts. We bundled up and armed with cameras and binoculars we traveled to our favorite viewing spot on the northeast end of the lake. It was an amazing day!! We saw six eagles soaring above the lake all at once. Two of the birds eventually flew to a pine tree across the lake where they sat side by side and viewed the shenanigans of the remaining four. Suddenly, one of the airborne eagles paused in mid-air, suspended for several seconds with talons extended before dropping to the water so fast I could barely keep tracking it with my binoculars. The eagle hit the water with an audible whop then rose with a glint of silver in his talons. The four of us watched in awed silence. What a fantastic event to witness!

Can you see the eagle? It is at the very top of the tree closest to the center of the picture. I crept closer and closer trying to get a good shot with my limited photographic equipment. To be honest, the bird made me a bit nervous. It was really keeping a close watch on me and it kept ruffling its wings. Still, I crept closer until I got this shot.

I felt like I was standing right beneath the tree and I was closer than I've ever been to an eagle in the wild. My nieces were waiting for the eagle to attack. I was pretty much thinking along those same lines myself.

We saw quite a few ducks, cormorants and other water fowl including a kingfisher. We were lucky enough to observe the kingfisher diving for a tasty morsel several times. He completely immersed himself in the water before flying up to a stump to chow down. It truly was a wonderful day. I wish I had taken more pictures, but I was too busy watching. The picture below is from a Christmas card that my brother sent me. Beautiful, isn't it?

2007-02-18T21:40:00.000-06:00

What They Mean To Me

I knew this Fun Monday assignment would prove very difficult. I am a collector...antiques, heirlooms, memorabilia, junk...whatever you want to call it....I collect it. Narrowing the assignment to just one object was impossible. The bulk of what I own is old, used, somewhat battered and most of it has a memory dear to my heart somewhere in its provenance. From my dad's last pair of cowboy boots that sit on a bench in my living room to my Granny W.'s complete set of "company" dishes that she bought from a peddler...and let's not forget my Grandpa T.'s garden hoe that is worn so thin and sharp that it is like a horizontal knife with an extra long handle...so many items full of sentiment reside in and around my home. And while the objects themselves are dear, the memories they evoke are even more precious.

All the quilts in this picture were hand pieced and quilted by either my Granny W. or my Granny T. My baby quilts are hanging on the back of the rack. The two predominantly green quilts were high school graduation gifts. The quilt on the bed was made by Granny W. and holds an extra special place in my heart. Every print quilt piece was cut from a dress I wore as a little girl. I'll have to take a better picture of it to post in the future because it truly is a work of the heart. The little black lamb on the window sill was a gift from my godmother when I was born. And the two cats on the bed are dear feline friends who have moved on to kitty heaven. This picture was taken in the late 80's in my apartment in Salisbury, Maryland.

This is a corner of my current bedroom. My dad made the benches out of wood from our old barn. The birdhouses are hand-made. I found the sewing notions and thread chest in a local antique store. I keep jewelry in it. I got the chest of drawers at an auction for $65.00. I stripped two awful layers of paint from it to arrive at its lovely natural finish.

It was a sad time when my uncle began to tear down my grandparent's fine old farmhouse. My dad salvaged a lot of wood from the old house. He made several of these little benches from Granny's yellow painted kitchen cabinets. It means so much to have many things that my dad made from wood. He was an exacting craftsman. It is like icing on the cake to know the wood is from structures in which I spent countless hours of my childhood.

A shrub may not actually be an object, but this forsythia has special meaning because it grew from a root of my Granny W.'s forsythia. I am so thankful that I dug that root. The original shrub was destroyed when Granny's house was torn down and a new home was built in its place. I now have three more forsythias in my yard taken from roots of this shrub. I love that continuity; that something my Granny planted and cared for thrives in my own piece of the earth.

I got this old rattan chair at an auction. You may see it as a piece of junk, but I saw it as a nice addition to my herb garden. My parents and I used to go to auctions every weekend. Dad just loved to "wheel and deal." The garlic chives blooming so nicely in front of the chair came from the herb garden of my mom's friend. In fact, the beginnings of my whole garden came from that same woman. Continuity.

These are just a few of the many 'objects' that hold special meaning for me. I have a deep love and appreciation for all things old. We discard and and replace things too easily in our modern world. Sadly enough, we tend to treat old people that way too. There is a line from the movie Seabiscuit that sums up how I feel. It goes something like this....you don't throw something away just because it is a little beat up. It still has some use to it and besides it's just nice to look at.

Visit Karmyn for more Fun Monday posts!

2007-02-13T21:07:00.000-06:00

Musical aficionados have long been enamoured with the purity of boy's unchanged voices. I recently discovered a vocal ensemble that takes my appreciation of the unchanged voice to a new level. 'Libera' is a group of young male performers who meet together at a church in South London to produce some of the most hauntingly beautiful vocal works I have ever heard. Their range and vocal flexibility is nothing but phenomenal. "With shimmering mystical chords and ecstatic harmonies, their voices provide a truly liberating and uplifting experience. At times chillingly plaintive, at others climactic and transcendent."

'Libera's' most recent recording, Angel Voices, is truly not to be missed. A variety of songs are offered all sung in a style that can only be described as ethereal. "They are boys, and they sing, but don't call them choirboys. 'Libera' prefer to be called a vocal group--a real boy band, if you like. And from the first soaring atmospheric moments of this CD you know that they are unlike any vocal group--or choirboys--you've ever heard."

You can view a complete listing of the songs from Angel Voices and hear sound clips at Libera:Angel Voices

On the 'lighter' side......

A perfect Valentine greeting for those of us who have run into trouble with matters of the heart ;)

2007-02-11T21:06:00.000-06:00

Why I Love Where I Live

I love where I live because this is where my story began. This county in Arkansas has been home to my family for over one hundred years. This is my home. This is my history. This is my heritage.

My part of Arkansas has hills, mountains, rivers and lakes. This land has a visceral pull that reaches to the very core of my soul. It strengthens. It sustains. In this land, I find peace.

I love the feel and smell of spring in the Arkansas air.......

I love the lush greenness of an Arkansas summer.....

The blaze of autumn-dressed trees and the frosty breath of an Arkansas winter.

I love where I live because I belong. I know my neighbors. We share past, present and future. We are a community. We are self-sufficient yet we share deep concern for each other. There is security. There is safety.

I've lived in five different states in large metropolitan areas that have populations of more than the entire county where I currently reside. Each place had its own beauty and its own good people. But the urban landscape no longer holds much appeal for me.

I am Southern born and bred. I was raised on God, greens and gracious living. I love where I live because I can spend an entire day sitting on a porch, sipping iced tea and visiting. And that day is considered an accomplishment of great merit rather than a waste.

Thank ya'll for comin' by. I surely enjoyed our visit. Come back soon and in the meantime, head on over to Marnie's place to find out why some other folks love where they live.

2007-02-09T23:44:00.000-06:00

A Conversation After Third Grade Choir

Excited little third grade girl: Miss T., Miss T. !!

Songbird using her excited teacher voice: What?!! What?!!

Little third grade girl bursting with excitement: I have stashes behind my knees!!!

Songbird enunciating slowly and clearly: You have stashes....?!!

Excited little third grade girl: Yeah, behind my knees!!!

Okay, all you maternal experts.... what in the world could this little girl be talking about?!! Rashes? Behind her knees?? If she had been wearing shorts or a skirt, I would have asked to see the 'stashes', but she was in jeans. I had at least a dozen other important "news bulletins" to listen to before the choir left the room so I didn't have a chance to ask her what the 'stashes' looked like. Have any of your children ever had 'stashes' behind their knees?!!

2007-02-08T20:25:00.000-06:00

Snow Day

The alarm went off before daylight. I turned the radio on just in time to hear the happy news, "No school today!" I snuggled back down beneath the blankets for another two hours of sleep. Later, when I got up, I looked out my bathroom window and this is what I saw. I really think it is a prettier view than the one from my front door!

The garden is beautiful in a blanket of snow. Mr. and Mrs. Chickadee build a nest every spring in this little house in the corner of my garden.

The view from the Chickadee's front door. Coneflower heads stay in my garden until spring to provide winter food for the birds. I bought the porch rails in the background at an auction. They provide stability for the flowers that grow around them in the spring.

The view from my bedroom window is beautiful in any season. The spirea on the left and the forsythia on the right erupt in fountains of white and yellow fowers in the spring. On this snowy day, their bare branches are decorated with snow frosting.

The dogs and I walked through a cathedral of trees to our nearest neighbor's house for an afternoon visit. Our neighbor is 81 and doesn't even attempt to get out in snowy weather. We had to make sure that she was cozy and warm.

Late in the afternoon all that remained were snow shadows and the promise of spring daffodils soon to come.

2007-02-02T20:19:00.000-06:00

Time For the Motherhood Talk

Meet Jasper, my miniature Dachshund, with one of his favorite toys when he was a year old. Isn't he a cutie?!! He will be five years old in June.

About six months ago I wrote this happy little post about my well-behaved pup. I was so pleased with the compliments he received. I was beaming with doggie parent pride! Tiggerlane , however, was quick to chastise me with the following comment.

"Okay, I'll declare you officially a 'mother' when you hold Jasper lovingly to your chest, all the while whispering in a soothing manner, 'There, there....it's okay,' --while he's throwing up in your hair. THEN we'll talk motherhood!! (insert evil laugh here.)"

Meet Jasper sleeping on my niece's tummy. It's just a Jasper thing. He loves to sack out while reclining on a person he loves. He snores. Loudly. Notice he sometimes sleeps with his teeth showing.

So, last Wednesday night I was packing for an overnight trip on Thursday to all state choir auditions. It had snowed earlier in the evening, just a light dusting on the ground and the temperature was in the teens. I went to bed around 11 P.M. Jasper was fidgety. He acted like he couldn't get comfortable, but he finally curled up by my feet while I was reading. After thirty minutes or so, I put my book down and turned off the light. I was just drifting off to sleep when Jasper started climbing on my legs to get up to his favorite sleeping spot on my tummy. Imagine my surprise when I felt something unnaturally warm and wet soaking through my pajamas. Yep, Jasper puked. He puked big time. All the way from my knees to my belly.

Now, believe it or not, I did pick Jasper up and hold him lovingly to my chest while I scrambled in my vomit soaked pajamas to the bathroom. He was whimpering as I laid him on the rug. His little tummy was distended and hard to the touch. Poor little pup. I soaked a washcloth in warm water and cleaned Jasper up. Then I got out of my soiled pj's, took a quick shower, put on clean pj's, removed all the bed linens, put clean sheets on the bed and threw all the pukey stuff in the washer. It was 12:45AM when I got back in bed. Then the real fun began.

Jasper just couldn't stay in one spot. His tummy hurt too bad. He would go to the door wanting outside so I would let him out then in five minutes or sometimes less, he would want back in. I just couldn't see making him stay outside because it was so cold and he was sick. But I knew he was trying to get rid of his tummy ache so I ended up on the couch where I would be near the door. I began worrying. If Jasper was still sick when it was time for me to go to school, what would I do with him? What was I going to do about my overnight trip? I couldn't leave Jasper at the kennel if he was still sick. All these thoughts and worries crowded my mind as I listened to Jasper whimper and whine and as I let him out and in....out and in.

I ended up with maybe two hours of uninterrupted sleep. Maybe. I was so relieved when I turned on the radio around 5:45 A.M. and heard that we weren't having school on Thursday because of icy road conditions. Several hours later I learned that all state choir auditions had been postponed due to the weather. In the meantime, Jasper got over his tummy ache.

We both took long naps and it snowed more on Thursday so we didn't have school today either.

Now this whole post may seem silly to some of you, but I will bet that those of you with human children have spent nights just like I described. I can't have children so I tend to lavish my maternal instincts and love on my animal babies. I know it isn't the same, but, still....Tigger, I think I'm ready for that motherhood talk you mentioned!

2007-01-31T20:13:00.000-06:00

Better Late Than Never

The Very Nice Man hosted a Monday post of childhood pictures and I signed up to participate. But, life just happens and I didn't get my pictures posted on Monday...or Tuesday. So, here I am, finally, on Wednesday.

I'm three years old sitting on Granny's sofa in my pajamas with my favorite teddy bear. Mom used this picture as a Christmas card. I can't remember my bear's name, but I do recall that he was blue and white.

Ten years old and posing at the piano in my Christmas recital dress. Love those shoes and socks!

Back to age three...almost four. Sitting in a row of Granny's daffodils along her garden fence in my cowgirl outfit minus my boots. My hat and my shirt were red.

Fast forward to age fourteen. Taken with my boyfriend at a school Christmas party.

My formal senior picture pose at age seventeen.

2007-01-25T22:16:00.000-06:00

A Must Read?

I just have to share this editorial from my local newspaper.

"Women without husbands

All right, ladies, the gig is up. It's time for all of us to get married, including you. I refer to The New York Times' recent report. After sorting through the U.S. Census data, The Times determined that for the first time in American history the majority of women, 51 percent, are living without a husband.

The story tore through the media like a lightning bolt. A slew of 'I am woman, hear me roar' stories hit the airwaves. The storyline was clear: women are finally free and independent now, and the last thing they need is some sloppy spouse who leaves his socks lying all over the house.

Well, nuts to that. Look, ladies, deciding not to marry for your own well-being is one thing, but it is we you're not marrying in the process. Your decision is killing single men--literally.

Single men partake in more risky behavior than married men. We eat badly, smoke more, and avoid doctors' offices. We die younger. And we're far more likely to wake up in a pile of crumpled newspapers still clutching the tequila bottle we began sipping from two days before.

The reason why is not complicated. We are social animals. Men and women are very different creatures, but we were made for each other. The Catholics call it complementarity--a man and woman, in union and harmony, round each other out.

Men need to be rounded out, too. Take dust. Because our brains take in less sensory detail than a woman's, we don't notice dust the way women do. Thus, married men tend to live in orderly, dust-free homes, whereas single men, says P.J. O'Rourke, clean up their place about once every girlfriend.

Though it's not like single women are faring much better.

The Times article quoted independent women raving about their freedom and flexibility. a 32-year old woman had already lived with two boyfriends and said that if she ever did marry, she might opt to keep her own place. Another said she likes being able to sleep on either side of the bed.

Oh, just admit, ladies. You need us, too. Sleeping next to a burping, snoring lug of a husband may not be the stuff dreams are made of, but it sure beats sleeping alone. And when you hear a prowler rattling the door knob in the middle of the night, whom do you send to investigate? Your cat?

I know The Times is eager for a more progressive society to take hold--one in which the stodgy traditional marriage is kicked to the wayside--but the fact is marriage, imperfect though it is, is good for us.

Married people are happier, says the Pew Research Center. They enjoy life more--they enjoy sex more, too. Children raised by married couples fare better. Society fares better. Successful civilizations are built on the stability that traditional marriage brings.

But despite these simple and obvious truths, we keep trying to reinvent our nature. We keep trying to prove there are better ways to fulfill our simple needs--keep trying to leave every option open, so that we can be 'free' and 'independent' forever.

And we end up alone.

I can't imagine what old folks homes will be like 40 years from now. There will be an unprecedented number of elderly single people living alone. No children or grandchildren will visit them--no spouse will care for them. I wonder if The Times will do a front-page piece on that trend, too.

All I know is that my life would certainly be better if I woke every morning in a full home in which my children are laughing and my wife is smiling, rather than the way I often wake now--with a throbbing noggin' because my single friends and I over-enjoyed our freedom and independence at the pub the night before.

Like I said, it's time for all of us to get married."

Well, how about it all you single women out in blogland? Anyone want to put this guy out of his unmarried misery? I certainly won't fight you to be first in line...or second....or third....come to think of it, I'll just pass. I think he makes a very convincing argument for remaining single.

2007-01-23T21:18:00.000-06:00

Welcome to Third Grade Music!!

In today's lesson, we will sing an African American spiritual, learn about the Underground Railroad and ride on our own rhythm train! Our musical vocabulary words are: beat, rhythm, spiritual and tempo. Let's begin with reading the paragraph at the top of page 44 in our music books.

"Many African American spirituals were used to send messages along the Underground Railroad. What message does the song below send? LISTEN to 'Train Is A-Comin.' SING the song and learn all the verses."

Before we listen to the song, who can tell us what the Underground Railroad was?

That is correct! The Underground Railroad was actually a network of many people who helped runaway slaves escape and helped them through their dangerous journeys from one point to another until they reached their final destination and freedom.

(Play the recording of "Train Is A-Comin'." Discuss the words and their message. Have the students sing the song with the recording and learn all the verses. Then ask them to sing the song from memory.)

Now it's time to ride on our own rhythm train! Remember that beat is the steady pulse felt in music and who can give me a definition for rhythm? Right again! Rhythm is the pattern of long and short sounds found in music. Today's new vocabulary word is tempo. Our tempo will be very important as we ride our rhythm train because tempo is the speed of music.

Our rhythm train has five different colored stations. Each station has a rhythm written on it and an instrument for you to play when your station color is called out by the conductor. I am the rhythm train conductor. I will set the tempo by keeping a steady beat. You are the train and you will move around the track as I say the rhythm train chant. Don't forget to play each rhythm twice keeping a steady tempo and beat!

Chugga, chugga, choo, choo, movin', movin'
Chugga, chugga, choo, choo, clickety-clack.
Chugga, chugga, choo, choo, movin', movin'
Ride the rhythm train on down the track.
Stop the train, it's time to play.
Find a station, don't delay.
Blue train box cars, lead us now,
Play your rhythms, you know how!

(Repeat the rhythm train chant at different tempos calling a different color station each time until all students have a turn playing a rhythm. As a grand finale, have all train box cars play their rhythms together.)

What a great job you did playing your rhythms! It's time for our rhythm train to move on back to your regular classroom. As I call your station color, move to the tempo and beat I am clapping and line up at the door. Pamela, you will be the engine and Swampy, you will be the caboose. See you all at our next music lesson!

2007-01-21T20:55:00.000-06:00

The View From My Front Door

Here it is!! The view from my front door. Not the world's greatest photography, but certainly not the worst either. The top picture is what I see when I stand in my house and open the front door. I have a screened porch that runs the entire length of my house so you are looking through screen, not a dirty window. Looks real green outside for January, huh? What you are seeing is pine, cedar and a lot of honeysuckle vine. The little willow gate in the center of the photo says "herbs" across the top. My porch is crammed full of collectibles. I have wind chimes hanging from the beams all across the front of the porch. That is a hickory tree on the right and you can see one of my three bird feeders outside on the left.

This is the view from the front door of my screened porch. There is the backside of my snowman banner, my storage shed, my very wet drive and lots more pine, cedar and honeysuckle vine out in the woods. I tried to get my dogs to pose out in the drive for you, but they said, "Are you crazy?!!! It's raining and too cold!"

2007-01-18T21:32:00.000-06:00

Water Music

King George I assumed the the crown of Great Britain and Ireland on August 1, 1714. He was the first British king from The House of Hanover. George supposedly could not speak English and his ministers could not speak German so right away one can see that the political climate surrounding King George I was not too serene. He was an extremely unpopular monarch. He was perceived as too German and his subjects did not hesitate to make fun of his "uncouth German ways". King George had his wife imprisoned in a castle. She was denied access to her children and forbidden to remarry. She was endowed with an income, establishment and servants. She was allowed to ride in a carriage outside the castle, with supervision, of course. While poor Sophia was locked away, George made merry with a succession of German mistresses. Yes, George was evidently quite the party animal and one of his favorite pastimes was to take pleasure in London's Thames river. You guessed it.....King George had a party barge.

Now in the 1700's, monster sound systems were in short supply and, surprisingly enough, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards weren't born yet, so King George I had to make do with what was available. He had the popular German composer, George Frideric Handel, write some music and get an orchestra together for a big party to be held on July 17, 1717. The party was described by yet another German, Friedrich Bonet: 'At about eight in the evening, the King repaired to his barge. Next to the King's barge was that of the musicians, about 50 in number....no singers. The music had been composed specially by the famous Handel....His Majesty's approval of it was so great that he caused it to be played three times in all, twice before and once after supper, even though each performance lasted an hour.'

Robert Dearling writes that "The Thames was crammed with boats whose occupants wanted to catch a glimpse of the royal party. From Whitehall the flotilla sailed majestically to Lord Ranelagh's residence at Chelsea where the party alighted and took a choice supper at 1 am. Two hours later it made it's way back, arriving at St. James's about 4:30 am. A leisurely trip, and time enough to enjoy Handel's music, even if Thameside residents may have found it a little unsuitable for small-hours listening."

Handel took enormous pains in composing Water Music. He wrote music to suit every eventuality the evening might present including quiet floating music, ceremonial fanfares, sounds to aid digestion, loud music to announce the king's passage along the river and so on and so forth.

Can you imagine witnessing this spectacle? The women and men in their ornate Baroque clothing and wigs. The banquet of food, the wine, the fireworks, the clandestine and not so clandestine liaisons, the intrigue..... all accompanied by Handel's magnificent Water Music.

If you are unfamiliar with Handel's Water Music, I strongly suggest you take the time to listen to it. I recommend the recording by Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields conducted by Sir Neville Marriner. You might recognize a few of the tunes as they are frequently used in weddings, the Olympic ceremonies and various other modern day events. There are twenty separate movements in the orchestral work so the listener is sure to find some bit of music that suits his or her fancy.

As the music floats through my headphones tonight, I think of the word 'effervescent'. And, though perhaps not historically accurate, I imagine the bell-like tones of crystal goblets filled with champagne as they meet in a toast to the pleasures of life.

2007-01-15T21:07:00.000-06:00

I'm Just Saying......

Tonight the thermometer on my screened-in porch reads just below 20 degrees, but for most of the winter we, in western Arkansas, have had spring-like temperatures. It was this cold for about four nights the first full week of December and that was it. Until tonight. In fact, it didn't get above freezing all day today and that was a first for this winter season.

I've been looking at ice and snow pictures across the blogosphere and....there's no other way to put it....I feel left out. Not that I want catastrophic weather events or anything like that, but I would like some real winter weather. I don't want my daffodils to bloom in January, but if Old Man Winter doesn't stick around this time, I will be posting flower pictures soon.

Anyway, I decided to post some pictures of The Ice Storm that hit this area in 2000-2001. I'd never seen anything like it when the storm arrived and, honestly, I don't want to see anything like it again. I like cold weather. I love a good snow. The ice can stay in Antarctica.

This is my drive. I couldn't go anywhere because there were trees completely across it. I couldn't go anywhere anyway. All the roads were covered with ice! Eleven days with no electricity. I had gas for heating and cooking, but no water. I didn't spend the entire eleven days in my house though. My sister lived in town and her electricity was restored before mine so I spent part of the time at her house.

Trees along the road bedecked with their ice jewels.

This is the road running west at the end of my drive. I live about 4 miles from the Oklahoma border. Doesn't this shot make you feel a bit claustrophobic after looking at Vicki's wide open spaces?

2007-01-12T21:38:00.000-06:00

This morning I found a lunch charge envelope decorated with hearts in my high school mail box. In the envelope was the following letter:

"This is sloppy! My bad! Hello, Mrs. (my name),
I have decided to get my GED....it's probably not the best thing, but this is what I need! I just wanted to inform you that it was your class; 1st hour choir that kept me going this long! Ya know just wanting to come to school so I could sing is kind of crazy! I know I can sing, but I'm just shy :( ! That's what I love doing is singing, dancing and art stuff is pretty much me! I just wanted to say I loved your class and the people in it! I'll miss you and the class! I (heart) you! (student name) !!"

I read this letter at least ten times throughout the day. How grateful and honored I am to know that my choir class touched this girl's life in such a positive way. How saddened I am to lose her smiling face and beautiful voice. How frustrated I feel that a sixteen year old fell through the cracks of our educational system. How strongly I hope that this young lady will stick with her goal to obtain her GED. How fervently I pray that she will have the strength and determination to rise above the personal circumstances of her life and seek positive changes for her future.

Letting them go is so very, very hard.

2007-01-10T16:47:00.000-06:00

This One's For Betty!!

I found the perfect illustration for Betty's recent rant about Medicare.

2007-01-08T20:12:00.000-06:00

It was the summer of 1977. In early July, I flew to Montreal where I hooked up with my college roommate. Our plan was to spend several weeks at her parents' home on Lake Champlain near Plattsburgh, New York, then we would begin the long drive south to Monroe, Louisiana, where we would begin our sophomore year at Northeast Louisiana University in Monroe. We would spend a couple of nights on the road making it to Bolivar, Tennessee, on the third day of our journey south where we would spend two days with my roommate's grandparents. The next leg of our journey would be the drive from Bolivar to my parents' home in Arkansas. We would spend three or four days there then move on down Highway 71 to Shreveport and across Louisiana on Interstate 20 to Monroe.

It was to be a summer of many 'firsts' for me beginning with Montreal. I had never left the boundaries of the United States before. My roommate's parents were firm believers in the cocktail hour before dinner and I developed a definite taste for a gin and tonic with a twist of lime. We explored Vermont and New Hampshire, beautiful states that I had never seen before. We visited a ski resort in Vermont whose name I have forgotten. We drove to Au Sable Forks, a village in New York, and spent some time at Au Sable Chasm. My roommate's parents owned a large sailboat and I went sailing for the first time. I absolutely loved it. We bought live lobsters at a market and cooked them for dinner one evening. We celebrated my birthday on July 29 with a prime rib dinner then toasted marshmallows in the fireplace. I had to wear a coat outside on my birthday. A definite first for a newly turned nineteen year old from Arkansas. We stood in line for hours to get tickets for Star Wars. All in all, it was an amazing vacation filled with so many new experiences that I have probably forgotten more events than I remember.

In fact, I don't remember very much at all about our long drive back to Louisiana. I do, however, remember one thing quite clearly. We happened to be driving through Memphis, Tennessee, on August 16, 1977. I don't have the clarity of memory to tell you exactly what time it was or what my roommate and I were talking about, but I can recall that we heard a bulletin on the radio telling the world that Elvis Presley was dead. We didn't stop. We didn't drive to Graceland. We did drive in silence for some time. An American icon was gone. We were stunned.

If Elvis Presley were still alive, he would be 72 years old today. He was a poor Southern boy from Tupelo, Mississippi, and he became one of the most famous people in the world. When Elvis first entered the Sun recording studio he was asked, "Who do you sound like?" The eighteen year old Elvis replied, "I don't sound like nobody." And, now, even 30 years after his death, people are still trying to sound like Elvis. It doesn't matter if you like his music. It doesn't matter if you respect the humble and generous person that he was. You have to admit that Elvis Presley was a true example of the democratic ideal. He was a revolutionary musician and his life is a legacy to freedom and the unlimited possibilities of the American dream.

2007-01-03T20:49:00.000-06:00

Ava Bell

Ava Bell was my Granny W. She was born in 1897 and didn't get married until her early twenties which made her an "old" bride in that day and age. She also married a younger man by two years. She had eight children without ever stepping foot into a hospital. Her youngest child was my mother who was born when Ava Bell was 41 years old.

Look at that pretty dress and those shoes!! This picture was taken sometime during the 30's when my grandparents moved from Arkansas to Turkey, Texas, because there were better jobs there during the Depression years. Look at their two oldest sons being pranksters in the background. Don't you love those caps?! You can't see the details, but Grandpa is wearing a plaid tie.

Granny W. was one of the most influential people in my life. She was a devout Christian and was one of those lovely people who never had a bad word to say about anyone. No matter what a person had said or done, Granny always found something positive to say about them. She had her share of hardships and sorrow in her life, but she was rarely unhappy. She didn't talk about her troubles, she talked about her blessings. Her philosophy was that no matter how bad things were, there was always so much to be thankful for.

Ava Bell loved birds. Cardinals were her favorite. She would make an extra pan of cornbread to crumble up and feed "her" birds. She could identify birds by their songs. The pages of her bird book were as frayed and worn as the pages of her Bible. She also loved flowers and her house was always surrounded by a profusion of blooms.

Granny was a great cook. She canned vegetables, made jelly, baked bread and pastries, made sweet and dill pickles, canned a vegetable soup mix that was out of this world good and cooked so many other delicious foods. I remember her doing all this with a gas cook stove. My mom remembers when Granny did it all with a wood cook stove. Granny also made sauerkraut and she had a little Daisy churn that she used to make butter. Her kitchen was always full of wonderful things to eat. My mom and I have often talked about how all of us bring food to our big family holiday dinners, but when Granny was alive and we had those dinners at her house, she did all the cooking. Her daughters and daughters-in-law cleaned up and washed the dishes, but Ava Bell was The Cook.

Ava Bell was a very modest woman. See how she made sure her knees were covered before I took this picture? I can just hear her fussing at me for letting people see this picture because her slip is showing just a bit. When Granny got her Sears Roebuck and Montgomery Ward catalogs in the mail, she would sit down to look through them with a pen in hand. She didn't put an 'x' by things she wanted, she colored in the midriffs of the models wearing two-piece swimsuits. If a skirt was really short, she might add an ink ruffle to it. If I wore a dress that Granny considered too short and too low cut in the neckline, she would politely compliment me on my nice, wide "belt".

Oh, there are so many other things I could tell you about Ava Bell. Her life is as full of intricate pieces as the the beautiful quilts she stitched by hand. But it is late tonight and I have school tomorrow so I will have to post more about her another time.

2007-01-01T22:39:00.000-06:00

A New Year, A New Book

I began the New Year by finishing a really great book, "Dead Watch" by John Sandford. I literally couldn't put it down. It is a political thriller set primarily in Washington D.C. and Virginia. I don't want to tell you too much about the story in case you decide to read the book, but it does involve the kidnapping of a former Senator. The main character is a man named Jacob Winter who specializes in what he calls forensic bureaucracy. Winter is an Army Intelligence veteran and when something goes wrong, he probes and pries until he finds out what really happened. The Democratic White House is his main client and Winter is asked to locate the missing former Senator. There is quite a bit of violence in this book and one rather gruesome murder. So if you don't like thrillers with dead bodies, then this book isn't for you!

Jacob Winter is a new character in John Sandford's writing. Sandford has written sixteen books in the Prey series, so called because each book has 'Prey' in the title. The main character in the Prey books is Lucas Davenport, a cop (and so much more) in Minneapolis. I own all of the Prey series. They are all good thrillers, too, and, just to let you know, they all contain violence.

John Sandford is actually a pseudonym for John R. Camp. Camp was awarded a Pulitzer prize in 1986 for a series of newspaper articles titled "Life on the Land: An American Farm Family". The series was written during the mid west farm crisis. You can find out more about Sandford/Camp here.

Tomorrow is my last day of Christmas vacation so I have to put away good books and get my lesson plans prepared for the second semester of the school year. I had a great break and I'm ready to get my choirs shaped up for the next flurry of performances!

2006-12-27T22:02:00.000-06:00

Musical Downsizing

My brother gave me three CD's for Christmas. Nothing too surprising about that. He always asks for a Christmas "wish list" and the selections he gave me were taken from my list. I was, however, I bit shocked with my own musical requests. I tend to like lush, melodic, 'large' music with a myriad of instruments and beautiful harmony. Puccini operas, Mozart, Beethoven, the Beatles, the Eagles, Guns 'n' Roses, vocalists backed with an orchestra, large choirs singing intricate harmonies.

I am the first to admit that I am a bit of a musical fanatic. I teach music. I think about it a lot. I am immersed in it. I love music. And I have very strong musical opinions. I am totally appalled by many of the musical offerings available to the public in this day and age. It seems we have reached a point where talent, musical knowledge, musical technique and even musical ability are no longer a requirement for superstardom. So many vocalists and bands sound exactly the same to me. I firmly believe their 'sameness' derives from the fact that so many of today's "artists" are not really musicians. Or maybe I should say that so many of today's "musicians" are not really artists. Regardless, and before I really get into a major sermon based on my musical views, I think a lot of the so called music on the market today is just commercial crap. I mean Paris Hilton a musician? Give me a break.

Now....back to what I began to write about in my first paragraph.....I know, I know...I get carried away. What can I say? I'm a classically trained musician. I could discuss and debate music for days. I surprised myself with my musical wish list because I strayed from my usual listening tastes and, no, I did not ask for the Paris Hilton CD.

I was a Kris Kristofferson fan in the 70's. He wrote some great music and I was totally into the Barbra Streisand/Kris Kristofferson flick A Star Is Born. Kris played an aging rock star on his way out and his character in the movie seemed rather prophetic for what was happening in his real life musical career. His voice was sort of rusty and abused. And he pretty much had a personal and professional meltdown in the 80's. I wanted to hear what he had to offer as a solo artist twenty-something years later so I asked for his 2006 release "This Old Road". I am not disappointed. His voice is cleaner than I've ever heard it. Kris isn't a very melodic singer and most of the songs on this CD are very sparse. Mostly just Kris and a guitar. His lyrics are layered with nuance and wisdom. Very powerful. A sample from "In The News": "...Burning up the atmosphere and cutting down the trees; The billion dollar bombing of a nation on its knees; Anyone not marching to their tune they call it treason; Everyone says God is on his side. See the lightning, hear the cries; Of the wounded in a world in Holy war; Mortal thunder from the skies; Killing everything they say they're fighting for....."

Next on my wish list was the soundtrack from Brokeback Mountain. No discussion of the subject matter of the movie.....maybe we'll do that in another post. The music from this movie is excellent. Again, very sparse. Most of it is guitar, pump organ and pedal steel guitar. Haunting melodies with unexpected harmonic twists here and there. Some excellent collaborations between Gustav Santaolalla and Bernie Taupin. Great vocals by Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris and others.

Last, but not least, my brother gave me Dwight Yoakam's "Blame The Vain". It is a 2005 release, but I didn't have it yet. Again, I am not disappointed. Classic Yoakam with a few quirky surprises thrown in for good measure. Not as sparse as Kristofferson and the Brokeback Mountain soundtrack, but I love that Bakersfield sound. We lost Buck Owens this year so it is up to Dwight to keep it going.

Hope you had the merriest Christmas ever and Happy New Year! I'm gonna listen to some good tunes now........

2006-12-22T22:36:00.000-06:00

I've been thinking a lot about the Christmas question and answers I've seen in so many posts. One particular question has been stuck in my mind: Your favorite Christmas gift? There are so many gifts to choose from. I thought of the antique rocking chair, the pink doll cradle and the china tea set. I remembered countless dolls. I named them all. I dressed and undressed them, combed their hair, hugged them before going to sleep, spent hours playing with them. The farm set was a definite favorite. My first real cat, Sunshine, and later as a teenager, another cat named Kitty Blue. The Lane cedar chest, the birthstone ring, sweaters, skirts, a pair of white majorette boots with tassles. The list goes on and on because Christmas with my family has always been such a wonderful time of giving and receiving.

But to narrow the list to my very favorite Christmas gift seemed almost impossible until late one night it occurred to me that my absolute favorite gift, the most precious gift of all was years. The 19 years I had with my Grandpa T., the 29 years I had with my Grandma W., the 30 years I had with my Grandma T., the 36 years I shared Christmas with Grandpa W. and the 42 years I shared Christmas with my dad. Some of these years were spent physically far apart, but never were they not shared.

The sad thing about the gift of years is that sometimes the realization of how awesomely precious that gift is only comes when the gift is no longer received. The marvelous, happy thing about the gift of years is that you had all that time with people you loved in the first place. And all the experiences of those years are stored in the heart and soul.

So in this special season, I am so thankful for the gift of years that I am still receiving from those I hold dear and I am also thankful that I can give the gift of another year to those I love. I am thankful for the memories of gifts of the past and I look forward to the gifts of the future. Cherish each moment with those you love. The years are the true treasures of giving.

"The most vivid memories of Christmases past are usually not of gifts given or received, but of the spirit of love....the cherished little habits of the home....Christmas, my child, is love in action.....When you love someone, you give to them, as God gives to us. The greatest gift He ever gave was the person of His Son."

2006-12-18T20:31:00.000-06:00

Songbird.......The Early Years

My cousin has been going through her mom's old pictures and she (my cousin) enclosed these family photos in the Christmas card she sent to me.

I was 11 days old when this picture was taken. My dad is holding me and you can see a picture of my mom in the background. Mom wrote this on the back of the picture: "She's sure heavy. See the muscles and veins standing out." I weighed nine pounds and I can't remember how many ounces at birth. Knowing me, I had probably already gained 3 or 4 pounds in eleven days!

I am eight months old in this shot. Dad is wearing his Cities Service uniform. He eventually bought the service station where he worked at the time this picture was taken. That is my grandparent's house. We lived with them until I was three. I don't know a thing about that little backpack seat I am in. It's a nifty carrier, isn't it?

Ahhhh.....one of many lovely dresses with a pinafore that my Granny W. made for me. Look at those starched ruffles! This is an Easter picture taken when I was two. What a princess!!

One of my favorite photos of all time. This family portrait was taken in the summer right before I turned three. My dad was 24 and my mom 22. We moved into our new house later that year. The dog is Togo. He belonged to my grandparents. I still love black and tan Dachshunds!!

2006-12-16T22:56:00.000-06:00

Why I Like Matthew

He isn't necessarily my favorite actor and I definitely don't know the man beyond what I've read about him, but based on what I have read, seen and heard of Matthew McConaughey, I believe he would be a wonderful person to know. We have things in common, Matthew and I, and for that reason alone, I can identify with him. It makes him seem more real to me. And, no, I don't have some sort of mid-life crush on a celebrity. Although he is undeniably handsome, there seems to be a lot more to the man than just his rugged good looks. His favorite causes are anything that deals with kids. He did all the decorating and landscaping for his home in Los Angeles. He also owns a working ranch in Texas. By his own admission, he cries a lot. He loves music and animals. I could go on, but instead I will let Matthew speak for himself. "We make a choice every day; to live or not. I want to live life--to see it, smell it, touch it, breathe it, savor it, feel it, be it. I think of life as a river, hopefully a long river.....we are the navigator, we are the oar, we're steering....I'm thanking Him instead of asking Him for something. Look at my life: I've got a house and food. So many people out there don't have that. I'm grateful to God every day for my life. I'm blessed to have the ability to work, and I try to do the best that I can. Tomorrow is not guaranteed. I never want to be complacent or take it for granted. I want to just keep livin'!" (Cowboys and Indians, October 2006)

2006-12-14T20:32:00.000-06:00

I Tried

I was so excited to have some time at home this evening to catch up on reading and commenting on blogs. Blogger, however, has other ideas. I have been reading, but I can't comment as Songbird, as Anonymous, or as Other. Who knows? Maybe after I get this posted, I will suddenly be able to comment again. In the meantime, here is a picture of my senior high choir, The Bearcat Chorus, at our Christmas concert on December 5. Aren't they a good looking group?! The ladies in red and the men in tuxes are also members of The Spotlight Singers and Sweet Harmony, my two auditioned ensembles.

The large wreath was part of the decorations for the second grade musical which was held the night before our concert. The wreath is made out of little second grader "hand prints". They traced their hands on green paper, cut out the hand prints and their music teacher fashioned all those little prints into two lovely wreaths. The second grade music teacher has two children in the Bearcat Chorus and she also plays piano for the middle school choir and she played two pieces for the senior high groups. She is a busy woman this time of year, too!

This is me and one of my students. Her mother took the picture after the All Region Honors Choir concert several weeks ago. ( I had to show my front side since all you can see in the group shot above is my backside!! )

2006-12-07T21:16:00.000-06:00

Deck the hall with boughs of holly, fa la la la la la la la la!
'Tis the season to be jolly, fa la la la la la la la la!
Don we now our gay apparel, fa la la la la la la la la!
Troll the ancient Yuletide carol, fa la la la la la la la la!

The Tuesday night concert was magical. Caroling tonight for our local Christmas Tour of Homes was also wonderful. I'm having so much fun!!

It is nineteen degrees outside and almost as bright as day with a big ole moon hanging in the sky and a multitude of bright, twinkling stars keeping it company. Oh, how I love life!! I think I could sing all night.

Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright.
Round yon virgin, mother and child,
Holy infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace.

2006-12-04T19:55:00.000-06:00

The Season of Singing

It's here! One of the busiest times of the year for those of us in the entertainment business....oh, excuse me....I mean for those of us who teach choir and music in a public school. Who am I kidding?! It's a busy time of year for all of us. Anyway, you may have noticed that my posts have been few and far between lately and they will more than likely be even fewer and farther between for the next two weeks. My high school/middle school concert is tomorrow night. My two senior high auditioned ensembles have two community performances Thursday night. I sing in my church choir and we have our final rehearsal Wednesday night for the cantata we will present Sunday morning. Next Monday is the elementary choir concert. Next Thursday is my fifth grade Christmas musical and next Friday I travel to Little Rock with my 40-member fifth grade choir to sing in the rotunda of our State Capitol. Then back home that evening with the senior high choir to sing the National Anthem at a basketball game. The following Monday I have two more performances with school groups for community organizations. So I have a few things to do, but it really is a lot of fun. Just a lot to stay on top of and a lot of behind the scenes planning and organization.

In weather news.....we didn't get much snow last week in the part of Arkansas where I live. There wasn't enough to run out and take pictures of, but I truly wanted to post snow pictures so here are a few from years past.

This is Jasper posing in his first big snow. You can barely see a bit of snow on his nose because the first thing he had to do was dig in it.

Cherokee at the end of the drive. We were heading out on the road for a walk. I am not sure what she is looking at so intently.

The river bridge about a half mile from my house. It was actually snowing when I took this picture. I love this old bridge. Isn't it pretty all decorated with snow?!! For more pictures and some information about the bridge go here and here.

Last, but not least, my front yard. Those are bird feeders lined up on the left. They have red Christmas bows on them. The dead cedar tree is no longer in the middle of my yard. I thought it was a potential hazard to my roof so I had it cut.

2006-11-29T21:25:00.000-06:00

Tigger Tag

I've been tagged by Tiggerlane to list Ten Simple Pleasures. My, oh, my it is difficult to narrow the list to ten!! I'll do my best.

1. Digging in the dirt in order to plant the flowers, herbs, vegetables and shrubs that reside in my little patch of earth.

2. The faithful and loving companionship of my dogs and cat.

3. Spending time with my mom.

4. Hugging my nieces.

5. Putting on my headphones and losing myself in a piece of classical music.

6. The hushed purity of new fallen snow.

7. The smell of the woods after a rain.

8. Singing.

9. Reading a real nail-biter of a book.

10. Smiles.

2006-11-25T19:21:00.000-06:00

Christmas and Candlelight

One of my favorite traditions of the holiday season is to visit Old Washington, Arkansas for the Christmas and Candlelight celebration. Old Washington was established in 1824 on what was at that time a major thoroughfare through the land that would eventually become the state of Arkansas. On September 10, 1863, Little Rock was captured by General Frederick Steele and his Union Army and the Confederate Capitol of Arkansas was moved to Old Washington. It was at one time a bustling metropolis of political and geographical importance in the Old South.

Currently, Old Washington is a quiet village of private homes and 30 restored historical buildings maintained, in part, by the National Society of Historical Preservation. It is also an Arkansas state park. The village is full of Southern Greek Revival and Federalist architecture. Visitors walk along plank board sidewalks beside streets that have never been paved. There is an abundance of magnolia trees and in the spring daffodils bloom with abandon throughout the town.

On the first Saturday in December, Old Washington is adorned with 19th century decorations for the Christmas season. Live greenery swags and wreaths embellish every door, gate and fence. Fruit and herbs are also used in abundance. One of the most amazing sights is the 3,000 luminaries that line every street, driveway and path in Old Washington.

At dusk, area Boy Scout troops swarm through the village and light the luminaries. Minstrels in period dress sing carols as they walk along the streets. Candles twinkle in windows and choirs sing in the churches. A string quartet serenades from the courthouse while the Old Tavern fireplace burns warmly to welcome all who seek respite from the evening chill. Live Christmas trees strung with popcorn, cranberries and other period decorations, grace each building with the sight and scents of the season.

Father Christmas greets children and adults alike as he walks along the streets of the town. Festively decorated carriages also move through the streets.

Old Washington is a beautiful place to visit at any time of year, but I love it most at Christmas. It is a living piece of history that I cherish.

2006-11-23T23:39:00.000-06:00

"We are all of us from birth to death guests at a table which we did not spread.

The sun, the earth, love, friends, our very breath are parts of this banquet...."

Rebecca Harding Davis, 1831-1910 (American Author and Journalist)

I've got a roof overhead, stars if I choose, but I've no need to fly,
I've got no itch to move
got almost nothing, but I understand
that I don't need anything that I don't have.

Glen Phillips (American Singer and Songwriter)

From his song: 'Don't Need Anything'

2006-11-19T20:45:00.000-06:00

It occurred to me this morning as I was stuffing myself into a pair of control top pantyhose, that I no longer wear undergarments. I wear body armour. It seems all my undergarments are made of industrial strength elastic layers and reinforced with titanium. My underwear is designed to lift, shape, control, protect, reduce and otherwise disguise the truth about my body.

What happened to all the silky, satiny, lacey items I used to pull from my lingerie drawer? All of my beautiful, sexy undergarments have slowly disappeared over the last 10-12 years. I once owned a lavender camisole that tied up the front with 20 tiny satin ribbons. Now I am excited by extra padding on the shoulder straps and by how good my legs feel if I wear support hose when I know I am going to be on my feet all day.

And, yes, I know that I could have left off a few cheeseburgers, dishes of ice cream and second helpings of coconut cream pie, but, really I am thankful for every extra pound and every sign that my body is growing older. I am thankful at the same time that I am trying to lose those extra pounds and while I am working to look as young as I feel. I am thankful because those extra pounds mean that I have more than enough to eat. I am thankful because I have the opportunity as a woman to be financially independent and to make decisions for myself. I am thankful to be alive. I am thankful that I do not have to live in fear.

So, while I may not be particularly happy with the contents of my lingerie drawer, I can still find many reasons to be thankful for those very contents. May you also find an abundance of reasons to be thankful during this holiday week.

2006-11-16T21:24:00.000-06:00

Just some pretty pictures taken on a drive in the mountains several weeks ago. The colors have dimmed and thanks to very blustery winds for the last couple of days, the leaves are just about all on the ground. Winter is definitely on its way to Arkansas.

2006-11-11T19:37:00.000-06:00

Every October Mom pulls Hank out of her shed and fluffs him up with some new hay, a new bandana and maybe some new clothes if he needs them. Hank has had the same hat for years. Mom sits Hank on a bale of hay, surrounds him with pumpkins and leaves him to greet anyone who passes by.

Every morning my mom eats breakfast on her front porch. If it is cold, she adds more layers of clothing and wraps herself in a blanket. Sometimes she builds a fire in her outdoor fire pit. On this particular morning, she took pictures of the last hay cutting in her little hay meadow. The sun was just peeking out over the hills behind her house to spotlight the gold tree at the edge of the meadow.

The sun rose higher and graced the ridge in the distance with its rays. It was a brisk, cool morning. See the cloud of mist on the far right? It marks the location of the pond. Later this same day, the hay was baled. Mom only got 80 bales with her last cutting, but it was the third cutting of the year. She hauled all 80 bales by herself. I was out of town on a trip with my choir kids and she just couldn't wait for me to get back and help her. Did I mention that my mom is sixty-seven?!!

2006-11-09T18:57:00.000-06:00

I moved back to Arkansas in 1990 after having lived in several different states during the previous fourteen years. The little house I ended up buying had a wood stove. My parents had a wood stove in the house I grew up in so I wasn't totally unfamiliar with wood heating. I also had a wood stove in a cute apartment that I rented when I lived in Boulder, Colorado. The stove in Boulder wasn't my primary source of heat. It was mainly an ambiance-type thing that my landlady had added to the apartment so she could charge more rent.

See the wood stove behind the rocking chair? Ambiance. By the way, that cute kitten is Muffin, my Colorado kitty. She lived for 21 years, but I am digressing from my story.....

So I had a wood stove in my house in 1990 and I felt sufficiently experienced to handle wood heating. One day I came home from school, stoked up a fire in my stove, added some wood, closed the stove door and went outside to play with my dogs in the backyard. I don't know how long I was outside, but eventually I became aware of a funny noise emanating from my house. It finally dawned on me that I was hearing the smoke alarm. (Sound familiar, Karmyn?!!) I rushed in the back door to find my house filled with smoke. My carpet behind the stove was smouldering and flames were licking up the outside of the stove pipe toward the ceiling. Aaaiiiieeeee!!! We didn't have county-wide 911 service at the time so I had to call the county sheriff's office. I was so freaked out that I forgot to tell them my address. I did remember to give my name to the dispatcher and, luckily, I live in a small town where everybody knows everybody so when the dispatcher contacted the rural fire department, the volunteer firemen knew exactly where to come. In the meantime, I had called my parents who live a little over two miles from me. It seemed I had just barely hung up the phone when my parents' truck flew down my driveway and slammed to a halt outside. My dad leapt from the truck, fire extinguisher in hand, and hit my front door at a gallop. He had that fire extinguisher spraying the minute he entered my house. ( The wood stove was all the way across the room from my front door. ) The rural fire department arrived a few minutes later. Of course, Dad had totally put out the fire, but the firemen checked out my attic and the roof and made sure my house was secure.

The firemen left. Mom, Dad and I were left standing in my livingroom staring at the trail of fire extinguisher contents leading from my front door, across furniture and across the floor to my wood stove. We started laughing. We laughed so hard our stomachs hurt. It was the laughter of relief, but it was also laughter at my dad's mad dash and heroic squirting of fire extinguisher goop all over my livingroom. To this day I remember the vision of Dad and his fire extinguisher. I hear the Indiana Jone's theme in my mind as Dad, the hero, saved the day.

My mom, ever the pragmatist, said, "Why didn't you just throw a bucket of water on that fire and put it out?" As those words echoed in my livingroom, I realized a wood stove was not for me. I never once thought of putting the fire out with water. Duh......

I sold my wood stove and started using gas for heat. A couple of months later I received a lovely red fire extinguisher as a Christmas gift. It was from Dad......just in case.

2006-11-07T20:02:00.000-06:00

I had some beautiful mountain scenery for you to look at, but I can't get my pictures to load so.....

I'm back. I've been sick. One positive thing about being so sick is that I lost 5 pounds. Another positive thing is I got to lay around on my couch or in bed for almost an entire week. I won't bother listing the negative things!!!

2006-10-26T19:30:00.000-05:00

Talking to a Smart Feller

My Grandpa W. was a handsome man. He was born in 1900 in Chidister, Arkansas. His father was a circuit riding Methodist minister. Grandpa was a lay minister in the United Methodist Church. He knew the Bible better than any person I have ever met. He could quote entire chapters and many of the Psalms. He taught an adult Sunday School class for years and years and preached from the pulpit in the ordained minister's absence. Grandpa also had a beautiful bass singing voice. He, Mom and I used to sing "Just a Closer Walk With Thee" and "Take My Hand Precious Lord" at church. Grandpa was a carpenter by trade, but he also worked in a grocery store, picked cotton during the Depression years and worked for the Forestry Service until he was well into his 80's.

Grandpa was also a gardener. He and Grandma planted, raised and harvested huge amounts of all sorts of vegetables. They raised the best corn I have ever tasted and Grandpa was always quite proud of his watermelon harvest. Grandpa rigged up his own irrigation system from his pond to the garden. It was quite an enterprise. Once when I was a little girl, Grandma sent me to the garden to check on Grandpa. Looking back on this as an adult, I figure Grandma really just needed to get me out of her hair for awhile, but as a child I thought I was really helping her keep an eye on Grandpa. When I arrived at the garden, I could hear Grandpa talking. He was standing in his open sided garden shed smoking a cigarette and talking.....but there was no one else there. I asked Grandpa who he was talking to and he replied, "I'm talking to a smart feller." When I finally made it back to the house, Grandma asked me what Grandpa was doing. I told her that he was smoking and talking to a smart feller. Granny shook her head and said, "That man sure thinks a lot of himself." I really didn't understand the humor until I was older, but I sure remember Grandpa talking to that smart feller alot!

Grandpa rolled his own cigarettes. He used Prince Albert tobacco which came in thin red cans. He also saved watermelon seeds from year to year and stored the seeds in empty Prince Albert cans. One year when he was older and his eyesight wasn't as good as in his younger days, he grabbed the wrong can and rolled a cigarette using watermelon seeds. He didn't notice what he had done until he tried to light up. He was probably too busy talking to that smart feller to notice the difference in texture between tobacco and watermelon seeds. I can still hear him telling that story on himself. He had a big, booming laugh that encompassed his whole body.

Grandma died in 1987. She and Grandpa had been married over 60 years. In February of 1988, on Grandpa's 88th birthday, he decided he wanted to fly out to visit with me in Salisbury, Maryland. He had never been on a plane before!! Mom and Grandpa arrived in Salisbury with the remnants of a large birthday cake. The flight crew had surprised Grandpa with a little birthday celebration on the plane. Grandpa was also proudly sporting Captain's wings pinned to his lapel. During their visit, I took Mom and Grandpa to Chincoteague which is where the picture above was taken. That was Grandpa's first and only view of the ocean.

Grandpa could be stern and bit gruff. Some of my cousins were afraid of him, but I never was. Underneath the bluster he was just......my Grandpa. He told great stories, bought me Pepsi's and Moon Pie's and helped me break up the ground and plant my first garden when he was ninety-one years old. He led a rich and full life and he really was a very smart feller.

2006-10-23T19:38:00.000-05:00

Those of you who read my previous post saw the links to Homecoming 2006 at the school where I teach. I had to dig, but I finally found one of my homecoming pictures.

In 1974-75, I was a junior maid on the homecoming court. We didn't have football at the small town school that I attended so our homecoming was generally held in early November and it was all about basketball. My mother made my dress and, believe it or not, the dress raised quite a few eyebrows. It was the only dress on the homecoming court that didn't have sleeves. The homecoming ceremonies took place before the basketball games so that our escorts could wear their best polyester suits to parade us girls around the gym floor.

My escort was one of my dearest friends. He matured into a quite handsome man who currently wears his hair very short and wouldn't be caught dead in a suit like he has on in this picture. I have his daughter in one of my music classes.

I was a senior maid at homecoming the next year, but I couldn't find that picture. Always a maid, never the Queen.

2006-10-21T23:13:00.000-05:00

Odds And Ends

The leaves are slowly turning. This shot reminds me of "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost. There really aren't two roads diverging, but this woodland scene is definitely bathed in a golden yellow hue.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as far that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

The golden hue of the day stretched to the river near my home. This shot was taken from the center of the bridge. The leaves will be even more beautiful in another week or so.

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Remember My Exceptionally Beautiful Student ? She was a senior maid on this years' Homecoming Court. You can see her here and here. MEBS is in the white gown with the hoop skirt. There is a large frame shot on the right in both links and thumbnail shots on the left. MEBS was chosen to perform at the National FFA Convention in Indiana next week. She will be singing a 30-minute program of country music hits.

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I spent my first Saturday in three weeks at home. It was a beautiful day and I worked outside getting my yard and garden beds ready for winter. I baked a fresh apple cake tonight. The recipe included a caramel sauce to drizzle over individual slices of cake. It is yummy!

2006-10-19T20:48:00.000-05:00

Alright, Tiggerlane, why would anyone just presume that I don't "often share your musical interests"? !!! Are you saying that our readers should presume that I am a more serious musician than you are? Are you telling our readers that I don't reach your musical standards because I don't listen to Panic At The Disco and the Gnarly Whatevers? Is this a round-a-bout way of making sure our readers remember that I am ten years older than you? ARE YOU ASKING OUR READERS TO PRESUME THAT I AM NOT COOL?!!!!

FYI, dear readers.....I am a classically trained pianist and a classically trained vocalist. I eat, sleep and breathe music because I teach music and because I absolutely adore music. And, yes, I take music very seriously. My dear friend, Tiggerlane , is the undisputed Queen of Pop Culture. I bow to her vast knowledge of all things current including pop music. But please don't presume that I am a narrow minded musical bigot!! As a matter of fact, as I type, I am listening to Frank Sinatra Reprise. Is that not cool?!!! Oh, he's crooning Fly Me To The Moon in my ears....."Fill my heart with song and let me sing forever more. You are all I long for, all I worship and adore. In other words, please be true. In other words, I love you....."

Now I don't have any fancy little clips for you to listen to or watch or whatever....sorry! But here are some other selections from my current listening list: Dixie Chicks Wide Open Spaces; Mozart Requiem; Guns 'n' Roses Greatest Hits; soundtrack from Collateral; Vivaldi The Four Seasons; Eagles Hell Freezes Over; The Cranberries No Need To Argue; 3 Doors Down Away From The Sun. Come on now, Tigger, there are couple of things on my list that are under ten years old....sigh....

"And now the end is near and so I face the final curtain. My friend, I'll say it clear. I'll state my case of which I'm certain. I've lived a life that's full. I've traveled each and every highway. And, more, much more than this, I did it My Way....." Love ya, Tigger!!

2006-10-16T20:04:00.000-05:00

The Tale of the Missing Tonsil

Twenty-four years ago I married a man who was in the Navy. He was from the same town in Arkansas that I was from, but he was stationed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, so that is where we lived.

I was crazy in love. This man was everything I thought I wanted so I ignored important warning signs. I knew his dad had been physically abusive to my husband and to my mother-in-law, but I wanted to believe that my husband wouldn't be abusive toward me so that is what I believed. I was wrong. I don't want to go into the pain, fear and emotional turmoil of my marriage in this post. I tried to make our relationship last. I tried to help, I tried to understand, I tried to forgive, but I also wanted to survive. About fifteen months into the marriage, I left my husband.

I literally hid out at a friend's house for a week. My friend took pictures of me the night I arrived on her doorstep. She wanted to call the police, but I asked her not to. I didn't want to press charges, I just wanted out of the marriage. I contacted a lawyer and began divorce proceedings. At this time there was a six month waiting period in Virginia before a divorce became final.

The whole ordeal became very ugly. We weren't rich by any means, but we fought over every possession that we had. I had been living on my own for six years before we got married so I brought almost all of our furniture, appliances and household items to the marriage. We had traded in our older vehicles and purchased a new car. The car was the most expensive thing we owned. My lawyer and I made a list of all our possessions. I wanted to keep the car so I was willing to give up just about everything I had brought to the marriage so that the division of our assets would be equitable. My husband agreed to this property settlement and signed the appropriate papers. All of this squabbling lasted about three weeks.

During the entire three weeks, I was sick. I had a sore throat and an ear ache in my left ear. The symptoms were similar to a common cold, but I couldn't get well. I didn't go to a doctor. I kept using over-the-counter remedies, but I kept feeling worse instead of better. Finally, my friend pretty much forced me to visit a doctor. The doctor took my blood pressure and sent me to the hospital. My blood pressure was dangerously low. My blood was septic. I was one sick woman. I had an abscess in the left side of my throat.

I was given all sorts of medication and had IV's in both arms. The doctors were trying to get me well enough for surgery. I don't remember all the details, but after 24 hours it was decided that the abscess had to be taken care of. I went under the knife around 11:30PM my second night in the hospital. My throat was in sad shape. And my left tonsil became a casualty during surgery.

At some point during my fourth day in the hospital, my husband had a friend drive him to the hospital parking lot and that man, my now ex-husband, drove off in our car. Yep. I was flat on my back in the hospital and he took the car away from me. I couldn't even talk much less yell like I wanted to. I wrote a note to one of my friends when she was visiting me in the hospital and asked her if she could pick me up when I was released.

In the afternoon of day six, I was told I could leave the hospital. A nurse called my friend and she picked me up and took me to her house to recuperate. As soon as I could speak (about 36 hours later), I called my lawyer and told her what had happened with the car. My lawyer was furious! She made an appointment with my husband's commanding officer. She showed him my pictures from the night I left my husband. I don't know what all was said. I wish I could have been in the meeting. A courier brought a new property settlement to my friend's house for me to sign. I got everything except the car. Most of it was mine anyway, but it still felt so good to leave him with a car that we owed four years of payments on. (You may think I'm stupid, but I ended up giving my ex-husband some furniture and some items that his mother and grandmother had given us. I just couldn't see keeping a quilt his grandmother had made and some other things like that.)

So this is a small part of the story of my life. Don't feel sorry for me. I am a strong, independent, self-confident woman (with one tonsil). I am a survivor.

2006-10-15T22:25:00.000-05:00

Junior High All Region Choir Results

As mentioned by Tiggerlane, we journeyed to all region choir auditions with junior high students on Saturday, the 14th. I am happy (and relieved) to report that Tigger's daughter made the all region choir along with six of her fellow choir members!!

Saturday was another long and tiring day, but my students' success make these days worthwhile. We ended up with 19 students on the trip and I believe all of them had a good time even if they didn't make the all region choir. It was a first time audition for many of them so nerves were a big issue.

Even though it is only Sunday night, I am looking forward to next Saturday which I will spend at home! After three consecutive weekends of choir trips, I need a full weekend to catch up with myself.

2006-10-13T19:42:00.000-05:00

Better Late Than Never

Finally, some time to fulfill my tagging by Marnie. It is very true that I am not as odd as my friend, Tiggerlane , but I have managed to come up with my Five Famous Oddities.

1. My first name and middle name are odd. I've lived in 5 different states, traveled extensively in the U.S. and vacationed twice in Canada and I've never met another woman with my first name. I've never met anyone, male or female, with my middle name.

2. My big toe nail on my left foot is odd. I injured my toe while in high school and when the nail grew back, it was quite funky. It is like five times thicker than my other toe nails and it is white. I keep polish on it when I wear sandals because it is so weird looking. Sort of like an albino toe nail!

3. I only have one tonsil thanks to an "accident" during throat surgery.

4. I was born with a blood vessel tumor on the right front side of my head just inside my hair line. It was removed when I was 11 months old. I have a scar and a dent in my head where the tumor used to be. It looks sort of like I was hit in the head with a hatchet.

5. I am severely allergic to grease in the air from frying foods and even from fat on a steak sizzling on a grill. If a food establishment doesn't have good venting, I can't stay in it. My face puffs up, I lose my sense of balance and then....well, let's just say it isn't pretty. I.get.sick.real.sick. When my family and I walk into a restaurant that smells the least bit greasy, they all look at me and ask "Can we eat here or do we need to leave?"

2006-10-10T20:10:00.000-05:00

I Couldn't Wait!!

I want to get some pretty fall pictures posted, but the leaves aren't turning fast enough for me. These pictures were taken last year in the Ouachita Mountains which surround the area where I live.

Mom always takes her binoculars when we go exploring. She was watching a hawk in the shot above and didn't even realize that I had taken the picture.

This shot was taken at the same vista as above, but I am facing the opposite direction. The colors in the distance seem to lose some of their vibrancy in the scanning process.

This shot was taken at a different location than the two above. The colors scanned a bit better. You can see we have a lot of pine in Arkansas along with the hardwood.

This picture didn't scan well at all, but you can still see some color in the foliage.

2006-10-07T23:02:00.000-05:00

All Region Honors Choir

This is the time of year when I feel my rollercoaster ride of a life has inched up that giant "hill" and is now plummeting toward the "valley" at break neck speed. My calendar is filling up at an alarming pace and my things-to-list seems neverending. It is a thrilling ride full of ups and downs, loads of excitement and some unavoidable stress. And, as always, my ride is accompanied by beautiful music made by wonderful kids.

I left the high school Friday evening with 14 senior high choir students, a bus driver and a parent chaperone who is also a terrific friend. Our destination was 3.5 hours away and let me tell you, if you haven't ridden a school bus for 3.5 hours lately, you are missing out on a fun time! Another set of parents brought 4 more students to the motel where we all spent the night. Three of the four late arrivals are in band (and choir) and couldn't miss their half-time performance at a football game. The fourth late arrival, also a choir student, is the sister of one of the band members. So, all told, I had 18 choir students primed and ready to audition for all region honors choir on Saturday.

Saturday was a long day of nervous excitement. I spent most of the day judging in the second soprano audition room. My parent chaperones spent the day herding teenagers and the teenagers spent the day singing.

Around 4PM, the results were tallied and posted. Woo hoo!!! I have 10 singers in the senior high all region honors choir!! Fifty-six percent! Yahoo! These are the best results I've had in 15 years of teaching. Maybe I finally know what I'm doing. Seriously, I am just blessed with an awesome group of young people to work with. Out of the ten students who made all region, four scored in the top twelve of their voice classification which makes them eligible to audition for the Arkansas All State Choir in February. My four top scores are: First chair, tenor I; fourth chair, tenor I; fifth chair, soprano II; seventh chair, alto II.

I am so proud of all 18 of my students. They worked so hard and even though some of them were disappointed, I hope they realize singing that solo audition in front of three judges is a major accomplishment in and of itself. Unlike athletics, choir competition isn't limited to competing with schools of the same size classification. So my class 4A students were competing with students from class 5A, 6A and 7A schools. To give you some frame of reference, we have around 600 students total in grades 9-12.

Anyway, have I bragged on my kids enough? Never!! Next Saturday.....junior high all region auditions. I have 23 hopefuls. Wish them luck!!

2006-10-04T22:28:00.000-05:00

The Guardian

Africa: "I think I'll take a nap on the porch. I don't see that pesky pup. I'll slip right through the doggie door and have a nice siesta in my favorite chair. "

Jasper: "Ah ha!!! I was on the porch just waiting for you, you sneaky feline!"

Africa: "Aw, come on, buddy, friend, pal.....let me in, let me in....."

Jasper: "It's a doggie door. D.O.G.G.I.E. No cats allowed!"

Africa: "Oh, puhleeease....you are so a-mew-sing. I'll just go to the back door and meow then I'll get in the house and sleep on your blanket. B.L.A.N.K.E.T

Hmph! Does he think I can't spell?"

Jasper: "Holey moley! Look at my tail. I shoulda put a splint on that thing! "

2006-10-02T20:39:00.000-05:00

Mommy and Me

This has always been one of my favorite pictures of my mom and me. It was taken in December of 1975. Mom and Dad were the youth group sponsors at our church and every December we put up the manger scene and a huge cedar tree decorated with lights. These symbols of the season stood on the corner lot of our church next to the highway. We took everything down, packed it away and burned all the dried greenery and the tree in a huge bonfire at our annual church-sponsored New Year's Eve party.

My mom is a woman of strong faith. She is a living example of loving strength. Mom is a pragmatic woman and has self-discipline that puts me to shame. She has always been the anchor in my life. Mom is my best friend, my closest confidant and the person who can cut me the deepest with just a look. I love her with every fiber of my being.

I am Mom's oldest child. She tells me that she was just a child when she had me, that she had no idea what she was doing as a young mother and that she never ceases to be amazed at how well I've turned out. When I was barely a month old, my dad began to have horrible, terrifying seizures that only occurred when he was sleeping. He was eventually diagnosed with epilepsy. Mom says she spent the first year of my life praying that both her husband and her child would sleep peacefully through the night.

My mom was and still is a tom boy. For some reason, God blessed her with a little girl who refused to wear anything but a dress. Preferably a pink dress with ruffles and a bow tie in the back. Battles were fought over my clothing choices. Who won? Well, my mom has pictures of me taken on a hike to the creek on our farm. I am wearing a lovely striped, sleeveless dress with appropriate hiking shoes. While Mom loved baseball, basketball and camping, her daughter loved dolls, tea sets and her pink bedroom. To this day I am teased by my athletic Mom and siblings about my baseball throwing ability. I throw like a girl.....big time.

Though we have always had some major differences in our likes and dislikes, Mom did manage to leave her mark on me. I inherited her lovely singing voice, her independent spirit, her love of solitude, her love of nature and her frankness among many other things. And as we've both grown up together, our differences only serve to complement our relationship. Neither of us is perfect, but that just makes us love each other more.

2006-09-30T21:36:00.000-05:00

Friday's Feast

I know I just answered a very long list of questions about myself in my previous post, but I found Friday's Feast at Gawilli's site. I thought it was very clever and wanted to share it with you. After all, we seem to appreciate good food and we don't seem to mind answering questions about ourselves! So here goes.......

Appetizer

What is your favorite herb or spice?

This is a difficult question to answer for an avid herb gardener! I love the scent of lavender. I harvest and dry it every year to keep tucked in my dresser drawers. I also keep bunches of lavender hanging on herb racks throughout my house and I adore lavender soap. Rosemary and oregano are my favorite cooking herbs. Cinnamon and nutmeg are my favorite spices.

Soup

Name a song you like, but haven't heard in a long time.

I haven't heard Otis Redding singing "I've Got Dreams To Remember" in a long time. I love that song! Also haven't heard Etta James singing "At Last" in quite some time. Both of these songs are absolute classics!

Salad

If you were to take just one minute to write down as many things as you can think of that you need (not want) to do, approximately how many things would there be?

Okay, the "not want" to do stipulation narrows my list somewhat. I would say there would be three things on my list: 1. pay bills, 2. pay taxes, 3. count fund raiser money.

Main Course

Tell something interesting about one of your family members (nothing scandalous, please, just something unique).

Geez, the best things I can think of might be considered scandalous.....oh, well, I'll tell them anyway....In Mississippi in the 1800's one of my ancestors on my mother's side of the family was hung for poisoning his wife. That's pretty unique isn't it?!! And, in the not so distant past, my sister was a college cheer leader. Her uniform top was a one-shouldered affair. During a basket toss at a football game, one of the bases' hands caught in the off-shoulder side of her uniform and pulled that side of her top down. So she went sailing into the air, executed a perfect move and landed in the "basket" a la Janet Jackson EXCEPT my sister was wearing a strapless bra!

Dessert

What's the latest you've ever stayed awake?

I frequently pulled "all nighters" during college. And, during the summer months, I still routinely stay up until 3 or 4 in the morning.

2006-09-28T21:44:00.000-05:00

Questions via Willowtree

01. What does your headline mean? My Way of looking at and thinking about the world around me.
02. Elaborate on your default photo: A picture of my Grandma T. holding baby Songbird.
03. What's your middle name[s]?: Tamar. It's a biblical name.
04. What is your current relationship status?: Happily divorced.
05. What are you wearing right now?: Black sweat pants and a green sweatshirt.
06. What is your current problem?: Hmmmm.....getting off the computer and going to bed at a decent hour.
07. Who do you love most?: My mom. And all my human family, animal family and friends.
08. Who makes you most happy?: I am solely responsible for my own happiness. People and events affect my happiness, but I alone control my feelings whether they are positive or negative.
09. Are you musically talented?: Yes. I have a God given talent for singing. I began private piano and voice lessons in third grade. I am certified to teach both vocal and instrumental music as well as elementary music.
10. If you could go back in time and change one thing, what would you change?: I wouldn't have gotten married that second time!
11. If you MUST be an animal for ONE day, what would it be?: An Arabian stallion. Just like the Black Stallion in the movie.
12. Ever have a near death experience?: No.
13. Can you dance?: Well, I call it dancing though some folks might not agree.
14. What's the name of the song that's stuck in your head right now? True by Ryan Cabrera. One of my students was playing it on his guitar earlier today and I began singing along. A couple more of my students exclaimed, "Wow! Ms. T, you should be on American Idol!" So I'm practicing for my debut.
15. Who did you cut and paste this from?: Willowtree
16. Name someone with the same b-day as you. Peter Jennings and Booth Tarkington.
17. Have you ever destroyed someone's property?: Yes. I was really mad at that second husband!
18. Have you ever been in a fight?: Yes. I am embarrassed to say that I got in a fight with a girl in high school over some dumb guy.
19. Have you ever sang in front of a big audience?: Yes. Lots!!
20. What ATTRACTS YOU TO THE OPPOSITE sex?: Hormones.
21. What do you usually order from Starbucks?: Nada. I don't drink coffee.
22. Do you have a crush on one of your myspace friends?: Ok, this question makes me feel like I am in junior high!
23. Ever had a drunken night in Mexico?: No.
24. Has anyone ever said you looked like a celebrity?: Well, a student once told me that I looked like Wonder Woman. I wish!!
25. Do you still watch kiddy movies or TV shows?: Movies.
26. Did you have braces?: Yes, from age 14 to 16.
27. Are you comfortable with your height? Yes, I'm comfortable with 5' 4", but I'd rather be 5'10" .
28. Do you consider yourself adventurous?: Intellectually adventurous, but not so much daredevil physical adventure.
29. Do you speak any other languages?: No, but I can sing in many different languages.
30. Whats your favorite smell?: The smell of the woods, fresh cut grass, apples, cinnamon...the list could be much longer.

2006-09-27T22:22:00.000-05:00

A Room With A View

I begin the school day at the high school building. The choir/drama room is at one end of the building and has no windows. The walls are covered with a carpet-like material that is supposed to absorb sound. I leave this building at 9:00AM and drive across town to the middle school. The choir/band room is at one end of the building and has no windows. The walls are covered with a carpet-like material that is supposed to absorb sound. Yes, I sometimes feel as though I am in a padded cell with 50 to 70 students! I leave the middle school around 10:00AM and drive back across town to the elementary school. The music room is in the far corner of the building. There is only one "padded" wall because I only share one wall with an adjoining classroom. Most important to my sanity, there is a window. Aaaaahhhhhhhh.........

This is the view from my elementary classroom. I have actually seen deer grazing in the shade of the pines and bunnies and squirrels are common sights. The cares and frustrations of the day melt away when I take a moment to gaze at my view. Maybe I should enlarge this picture to poster size and hot glue it to the padded walls of my other rooms.

2006-09-25T22:03:00.000-05:00

Halcyon

Have you ever been enthralled with a word? For some reason, I find myself captivated by the word halcyon. I had often read about "the halcyon days of summer" and "the halcyon years". I guessed that halcyon meant "golden" or something akin to "the good old days". Finally, I looked the word up.

Halcyon: 1. A fabled bird, identified with the kingfisher, that was supposed to have had the power to calm the wind and the waves during the winter solstice while it nested on the sea. 2. Poetic. A kingfisher. ---adj. 1. Calm and peaceful; tranquil. 2. Prosperous; golden.

Halcyon days: 1. Days of fine weather occurring near the winter solstice, especially the seven days before and the seven days after, attributed by legend to the magical powers of the halcyon. 2. A period of peace and tranquility.

I walk pretty much every day down the country road I live on. My wanderings take me by a large pond and across a river. I see these incredible birds quite frequently. Often, I hear their raucous call before actually seeing them. I've watched them dive head first into the water and emerge with a fish in their beak.

I've seen a pair of kingfishers sitting on a tree limb overhanging the river. I've seen four kingfishers engaging in what appeared to be a game of aerial chase. Upon researching the bird, I discovered that the pairs are very territorial so what I actually witnessed was probably one pair chasing another pair out of their territory. I've always liked the fact that the kingfisher is one of the few bird species in which the female is generally more brightly colored than the male. I like kingfishers. I have a little resin female kingfisher sitting on a shelf near my computer.

And the point of all this.....well, it seems fitting that a word I am captivated with is related to a bird I am equally captivated by. And, in reference to Julie's Quote of the Day, I have added another pebble to my little island of knowledge in the great sea of life.

2006-09-23T23:59:00.000-05:00

The Little Girl Who Cried Coyote

When I was in first grade, we had a time at the end of each day when we could stand in front of the class and share something about our lives with the rest of the class. Each day a few students stood and told their stories so that the entire class had had a turn by the time the weekend rolled around. We all told about visiting relatives, games we had played, birthday parties and all the other activities and events that six year olds found exciting in the early 60's. I guess you could call it "Show and Tell" except I honestly don't remember any of us bringing many items to school to "show".

One particular day as I sat listening to the various life events of my classmates, I decided to liven things up a bit when it was my turn to talk later in the week.

I had often laid in bed at night and listened to coyotes howl up and down the creek that ran through our farm. The coyotes were particularly vocal when the lonely sound of a train whistle echoed through the valley we lived in. I had also listened to stories my mom told about learning to shoot a rifle when she was a girl. It is also important to know that my dad had recently bought me my first horse and that we had a small herd of cattle on the farm. Add all of these facts together and throw in a few pieces of first grader fiction that blossomed in my fertile imagination and you have my story.

When it was finally my turn to stand in front of the class, I told a wild story about coyotes invading our farm and chasing our cows. My mother was the heroine who quickly saddled my horse, jumped on his back and galloped across the fields with rifle in hand to save the poor bovines. I think Mom must have shot about a dozen of those coyotes as I watched the entire scene unfold from our front porch. Her marksmanship was amazing. I'm sure she held the reins in her teeth a la Rooster Cogburn in True Grit. In fact, the producers of that movie probably got the idea for that scene from my first grade story. Anyway, my story was a big hit.

Not too long after I got home from school that day, the phone began ringing. Most of my classmates lived on little farms like ours and when their parents heard that a mangy crew of coyotes were threatening our farm, they became alarmed. I listened to Mom for a few seconds of the first phone call then I wisely slunk from the house to amuse myself outdoors. After the second or third phone call, my mom yelled out the front door telling me to get in the house. My heart was heavy as I trudged in to accept my fate.

I don't remember everything my mom said. The general gist of it was that it was fine to use my imagination to tell stories, but that I should not pass fiction off as the truth. I remember hearing the words "lies" and "honesty" alot in the lecture I received. I also remember being banished to my bedroom to sit on my bed and think about what I had done until Daddy got home. It was long hour filled with dread. I had caused people to be afraid and to worry. I knew how that felt because I was afraid and worrying myself at this point in time.

Daddy talked to me again about the difference between fact and fiction. I think he pretty much repeated what Mom had said. From an adult perspecitive, I am so thankful that my parents didn't try to curb my imagination. They both supported my creative story telling ability. I learned an important lesson about how one voice can influence many lives. It is a lesson I still remember today and that's the truth.

2006-09-22T23:04:00.000-05:00

Sunrise

September 11, 2006

"Whoever you are, there is some young person who thinks you are perfect. There is some work that will never be done if you don't do it. There is someone who would miss you if you were gone. There is a place that you alone can fill." Jacob M. Braude

2006-09-20T20:38:00.000-05:00

Obedience Plant

These lovely flowers are physostegia virginiana also called false dragonhead or obedience plant. Quite a few years ago, I saw a picture of them in a seed catalog and decided to order some for my garden. They grow two to four feet in height so I planted them in the middle of a bed. Big mistake! I should have researched obedience plant more thoroughly because these plants spread from underground stems like wildfire. They are the single most aggressive plant I have ever cultivated. I use my big shovel to dig up clumps of obedience plant every spring so they won't choke out the purple coneflowers, iris, sedum and yarrow that I have in the same bed.

They may have an aggressive personality, but I do think they yield beautiful flowers. They bloom in late summer after other flowers have tapered off and before my chrysanthemums burst into bloom. I consistently win blue ribbons in the county fair flower show with my obedience plants. This year I didn't enter anything in the flower show because our spring and summer were so dry. Nothing I had bloomed as big and beautiful as it normally does. However, I was so disappointed in my decision not to show when I visited the fair. There was only one obedience plant entered and it was a sad, little specimen. In fact, even though it was the only flower entered in its category, the bloom was draped with a "thanks for participating" green ribbon. Meanwhile, I had these blooms in my garden.

I think I made a mistake, don't you?!!! Next year I will trust the beauty of my flowers even in adverse growing conditions.

2006-09-19T22:09:00.000-05:00

Tagged by Tiggerlane

Four jobs that I've had:
1. Montessori pre-school teacher
2. House cleaner ( the best college job ever!)
3. Toys R Us management
4. Pie maker ( I made pies for a local cafe when I was in high school. )

Four movies I watch over and over and over:
1. Legends of the Fall (sad, but so good! )
2. Love Actually ( a quirky little movie that makes me laugh )
3. Gone With The Wind ( classic for this Southern gal )
4. Seabiscuit ( the little horse who wouldn't quit )

Four places I've lived:
1. Boulder, Colorado
2. Virginia Beach, Virginia
3. Salisbury, Maryland
4. Roanoke, Virginia

Four things I like to do:
1. Read
2. Sing, listen to music, play piano
3. Garden and yard work
4. Cook

Four of my favorite foods:
1. Lasagne
2. Ice cream ( preferably homemade )
3. Prime rib
4. Lobster

Four places I would like to be right now:
1. Yellowstone
2. Alaska ( planning a trip for 2008 )
3. Tuscany ( never been there, but I want to go so bad!)
4. Antiquing in New England

Four places I've been on vacation:
1. Yellowstone
2. Charleston, South Carolina
3. Washington DC
4. New England (two weeks of total fun!)

Tags:
1. Susan in VA
2. Angelina at Dustpan Alley
3. Shauna
4. Grim Reality Girl

2006-09-19T21:12:00.001-05:00

My pirate name is:

Captain Ethel Cash

Even though there's no
legal rank on a
pirate ship, everyone
recognizes you're the
one in charge.
You're musical,
and you've got a certain
style if not flair.
You'll do just fine. Arr!

Get your own pirate name from piratequiz.com.
part of the fidius.org network

2006-09-18T19:53:00.000-05:00

O for a voice like thunder, and a tongue

To drown the throat of war! When the senses

Are shaken, and the soul is driven to madness,

Who can stand? When the souls of the oppressed

Fight in the troubled air that rages, who can stand?

When the whirlwind of fury comes from the

Throne of God, when the frowns of his countenance

Drive the nations together, who can stand?

When Sin claps his broad wings over the battle,

And sails rejoicing in the flood of Death;

When souls are torn to everlasting fire,

And fiends of Hell rejoice upon the slain,

O who can stand? O who hath caused this?

O who can answer at the throne of God?

The Kings and Nobles of the Land have done it!

Hear it not, Heaven, thy Ministers have done it!

William Blake

Prologue, intended for a Dramatic Piece of King Edward the Fourth

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Jesus Christ

The Holy Bible, Matthew 5:3-9

2006-09-17T22:21:00.000-05:00

Substance

Seems I spent an entire week posting about outward appearance which is rather unusual for me. I don't have time to get a good story written tonight so I will post one of my favorite quotes to add some substance to the face of my blog.

"Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand." St. Augustine

2006-09-17T00:20:00.000-05:00

Beauty Pageant Disappointment (Again)

I have a student that is exceptionally beautiful. In fact, I think she is stunning. Tonight I watched her in the county-wide beauty pageant and for the second year in a row, she didn't even place. My mom went with me to both pageants and she is in complete agreement with me on how beautiful this girl is. (My student has many other wonderful qualities in addition to her physical beauty, but I'm ranting about a BEAUTY pageant so her physical attributes are the focus in this post.) The contestants do a swimsuit competition that takes place before the actual pageant and is not open to the public. They also do an interview with the judges that isn't part of the public competition. What the public gets to see is the contestants modeling sportswear and then evening gowns. In the final portion of the pageant, each girl comes on stage one at a time and has to answer a question. Each girl is asked the same question.

All the girls are very pretty and they are all dressed to the nines and I am not trying to insult any of them. I actually had several students in the pageant tonight and I am proud of all of them. They are all beautiful in my eyes and I mean that sincerely. I just happen to think that MEBS (my exceptionally beautiful student) has that spark or charisma or whatever you want to call it, that makes her stand out from the rest of the contestants.

MEBS is 5' 9" tall. She has a beautifully proportioned figure and large blue eyes. Her hair is light brown. She is poised, graceful, confident and has a lovely smile. You can see her in last years' before the prom pictures here and here. She is the girl wearing pink. In fact, the dress she is wearing is the same one she wore in last years' pageant. And these pictures do not do her justice.

Mom and I have come to the conclusion that in order to win the pageant the contestant must, first and foremost, be blonde. Not having a curvaceous figure also seems to help. Wearing a pastel evening gown is a plus. But what really separated this year's winner from the rest was the number of times "uh" and "umm" were used while answering the question on stage. I feel sort of bad about writing that last sentence, but it's the truth! At any rate, I am disappointed that not one of my brown haired, curvy, brightly dressed choir students placed at all.

Post Script: I am not a beauty pageant fan. I especially dislike the little girl pageants. I think they are exploitative and I'm just not a fan. I AM A FAN OF MY STUDENTS and if they want to be in beauty pageants then I will be there to see them. Also, keep in mind that the beauty pageant in this post is in a small, rural Arkansas county. The top prize is a $250.00 scholarship. We all know that might purchase one college textbook! And MEBS has so much going for her. She knows that and so do I. So, I'll just say it.....I'm a sore loser!!!

2006-09-14T21:20:00.000-05:00

A Beautiful Woman

This beautiful woman is Judi Gibbs. Ms. Gibbs is the Aunt of my very good friend, EC. Ms. Gibbs was the featured Pet in the December 1979 issue of Penthouse. I talked to EC this evening and got her permission to share this story with all of you.

Judi Gibbs had a nephew that she loved. When she discovered that her nephew was in an abusive situation with his step-father, Judi wanted to help with legal fees and other costs related to removing her nephew from a intolerable situation. An opportunity to pose for Penthouse provided Ms. Gibbs with the much needed funds to help rescue her nephew.

Judi Gibbs was also in two movies in the early 80's; The Junkman (1982) and Deadline Auto Theft (1983).

This beautiful woman's life and career were cut short when she died in a house fire in 1986.

EC told me that her Aunt Judi had a wonderful sense of humor. She has fond memories of her aunt's lyrical laugh. EC has managed to get copies of the Penthouse issue and the movies and is grateful to have these items to help keep the memory of a beautiful woman alive.

2006-09-13T21:23:00.000-05:00

I just can't decide........

which one of these........

I like best.

2006-09-11T22:04:00.000-05:00

Honestly

I would not ordinarily spend over $6.00 on a magazine purchase, but I stopped by the grocery store after church on Sunday and as I wheeled my buggy past the magazine rack, this cover really spoke to me.

I reverently (after all, I had just been in church) removed the magazine from the rack and just stared at that face for a few minutes. One of the store employees that I know paused as he passed me in the aisle.

"What in the world are you looking at?"

"Cowboys and Indians."

"Yeah, right."

He moved on shaking his head in disgust at the glazed look in my eyes.

Several hours after I got home, I managed to tear myself away from the 8-page Matthew McConaughey layout, with 4 full-page pictures I might add, to discover an article on Australia's Great Outback Cattle Drive and an article on what to see and do when visiting Vancouver, British Columbia.

I felt ever so much better about my investment. Not only could I stare at pretty pictures for hours on end, I could also do a bit of research on some of my blogging buddies' habitats.

2006-09-10T20:50:00.000-05:00

We Remember

September 11, 2001

"O beautiful for heroes proved in liberating strife, who more than self their country loved, and mercy more than life! America! America! May God thy gold refine, till all success be nobleness, and every gain divine.

O beautiful for patriot dream that sees beyond the years thine alabaster cities gleam, undimmed by human tears! America! America! God mend thine every flaw, confirm thy soul in self-control, thy liberty in law."

from America the Beautiful by Katharine Lee Bates

"Some may come and some may go, but we will surely pass. Till the One who left us here, returns for us at last. We are but a moment's sunlight, fading on the grass..."

from Let's Get Together by Chet Powers

"Lookin' back on the memory of the dance we shared 'neath the stars above. For a moment, all the world was right. How could I have known that you'd ever say goodbye? I could have missed the pain, but I'd have had to miss the dance."

from The Dance by Tony Arata

2006-09-09T19:46:00.000-05:00

Roanoke, Virginia

I began my career with "Candyland" in Virginia Beach, Virginia. From there I was transferred to Salisbury, Maryland, then I moved to Frederick, Maryland, and worked in Gaithersburg, Maryland. I ended my "Candyland" career in Roanoke, Virginia. I really loved Roanoke and plan to go back for a visit one of these days. When I was there in 1988-1990, it was a very nice place to live and I'm sure it still is.

A view from the Blueridge Parkway which is in very close proximity to Roanoke.

A polo match I attended near Roanoke. This picture brings memories of such a fun day. A friend and I picnicked on gourmet carry out while we watched the match. Polo hasn't made it to Arkansas in a big way, but we do have thoroughbred racing at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs.

This picture was taken along the road that led to the riding stables I frequented while living in Roanoke. There was also an apple orchard and cider mill along this road and a wonderful fresh produce stand.

Another shot taken from the Blueridge Parkway. It was a hazy day, but still a fairly nice picture.

Susan in VA I hope it is still this beautiful in the Roanoke area!!

2006-09-08T21:22:00.000-05:00

Update on Brother and Comments on Songbird Picture

I just can't resist posting this picture of my brother. Wasn't he a little cutie?!! That hair was red, red, red. It is so much lighter now that he is older. In other news, HDT is recovering nicely from his recent surgery. He has much more flexibility in his right arm and hand than expected at this point in time. HDT is still struggling with his left-handed ironing and he has added a few more things to his "hard to do with the left hand" list. Shaving and brushing his teeth have pushed ironing down to a third place ranking.

Thank all of you for your wonderful compliments on my picture. I forgot to mention that I was 72 on my birthday in July. Isn't that amazing? I've always liked my smile so I try to use it alot. And my eyes truly are the window to my soul. I can't put anything over on anybody because my eyes always tell the truth. In response to Tiggerlane's comment about my perfect teeth....they aren't perfect, Tigger! As you know, I had to have four teeth pulled before getting braces in the ninth grade. I had the overcrowded teeth problem, but braces definitely made a difference. In response to MJ's comment about my skin.....I wear sunscreen and a big hat when I work outside. I use Oil of Olay age-defying anti-wrinkle replenishing night cream (what a mouthful) every single night and I use St. Ives collagen elastin moisturizer in the morning. I use Almay line smoothing makeup products that also have sunscreen. I don't mind getting older, but I do want to look as young as I can for as long as I can and I am totally not into surgery or Botox.

Thanks again for the compliments! Oh.....I'm really 48.

2006-09-07T22:54:00.000-05:00

Grown Up Songbird

July 2006 Birthday celebration at Mom's house

Mouth still open, eyes still sparkle, only a few gray hairs, no major wrinkles, original teeth

Gee, I'm holding up pretty well.....

2006-09-06T22:26:00.000-05:00

Second Grade Songbird: A Blogger In The Making

My mom saved all my report cards, school pictures and samples of my schoolwork from first grade through my senior year in a book she purchased through a PTA fund raiser. The book has a page for each grade level where my teachers' names, favorite subjects, height, weight and extracurricular activities are listed. Each page has a pocket in which Mom placed all the memorabilia she collected. The following is a story I supposedly wrote in the second grade. I say supposedly because, knowing me, I might have "borrowed" all or parts of the story from a book I was reading. My mom, however, swears that I wrote it. This is exactly as written, punctuation, spelling and all the rest.

All the animals in the woods were asleep, except little Brown Squirrel, and he just could not go to sleep. It might have been the sun shining through the trees, but he just could not go to sleep. So he decided to go see if trueheart was asleep. Trueheart was the little Indian girl who lived in the wigwam on the hill. On his way through the woods, Brown Squirrel came upon White Pony. Where are you going asked White Pony. Oh, I'm going to see if Truehearts asleep said Brown Squirrel.

Please let me go said White Pony. Every day she come and brings me some sugar cane. I want to go too.

Well all right come along said little Brown Squirrel. So little Brown Squirrel from the wood deep deep and Little White Pony who could leap and leap went to the wigwaw to see if Trueheart was asleep. On their way to the wigwam they passed the cabbage heap. Bunny Rabbit jumped out. His two big ears stuck straight up. Where are you going he asked. Oh we're going to the wigwam to see if Truehearts asleep. Please may I go too? She comes every day and picks nice, tender cabbage leaves for me. I want to go too, said Bunny Rabbit. Well all right come along said Brown Squirrel.

So little Brown Squirrel, from the woods deep deep, and little White Pony who could leap and leap and Bunny Rabbit from the cabbage heap, went to the wigwam to see if Truheart was asleep. When they got to the wigwam there was no one around just big Black Cat lying in the sunshine. What do you want he said very gruffy.

Oh, we've come to see if Truehearts asleep," said little Brown Squirrel. "Do you know?" No, I don't know, but I'll go see," said Black Cat. So creep, creep around the wigwam, and creep, creep inside, went Black Cat. And, sure enough, Trueheart was fast asleep on the rug with her cornhusk doll. So creep creep out of the wigwam and creep creep around the outside went Black Cat. Yes Truehearts asleep, he whispered.

My GRANDMA loves me very much, She tells me in many ways, And whenever we're together We have such happy days!

The End

Nice poetic touch at the end, but I'm not sure how my grandma got into the story! I was probably thinking about her as I wrote because my Granny W. was a great storyteller.

2006-09-05T21:57:00.000-05:00

Frosting

Oh, how I love a fresh blanket of snow! Obviously, I didn't take this picture today, but I can anticipate the upcoming changes of seasons, can't I? This is my view to the west (right) and the south (straight ahead). Living in the woods is terrific!

2006-09-04T19:08:00.000-05:00

I Wanted A Pet Monkey

This handsome man is HDT, my "little" brother. When Mom was pregnant, people would ask me if I wanted a baby sister or a baby brother. I would tell them that what I really wanted was a pet monkey. I was extremely disappointed in January of 1964 when my parents brought home a tiny, red-headed baby brother. A five year old's yearning for a pet monkey is not something that should be taken lightly. HDT just wasn't what I wanted. Plus he took so much of the attention that I had monopolized for 5 years as an only child. Eventually, I decided HDT was cute, cuddly and sort of like a pet monkey in some respects. So I decided it was okay for us to keep him.

My brother will be 43 in January. He is the Assistant Athletic Director/Sports Information Director at a university in south Arkansas. He has an undergraduate degree in Physical Education and a Master's Degree in Kinesiology. He is single. He owns a home, an SUV and, all in all, turned out pretty well. He is my good friend as well as my brother and he has stuck around a lot longer than any pet monkey would have. I am proud of his accomplishments and I love him.

Today HDT had out-patient surgery to repair a ruptured bicept tendon in his right shoulder. I talked to him last night and he explained the injury and how it would be repaired by the surgeon. A lot of his detailed explanation sailed right over my music teacher head so I had to do some research on line to really understand what was going on with him. HDT's biggest concerns were that he wouldn't be able to lift weights for 3 months and that he might not be able to iron his clothes.

Let me digress for a moment.....my brother is addicted to ironing. He is handsome, in good shape and wears his clothing like a male model. The only time I have ever seen him slightly mussed and wrinkled is when he gets up in the morning. I think he irons EVERYTHING he wears. I can iron a pair of pants and they still look like I just pulled them out of a laundry bag. HDT's clothes are perfectly pressed and creased ALWAYS.

So, I called him just a few minutes ago to see how he was feeling. He is fine. The surgery went well. No damage to the rotator cuff. He isn't feeling much pain. The right arm in a sling is sort of bothersome. His friends brought over some food for tonight. He should be relaxing and recuperating, right? But what was he doing? You guessed it. He was trying to iron with his left hand.

2006-09-02T21:04:00.000-05:00

Arkansas

Two views across a neighbor's pasture of the Ouachita Mountains in Western Arkansas.

2006-09-01T21:58:00.000-05:00

Funny Friday

Dedicated to Willowtree

In admiration of his recent tutorial

May thy right hand always know what thy left hand is doing.

And vice versa.

2006-08-31T23:02:00.000-05:00

Time

Just enough time for a quick post tonight. I found this quote today and wanted to share it.

"Be mindful of how you approach time. Watching the clock is not the same as watching the sun rise." Sophia Bedford-Pierce

I wish I had a beautiful picture of a sunrise to put with the quote, but I don't have one so you will have to use your imaginations.

2006-08-30T21:29:00.000-05:00

Blog Day 2006

I don't anticipate having time to post tomorrow so I am doing my Blog Day thing a bit early. Thanks to Karmyn at Dreaming What Ifs for sharing the Blog Day information.

The official Blog Day 2006 link: Blog Day 2006

Five blogs that I read pretty much every day and have been too lazy to add to my sidebar:

Go Fug Yourself I love this site! Just looking at the pictures makes me feel better about how I dress and about my own sense of style. A thin body and big bucks does not necessarily mean you always look fabulous.

Sometimes A Girl Needs A Blog ElleCharlie is extremely articulate and insightful. Some of her posts make me laugh and some make me cry. I thoroughly enjoy reading what she has to say.

The Big Question Sublime posts a new question every week day and asks for honest answers. Fun to read all the different opinions, likes and dislikes.

Ninja Poodles Belinda is a fellow Arkansan who writes about family issues, child rearing, coupon clipping, current events and a host of other topics. Always a good read.

The Dust Will Wait Pamela is another articulate and insightful writer. She posts lovely pictures and has an awesome water garden in her backyard. A must read!

I have several other blogs on my daily read list, but I am going to stop at five tonight. Someday I will get all my favorites listed in my sidebar. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy checking out the five that I listed.

2006-08-29T22:34:00.000-05:00

Spaced Out

I mentioned this in a comment on Dreaming What Ifs, but it is so cute that I want to use it as a post tonight.

I teach third, fourth and fifth grade general music in addition to high school, middle school and elementary choir. I have seven fourth and fifth grade music classes and eight third grade music classes. Once per school year each grade level performs a musical for the rest of the student body and the general public. The third graders have the great honor and responsiblity of putting on the first musical of the year.

Wouldn't you know that I chose "Spaced Out", a musical about the planets, for the third graders to perform this year. It is a very cute show and each planet plus the sun and moon have speaking parts. There is also a song in which each planet does a little rap verse. "For what it's worth (snap, snap), I'm the Earth (snap, snap)!" Catchy, huh? "Pluto's the smallest, Pluto's the smallest, Pluto's the smallest, number nine!" Love that third grade music....

The recent decision to oust Pluto from its planet status has totally upset my third graders. We have had to discuss this horrible event in each of my third grade classes. Their comments and views have been a joy to hear. Yesterday we were reading through the speaking parts and a little hand went up.

"Yes, B.," I acknowledged the hand waver. "What would you like to share?"

"Ms. T.," the sorrowful little voice stated. "This may be Pluto's last speaking part."

2006-08-28T21:30:00.000-05:00

True Grit

Remember the movie "True Grit"? For those of you who may not remember, the movie was released in 1969 and featured John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glenn Campbell, Robert Duvall and a host of other actors including Dennis Hopper. The movie was based on a novel by Arkansas author, Charles Portis. The story, in brief, follows young Mattie Ross ( Kim Darby ) in her quest to avenge her father's murder. Her father was murdered by a hired hand/outlaw, Tom Chaney, and Mattie seeks out the meanest US Marshal in the Oklahoma Territory, Rooster Cogburn (John Wayne), to hunt down the murderer. Mattie and Rooster are joined on their quest by Texas Ranger, LaBoeuf (Glenn Campbell). The movie is packed with no good outlaws, lots of action including shoot outs and a tumble into a rattle snake pit, plus some really beautiful scenery. The entire adventure takes place in Arkansas and the Oklahoma Territory yet most of the actual filming took place in Colorado.

Ok, enough background.....I saw "True Grit" and I loved it. Mattie Ross was my hero and I thought Glenn Campbell was just too cute. Tom Chaney was evil incarnate. I used to saddle up my horse, Champ, and ride around our farm pretending I was Mattie Ross riding off to bring Tom Chaney to justice.

At the time I was deeply involved in my "True Grit" dreamworld, my dad had a horned Hereford bull that we named Tom Chaney. Tom Chaney, like his namesake in the movie, had a nasty temper.

(This isn't actually Tom Chaney in the picture, but he looked a lot like this bull except the real Tom Chaney was nearer the size of Paul Bunyan's ox.)

So, one day I had finished my "True Grit" fantasy. I had unsaddled Champ, brushed him down and was meandering the long way around through the pasture toward the house and the homework that awaited me. Suddenly, I became aware of some heavy breathing, snorting sounds and through a little stand of trees I could see Tom Chaney. He was staring right at me and sort of tossing his head around. Did I mention that Tom had horns? Fantasy took a sudden dive and reality put wings on my feet. I began to run. Now I have been known to tell a tall tale or two, but I swear I could feel that bull's hot breath on my heels and his pounding hooves made the earth quake as I ran toward the nearest fence I could see. I was flying. I have never run faster in my life. The fence loomed ahead of me. I gathered all my 12 year old strength and flung myself into the air. My legs didn't clear the top strand of barbed wire, but I managed to land on the far side of the fence in a heap on the ground. The important thing was...I had escaped. I was safe. I picked myself up and turned around fully expecting to see Tom Chaney roaring to a halt as he reached the fence behind me. He was quietly grazing near the little stand of trees.

2006-08-27T20:24:00.000-05:00

Very Young Songbird

This is my new profile picture. For those of you who are wondering and even for those who could care less, this is my Grandma T. holding me when I was only a few weeks old. Yes, I was a big baby girl. Notice that my mouth is wide open. The perfect mouth shape for proper singing. I would like to say that I was a child prodigy and that the photographer caught me singing a Mozart aria for my granny, but I am pretty sure I was just doing a big baby yawn. Anyway.....wide open mouth.....singing.....Songbird.....profile picture.

2006-08-25T22:46:00.000-05:00

Funny Friday

And An Interesting Job Interview

In my pre-Candyland employment days, I worked in management for a large retail jewelry corporation. I didn't like the job and decided to seek other employment. I read a magazine article about a certain government agency that was actively recruiting female applicants. The thought of working for this agency appealed to my sense of adventure. I also thought the job would be quite glamorous. (In hindsight, I blame my total lack of perspective as far as what the job would entail on watching too many James Bond movies.) I sent a resume with cover letter to the address given in the magazine article. Several weeks later, I received a letter from the agency. I was told to report to a location in northern Virginia for an interview. The letter stated the date and time of the interview, parking instructions and strict admonitions concerning the secrecy of the interview. I was to tell no one where I was going or what I was doing. I followed all the instructions to the letter....well, almost all of the instructions. I simply had to tell my closest friend where I was going and why. The day of the interview arrived. I got up early, dressed in a very appropriate dark blue suit and drove to the interview location. I was greeted by a man (in a dark blue suit) and given a small mountain of paperwork to fill out. An hour later, I was ushered into a cubicle where I answered questions like, "Is there any event or circumstance in your past that a foreign government could use to influence your loyalty to your country?" After approximately 30 minutes of answering what seemed like three questions asked in fifty different ways, I took an IQ test. Then the interview was over. I drove home envisioning a room full of men in dark blue suits wondering how such a naive and idealistic country girl could possibly think she was fit to work for their organization. Imagine my surprise when several weeks later I received another letter with instructions for taking the first in a series of tests required for employment. I took the first test and was scheduled to take another one. In the meantime, headlines and news reports were suddenly focused on this certain government agency. Employees had been killed in suspicious circumstances in a foreign country. This was the "wake up call" that I needed. My sense of adventure and visions of glamor were bludgeoned by the stark face of reality. I submitted my letter of resignation before I was hired.

2006-08-24T19:57:00.000-05:00

A Tale of Two Princesses

Granny and Granpa W. lived in a big white farm house. In the early 60's, the house had plumbing in the kitchen, but no indoor bathroom. Granny and Granpa had an oval, galvanized tin bathtub that they kept on the backporch.

Both grandparents were avid gardeners and the house was surrounded by flowers and shrubs. Granny had a very large flower bed in the front of the house. In the spring, the bed was a kaleidoscope of colorful tulips in all shapes and sizes.

One spring in the early 60's, my cousins were visiting with Granny and Granpa W. G was my "best friend" cousin ( and she still is....love you, G!!) because we were close to the same age and we liked so many of the same things. I also greatly admired G because she had lived in England which was quite impressive to a little girl from Arkansas.

Once upon a time there came a lovely spring day. A gentle, warm breeze whispered through the trees. Bees were buzzing and the flowers were bursting forth in bloom. I was at Granny and Granpa's house playing with G. G and I were feeling quite royal in such a glorious setting so we decided to pretend we were princesses. We designated Granny's backporch as our royal chambers and proceeded to issue orders to G's pesky little brother, BJ, whom we graciously allowed to play with us as long as he understood that he was our servant. I don't remember whose idea it was to take a royal bath in Granny's tin bathtub, but that is what we decided to do. Rather than use water to bathe in like mere commoners, we chose to immerse ourselves in flower petals. Granny's tulip bed provided the most luxurious flowers around so we commanded BJ to bring us petals from that divine source. BJ's sturdy little legs made trip after trip around the house while G and I reclined in opposite ends of the tub. He tossed hundreds of tulip petals on our bare legs. What richness!! What luxury!! We giggled and whispered as little princesses do and tossed handfuls of petals up in the air so that they fell in our hair and made small puddles on the floor of the porch. Eventually, Granny's tulips were stripped bare.

As so often occurs, calamity struck our kingdom. A raging dragon in the form of our Granny invaded the backporch. I will swear to this day that she was breathing fire and smoke billowed around her head. A switch was swinging madly from Granny's hand. The two princesses were none to gently removed from their bath and the switch was applied to their royal backsides. BJ was spared from the plague of punishment because we ordered him to bring us the petals and "we should have known better". In abject misery, G and I were herded around the house to view the destruction of Granny's tulip bed. It was a very sad sight. Tulip stems minus petals simply do not please the eye. Switched backsides were bad enough, but disappointing our Granny was even worse. Our kingdom fell into disarray. We tearfully abdicated our throne.

The End

2006-08-23T21:58:00.000-05:00

Summer at My Way

A collection of antique watering cans on the front porch.

Bee balm in the herb garden.

Purple coneflower in the herb garden.

2006-08-22T21:58:00.000-05:00

Heart Burn

i'm not sure

i want you back.

after all

what can i say

to a man

who threw me

out of his life

like so much

leftover spaghetti?

i just sealed

all my feelings

into a genuine

spill-proof

plastic bowl

and i don't want

to serve

them out again

as a lunch

for two.

2006-08-21T21:00:00.000-05:00

Musically Speaking

I am borrowing Willowtree's post idea tonight. I am tired (again) after my first full day of school with students, but I can always find some energy to talk about music.

The best live performance I've seen was The Eagles Hell Freezes Over Tour at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Arkansas. Really an awesome concert! They opened with "Hotel California" and closed with "Desperado". In between, they did all of their biggest hits as a group and many of the hits they've recorded as single artists. It was crowded and hot, but the music made up for any discomfort. At a close second, is Chicago at Anaheim Stadium in California in the summer of '76. I was 17 at that concert and I screamed myself hoarse. It was great!!

As far as live performers under the influence of something ......Stevie Nicks with Fleetwood Mac. I don't know if it was alcohol or some other substance, but I was on the front row and Stevie appeared to be in another world. She stumbled around on stage, messed up on her lyrics and actually walked off the stage during several of the songs. Maybe it was all part of the act. In second place is Doug McClure. Remember him? He played Trampas on the TV series The Virginian. I saw him at the Arkansas State Rodeo when I was a youngster. I can't remember if he actually sang or just made an appearance or what. I do clearly remember that he fell off his horse as he made his grand entrance riding around the arena. He also fell up the steps to the stage that had been set up in the middle of the arena. Maybe it was supposed to be a comedy act and I was too young to understand.

I also saw Roy Rogers as a youngster. Roy was my dad's hero and I remember being amazed that I was seeing someone so famous. And his horse, Trigger, which Dad admired almost as much as he did Roy Rogers. I was able to shake Roy's hand at the end of the program.

I would like to see Aerosmith in concert. I love their music! I would also like to see Bette Midler. She seems to be such a neat lady and is so very talented. She also uses her fame and her wealth to accomplish good things in this world and I admire that. My concert "wish list" also includes any of the really great symphony orchestras.....New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, London Philharmonic. I have all of them on CD, but hearing a live performance would be a dream come true. And speaking of dreams.....I want to attend an opera at the New York Metropolitan and at the Sydney Opera House. Puccini is my absolute favorite composer and seeing a live performance of Tosca, La Boheme or Turandot at the Met or in Sydney would put me on cloud nine. Given the opportunity, I would attend just about any opera at either of those venues.

Last, but not least, I have to mention Harry Chapin. Great music, great live performance. He "wins" the Artist Who Said The F-word More Times In A Two Hour Period Than I Have Ever Heard In My Life award.

2006-08-19T21:26:00.000-05:00

Lace Changes

Recently there have been many wedding pictures posted in the blogs that I read. I am so happy for those of you whose marriages have flourished through the years. Mine didn't. Don't feel bad for me though. It ended almost 20 years ago and it was a must end situation. It took quite a few years for me to get over it. Maybe I'll talk about it in a later post. In the meantime, this is supposed to be amusing, so I'll move on....

This is me in my wedding dress in 1982. My mother made the dress for me. The dress took so much work and Mom actually had to make two dresses; an entire dress in lace plus a taffeta dress that was worn underneath the lace. I didn't want to sell the dress or give it away after my divorce because my mom made it. So, after some thought, I decided to make some lace curtains for my dining room.

Sorry the picture is so dark, but you get a halfway decent view of the curtains. It bothered me to undo the work Mom had done. Still, I figured curtains were a nicer way to pay tribute to my mom's handiwork than leaving the dress packed away in a plastic bag. Plus, it really made my friends laugh when they admired my curtains and I told them the story behind the beautiful lace. It made me laugh, too, and it felt good to laugh.

2006-08-18T23:42:00.000-05:00

Friday Night.......I'm Tired

2006-08-17T22:08:00.000-05:00

Before And After

In May I posted this picture of my nineteen year old self with an afro. It was the 70's. The hairstyle was popular. I was trying to be cool. Instead, I somewhat resembled Bozo the Clown. This picture does not do justice to the orange hue of my perm damaged hair. About three months after I got the fro, I decided I hated it (thank goodness!). I was a poor college student so rather than have my hair cut and styled by a professional, I let a friend cut all the perm frizz off. It never occurred to me that my hair, minus perm frizz, would be in layers so when my friend finished cutting my hair looked like brown venetian blinds. I was mortified and began to cry. Luckily, my friend kept her wits about her and decided we could get rid of the venetian blind layers by using a razor blade to create a short, spikey style.

This is my after picture. Needless to say, I have never permed my hair again.

I had forgotten that both these pictures were taken with me posed on the side of a mountain. The before picture was taken in Tennessee and the after picture was taken in Arkansas. And I was a college student, at the time, in Louisiana.

2006-08-16T21:16:00.000-05:00

The World's Greatest Compliment

I think it was Mark Twain who said he could live on one compliment for a month. I so totally agree with that statement. I really thrive on praise. Compliments, positive feedback, praise, a pat on the back.....these are the types of incentives that really spur me to perform. Don't get me wrong. I enjoy getting a raise as much as the next person. But, when I think back on all the job evaluations I have been subjected to over the years, what really sticks in my mind is not the dollar amount of the increase I received. I remember the words of praise and the absolute joy I felt from being appreciated. The acknowledgment of my skills, talents, hard work, loyalty and perseverance meant so much to me. I have had my share of insincere flattery, too. That simply doesn't do the trick, but honest and sincere praise makes my heart sing!

I made a major career change in my early 30's. I dropped out of the corporate world and became a teacher. Well, one doesn't actually become a teacher. Teaching is a constantly evolving vocation. I will still be growing, improving and learning in my chosen vocation for as long as I teach. Gone are the days of corporate evaluations and fat raises. What I have now is so much better! My students are my praise. They are the acknowledgment of all that I do. They are the reflection of my skills, talents, hard work, loyalty and perseverance. Their voices uplift me in ways that no amount of money could ever accomplish. I do still appreciate the positive feedback and the pats on the back and the yearly addition to my salary, but "my kids" are really what it's all about.

Now....before I go polish my trophies, I want to share a poem I wrote for my choir kids last spring.

I can't imagine a life without music

It fills my heart and soul.

It's a constant companion, a voice within

when the world seems bitter and cold.

And you, my dear students, are my greatest song

Your lives are a sweet melody.

And no matter how old or how far you've gone

You are still the music inside of me.

Your smiles are the harmony, strong and true

Your voices the notes of my life.

Why seek fame or great wealth when I know what I do

Is perfectly, perfectly right?

And you, my dear students, are my greatest song

Your lives are a sweet melody.

And no matter how old or how far you've gone

You are still the music inside of me.

2006-08-15T19:46:00.000-05:00

Back In The Saddle Again

Just a quick post tonight because I have paperwork to complete, lesson plans to write and music to practice. The first day back to work was a good one. Lots of meetings and greetings to people I haven't seen since May. Our students don't come back to school until Monday, August 21, but I did pick up my class rosters. I have 50 students in high school choir and 68 students in middle school choir ( yikes! ). Those two performing groups are my first two class periods of the day. After middle school choir, I drive across town to the upper elementary building where I remain for the rest of my day. I teach 5 classes of elementary music per day with an average of 20 students per class so I see many, many students every day. One wonderful thing about teaching music is that it is just so much fun!! And, I won a door prize at our faculty lunch today. I couldn't believe it! First, Pioneer Woman's photo caption contest and then a door prize. I take this as a good sign that I will have a "winner" of a school year....I know, I know.... I just couldn't help myself!

2006-08-14T20:46:00.000-05:00

The Last Day of Summer Vacation

Today was the last day of my summer vacation. I did not spend the day finishing up my summer "to do" list. Instead, I picked some flowers.

I let my cat, Africa, in the house.

I took Cherokee for a walk. ( Jasper went on the walk, too. I just couldn't get a good shot of them together. )

I played with Jasper.

I visited with my 80 year old neighbor. I talked to my mom and my nieces. I filled my bird waterers with fresh water. I cooked a steak on the grill and ate it with garlic bread and a salad. I spent 30 minutes on the phone with my friend Tiggerlane. And, I won Pioneer Woman's photo caption contest. Yipee!! I ended summer vacation a winner!! What a perfect day.

2006-08-13T01:25:00.000-05:00

Candyland Security

With all the buzz concerning security in recent days I was reminded of my own adventures in that area. For most of the 80's, I worked in a managerial position for a large specialty retailer. I was responsible for the entire operations of a store with gross annual sales exceeding five million dollars. My store had what we called a mezzanine in one of the storerooms. It was really an attic-type space where we stored off season merchandise and supplies.

One day I was in the mezzanine checking inventory levels of Halloween candy. I found some empty candy bags and a few candy wrappers dispersed among the stored merchandise. My first step was to check my managers' job assignment sheets to see what employees had been assigned to work in the mezzanine area. I also wanted to see if any managers had recently been working up there. My search yielded two possible candy eaters. Of course, I realized it could have been anyone in the store though probably not a customer. But the fact that two people had recently been working in that area gave me two people to start watching for suspicious activity involving candy. That very afternoon while lurking in a storeroom I observed a department head, we'll call him DH, stuffing something inside a bicycle box. As soon as DH left the area, I checked out the box. Voila! An empty candy bag.

Over the next several days I kept a close watch on DH. I continued to find candy wrappers and an occasional empty candy bag concealed in areas where he had been working. He spent 30 minutes in the mezzanine one afternoon supposedly performing a task that should have taken all of 5 minutes. After DH left work that evening, I went upstairs to investigate. I took a flashlight with me so I could thoroughly search every nook and cranny of the mezzanine. I found a nice little hideaway area surrounded by huge boxes of Christmas giftwrap. One side of the area was the cinderblock wall that separated the storeroom from the sales floor. I used the flashlight to look down in the cinderblocks and what I saw was rather surprising. I was expecting to see candy wrappers, but instead I saw ashes caught on spiderwebs in the blocks. Further investigation yielded used pipecleaners that smelled strongly of an illegal substance known for producing the munchies. And I found an entire box of pilfered candy. It was time to call in the Big Dog.

Big Dog was our area head of security. I brought him up to date on all my covert operations. He met me at the store the next morning in the wee hours before the store opened. I showed him all the evidence I had collected, the hideaway area in the mezzanine, the used pipecleaners and the ashes. We installed a video camera in a box of the Christmas giftwrap with a live feed to a monitor and recorder in my office downstairs. I have to tell you....this was so cool! I totally felt like 007 sneaking around with hidden cameras and the like. It was so clandestine.

I came back to the store that same morning at my regular time. A couple of hours later, Big Dog came in and we did a little security tour together then announced that we were going out for lunch. What we really did was sneak back to my office through the side door. We sat in my office in the dark and stared at the monitor. It didn't take long. DH sauntered into view. We watched as he removed a joint from his wallet and lit up. I knew that's what DH had been doing, but it still was such a shock to see him actually smoking a joint on the job in my store!! We also watched as he opened a bag of candy, ate a couple of pieces and put more candy in one of his pockets. Unbelievable!

I left my office to fetch DH. When Big Dog confronted him, DH denied any wrongdoing. We had to show DH the video before he finally confessed to all that he had stolen, eaten and smoked in the store. Big Dog called the cops and DH was escorted from the store. Oh, yeah, I had to fire him before he was arrested.

Candyland was once again secure.

2006-08-10T00:03:00.000-05:00

Twelve Vivid Memories of My Life Before I Was Six

1. Watching my mom unpack things and put them in the kitchen cabinets of our new house.

2. Mom crying the day JFK was shot and watching the funeral with Mom on our 19" Zenith black and white TV.

3. Being allowed to pack my Mary Poppins suitcase all by myself for an overnight trip with Dad and Mom to Shreveport, Louisiana.

4. Wondering why Mom and Dad brought a baby brother home from the hospital instead of the pet monkey that I requested.

5. Laying on the livingroom floor with the teenaged daughters of my parents' friends and watching The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show. I clearly remember thinking that you couldn't even hear the singers because all the dumb girls were screaming so loud.

6. Stripping down to my panties and running around the outside of my Granny W.'s house in the rain.

7. Sitting on Granny W.'s lap while she read me Bible stories.

8. Snow ice cream.

9. My mom laying in bed with me and singing songs before I went to sleep.

10. The murmur of my parents' voices in the kitchen and the smell of coffee when I woke up in the morning.

11. Traveling on a passenger train with my Granny W. to visit my aunt and uncle in Louisiana.

12. Standing on the sidewalk in town and singing a church hymn at the top of my lungs while Mom tried to get me in the car.

2006-08-09T02:13:00.000-05:00

Excellent Quote

"Live your life and forget your age."
Norman Vincent Peale

2006-08-09T00:22:00.000-05:00

House Hunting

When I moved back to Arkansas sixteen years ago, I knew I would buy a house. I had a list of exactly what I wanted: 1. a house in the country with enough land to support a horse 2. a big kitchen with either an island or a counter where friends could sit and talk while I cooked 3. loads of closet space 4. two bedrooms and two baths 5. a large porch.

After two weeks of camping out in my parents' house, I was ready to start shopping. I contacted an agent, described what I was looking for, gave her my price range and set up a day of house hunting.

The first house the agent took me to was in a neighborhood within the city limits. The property featured a large, chain link fenced backyard that might have supported a horse for a day or two. Medium-sized kitchen, no island, no counter, lots of closet space, three bedrooms, two baths, no porch. Next house.

Smaller, older, still within the city limits, large front yard, small backyard, no fences, two bedrooms, one bath, small kitchen, no island, no counter, few closets, small porch. Next house.

On the fringe of the city limits, definitely a larger lot with lots of pine trees, but not enough land to support a horse or a goat, for that matter. At this point I mentioned to the agent that I really wanted a house in a more rural setting.....like with a pasture....with grass....for a horse......Next house.

Ok, this house was in the country. It was actually a trailer with a lean-to attachment in an overgrown pasture minus fences. I didn't even check out the interior. Not that I have anything against trailers.....it just wasn't what I wanted, ya know? Next house.

This house was fantastic. I could tell at first glance that it was way out of my price range. Several acres of land, four bedrooms, nice kitchen, small porch....I didn't really check out the closet space. I couldn't afford the house. I knew it and the agent knew it, too. End of day one of house hunting.

I was so disappointed and discouraged by my first experience with a realtor. Fourteen years of living in apartments didn't prepare me for the reality of finding a house that meshed with what I really wanted. My parents took me out to dinner in an effort to pick up my spirits. As we were waiting to be seated, I studied a little bulletin board in the entryway of the restaurant. There it was!! A picture of a house with the words "For Sale" underneath it. A little house surrounded by trees with a huge screened porch all across the front and a wooden fence on 4.5 acres of land. "Mom, Dad, look at this house!" "I know that house," Mom replied, "I just can't remember where it is exactly."

The next day we drove around in my parents' country "neighborhood" and we found the house. My parents even knew who lived in it so we called and the owners invited us over to look at it. We drove across a cattle guard down a meandering drive to the little cabin-like house surrounded by trees and a wooden fence. I was sold. The huge, huge screened porch was the clincher. I didn't even need to see the interior. I wanted this house. So.....I bought it. Small kitchen, no island, no counter, two closets, one bathroom, two small bedrooms.....I love it!!

2006-08-06T20:43:00.000-05:00

Simple Gifts

We had a wonderful thunderstorm in Arkansas late this afternoon. Thunder, lightning, wind whipping the trees and rain....glorious rain. I had almost two inches in my rain gage after the storm.

As sometimes happens in rural areas, the electricity went off mid-storm. I sat inside with the front door open until the lightning settled down then I decided to sit on my screened in porch and enjoy the twenty degree drop in temperature. It was also a perfect time to work on my senior high all region choir audition music for this fall. Armed with Walkman, copies of music, a pencil, a bottle of water and the rehearsal CD's, I sat at the table on my porch and began working on Kpanlongo, a West African folk song. The lyrics are in Phanti, a West African language. (Luckily, we have a written pronunciation guide in the music plus spoken pronunciation help on the rehearsal CD.) I sang through every voice part at least twice before deciding to move on to the next audition piece.

The second song I decided to tackle was Simple Gifts, a beautiful arrangement of the traditional Shaker tune. I worked through the men's parts and the alto part before moving to the soprano. As I began to sing through the familiar melody of the first soprano part, a male Cardinal landed in the cedar tree at the east end of my porch and began to sing along with me. From somewhere near by, a Chickadee joined in and a Wren added his lyrical bird song to our efforts. Wow!! I felt like Cinderella. ( Remember my disnementia....) It was truly an exhilarating experience to have birds join me in song.

I thank God for the simple gifts He gives us. Rain for the dry, thirsty land. Birds with their free and joyful songs. Music that touches our souls. The ability to lift my voice in praise. "Life is full of simple gifts....'Tis a gift to live simply, 'Tis a gift to live free, to find the path on which you ought to be. It's really very simple once you start; just follow the spirit, the spirit in your heart."

2006-07-31T20:17:00.000-05:00

An Adventure With Rudy

He was abandoned in a large cardboard box on the parking lot of a Food 4 Less in North Little Rock, Arkansas. I found him. He was a skinny orange kitten who had cried so long that his voice was just a croak. I thought I was hearing some kind of bird.

The first night in my apartment he slept in my bed curled at the top of my head. He was the friendliest, most lovey dovey cat I have ever met. I named him Rudolph after Rudolph Valentino.

Later that year, Rudolph and I moved to Virginia Beach, Virginia. Rudolph was a unique cat in that he loved to travel. He stood on his hind legs and looked out the passenger side window. Sometimes he rode in the rear window. He loved to ride in the car. He also behaved quite well on a leash. Another oddity, I thought, for a cat. I actually took him walking on the beach. The beach was okay, but he really liked walking on our apartment complex grounds and in the park.

Now the adventure.

It was our second year in Virginia Beach and time to purchase our Christmas tree. It was a beautiful cold day and Rudolph wanted to go outside so I decided he could go with me to buy the tree then we could go for a walk. I drove to the tree lot in my little hatchback with Rudolph watching the scenery out the passenger side window. When I opened my door to get out, Rudolph hopped out. I absolutely know he had his escape planned because he moved so fast I couldn't even grab the end of his leash. He took off for the rows of evergreens displayed in the lot. I immediately panicked.

The lot was on a busy corner and I had visions of Rudolph being flattened on one of the busy streets. I began walking in a crouch searching among the trees and calling, "Rudolph! Rudolph!" I was so worried and concerned for my cat that I didn't really pay much attention to the other shoppers. I was focused. "Rudolph, Rudolph, come here!" I peered through branches, looked under trees, scurried through the "aisles" constantly calling Rudolph. Gradually, I became aware that people were moving out of my way. Fast. They were whispering behind their hands. Some people were laughing. Their behavior registered in my mind, but I was still focused on finding Rudolph. Finally, I captured the frisky feline and took him back to the car. I gave him a firm talking to, locked the doors and returned to the urban forest to select a tree.

As I was driving home, it hit me. The people in the tree lot must have thought I was a mental patient searching for Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer. No wonder the attendant was so jolly and helpful. He probably thought he was dealing with a young woman who had a couple of screws loose. After all, what better place, in a twisted sort of way, to search for Rudolph than a Christmas tree lot.

That day Rudolph became Rudy. He adjusted. He was also grounded from riding in the car until our Easter vacation home to Arkansas.

2006-07-28T23:02:00.000-05:00

Similie--6:00AM

This morning when I woke up
sunshine touched my feet
and
guided me across the dirty floor
to a chair where
a pair of faded jeans lay crumpled
like an old man
waiting to be noticed.

2006-07-25T22:18:00.000-05:00

There's No Place Like Home

This is the road that leads to my home. For approximately one half mile, stately trees line both sides of the road. Their limbs stretch over the country lane forming a canopy. At the end of the leafy tunnel lies the bridge. Another half mile beyond the river is my home.

I love driving and walking on this stretch of country road. I love how the trees change with the seasons. Autumn winds send leaves of all colors scurrying across the road. Squirrels scamper to and fro making last minute additions to their hoard of food for the winter. Eventually the leaves are gone. The canopy is a profusion of bare limbs sometimes dusted with snow. The winter moon gleams through the skeletal trees. Spring brings green. A banquet of varying shades as new leaves burst from the buds. Birds sing as they busily search for nest materials. The canopy is at its peak as summer arrives. Sunlight dapples the road. The leaves rustle and whisper in warm summer breezes.

There are many beautiful places in this world that we live in. I have lived in four different states and have traveled in many more. And I have a long list of places I still want to see. But no matter where I go and no matter what I see, this road will always be one of the most beautiful sights of all. When I look down this road under the canopy of trees, I know I am one mile from my home. And, we all should agree, there truly is no place like home.

2006-07-24T00:04:00.000-05:00

Black-eyed Susan rudbeckia species

These lovely "ladies" produce masses of blooms from midsummer till frost. The plants are rugged and easy to grow. They make excellent cut flowers for bouquets and also dry easily while retaining their bright color. They like full sun and will tolerate almost any soil type. I love combining them with purple coneflowers and red bee balm (monarda).

"Forget what you've heard about green thumbs: A gardener's greatest asset is a fertile imagination. How else could we envision Eden in a single seed or Paradise in a clay pot?" Author unknown, but greatly appreciated

2006-07-23T00:34:00.000-05:00

The Dance

She ran through the wet grass
to the sound of
a disco beat
until
the drum pulse pulled her
heart strings and
she began to dance.

copyright 1977

I actually wrote this poem as a senior in high school. I entered it in a collegiate level poetry competition my freshman year in college and won. It was published in an anthology along with other first place entries from across the United States.

2006-07-20T22:28:00.000-05:00

Inspiration

This is a wonderful book. I think just about anyone would enjoy reading it, but it is a must read for music teachers. I have been fortunate enough to attend John Jacobson's clinics in Grapevine, Texas, for the last three years. They are terrific.

John Jacobson is a teacher, author, composer, choreographer and motivational speaker. He is the founder and volunteer president of America Sings! Inc., a non-profit organization that encourages young people to use their time and talent for community service. John's energy is boundless. He has taught music and dance all over the world. He has climbed to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, performed with America Sings! at presidential inaugurations and was at the Berlin Wall in 1989. John's stories and humor will make you laugh and cry all at the same time.

Here are some of my favorite quotes from "A Place In The Choir":

"What we learn through music we don't forget."

"In music everybody can find a home."

"You cannot hear the sound of children singing and fail to think that this is a world worth preserving."

"Music is not an 'extra.' Music is THE difference."

"What I did know was that young people and music is a combination that can truly change the world."

"It is here that my notion was affirmed that everybody on Earth has a song inside of them, and every song is as legitimate as the next."

And, finally, my favorite....."There is no better way to spend your life than as a music teacher."

Amen, John, amen!!!

2006-07-20T00:16:00.000-05:00

What Fresh Hell Is This?

First, "What Fresh Hell Is This?" is a quote attributed to Dorothy Parker. She supposedly said the phrase when a ringing phone interrupted her literary thoughts. She liked the phrase so much that she began to answer her phone in that fashion. Great story, but it has nothing to do with my "fresh hell". I just love the quote.

Years ago my sister was married in a perfectly beautiful ceremony. She married her sweetheart in the town where they both attended college. This meant that her family had to commute to the wedding location. For some reason that I no longer recall, my sister ordered her flowers (yellow roses) from a florist in our hometown. The roses traveled with my parents, my brother and myself to the duplex where my sister and her husband-to-be would reside after their honeymoon. Immediately upon inspection of the flowers, my sister began to wail. Some of the roses already had brown edges. Who cares that one had to use a magnifying glass in order to see the brown edges, it was my sister's wedding and she wanted everything to be perfect. We calmed the bride-to-be down and set about accomplishing all that needed to be done before the wedding that evening.

Mom, sister and I were to head to the church to arrange the flowers and perform other decorating chores. We walked out on the duplex porch and I, the wedding soloist and maid of honor, misjudged the distance from porch to ground. I fell. Hard. And twisted my ankle so badly that I couldn't put any weight on it at all. I was half carried, half shoved back into the house by my entire family and placed on the sofa. An ice bag was hastily assembled and I was forced to elevate the quickly swelling and blueish ankle on four or five pillows. My sister tried hard not to cry as my mother murmured prayers that I would be able to stand, much less walk, by the time the wedding was to begin.

Time passed. Chores were accomplished. It was time to head to the church. I was able to stand, walk and, thank goodness, wear the white shoes specifically purchased for the wedding. ( Myself and the two bridesmaids were wearing emerald green dresses with white shoes. ) I got out of the car and was walking into the church when the heel on one of my shoes broke. It wasn't a nice heel-disconnected-from-shoe break that could be repaired with super glue, a hot glue gun or a nail. It was a three-inch heel broke in half break. Luckily, we were running ahead of schedule so my brother drove back to the duplex to retrieve a pair of black pumps I had for some reason packed in my overnight bag.

We were all spiffied up. Everyone looked beautiful and handsome. Grandparents and mothers were seated. I sang "The Wedding Song". Perfection. The bride entered. Vows were spoken. Prayers were prayed. Now the bride and groom stared lovingly into each other's eyes as the sister of the bride ( me ) began to sing "Love Me Tender". If only I had kept my eyes closed or stared at the back wall of the church. But, no, I had to look at my baby sister and......I began to cry. It wasn't a nice lady-like misting of the eyes, it was crying. I don't why I didn't just give up. I sobbed and blubbered through three verses of "Love Me Tender". It must have been horrible to have stand and look into her beloved's eyes with all the caterwauling that was issuing from my throat, but my sister did it.

Finally the reception was over. The newlyweds were on their way to Orlando. The church was cleaned. The brown-edged roses were disposed of. The guests had departed. Mom, Dad, my brother and I discovered that we were starving. We decided to pick up some food before we headed back to the duplex where we would spend the night. My brother motored us to the drive-thru of a fast-food joint. Technology was primitive at this point in time. The drive-thru had one of those hose things that rang a bell inside when the vehicle ran over it. My brother stopped the car before running over the hose thing so we could study the menu. An overly exuberant employee's voice came over the speaker as we were deciding what to order.

"May I help you?" she asked in a perky voice.

"We haven't even run over the ding-a-ling yet!" my brother exclaimed.

That was it. Four weary, emotionally drained, hungry people lost their composure. Somehow we managed to order food and drive to my sister's new home while laughing hysterically. No more "fresh hell" for us. The day was over.