A Few (well 7) of My Favorite Things, jazzed up a bit

People who celebrate what they love.

Composers who are people who...

Musicians who celebrate composers who...

Piano players who are musicians who...

Improvisers who are piano players who...

Jazz for providing a medium of improvisers...

Friends, who ask me what I am listening to, ... and so by saying these words I ended up saying so many of my favorite things: Brad Mehldau playing My Favorite Things

Seven on Sunday--- Ducks

buy it here

1. By the diplomas not hanging on my wall, I am a Koncrete Warrior Duck. In 1992 when Mosaic Woman and I were receiving our masters degrees, I could not imagine the Ducks playing for a football championship and if I spent money on cable and if the game started earlier, I would have sadly watched them lose last week. But hey, only two teams made it to that game and the U of O colors inspired the above piece, which by the way was designed while I was sitting in a staff meeting at a job I can have because of the masters degree.

2. Mergansers are cool:

photo by Judy H

3. Ducks can frustrate me. I do not have a scope as many a serious birder does, and since ducks tend to hang out on water it is hard to sneak up for a closer view. But I try to keep in mind it is a two way street, both I and the duck need to desire to see each other.

4. In 1987 I drove from Pennsylvania to Edmonton (2500 +/- miles) to pick up Mosaic Woman who had flown up earlier. As I drove across the northern plains I wanted to stop constantly as I passed by billions and billions of potholes filled with birds. Now I read things are not so good for life in those wetlands.

5. Duck Ellington ?????

It's a cold rainy day in the zoo and the animals are bored. So they call Duck Ellington who flies in with his piano and creates a jazz-jam that chases the clouds away and gets all the animals dancing.

6. Head north on route 202 from Lansdale and one will soon pass by the Duck Deli: a BBQ restaurant in New Britain, PA. Named for Duck, NC of course; where the original Duck Deli is located. Anyway, some very good lunches have been had over the past 15 years, and yes, I was at the original Duck Deli on the Outer Banks before I had known of this one. The Town of Duck, NC plans to have its fifth jazz festival this October, while the Duck Deli has sponsored jazz festivals in PA.

7. some Funky Cold Duck Jazz:

Seven on Sunday--- Night

1. Above: at night, no electricity, our neighborhood lights candles and make use of our porches: my hand, Mosaic Woman's candle.


2. For some, the event that brings about the most joy is the Winter Solstice. A time to celebrate the end of the lengthening darkness. This year, that long night had quite an event:

Photo by Ken Slade

3. As for me I tend to be so annoyed by the approaching cold of January and February that the return of light isn't enough, however, I so adore being able to sing this line, A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices, a few nights later on Christmas Eve surrounded by friends.

4. Nat King Cole singing my favorite carol:

5. I told my students that every day consists of a night which is 24 hours long. Stars come out at night. We just call it daytime when the closest star comes out.

6. Only once in my life did I stay awake from the time the sun set till it arose again. I was an undergraduate student studying ecology and my class did a 24 hour stream watch.

7. A nightmare is a goblin that ruins our pleasant night of sleep.

Bonus: and for those cool moments when you are uncertain if it is day or night, feel free to use the word crepuscular. (for MD)

Seven on Sunday: Houses

our house photo taken on a warmer day

Yesterday Mosaic Woman and I went to find some glass to cut up and place into the 25 picture frames she was commissioned to make. One source is to find a cheap frame at a thrift store. Yesterday we found one which framed these words:

1.

And if you be unwilling to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Joshua 24:15


2. I am sure if I read what surrounded this verse it may change my impression, but for now I like the openness of what this one verse expresses. As for me, who or what we choose to serve is not as important as what that decision leads us into and how we respond once we get there.

3. I live in a one bedroom two studio house. We are beginning to wonder why we sleep in the largest of the three.

4. The houses that caught fire last March. Two of the five have been inhabited once again. Finally the other three are being reborn. These construction dudes are showing up when I leave for work and are wrapping things up after I get home. I would be so cold and tired. I hope they have warm houses to go home to when their work is done.

5. The house of our dreams would be a Craftsman with funky paint on the outside and amazing woodwork inside:

photo by roarofthefour

photo by j l t

6. From one of my favorite CD's, jazz singer Jon Hendricks takes on a Gospel classic:

7. House comes to us from an Old English word, hus, meaning dwelling, shelter, house.