Bio Lab Fire (Why Me Lord)

 

If you look at the side of my blog you will see that Richard and I live in Conyers, Georgia. (Rockdale County).  Have you heard that mentioned in the news where you live?  Yesterday, we had a huge fire here at Bio Lab, a plant that makes pool and spa chemicals.  Reports are that you could see the smoke from thirty miles away.  The entire area around the fire plume was evacuated therefore, 17,000 people were meant to leave their homes. The rest of the county was asked to "shelter in place" leaving windows and doors closed. (The population of the county is 93,000). Until the early hours of today, the very busy interstate highway which cuts the county in half was CLOSED. (This made for huge traffic problems for the area.) Waking up this morning, the update from the county was the same information from yesterday, to remain inside, keeping windows and doors tightly closed "until further notice". Chlorine has been detected in the air by the EPA. 

Well.

Coming on the heels of the hurricane that swept through the region, this is quite a time of stress for so many.  Speaking of that, I just casually mentioned to you in my last post that a storm was supposed to march up through Georgia, not knowing at the time how deadly that hurricane/tropical storm would become. Have you also seen the news on that?  The photos from Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee are heart-breaking.  I could look up the latest death toll but it keeps going up, there are so many missing in the floods in North Carolina. The damage is terrible. (Regarding that storm, it veered to the right of us which meant we didn't get nearly as much wind as expected.  We still had trees that blocked some of the roads, but they were quickly removed. Our power went out for four hours. Quite a bit of rain but no flooding. We were lucky.)

Seems to me that we are all so caught up in the turmoil of life that we forget that we are just PEOPLE.  Human beings who are just trying to make it through life and maybe just have a bit of joy along the way and hopefully, help someone else on the way! So much hatred in politics and everyone thinks they know more than anyone else.  I think we should think more of being fellow creatures of this dear planet, Earth.

There, I will get off my soap box now, but I just wanted to let you all know that Richard and I are okay if any of you saw Conyers, Georgia on your TV screen or newspaper feed.

This statue of Madonna and Child was recently cleaned at the Monastery.  So beautiful and serene against that blue sky with the cumulus clouds.  (Photos taken by Richard on Saturday, one day after the hurricane and the day before the fire.)

 

Peace.

"Why Me Lord"    Kris Kristofferson (May he rest in peace).

Laughing and Singing/September Days

 

Wake me up when September ends!  (Of course, that was a hit song for Green Day back in 2004. Wow, that's twenty years ago now.) Where has this month gone? So busy! I have THREE birthdays in this month, plus the family reunion that I always like to attend. I always went with my Dad. Those folks miss the big pots of peas which he cooked from his own garden along with his famous cornbread and peach cobblers.

Recently, someone looked at a post that I wrote back in 2016. I told you in that post that unbelievably I had actually got up and sung in front of my co-workers. I wondered if I might find it on YouTube and yes, I found myself from 2016! Want to have a listen? Be kind! Oh dear, I am a bit embarrassed to share this with you, but I think you will see that I really laughed a lot as I was singing. My laughter came mainly because of the astonished looks on the faces in front of me! I guess they didn't think the old gal had it in her! HA!  

 

A bit of background story here... I took some papers into my manager's office, and he looked very sad.  I asked him what was wrong, and he said he couldn't get anyone to do any skits or songs for that week's upcoming meeting (with big wigs in attendance).  He was feeling the pressure from this, I could tell. His face lit up and he said, "YOU couldn't do something, could you, Kay?".  Now, this guy had always been so nice to me. His nickname for me was "Sunshine". I asked him before why he always called me that and he said it was because I was always smiling. I told him that I find it very hard to get up in front of a crowd. It might be true that you can hear my knees knocking.  That evening, I got to thinking that perhaps I could just take a song and change a few words and sing it. So, I did! Hey, for someone who calls you "Sunshine", wouldn't you?

Speaking of sunshine, it is very HOT just now!  When we got in the car today, it said 98 degrees! Once we were out of the parking lot, it cooled down to 95, so we're MUCH better now!   Now, we have to worry about this big storm that is promised to be on the way. It will march straight up from the Florida panhandle bringing rains and wind. Wish us luck! 

It's Hearts a busting time!

I've shown you these seeds before. Don't you love them? These are in a pot right outside my window, isn't that wonderful?

Dianthus with eastern swallowtail butterfly, also outside my window!

  This is the bridge over the South River on the Rockdale River Trail.  Here's the South River....

Every time I see this river, it always reminds me of the song, "I Washed My Hands in Muddy Water".  Hey, everything reminds me of a song!

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Did you see that they found an unknown piece of music from Mozart? Yes! They believe that it is something he wrote as a teenager. That reminds me....

Why didn't Mozart like chickens? Because they kept saying, "Bach, Bach, BACH!". 

 Keep laughing and singing, folks! (Hey, stand- up comedy for me next!)

La Seine Musicale /Cardboard Houses

 

La Seine Musicale (On MY TV!) Imagine how lovely this would be at night!

It seems like ages since the Olympics in Paris, doesn't it?  I still have fond memories of watching the events and then, pausing with the remote and researching the buildings in the background. During the Marathon, I had a full 26 miles and 385 yards in which to see the surrounding area around Paris! Why is the Marathon that unusual length? It is due to the 1908 Olympics that were held in London. 26 miles was agreed upon- the distance from Windsor Castle to White City Stadium but the 385 yards was for the last lap in the stadium so as for the athletes to finish in front of the Royal Box! Hey, the runners might not wish for that extra bit now but all the more for me to see Paris is fine by me.

The building that I have shown you above - I was truly intrigued by it. The description that I found of it is this: "A unique egg-shaped structure with a sail-like solar panel". It is a music venue! Located in the western suburbs of Paris, it opened in 2017. (The first artist to perform there was Bob Dylan!) The architect is Japanese named Shigeru Ban. In 2014, he was given the Pritzker Architecture Prize, not only for his modern buildings but also for his humanitarian efforts.  He is well known for his work with recycled cardboard tubes which can quickly be made into homes for disaster victims. The nominating committee called him "an inspiration."

 Look, let me see if I have a video to show you....

I wish I could find the video that I found of Shigeru Ban helping to build the houses in Maui- I think it was after the horrible fire.  The buildings had ...I think holes in the roofs that the builders could go in and out of as they were building, and then afterwards, they were used for light.  There, that might be a strange description, but it was very clever, and they were not only functional but very attractive.

I first heard this version of "Over the Rainbow" by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole in the film "50 First Dates".  I have shared it with you before, but it is always nice to hear it again! 

I truly love beautiful buildings.  Paris inspired me to decorate my little creation at Panola Mountain State Park! (No children were around, so I had these wooden blocks all to myself.)

 

Morning Has Broken (Oh, What a Beautiful Morning!)

 

The summers in Georgia, USA are very hot.  However, this past week we have been lucky as we have had cool mornings down in the 60's. It has been heavenly!  Richard must have loved these mornings too as he has been playing "Morning Has Broken" on his guitar. I knew that     Yusuf/Cat Stevens  had a big hit with it in 1971.  (We also had our friend play it on the piano on our wedding day in 1983!)  I also knew that it was a hymn, with the words written by    Eleanor Farjeon.   The hymn was published in 1931.) Now, it made me wonder...who wrote the music?  Eleanor Farjeon is English and so is Cat Stevens but for the music, we have to go to Scotland....

It is set to the tune "Bunessan" which is a folk melody from the village of Bunessan which is a small village on the Isle of Mull off the southwest coast of Scotland. Mary Macdonald from the nearby community of Ardtun first used the traditional local tune to a Christmas Carol that she wrote in Gaelic, translated into "Christ In The Manger". She was the first to call the tune "Bunessan" but as it is true with many folk melodies, the author is unknown. Even though the songwriter is lost to history, we only know that is a lovely tune and we appreciate it.

  James Quinn,   a Jesuit priest from Glasgow, Scotland wrote some lovely lyrics to this same tune, "This Day God Gives Me".   I had never heard it before!  Finding this in my research was a true gift.... and I really loved this description of the priest, "He was known for his gentle manner". 

 I have given you links to those three people- Cat Stevens, Eleanor Farjeon and James Quinn.  Such fascinating life stories! It truly is worth your time to read about them.  I promise! (I do wish someone would make films about each of them. All of them are inspiring!)

Of course,  I cannot finish this post without including "Morning Has Broken".  This is a video of Yusuf/Cat Stevens in 2022.  He still has a great sounding vocal. Enjoy!

Another thing I learned recently....I saw this book at our local library, "The Birds of Edward Lear". Fascinating! Did you know that not only was he an author but a fantastic artist?  Once again, such an amazing life story!  Edward Lear    There, I have another link!   

Perhaps you think I have given you many things to look up here, but you have no idea how many things I look up every single day!  Does curiosity keep you young?  Please, let that be so!  Hope you are all doing well and doing better with your time than I am these days!

I almost forgot to say....

"Oh, What A Beautiful Morning"! That song is from the musical "Oklahoma" by Rodgers and Hammerstein.  Therefore, those lyrics are by one of my great heroes, Oscar Hammerstein! Dare I say it, you MUST read up about him too!

  

Zinnia that I planted from seed.  Cannot tell you how happy this makes me!  Oh, so beautiful!

Sportingly Yours - 2024 Paris Olympics

  

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...", these are the opening words to "A Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens.  Reading the reviews of the opening ceremony for the Olympics in Paris somehow brought those words to my mind. It seemed you either loved them or hated them.  I didn't watch them on that day, but we recorded it and watched it the next day. Well....much of the beginning of it reminded me of when I was ill and had some drug induced nightmares. So much dancing!  It seemed to me much better when they focused more on the magnificent buildings in Paris! And there were moments that surprised me, the opera singer standing on that bridge and singing the National Anthem? What she wore and the way that she was posed during the entire song, it was most effective. Celine Dion singing from The Eiffel Tower? Wonderful! Oh, and the rain! Goodness me, it seems Paris has had wonderful sunny weather since that Friday! Oh well.  C'est la vie! 

Do you like sports? If so, you must enjoy the Olympics too! You know I do. It has been exciting to watch!  In my last post, I told you that I know the words to the French National Anthem. I sung along with Leon Marchand as he stood on the podium having won the Gold in the 400-meter individual medley!  It was fun to watch him swim the breaststroke, every time he surfaced, the crowd let out a huge cheer! Obviously, he was in his home country!

Ah, Paris! I have never, EVER seen it, but I think I love it! I am reading a book just now...

                           "Eiffel's Tower" by Jill Jonnes!  

While the Eiffel Tower itself is most astonishing, you would not believe all the characters associated with the tower and with the World's Fair in 1889 in which it was introduced! What characters? How about Thomas Edison, Paul Gauguin, Buffalo Bill and Annie Oakley? Not to mention the man behind the tower, Gustave Eiffel! (And where would we be without elevators in the tower? Another character to learn about, Mr. Otis from Otis Elevators!  "All safe, all safe".)  It is taking me some time to read this book as I keep looking up more information about each and every person that is highlighted.

Thomas Edison! How I think he would marvel at the Eiffel Tower when it lights up every hour from sunset until 1AM.  (AND the lights actually move and sparkle for the first five minutes for every hour after dusk!)  Instead of a torch for the Olympics, Paris chose a cauldron that looks like a hot air balloon! To me, it looks amazing in the day but just imagine it at night! At sunset, the balloon rises up 60 meters and returns to the ground at 2AM. It is not fire! Water is sprayed and beams of light are projected onto the mist using 40 LED spotlights.  Once again, I can't help but think of Thomas Edison loving this!

The French swimmer, Leon Marchard, that I told you about who won the Gold Medal, had written to the coach at Arizona State University (the same one who had coached Michael Phelps!).  He asked him if he could possibly help a young French swimmer like himself. Sure enough, he attended that university and now lives in Austin, Texas!

 Here's a little detail that I love - he signed that letter, "Sportlingly Yours".

The architecture in Paris is amazing, isn't it?  I have a photo from Chattanooga, Tennessee. It is from the old train depot there. If I can't get to Paris, I will appreciate what I can!

Oh, Say Can You SING? (National Anthem)

 

Last night was the Home Run Derby which is always at the beginning of the All-Star Break for Major League Baseball.  Of course, before it began there was a rendition of our National Anthem.  Now, it is a very difficult song to sing but this morning it was all on the news that it was a terrible rendition.  I could give you a link to it but honestly, you can look it up, if you like....it was by a country singer named Ingrid Andress.  (As I am typing this post, Richard just told me that the singer said she was drunk and has now admitted herself into a facility. Oh dear, let's hope she gets the help she needs.)

I quite enjoyed watching a lot of the Euros. (I spent loads of time looking up the history of each and every city in Germany where the games were played!)  Richard made sure to record the ten minutes or so before the games started just so I could hear the National Anthems. (I only know the words to two of them, "God Save the King" and "La Marseillaise"- the anthems for the United Kingdom and France. I sang along to them both!)

For all the countries, I liked seeing how many of the players and coaches sang along to their national anthems. Quite often, they sang with great gusto and that also included many of those in the audience. The National Anthem for the USA is "The Star-Spangled Banner" and I while I really like the song myself, it IS a truly challenging song to sing!

I am not the first one to say that we really should change it to "America the Beautiful".  There, I said it and I say it again..."America the Beautiful" for the National Anthem! 

Did you know that it used to be the custom for the National Anthem to be played at the end of the films in British theaters? Yes! Ray Bradbury wrote a story about this, "The Anthem Sprinters". He must have found it very amusing when he was spending time in Ireland and heard of men who tried to run out of the theatre before the National Anthem started. The guys would race out as fast as they could, the last man out would have to buy the drinks at the pub! 

I looked this up and it states that this practice stopped sometime in the 1970's but it seems to me that Richard and I went to a play in 1985 in Eastbourne, and I was surprised that "God Save the Queen" was played at the end. Maybe this was still done in certain places, or perhaps in live theater? 

Of course, it didn't bother me one bit - I sang right along!

Now, if you have a chance, do YOU sing along?  During baseball games, we are asked to sing along to "Take Me Out to the Ballgames".  People do sing but without a lot of enthusiasm.  Such a shame! 

There are a lot of videos of "America the Beautiful" but I am very fond of this version by Ray Charles.  He did this just after 9/11 and it was much needed. Hope you like it!

Okay now, I have to be practical. I doubt that the USA will ever change their National Anthem. In that case, it should be sung with a special consideration. Here, let's see if I can find one that we all will like.... Trish Yearwood!  Hey, guess what?  Both these artists, Ray Charles and Trish Yearwood are from Georgia. 

                                                     "God Save the King"

                              "La Marseillaise" 

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In other news, our night blooming cereus bloomed!  This is very exciting!  Just as the name states, it only blooms at night, you have to get up very early to get a photo of it before it closes up.

Richard and I were invited to a garden party, and you know we attended! The gardens were lovely as was the home.

     Who is that crazy lady trying to hide behind the potted ferns?

Lots of videos on here for you but hey, I could have found more! HA! Take care!

1969 Music/Funny Photos/ "The Long Charade"

 

If you are as old as I am, you will remember 1969.  Can you remember all the music from that year? Our son was NOT around in 1969, yet he must know more about that year's music than I do.  He recently wrote not one but two pieces regarding that year's music! The first one about the beautiful, beguiling folk music is just here.  The second piece is of the epic rock masterpieces from 1969- you may read it just here! 

10 beautiful, beguiling and bold folk albums from 1969 (audiophix.com)

15 epic and influential American rock albums from 1969 (audiophix.com)

Just in case, I have the links above also!  

Okay folks, seen anything funny or unusual lately? Sometimes, things will just catch my eye and I wonder if anyone else notices. Did Walmart just run out of display boxes that they had to use a pesticide one in order to store these green bean seeds? "Kills fast- Up to 12 months!". Maybe people did notice this, it doesn't look as if anyone wants to buy these seeds! (Or maybe they only saw the price, $3.74 for seeds!)

This minion was on the back of a truck. I had to take a photo! Can you see that it is made of all kinds of tools and truck parts? So clever!

The next two photos are from the Chattanooga Train Station! I loved the old telephone booth.  The entire train station has now been restored or else, is still in the process of being restored. Since this post began with music, I might as well end this with a music trivia question. What was the very first gold record?  (Hint: this train station should give you a clue!)  Yes! It was "Chattanooga Choo Choo" by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra from 1942 which sold 1.2 million copies. There, see the things you learn from me? 

 

I 

Please do read the music articles that Christopher wrote about on Audio Phix!  The first one about folk music has had, thousands of views!  And the second one, even if you don't have time to read it all, make sure you go to the end where he gives you his review of what he considers the best album of 1969. He truly put so much passion into it, it's simply wonderful how much knowledge he has about music! (You will have to read it now, to know what he considers the top album!)

OH! And I almost forgot, here is a video for you.  Now, the sound quality is not the best but it is Christopher from about 10 years ago and he and his friend, Tim wrote this song and performed it. Both were on guitars and both are singing.  "The Long Charade". (Typical guys, I think I would have put the camera down with something showing other than a heater vent! LOL!) Hey, that goes along with my funny photos!

Take care everyone! Keep finding amusement in the world...and music!