The Atlanta Braves In the World Series!

 

October!

 That means time for the World Series in America! And wonder of wonders, the ATLANTA BRAVES won the National League which means they are now playing the Houston Astros who won in the American League.  The Braves beat the Astros last night in the first game of the series and they are about to begin the second game tonight just as I am typing this post. Whoever wins the best out of seven games will be the winner.  (So, stay with me, folks in the rest of the world who know nothing about baseball...it is the National League vs. the American League and it is called the WORLD Series although there are no other countries involved from the world, that is just what it is! HA!)  Oh you must excuse me, it is quite the exciting thing for the Braves to be in the World Series and we are all quite giddy with excitement!  Even if you don't like sports, you like a nice story about underdogs coming from behind, don't you? Sure you do! There was a most wonderful piece written by one of the Braves, Joc Pederson and I have a link for you and I do hope that you will read it!

Atlanta by Joc Pederson | The Players' Tribune (theplayerstribune.com)

There, click on that above!  Yes, there is harsh language but I still like it!  Joc Pederson began to wear a strand of pearls over his uniform and there was much speculation as to why he did this. (What was the meaning behind it, etc, etc.)  After reading his article, it makes me wonder, if he did it just for the sheer fun of it! Also, after the Braves beat the highly respected and hallowed Los Angeles Dodgers (who won the World Series last year), the closing pitcher said in an interview after the game that he believed they won because they just all loved each other and it came across in the way they played.  They came out with a Braves shirt that I really like...it shows the giant "A" on a shirt (which stands for Atlanta, of course) but the shirt says this:  "Just A Little Love".  

Now, speaking of pitchers...Charlie Morton, the pitcher for the Atlanta Braves in the game last night was hit by a ball in the 2nd inning but he stayed in the game and struck out batters but was taken out in the 3rd inning after it was determined that he had broken his leg! Talk about a tough pitcher! (If you read the article by Joc Pederson, I think he would agree with me!)

"When I follow at my pleasure"...that is a phrase that comes to my mind about sports and in baseball in particular...if you remember, I loved watching the Braves play on TV and I would "watch" them with my Dad, as we would talk on the phone. How he would have loved this year!  I have not been able to follow them as closely as I would like. Their games can go on quite late and I have to be up early for work!  So, one of my first questions in the morning..." Did the Braves win?"  I drive my husband crazy, I am sure!  (One can always record a game and watch the highlights, so therefore, "I follow at my pleasure.")

I do wonder if that phrase came to my mind because our son went to an outdoor viewing location that was showing the Braves game on a giant screen.  It was way out in the country and my husband asked him if he also noticed the stars.  His answer? "Yes, and they were lovely." 

"Mortal as I am, I know that I am born for a day. But when I follow at my pleasure the multitude of the stars in their circular course, my feet no longer touch the earth."  Ptolemy

Let's hear it for that kind of JOY...no matter where you find it! In the stars, in sports, wherever!

Oh! And if you are wondering if I can find any connection to England from watching the Braves, the answer is "yes!". The pitcher I was telling you about who said they all loved each other? That was Tyler Matzek and he looks very much like one of the actors from "EastEnders"!  (The one who plays Ben Mitchell!)  

A moon photo from last October!  Not the stars but the moon is nice too!

     

Rain Coming...I'll Follow The Sun

 Hello everyone!

We had some very rainy weather last week.  For several days, when I was able to get my old computer up and running, there was a phrase that popped up in the corner that said "Rain Coming".  Now my first thought was "That sounds ominous" but my very next thought and it came so quickly into my head was the song "I'll Follow the Sun" by the Beatles.  Did you know that Paul McCartney wrote that song before the Beatles even existed when he was only 16 years old?

(He also wrote "When I'm 64" as a teenager also and the Beatles used to play it between sets when they were on stage in their early days!)

Now back to "I'll Follow the Sun"...Paul McCartney wrote that song after he had recovered from - wait for it...the FLU!  Now, in these times of Covid, I think that is something that we should know and tell everyone.  You don't have to look on the bright side but I honestly think that it is more helpful to yourself and to others.

Thank you, Sir Paul!

And speaking of looking on the bright side, the Yellow Daisies have been amazingly beautiful this year!  I just wish you could see how plentiful they are and the fragrance! I've said it before but if I could only bottle it! So, you see, we might have had a lot of rain this year but if it brings flowers like this, it is well worth it.  Take care and remember, follow the sun but appreciate the rain and be grateful for everything.

September Beauty/ I Will/ Song From A Secret Garden

 

September! Time for beautyberries and yellow daisies, both native to this area.  Both so incredibly beautiful that they can stop you in your tracks!

Happy to share with you a cover song of  the Beatles song "I Will"...it is by a very talented young man named Alexander Rybak.

Hope you enjoy this as much as I do!

Believe it or not, that is a violin that he is playing in that song!

Don't believe me? I found another video of him playing his violin..."Song From A Secret Garden".

Otis Redding Day in Georgia- Sept. 9, 2021!

 

Songwriter, singer, great guy...that is what should come to your mind when you think of Otis Redding.  He left us much too soon at the age of 26. Tomorrow would have been his 80th birthday.  To honor him, the state of Georgia has declared Sept. 9th to be "Otis Redding Day".  Remember, Otis Redding wrote the song that the marvelous Aretha Franklin made so famous, "Respect".  

"Sitting on the Dock of the Bay" was recorded just three days before his tragic death in a plane crash in 1967.  (He not only sang this great song but he wrote it as well with his good friend and guitarist, Steve Cropper.)

All respect to a fellow Georgian, Otis Redding.  Otis Redding Foundation- I have a link just here!  There, go and read more about this great man.

  

Summer Lightning

 We had a thunderstorm here in our area last night.  The very first thunderclap was so loud, it really startled me.  Of course, it doesn't take much for me to jump! (There, you don't really have to know all my nervous habits but I tell you anyway! LOL!)  There is a wonderful song by Ralph McTell called "Summer Lightning".  My husband can play this on the guitar himself and it sounds so good! I love the music and the lyrics.  One day I might be able to get Richard on a video playing it for you but I found one that is almost as good as a Richard performance.  Hope you like it too....

Goodness me, I had to search a while to find this video for you!

ENJOY!

 I love to look at clouds in the sky.  Don't you?  Take care, everyone! Look for beauty always!

Hanging In There! 10 Years Today!

 Can you believe it? Ten years ago today, I started writing this blog!

Yes, you can look back at my Aug. 21, 2011 post and if you do, you will see that I managed to delete that first post and then, had to just jot a few things down that I had written. So, I have a second post on that same day saying "STILL Aug. 21st!".   That was a foreshadowing of what was to come, I am always just a jumble of mistakes waiting to happen.  Still, one has to keep a sense of humor about these things, don't you think?

You don't have to laugh at life but I find that it is truly a help. It is for me anyway. And thinking of that, I am looking forward to a film that will be coming out soon..."Being The Ricardos" which is a movie about Lucille Ball and her husband, Desi Arnaz.  Did you watch "I Love Lucy" as you were growing up? I certainly did! Of course, the shows that I watched were not really from the 1960's but from the decade before.  I've read that the show has been syndicated in dozens of languages and is shown around the world. Isn't that something? Recently, we had the remains of a hurricane which was downgraded to a tropical storm but it still brought lots of rain. The storm was named "Fred".  I do wonder if anyone else looked at all that rain and said, "FRED, FRED, FRED, FRED, FRED!"  (From the "I Love Lucy" episode where little Ricky was learning the drums and was driving everyone crazy by beating the drum exactly five times and Ethel called out her husband's name in exact time with the beating of the drum!)  There...anybody else think of that? No, only me? What a nutcase I am!  The shows were quite brilliant and Lucille Ball had such perfect timing and all the actors worked as such a perfect ensemble, it was a pleasure to watch.  I do hope that they do a good job with the film about them! (Also, Nicole Kidman will be Lucille Ball in the film and I just know she will do a great job.  I can honestly say that I have loved in her in every film that I have seen of hers! And she really has made a great many!)

Two films, "Five Came Back" and "Beauty for the Asking" were from 1939 and both featured Lucille Ball. (1939, what a year for movies! If you are a film buff, you know what I mean!)  I watched both of these movies for the first time this year and I was very much impressed by the young Lucille Ball. Beautiful and so very good!

"Beauty for the Asking" is about Jean Russell (played by Lucille Ball) who invents a facial cream and...oh, I don't want to tell you anything else, just try to find it and watch it! Her character was not only beautiful but intelligent and kind.  I really enjoyed this!

"Five Came Back" is a film that is about a plane that crashes in a jungle and the repaired plane can only carry five passengers out. Once again, I thought Lucille Ball was wonderful in her role in this film too! (SPOILER: Lucille is one of those who make it out! Sorry, you knew she would, right?)

Both of these films were made by RKO Studios (and Lucille Ball had made many other movies at the same studio) and later, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz bought the studio! 

Okay, I think I found the episode where Little Ricky was learning to play the drums!

And hey!  I know I don't post that much on my blog anymore but I keep hanging in there!  So, 10 years today!  Thanks for hanging with me!

A song for you?  You know I have one!  (And please tell me that you can instantly tell that is Lou Rauls singing in the background!)

Praise My Soul The King of Heaven/Take Your Shoes Off, Moses

 Hey! Remember me? I am Georgia Girl With An English Heart! (Yes, I am really Georgia Old Woman but hey, sue me! LOL!!)

To prove to you that I have a foot in both worlds, so to speak, I have two examples of songs for you.  I truly like them both.  Hope you will too...

"Praise My Soul, The King of Heaven" is a beautiful hymn with lyrics by Henry Frances Lyte. (1793-1847). Born in Scotland but brought up in Ireland, he became an Anglican vicar in Devon, England.  Also a poet, he wrote the lyrics for the famous hymn,  "Abide With Me".  I have read that just before he died, he exclaimed, "Peace, Joy!".   I am thinking that those two words would make a fine hymn, don't you?

Gospel music! Combined with Blue Grass, it just can't get any better for me! (There is a guitar solo that my guitar playing son says is very, very good!)

"Take Your Shoes Off Moses".