Bird Feeders

Oh my gosh I'm obsessed with birds and bird feeders. We now have one Hummingbird Feeder, one Seed Feeder and one Thistle Seed Feeder. And we have so many birds! Ruby Throated Hummingbirds, Nuthatches, Titmice, Chickadees, Downy Woodpeckers, Goldfinches, Blue Jays. With my binoculars (sigh, yes, this is ridiculous) I can see Red Bellied Woodpeckers, Northern Flickers, Wood Creepers, Red Tail Hawks and a bunch of birds not yet identified.

I don't know what this is all about. It has nothing to do with music. Nothing to do with the work I do. I sit on our porch watching all these birds eat. 'Tis delightful and relaxing.

Robert Schumann Arabeske Op. 18

This is a new piece for me. Seems to fit under my fingers quite nicely.

"And Those Who Were Seen Dancing . . ."

"And those who were seen dancing were thought insane by those who could not hear the music."

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

http://www.trailsage.com/#/boulder-co-mt-sanitas-trail/4534884924

I climbed this rock with my daughter while visiting her in Boulder, CO. Have never, ever attempted anything like this before. If she had told me what I was in for I probably would have found a nice coffee shop and waited for her return with pictures. She was sneaky. 'Let's go for a final hike before you head home tomorrow, mommy.' Mommy. How could I resist? Hiked a variety of trails the entire time I was there. Loved every one of them. But this one . . . .

1200 feet up. UP. No gentle up and down. UP. Rock steps. Huffing and puffing. Then down. DOWN. In sneakers. During a thunderstorm. The back end of my shorts were pretty dirty. Sitting and holding on was the best way down for me in a couple of spots.

Now, mind you, while I was ready to strangle my dauther, a jogger passed gracefully by. Oblivious to the UP or DOWN. Sure footed, nice strong lungs, tipped his hat. For heaven's sake! Really?! I felt like such a dope.

Actually, once we completed the journey I was quite, quite proud of myself. Next year I'll wear hiking boots when we climb this trail. Again.

Splendor In The Grass

What though the radiance which was once so bright
Be now for ever taken from my sight,
Though nothing can bring back the hour
Of splendor in the grass, of glory in the flower
We will grieve not, rather find
Strength in what remains behind;
In the primal sympathy
Which having been must ever be;
In the soothing thoughts that spring
Out of human suffering;
In the faith that looks through death,
In years that bring the philosophic mind.

William Wordsworth

Loss is never easy.

Boulder, Colorado public library. AKA the climbing wall. Will be spending some time with my daughter this summer in her new home town.

My Friend

Yesterday a friend visited. She has been busy these past few years exploring various aspects of educational interest and within that journey was ordained an Interfaith Minister just a few weeks ago. My friend the Rev.

She saw the piano out of the corner of her eye. Took off her shoes and quietly walked into the Living Room. "This feels like a Sanctuary," she said, "A Sacred Space." There was such a sense of reverence about her as she explored the instrument and played a few notes.

She sat and listened while I played a little of this and a little of that. Then she stood next to the open lid and experienced the sound and vibration that comes forth only from a grand piano. She paid attention to how her body responded to Bach, to Brahms, to Chopin. Then she said the most amazing thing, "Have a client sit in a chair next to the piano. Tune your playing to have a healing impact on their state of mind and health. It's an extraordinary experience to feel the sound in the body and pay attention to where it is going and what it is doing."

Gee. Never thought of that. My friend the Rev.