Weblog 146
November 23, 2008~ 3:00am
Snow, snow snow! For the first time in almost a decade, November has produced actual, accumulating snow on the ground here. (Usually, this doesn't get started till just at Christmas time. This is more like the winters I remember from years ago......from my childhood) and because of budget constraints, the Pittsburgh road crews will be mixing the coal and potash with the salt to extend it. Back to BLACK SNOW.....lol! I remember that stuff sitting in great dark heaps alongside the roads when I was little, and it would stay, it seemed, till April.
One smart move I made--I took Friday off. The rush hour traffic creeping home that day was plagued by sudden squalls of white stuff. I was just getting up from my afternoon nap and peeked through the front curtains to see cars crawling along Rt. 88. Seems I made a good choice. Sometimes, there's grace.....and speaking of grace, we watched a spectacular movie tonight.
Yup. Another one I'd missed. It came out in 2006, and it tells the story of William Wilberforce who worked for passage of the 'The Slave Trade Act', passed by parliament in 1807, which led to the eventual abolishing of slavery altogether in 1833 for most of the British Empire. It was a wonderful film, rich in period luster and rife with wonderful character actors. Even Albert Finney plays a repentant slave trader, John Newton, who'd abandoned his career-- found the Lord-- and wrote the original hymn, 'Amazing Grace'. I have to admit that the movie did make me cry. It's one of those tales that swell the breast, create a lump in the throat, and make one want to go out and do great things...persist a bit harder... and if you haven't seen it, and this is movie fare to your taste, do rent it. You won't be disappointed.
Last night I discovered a totally enjoyable site that will give you a great deal of audio pleasure. How often have you wished for some relaxing nature sounds to combat a tension-filled day-- or longed for the sound of a train clacking down the track? Or windchimes? Or a waterfall......
Click the track above, to see images and hear the musical rat-ta-tat of a traveling train. Ah....that's my own personal favorite. There's nothing quite like the rocking and the sounds of being on a train. There's nothing as romantic in this world-- and no matter how modern its features, it's still the dependable OLD IRON HORSE.
It makes the head dance with visions of the Golden Spike, the great Northwest- the hubbub of Grand Central Station- all are immediately called to mind with everything moving, moving, moving. One of the best trips of my life was a railroad excursion with my two children down to New Orleans for a family wedding. I don't think food ever tasted as good as the meals we ate in the dining car-- and no cradle ever rocked as gently or as soothingly as that metal passenger car, snorting smoke in the night, carrying tubes of light filled with sleeping people. I absolutely loved it.
But do try out the many, many sounds that are offered at ISerenity...cats purring, old typewriters clicking away......the ocean......the sound of a waterfall......simple rain......I enjoyed sampling each of them. (Trains are my favorite though. Hands down.)
November 24, 2008~ 7:30pm
A bit early.....but with the holiday sitting right on the back doorstep, I thought it prudent to launch the December issue of The Blue House a few days ahead of schedule. Give folks some time to peruse before the visiting--- stuffing the turkey ---and all the hubbub. If you'd like to have a look, click below...
and dive into the 17 poets, editorial (by yours truly) and an art site sure to knock your socks off. (Now.....all I gotta do is fire up the camera, buy the Italian dinner I'm taking over to my daughter's for the night before- when my son Matt and his whole crew pull in from West Point.....and the long weekend can play out like a piece of music. Hope the snow stays put for a bit. Hate those slippery roads.)
So if you're a poetry lover (or are just curious) browse around Big Blue. 47 issues since April of 2002.....man o man. Time flies!
***
(Return To Weekly Archives)
Snow, snow snow! For the first time in almost a decade, November has produced actual, accumulating snow on the ground here. (Usually, this doesn't get started till just at Christmas time. This is more like the winters I remember from years ago......from my childhood) and because of budget constraints, the Pittsburgh road crews will be mixing the coal and potash with the salt to extend it. Back to BLACK SNOW.....lol! I remember that stuff sitting in great dark heaps alongside the roads when I was little, and it would stay, it seemed, till April.
One smart move I made--I took Friday off. The rush hour traffic creeping home that day was plagued by sudden squalls of white stuff. I was just getting up from my afternoon nap and peeked through the front curtains to see cars crawling along Rt. 88. Seems I made a good choice. Sometimes, there's grace.....and speaking of grace, we watched a spectacular movie tonight.
Yup. Another one I'd missed. It came out in 2006, and it tells the story of William Wilberforce who worked for passage of the 'The Slave Trade Act', passed by parliament in 1807, which led to the eventual abolishing of slavery altogether in 1833 for most of the British Empire. It was a wonderful film, rich in period luster and rife with wonderful character actors. Even Albert Finney plays a repentant slave trader, John Newton, who'd abandoned his career-- found the Lord-- and wrote the original hymn, 'Amazing Grace'. I have to admit that the movie did make me cry. It's one of those tales that swell the breast, create a lump in the throat, and make one want to go out and do great things...persist a bit harder... and if you haven't seen it, and this is movie fare to your taste, do rent it. You won't be disappointed.
Last night I discovered a totally enjoyable site that will give you a great deal of audio pleasure. How often have you wished for some relaxing nature sounds to combat a tension-filled day-- or longed for the sound of a train clacking down the track? Or windchimes? Or a waterfall......
Click the track above, to see images and hear the musical rat-ta-tat of a traveling train. Ah....that's my own personal favorite. There's nothing quite like the rocking and the sounds of being on a train. There's nothing as romantic in this world-- and no matter how modern its features, it's still the dependable OLD IRON HORSE.
It makes the head dance with visions of the Golden Spike, the great Northwest- the hubbub of Grand Central Station- all are immediately called to mind with everything moving, moving, moving. One of the best trips of my life was a railroad excursion with my two children down to New Orleans for a family wedding. I don't think food ever tasted as good as the meals we ate in the dining car-- and no cradle ever rocked as gently or as soothingly as that metal passenger car, snorting smoke in the night, carrying tubes of light filled with sleeping people. I absolutely loved it.
But do try out the many, many sounds that are offered at ISerenity...cats purring, old typewriters clicking away......the ocean......the sound of a waterfall......simple rain......I enjoyed sampling each of them. (Trains are my favorite though. Hands down.)
November 24, 2008~ 7:30pm
A bit early.....but with the holiday sitting right on the back doorstep, I thought it prudent to launch the December issue of The Blue House a few days ahead of schedule. Give folks some time to peruse before the visiting--- stuffing the turkey ---and all the hubbub. If you'd like to have a look, click below...
and dive into the 17 poets, editorial (by yours truly) and an art site sure to knock your socks off. (Now.....all I gotta do is fire up the camera, buy the Italian dinner I'm taking over to my daughter's for the night before- when my son Matt and his whole crew pull in from West Point.....and the long weekend can play out like a piece of music. Hope the snow stays put for a bit. Hate those slippery roads.)
So if you're a poetry lover (or are just curious) browse around Big Blue. 47 issues since April of 2002.....man o man. Time flies!
(Return To Weekly Archives)
...
. or pay a visit to my Audio site to hear things
I've written- 
Some are just 'jotters', thoughts as they fly- going
nowhere but where they are. If you stop and read a few~ or post a
few~ thanks for
the perusal. Last of all, if you've a hankering for rants and raging,
try making a stop at my other blog- 
