sharing Christmas with the physicist!

That very nearly rhymes, doesn't it?

"Sure, if you're playing fast and loose with the rhyming rules. Just like me claiming that what I wrote just now was a rhyme."

Oh, I get it! "Loose" and "rules" - you just have to slur over that hard "L" in the second word, like ignoring the "T" in "physicist". Still, I guess it couldn't really be called a poem quite yet. A few more lines would definitely be needed to have poetry.

"For sure. So, I take it that Tina Tuesday was spent with J-Dawg?"

Yes, it was, g'friend! What an unusual time it was, too. Can you believe that I convinced him to go to an animated film? Truth to tell, he probably wouldn't have agreed if the characters spoke.

I'm sure I wouldn't have asked him to go, either, had that been the case. But Carolyn had steered me to "Flow", and I did the same to him once I saw it was carried over for a second week at NCG.

"That's the foreign film about the cat and the tsunami, right? That did look quite interesting!"

He and I agreed and, as it was cheap movie day, we went to the noon30 screening. I was surprised that about fifteen people joined us for it!

"Very nice! That bodes well for such an artsy film. And was it good?"

It was delightful! I may have startled folks there with my laughing, but the kitteh did such patently kittenish things that I just couldn't help it!

"Oh, my! Did he laugh, too?"

Really, that isn't the sort of thing he would ever do. If we were at each other's house and watching it, he might have joined me a couple of times. But in a room of strangers? Not likely. Still, he didn't get up and move away from me, so that was good. (smile!) 

"That's not his way. He's quite supportive of you."

Yes, he is, isn't he? That makes him my bfe, as he's a keeper. (smile!) And, as I'd paid for the movie, he treated us to our luncheon at Jason's Deli! They were having a "2 for $20" special as part of their '12 Days of Deli-cious' promotion. We both ordered monster baked potatoes and the two drinks, then sat there talking and eating for the next two hours! It was great!!! I'm considering that a Christmas luncheon, for sure, especially with the movie. (smile!)

"That's what I'd do! Long afternoons with him are super rare!"

They're practically nonexistent, but winter break is here now. I'm hoping we'll be getting together next week for "Nosferatu", as he's already told me he wants to see it.

"That starts Christmas Day, doesn't it? That might make for a nice afternoon, perhaps with a meal somewhere afterward. Chinese at eTang would be great!"

Yeah, we'll see about that. Today was just so wonderful!

"What's up with the three photos? That's like something you'd get out of photo booth at the fair or a theme park."

Exactly!!! (smile!)

insights from the book of face

The most wonderful moment 

in a woman's life 

is when she realizes she can do 

whatever she wants, 

she doesn't owe anyone 

an explanation, 

and she doesn't need 

anyone's permission.

She's just living.

And it's beautiful.

@BOSSGURLCEO

 

That was on my first niece's page.

Very nice.

I totally relate to that.

Re-enchant your life 

by making the mundane exciting. 

You are not "going to CVS", 

you are visiting the apothecary 

to buy potions. 

You are not "running an errand", 

you are doing a side quest. 

You are not "feeding the birds", 

you are making an alliance 

with the crow queen.

@SketchesbyBoze

 

Quite imaginative for my niece, Hope!

Quite my speed, too.

I've seen fire, 

and I've seen rain. 

I've been through the desert 

on a horse with no name. 

 

I've gone to Kansas City, 

I sang in the sunshine. 

I've been on the road again, 

with Georgia on my mind. 

 

Like a rolling stone, 

I've given peace a chance. 

I've put a camel to bed 

and danced the last dance. 

 

Mr. Tambourine Man 

played a song for me. 

I've whispered words of wisdom, 

let it be. 

 

I've fallen into a burning ring of fire 

and walked the line. 

To all the girls I've loved before, 

you were always on my mind. 

 

I've been everywhere, 

I've been so lonesome I could cry.

I've driven my Chevy to the levee

when the levee was dry.

 

I've been to Itchy Coo Park in a yellow submarine.

I've made the scene in a time machine.

 

I've done the Hokey Pokey and turned myself around.

I've welcomed baby back to the poor side of town.

 

I've followed the tracks of my tears

down a long and winding road.

I've kept on searching

for a heart of gold.

 

I've sought shelter from the storm,

I've sat on the dock of the bay.

I've rocked around the clock

on a sunshiny day.

 

I've knocked on heaven's door, while blowing in the wind.

Joy to the world, those were the days, my friend.

 

Lay lady lay, in crimson and clover.

It's been a hard day's night, the party's over.

-  Audrey James Paris

Nice "reflections of a boomer"

from former sailor Bob Bueling.

So many songs from my youth

that I still love to sing!

(smile!)

off to india and japan!!!

"For real??? Wait a minute, this sounds more like a double header film day than an actual trip."

But, it was a trip...to the Royal of Pooler! Hahaha!

"Just a solo?"

No, g'friend, can't you see I had company? They're not imaginary, either. That's Blue, waving at you. Then there's Ryan Reynolds - I mean "Calvin" - right behind me, and that sweet, old-fashioned, bear.

"His name is Lewis. He was the last role played by Louis Gossett, Jr., before his death in March."

Lewis, Louis - I had missed that pun! What a nice homage to that talented man.

"Agreed. So, what drew you to Pooler?"

They had two sports films playing. Perfect for a double header! Get the joke? Of course you do! The first was set in India and introduced me to the game of cricket. There's a bat and a ball, with runs that get scored, but it's certainly not baseball! "Mr. & Mrs. Mahi" featured a newlywed couple, Mahendra and Mahima, who both had the same nickname. Cute!

"That is adorable, and no doubt part of their meet-cute story."

Well, it was an arranged marriage and they thought they didn't have much in common until their wedding night. She snuck out of bed to watch a cricket match on TV... and their love of that game led them to love of each other. Very nice! The movie was more about his frustration about not being famous like his brother. I would have liked more with her, and her following her own dream at last. Lots of cricket being played in it!

"I can't say that's a sport I really know. I just haven't been exposed to it, you know?"

Yes, we're in the wrong country for that. But not for volleyball! That was the focus in "Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle", set for high school sports in Japan. At least I've played that several times! I wasn't really any good at it, much like the character Kenma. In fact, in high school, I was shy and not sports-minded, same as Kenma, and group sports didn't suit me well. I was more into solo sports, like archery. So is my niece, Aubree. She's received an award for her talent!

"That's her in the middle, right? You can sure tell that she's a Smith kid!"

Right?! Not only do we share a resemblance, we also share a birthday! For her 12th birthday this year, I gave her an Arbor Day Foundation donation and introduced her to Joyce Kilmer's poem, "Trees".

"Lots of subtext in that gift to her, including your gift of a grove to her Grandpa Harvey, who she never met. Also a nice way to bring home the meaning of Memorial Day, your shared birthday weekend holiday, since Kilmer fought in World War I and died during battle."

I did include a note about the poet, but not about Daddy and his trees. I'm sure that Bonnie would get her up to speed on that, though.

"No doubt. And how was the anime movie?"

Very, very, very fast. I had chosen the subtitled version, which was a mistake. I absolutely could not keep up with the dialogue during the volleyball games! I would have enjoyed it more if I'd been at the dubbed film. Then I could have concentrated on the action, rather than splitting my attention between reading the words and watching the game. All in all, though, this was a most enjoyable outing! And, even better: the anime was free for me! I don't know if it was a birthday treat from the Royal Cinema, or if I had amassed enough points for that reward. Not that the reason why was important, just the fact that it was free!

"Most excellent! That means this was a Tina Tuesday on a Saturday!"

Yes!!! Yes, it was!!! Marvelous!!!

flying high with amigas!

What a lovely way 

to spend a Monday!

Barbara and Carolyn met me 

for our unexpected

private screening at AMC

of "The Blue Angels" -

just us with no distractions!

We were able to soar

over Pensacola surf

along with those planes!

So wonderful to see it (again!)

on the silver screen!

(smile!)

Then, it was off to Applebee's

for my birthday dessert -

literally on the house! -

and it was the very first item

delivered to our table!

LOL!

That little waitress must have been new.

Or maybe she was trying to help me

s l o w  d o w n

again.

Possibly that was her goal

as we were there

more than two hours.

Good to have that time together!

(smile!)

thanks for the birthday flowers, mary and pat

Wonder why these particular flowers 

are around the mailbox?

The deer don't like them.

I suggested the reason might be 

the peppery taste of 

the chrysanthemum petals.

 

Right inside the back gate

were these delicate-looking

lace hydrangeas.

I think Grandma 

would have enjoyed

their pastel 

French blue centers.

And here are the ones

that I look forward to

every year:

the oak leaf hydrangeas.

I'm not even sure

if it's the flowers 

or those giant leaves

that attract me more.

Together,

they are quite

the lush couple!

Believe it or not,

this flower was more than

seven inches wide

and two inches deep.

It's called - and rightly so -

a dinner plate dahlia.

This particular one is

5 days old.

These are also dahlias,

just not on such

a grand scale.

The largest had a diameter

of nearly 4 inches.

The reason for this photo?

They struck me as 

misplaced stars,  

still trying to maintain 

the relationship they'd had 

in the night constellation

of their origin.

Here's St. Francis of Assisi,

communing with

the lilies of the field.

Follow the line of sight...

and there he is,

not minding the fact

that these lilies are so diverse

in color, and petal shape,

and height.

All are to be loved.

I took this for Bill, the artist,

now living large

in California.

 

This photo was taken

for Mama.

She had daylilies 

circling every tree

in the front yard

of the home of my youth.

My birthday is always

a day with her.

 

Then there's this shot!

This lily speaks of the

inside joke between

me and my first niece,

from the time she 

"fringed the porch light" 

on for me.

I miss having her

only seven houses away.

 

What next?

I could show the photo

of the gloriosa lily that 

I snapped this trip -

as always -

but I'd rather show off

this leopard-spotted variety.

It was facing the ground,

so I had to get creative

in my stance

to catch this shot.

What an exotic flower

to close this session

in the Prokop garden!

 

Not that I was done

with flowers

just yet.

I made a beeline -

get the pun? -

for Kayak Kafe midtown

after I left Coffee Bluff.

The pita and hummus

wanted to sing me

a happy birthday!

Ah, so good,

down to the last note -

I mean, bite.

(smile!)

tina tuesday... and there was flan!

Seriously!

I was in Pooler,

with mi amiga, 

Barbara,

for a double header

at the Royal

and our luncheon

at Jalapenos -

of shrimp ceviche

for each of us -

included

this delightful

dessert!

(smile!)

I had carefully selected the movie times to allow for a leisurely dine at Slapfish, but it was gone.

That's okay, we still had seafood!

We had two fabulous sports movies, too!

Both were set in the 1950's, though we hadn't realized they had that in common.

The first was "The Long Game", featuring a a group of teenaged, Mexican-American, golfers, in Texas, called the San Felipe Mustangs.

They won the State Championship in 1957, a year before I was born.

I told Barbara I'm going to recommend that one to my brother, Smitty, as he loves golf.

The second movie, "Maidaan", was an Indian film.

Nope, no Bollywood in this one, just futbol - i.e., "soccer" - and lots of it!

The focus was firmly on the football coach, Syed Abdul Rahim, who was under constant attack for using players from all over India, rather than only choosing those from the state of Bengal.

The film begins in 1952, with the Indian team being soundly defeated, 10 -1, in the Asian Games, leading the council to want a new coach.

Instead, he convinces them to allow him full rein to choose the best players from all over India, with him being solely responsible for their losses.

The movie then followed him on his scouting trips, on the training of the players, and on their trips to the Olympics in the intervening years (a feat no other Indian team has managed in the last 62 years).

The film ends with their successful - Gold!!! - entry at the 1962 Asian Games.

Very exciting... but also a bit sad for me.

The coach had lung cancer for several years, and died in 1962.

1962.

That was the year my brother Ronnie was born...

and he died of lung cancer...

and would have been 62 years old in July this year.

I snapped the photo of the sun setting as we were done, with the palm trees lending a tropical flair and reminding me what a special day this has been.

i thank You, God.

not for another 6 months!

Yes, that was the news from my cardiologist today -

he'll see me in six months!

Not in three, or four - 

nosirreebob!

Six months!

(smile!)

I really did try to tell him that the warm weather was the reason my heart beat on time.

Just look at how steady that line of temperatures is that started yesterday!

In the eighties!!!

Oh, I do so love it...

and so does my warm heart.

That calls for a bit of poetry -

no, even better, a haiku!

Even better than that

is a knock knock joke haiku!

Here's just the thing, 

courtesy of Danny Beam!

"Knock knock!!!"

Who's there?

"Hike"

Hike who?

Unsuspecting son,

Dad waiting with bated breath,

Sets the perfect trap.

 

Hahahaha!!! Hahaha!!!

I do so love a good pun!!!

post-Thanksgiving - the weekend

That would be Saturday and Sunday, with yesterday being the former.

Bugs Bunny was on yesterday morn.

(smile!)

I am grateful to have not had anywhere I needed to be this weekend.

The weather has taken a dip into the 40's at night, with the 30's due in a couple of days.

Rather, in a couple of nights.

No, I'm not happy about it, but it could be worse, as I well know.

Meanwhile, I had nowhere calling me out, so I stayed in, going through closets, going through cabinets, filling the recycle bag.

Admittedly, I've been doing that a lot of late.

So what have I unearthed and deemed worthy of keeping?

One item was from my first niece, a Valentine's Day card.

She'd given it to me in 2014, while we were in Daytona Beach, having a holiday, and she had surprised me with the card.

But that wasn't the most special thing about it...

she had written a poem, a poem just for me!

Yes, I'll be holding on to that, as I will this postcard.

Sent from Spain in 2014 by Jill Harboldt, a nurse and one of my former students, it sings praises of my teaching!

She had toured the Basilica De La Sagrada Familia, an unfinished church with a combined style of Gothic and Art Nouveau, unfinished because the architect, Antoni Gaudi, died in 1926, six years into the ambitious project.

She was impressed with how he balanced everything out "not unlike a chemistry equation."

Yes, I'm keeping that, too.

Speaking of combining odd elements - hahaha, a chemistry pun! - I have been doing that with food.

Mary and Smitty sent me home with a container full of turkey and ham, plus a container of desserts and a plate of side dishes.

This Coconut Curry Korma has smoked turkey, green beans, the yellow bell pepper from Asbury Memorial, and an apple, with a toasted tortilla to scoop it up.

That finished off the turkey from them.

I'd already had a sandwich with turkey, ham, and squash casserole (which was surprisingly tasty and moist); pumpkin pie and fried turkey breast for brunch Friday; and turkey pasta soup for breakfast yesterday.

That left just one of the side dishes: the baked sweet potato, which I heated and used as the bed for the turkey frank in the wrap that served as breakfast today.

I really wouldn't mind eating any of those meals again!

And here's something that I've done yet again: watched "That Thing You Do!".

That's my $1 Weekend Movie Night reward this time around.

Get this coincidence: it's the second movie I've seen this weekend that features Tom Hanks and Steve Zahn!

Not a deliberate move on my part!

I had no idea that Zahn was in "You've Got Mail", which I watched on Tubi yesterday morning... and I had forgotten he was in TTYD.

Right place, right time.

(smile!)

poetry in motion!

When I returned home from WNS and got settled, there wasn't much on TV.

I'd caught the last few moments of "The Big Bang Theory" and checked to see if any of my favorites in "The X-Files" were up to bat tonight.

Nope.

I saw that "Jeopardy" had something going on at 8 PM, so I popped it on... and stayed!

That's because one of the categories was "Baseball Haiku".

Say what?!

That sounded delightful!!!

And it was, too!

So, a quick refresher for folks: haiku is a Japanese poem consisting of 5 syllables in the first line, 7 syllables in the second line, then 5 syllables again in the third line.

Okay!

I missed one of the squares, but I caught part of the next.

 

"Annie's got problems

Nuke is enamored

Crash something I missed" 

[Notice that I maintained the correct number of syllables in the last line!]

 

The correct answer for the described movie was "Bull Durham".

How cool is that?!

I made sure to have my camera ready for the next time a contestant chose that category.

 

"Lupus and Tanner

Skilled not inside the diamond

Buttermaker drinks"

 

Oh, ding, ding, ding!

I know this one!

I watched "The Bad News Bears" fairly recently!

How nice to be reminded of Walter Matthau again!

 

Next puzzle, please!

 

"Ease his pain, it said

A voice that whispered through corn

Doc Graham got to play"

 

Oh, my, oh, my!

That very first line was all it took this time.

Who is not familiar with that quote?

Yes, take me out to "The Field Of Dreams" again!

Let me hear the rustle and smell the corn in the summer air!

 

"Jimmy once a pro

Alas, war calls men away

Nine gals beats no gals"

 

Sweet!

This one was given to me as a Comcast reward!

I may not have watched "A League Of Their Own" nearly

as many times as I've watched "The Sandlot",

but I do treasure it!

 

Now, time to do something else!

Later!

it's cleanin' time again, it's gonna leave me...

That Buck Owens tune, "Crying Time", popped up on the mental jukebox this morning.

Here's the thing: it took me a moment to realize what the title actually was!

In my head, this is what I heard.

 

"Oh, it's cleanin' time again, you're gonna leave me
you can see that far away look in my eyes
I can tell by the way I hold you darlin', ooh
That you're out of my life and it's cleanin' time

Now they say that absence makes the heart grow fonder (fonder)
but i doubt that's true for you, and this I know
you've been out of sight for years or maybe longer (longer)
and I won't need you again if I live to be a hundred years old"

That's right.

I've been going through the movie cabinet for the past few months, n'est-ce pas?

Watching VHS movies via Comcast rewards and free access to premium channels.

So far, there are fourteen movies from my past that I've seen recently, at least twice.

Those are done.

I no longer need to own those, those material objects no longer need stay.

So, they'll be leaving.

I thought about putting them on eBay...

but they are so picky about photos these days, and I'd have to buy mailers and keep up with the bidding and make sure to mail them out in a timely manner...

and I would just rather not have that bother.

Honestly.

For the buck I might - that's right, "might" - make off each one?

Nope.

The same goes for those stacks of CDs.

I've been meaning to move the filing cabinet and CD stand out of my bedroom for months.

Today, I made that happen.

My thanks to the City of Savannah for that encouragement.

They have been outside my house every morning this week, waking me early.

For the most part, I could just ignore them, as they surveyed the area and marked lines on the street.

Today was different.

The big truck was there, to tear a hole through the fairly new pavement, with all the noise that entails.

So, as I was up anyway, I started culling CDs from the rack as I dusted them.

When all was said and done, 33 CDs were in a pile from the rest, music I no longer wanted.

Of those, five have been reserved for jazz lovers in my life: nephew Noah, brother Smitty, the physicist.

Those 28 on the table are leaving home.

Of those, five were purchased at previous Savannah Music Festivals, and, though they brought me joy at the time, the music isn't something that calls to me.

Two others contain music from Elvis Tribute Artists, but aren't something I want to keep; I am hanging on to the one by Ryan Pelton though.

He and I have a history.

(smile!)

After a day spent unexpectedly in the house, by the time the crew left, I was ready to get out, too.

Where to go, where to go... oh, yeah, Chili's!

What a winner deal that was!

I decided to go for the same treat I had a few weeks ago, including that ice-cold lemonade.

Winner, winner, shrimp dinner!

Half the chips came home with me, as did the garlic bread and about 2/3 of the cajun pasta.

No shrimp, though - I ate every one of them!

(smile!) 

Feeling totally refreshed, I cast about for what to do next, hoping to get in a little yard work.

(See how nice the front yard was in that photo? That was from twilight with the Ryobi yesterday.)

I monitored the weather... 

checking that heat index...

was it cool enough to do some late evening mowing?

Wonder of wonders, it was!

Most of the front was done, so to the back I returned.

Forty-five minutes later, and hardly even breaking a sweat in the cooling breeze, I had to quit.

The battery was absolutely exhausted, poor thing.

(smile!)

Still, it got almost all of it done, so that was good!

Still with energy of my own, I popped over to the Food Lion - RAWR!!! - for milk and such.

Then I wandered over to the Book of Face.

This is Throwback Thursday and I had a special photograph to post!

The CD stand wasn't the only thing that got a good going-over this morning.

Nosirreebob.

I also went through the nightstand drawer...

and just look at this nonsense I had there!

"Okay, while it's still Throwback Thursday: I cleaned out the nightstand drawer this morning and look what I found!
The pin was from the square dance club I belonged to while stationed at Galeta Island in Panama. That thing is 44 years old!
The turquoise and silver bolo tie holder is from my Daddy's square dancing days, so it's even older. Aunt Barbara, do you remember him wearing it? I'm sure Bonnie, Merritt, and Conner don't.
And those other three items? 

Expired! Expired! Expired!"

Hahahaha!

Hahaha!

I couldn't help but think of that Progressive 'mercial with the "Aunts"!

Remember?

One of them had opened the fridge and was checking contents.

"Expired. Expired. Expired."

Very punny 'mercials!

(smile!)

 

Now I'm going to watch one of the music game shows I so enjoy!

Tonight, "Name That Tune" has two actors from "Glee", all grown up now and trying to win some money for charities.

Maybe my first niece will "join" me with it!

I do so enjoy these shows.

"Don't forget the lyrics". 

"Beat Shazam". 

"That's my jam". 

All are music shows that play songs new, and old, for me.

"Masked singer" has creepy voices and too much panel speak.
Like Reese's Pieces, the ratio of good stuff (music, peanut butter) to other (celebrity panel, chocolate) is just not quite right for my taste.

Nice that I still have so many other shows that are!

(smile!)

i'se had all i can stand, i'se can't stand it no more

That's what Popeye would say 

before opening up a can of spinach 

and whupping ass.

It sums up how I feel about that back yard of mine.

Given the verdant, 

lush, green 

of that area, 

spinach - 

and that sailor man - 

naturally sprang to mind.

If I had known 

the rain had already come

I would not have taken my trusty Ryobi in hand -

but I didn't know

so I did sally forth.

Now 

the deed is done.

Though not vanquished

the furrows have been made

to allow the escape 

of more water,

to allow drying

by the hot summer air,

to allow access

of birds to the many tiny grasshoppers.

Now

I sit

with cooling air all around me

until time arrives -

and the battery is again charged -

to finish off

this beast.

bday65 with Bonnie and Batman!

"Did you say Bonnie? As in your stepmom Bonnie?"

 

I did!!! She has been visiting her brother and several friends in Beaufort for most of last week, while I've been ACTING with VBS. Today, she picked me up and away we went!

 

"Say what??? Have you up and gone back to Alabama with her?"

 

No, not quite.

Conner was the only one who came with her, as both Merritt is working this summer break, as he wants to get a car.

Conner wanted to spend part of the summer with his maternal grandparents, down in Blackshear, so Bonnie had arranged to meet Boyd in Hinesville.

Somehow, that was deemed as halfway between Beaufort and Blackshear.

All I know is this: I've made that trek multiple enough times that I don't need my GPS any more for it, so I was deemed her guide to get them there!

That gave me almost four hours of being in her good company!!!

 

"And you got to visit with Conner, too!"

 

Well, so to speak.

Teens tend to be wrapped up in headphones and mesmerized by the glowing screen between their hands, meaning he was in the car on the way down, but not vocal.

Even when we got out at the Wendy's and had a nosh, he declined to join us. 

"What?! A teenaged boy who turned down food???"

 

Unheard of, I know.

He had plenty of snacks in the car, so, no worries.

And he was thrilled when his grandpa showed up, with several of his little cousins in tow.

That was good to see!

Bonnie and Boyd make sure he gets to see them twice a year, during school breaks, by meeting in the middle between their respective homes.

He is so fortunate!

And so am I, blessed to have had this time with Bonnie!

I really do need to start planning some trips.

(smile!)

"Yo! Hold on! Sounds like you're about to bug out. What about Batman?"

Oh, yeah.

He showed up at the tail end of the VBS portion of this Sunday's service at Asbury!

I even waited my turn in line and had my photo taken with him!

Yes, I know he was Rev. Billy, but... he was Batman!!!

For real!!!

"He is such a fabulous minister! And whatcha got there on that little plate?"

A bit of heaven, that's what, reminding me that Blaxstone, aka SamJ, has a birthday coming!

Nothing like pineapple upside-down cake to bring his sweet smiling face in view.

I was dining outside, and one of the women leaving church spoke of how pretty the day was.

I replied with this poem from the embroidery sampler Mama had made, so very many years ago.

 

The kiss of the sun for pardon,

the song of the birds for mirth,

one is nearer God's heart in a garden

than any place else on Earth.

 

The woman liked it so much she had me repeat it, so she could memorize it.

(smile!)

"How very nice! Sounds like you made her day earlier."

How very nice of Bonnie and Batman and Blaxstone to make mine!

i thank You, God!

farewell to a songbird

Her voice was a bright beacon,

shining a clear and steady path 

to all the world,

letting all know

to sing out

and have their voice heard. 

I've just returned home from the three-hour

Celebration of Life 

for Joan Maree Graham Hester Byrd

over at Asbury Memorial Church.

I misspoke.

The service itself was only two hours, followed by an hour-plus reception.

I was briefly in Holliday Hall, visiting with Jean and John Hester, my nieces Zaida and Molly, as well as Rev. Billy, who made it through the entire service, gladdened by all the love shown to his mother.

I chose to eat in the garden, Mama's needlework singing to me as I ate.

"The kiss of the sun for pardon,

the song of the birds for mirth,

one is nearer God's heart in a garden

than any place else on Earth."

By the time I was ready for company, I returned in time to bid farewell to my relatives.

Right time, right place.

i thank You, God.

poetry concert!

"You mean, music concert?"

 

I mean poetry concert!

Several composers have set the poems of American poets to music and tonight I was blessed to hear them voiced. I Cantori, the choral group at Skidaway Island UMC presented the pieces, including one that a member had composed... and I knew him!

"Had you known he would be there?"

I had not. Joseph "Joey" Timmons had been one of the Armstrong Masquers at the same time as Jojo Ward. I kept looking at Joey as he sang, immediately picking out his voice from the others. It wasn't until the conductor announced him as the author of the score for the T. S. Elliott poem that I recognized his name and how I knew him.

"Oh, I remember him. Seems you had a little crush on him."

(smile!)

"And what poem had sparked his creative spirit?"

It was "When The Evening Is Spread Out Against The Sky". Just the title of it brings to mind my favorite time of day at Grayson Stadium, with the sky going to purple as the green trees leap up for their last touches toward the top.

"Now, that sounds like the e.e. cummings bit that you so love!"

 

Indeed, I am so fond of it that I even wrote another stanza for it. That particular poem was even one of those featured tonight! However, it wasn't my favorite piece. The melody attached to it wasn't the one that I composed for singing those words. That isn't to say it wasn't a pretty song as they did it... it just wasn't as pretty as mine.

 

"Understood. Were there some compositions that really worked for you?"

 

Well, I very much liked two that were quite familiar. Both were in the second part of the 90-minute program. One was a Shaker hymn, "How Can I Keep From Singing?" and I mouthed the words right along with them. The other was "Will The Circle Be Unbroken", a tune I recall the Carter Family singing on TV, back in the day. And of course I loved the Ogden Nash "Animal Crackers" trio about the panther, the cow, and the firefly - everyone laughed at those, including me! But my absolute favorite was "Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Eve". I would really like to hear that one again. You could almost hear the horse's harness creaking.

 

"Oh, very nice! Robert Frost has so many good poems!"

 

Yes, he certainly does. Mama had a book of his poetry, so I've been reading his works for much of my life.

 

"Wasn't there a Langston Hughes' poem in the mix tonight?"

 

There was a trio, actually, but none I really knew. Sam Johnson probably would have recognized them, but neither Barbara nor I did.

 

"Oh, good, you had company there! Anyone else you know?"

 

Well, surprisingly, Ray Ellis and Randy Canady were there... in the choir!!! That was a bit of shock. I thought I saw them, but they seemed to look a bit different than they do at Asbury, so I thought it might be relatives, right, or limited gene pool at work. But, nope! It was them! At a United Methodist Church!

 

"Wait a minute. They're gay, right? Doesn't the UMC have a problem with homosexuals?"

Yep. That's why Asbury Memorial is no longer affiliated with the UMC. That's why I was surprised to see from the program that it really was Ray and Randy singing with this choir, too, at this church. It seems like a conflict of interest for that married couple.

"Heard."

Anywho, it was also a nice outing with mi amiga. 

Fairly low-key, as it was just us two, but we spent the pre-concert time walking the grounds. 

I even pointed out the Prayer Labyrinth that I'd walked last night!

"Last night? Why were you there then?"

I got the date wrong. 

Oops! 

I got the price wrong, too. 

The Book of Face said nothing about a cost, so I figured it was free. Nope! 

$20. 

I'll send them a check for $17, as I only had 3 bucks on me at the time and they didn't take plastic. 

Barbara paid and didn't even complain about it, so that was good.

"That really was good."

And get this: afterward, when she suggested we get something to eat, I told her I was craving pizza, and I wanted it from Cici's. 

"Had I ever been to Donato's?", she'd asked. 

Of course I had, several times, with her and Carolyn and even Sandy and Kal. 

We went to Cici's and I ordered the pizza I wanted, sans cheese, and she even ordered a special Hawaiian pie. 

It was less than she usually paid at Donato's, too.

So, that worked out well for both of us!

"Very good!!!"

Such a lovely Friday evening for us!

i thank You, God.