While it hasn't reached ear worm proportions, I have a tune running around in my head this morning. I don't really know or play this tune, but I must have given it a good effort when it was called at the jam last night. I'm not very good with names. In fact, I'm very bad with names. Some of my students used to take this to mean that I didn't know them very well when, in fact, I did. It's just that their names might take a while to surface.
With fiddle tunes, it doesn't exactly help that I can't call on words to assist my recollection because there are no words for the overwhelming majority of tunes, or, if there are, I am not aware of them. Sometimes I'd like to know the name of a tune, like the one that is presently percolating right now, because I'd like to learn it. But when I'm in the presence of those who might know, I can't even hum it because it has gone to be replaced by another. Sigh.
The other day, I was humming a tune and decided that I did know it and that it was Bonaparte's March, but then I thought, "No, no: it's really Marie Jessie Gillis." However, I soon dismissed that notion and went back to Bonaparte before thinking, "Ah, now I know; it's really Foggy Dew." After another few moments, I decided that it really was Meeting of the Waters. The odd thing is that although I more or less play Meeting, it's not one of my tunes: not one that I play or call.
Now that it's gone from my head, I am wondering if it wasn't really Da Slockit Light. I really don't think so and think it was Meeting of the Waters, but there's no way to check now because it's long gone from my head. In fact, I can no longer hum the tune that was playing incessantly when I began this post. It's vanished: maybe to return and maybe not.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Memories and Fears
Although I've taken a few days to post a plethora of photos, my mind is still stuck back in the era of my initial wearing of shorts and the epic colouring of pants.
Times were different then. There wasn't the peer pressure to sport Nike shoes and Gap jeans and stupid baseball hats worn at cock-eyed angles. Still, kids being kids, or at least me being me, there was some internal pressure to fit in. The ridiculous pettiness of wants that caused me some angst then almost mortifies me now. I can remember three incredibly juvenile wishes from that time — the time of young adolescence.
One: at me school, we boys didn't exactly wear uniforms, but we had a strict dress code that included ties and dress shirts. If I recall, jackets and/or sweaters were optional, but they were frequently worn. At that time, around 1961, it seemed to me that suit jackets with two vents at the back of suit jackets were de rigeur. Alas, not exactly being a fashion statement (remember the colouring of the suit pants), I was reduced to wearing a single vent jacket. Oh the shame and ignominy!
Two: in Montreal winters, the wearing of snow boots (overshoes) in winter was necessary, especially when one had to walk, as I did, a long distance to school. From boyhood, I had worn boots with a buckle at the top. But some guys were exceedingly cool and wore boots with two zippers at the front. Most wonderfully, they could loosen the zippers and let that front flap down in a kind of cool, jaunty look. What an awesome way to dress! I wanted me a pair like that.
Three: I had a briefcase with handles to transport my homework back and forth. Not that I bothered doing homework much, but I did usually trundle the books about regardless. And it was a way to transport boring and banal lunches too: which I often didn't bother to eat. Anyway ... I perceived the in (although I don't think we used the word back then) type of carrying case to be one without handles: kind of like a big looseleaf binder — very big — big enough to port several books ... and one unappetizing lunch.
That's it: the three items that I wished for. I got two of the them — the boots and the briefcase binder — and I must say that I didn't find them particularly satisfying. The suit jacket: I don't remember if I ever got a dual-vented one or whether they went out of and stayed out of fashion or whether I just didn't care anymore. Regardless, we soon moved to Ontario where school dress was much more casual, and it didn't really matter anymore. Being a year older probably helped too.
There's not much point to these recollections; they just surfaced when I pondered upon that era. It amazes me how dumb I was: how dumb kids of a certain age can be. It makes me afraid because there is peer pressure now: a lot of it, especially for girls. It makes me scared for that precious Nikki Dee of mine: scared to think of the ordeals that she will face. I'm scared enough already. She's a friendly kid who wants to greet and hug every child she sees, and I know she will be hurt and changed because of how kids will and do respond. I want protect her, take her away to the woods where I will homeschool her. I will bring her back when the horror that is adolescence diminishes into adulthood. I don't suppose that her parents will consent to this though. God help this jewel of a young human being!
Times were different then. There wasn't the peer pressure to sport Nike shoes and Gap jeans and stupid baseball hats worn at cock-eyed angles. Still, kids being kids, or at least me being me, there was some internal pressure to fit in. The ridiculous pettiness of wants that caused me some angst then almost mortifies me now. I can remember three incredibly juvenile wishes from that time — the time of young adolescence.
One: at me school, we boys didn't exactly wear uniforms, but we had a strict dress code that included ties and dress shirts. If I recall, jackets and/or sweaters were optional, but they were frequently worn. At that time, around 1961, it seemed to me that suit jackets with two vents at the back of suit jackets were de rigeur. Alas, not exactly being a fashion statement (remember the colouring of the suit pants), I was reduced to wearing a single vent jacket. Oh the shame and ignominy!
Two: in Montreal winters, the wearing of snow boots (overshoes) in winter was necessary, especially when one had to walk, as I did, a long distance to school. From boyhood, I had worn boots with a buckle at the top. But some guys were exceedingly cool and wore boots with two zippers at the front. Most wonderfully, they could loosen the zippers and let that front flap down in a kind of cool, jaunty look. What an awesome way to dress! I wanted me a pair like that.
Three: I had a briefcase with handles to transport my homework back and forth. Not that I bothered doing homework much, but I did usually trundle the books about regardless. And it was a way to transport boring and banal lunches too: which I often didn't bother to eat. Anyway ... I perceived the in (although I don't think we used the word back then) type of carrying case to be one without handles: kind of like a big looseleaf binder — very big — big enough to port several books ... and one unappetizing lunch.
That's it: the three items that I wished for. I got two of the them — the boots and the briefcase binder — and I must say that I didn't find them particularly satisfying. The suit jacket: I don't remember if I ever got a dual-vented one or whether they went out of and stayed out of fashion or whether I just didn't care anymore. Regardless, we soon moved to Ontario where school dress was much more casual, and it didn't really matter anymore. Being a year older probably helped too.
There's not much point to these recollections; they just surfaced when I pondered upon that era. It amazes me how dumb I was: how dumb kids of a certain age can be. It makes me afraid because there is peer pressure now: a lot of it, especially for girls. It makes me scared for that precious Nikki Dee of mine: scared to think of the ordeals that she will face. I'm scared enough already. She's a friendly kid who wants to greet and hug every child she sees, and I know she will be hurt and changed because of how kids will and do respond. I want protect her, take her away to the woods where I will homeschool her. I will bring her back when the horror that is adolescence diminishes into adulthood. I don't suppose that her parents will consent to this though. God help this jewel of a young human being!
Monday, July 20, 2009
Quite a Juxtaposition
You can find some interesting land use juxtapositions in smaller centres like ours. The house above is big, the lot that it's sitting on constituting almost all of one city block, both back to front as well as side to side. It's close to the centre of town which is appropriate because at one point in time, before modern transit, particularly the automobile, became widely available, the wealthy tended to build their houses close to urban cores.
However in smaller urban places, such as our town, land uses can change remarkably in a very short space. In point of fact the following dwelling, perhaps the poorest, little, old house in town in on the very street that the above mansion backs on to.
This juxtaposition, rich and poor living cheek by jowl, has frequently caught my attention, and I finally thought to snap these photos whilst we were walking past the other day.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
The Summer That Isn't
The weather around here is just nuts, I tell ya. Nuts! We're running about four degrees cooler than average so far this summer. That's measuring against the average, mind you me, not necessarily one of those torridly hot summers. (And for those of you who don't do celsius, just double it to eight for an approximation of farenheit equivalent.) That's a pretty major difference.
By chance, we caught a meteorologist on the radio this morning (remember radios?), and he said something to the effect that there's a major high pressure centre stuck over the Atlantic. That has brought a cool low into our area, and this low is spinning around like spokes on a wheel. We can see it in the sky. Clouds just keep on coming and coming — white ones, black ones, and ones with a bit of both. Fortunately, there are also blue patches. It's pretty weird.
There's a folk festival in a town that's about a half hour to our west. Yesterday, we set out despite the ominous sky. Just as we were leaving town with doubt filled minds, I said, "Let's keep driving until it starts to rain." Immediately, and for once I'm not exaggerating, drops fell on the windshield, so we turned around.
Today was almost an exact replay. So, we ended up sipping coffee in our local park and taking pictures of the wacky sky. I guess none of those menacing clouds that you see above and below passed directly over our heads because it didn't rain. It was pretty darn chilly though.
Next Saturday evening, we hope to attend another free, outdoor concert in the city. Let's hope the weather has moved on by then.
Silent Sunday
... not quite silent, but I'll stick with this re-usable title.
Perhaps you recall this photo from almost two months ago? I had just laid some rocks around an area that was to become a garden.
Well, this is how it looks now. The petunias have filled in beautifully, hiding the perennials that are just getting a start on life. Believe it or not, there are eighteen perennials in there. Next year, they should dominate with some support from annuals. While I don't think it can look any better, I find perennials more interesting as different plants come into and out of bloom, making the garden take on different appearances as the season unfolds.
Perhaps you noticed the plants that are still in pots in the background? There are three Shasta Daisies and three Lilies. I really thought I was done with planting for this year, but when the local garden centre advertised two gallon pots on sale for half price, I had to take a look — and found Shasta Daisies that look like Chrysanthemums. There were only three left, so I grabbed them while the grabbing was good.
Then I wandered around the place some more and found gorgeous lilies, also on sale. While they're not called Stargazers, they look pretty darn similar, so I bought three of those as well. At worse, they make a wonderful showing for this year; at best, I'll find or make a place to plant them, and they'll bless us for years to come. The lilies are blooming now and look and smell gorgeous.
Perhaps you recall this photo from almost two months ago? I had just laid some rocks around an area that was to become a garden.
Well, this is how it looks now. The petunias have filled in beautifully, hiding the perennials that are just getting a start on life. Believe it or not, there are eighteen perennials in there. Next year, they should dominate with some support from annuals. While I don't think it can look any better, I find perennials more interesting as different plants come into and out of bloom, making the garden take on different appearances as the season unfolds.
Perhaps you noticed the plants that are still in pots in the background? There are three Shasta Daisies and three Lilies. I really thought I was done with planting for this year, but when the local garden centre advertised two gallon pots on sale for half price, I had to take a look — and found Shasta Daisies that look like Chrysanthemums. There were only three left, so I grabbed them while the grabbing was good.
Then I wandered around the place some more and found gorgeous lilies, also on sale. While they're not called Stargazers, they look pretty darn similar, so I bought three of those as well. At worse, they make a wonderful showing for this year; at best, I'll find or make a place to plant them, and they'll bless us for years to come. The lilies are blooming now and look and smell gorgeous.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Saturday Snaps
Since I had a lot of photos left over from Foto Friday, I am hereby inaugurating Saturday Snaps.
Celtfest 2009
While Celtfest has extended itself in recent years, the main events are still the Saturday night and Sunday afternoon concerts. Saturday evening begins in the park and switches to The Old Townhall until about midnight. Cuppa snapped the first as we were leaving the park for the hall on Saturday night. The others were taken after and during the rain on Sunday afternoon. The group in the second photo is The Fitzgeralds. What an amazingly talented family. They are four fine stepdancers and fiddlers.
While Celtfest has extended itself in recent years, the main events are still the Saturday night and Sunday afternoon concerts. Saturday evening begins in the park and switches to The Old Townhall until about midnight. Cuppa snapped the first as we were leaving the park for the hall on Saturday night. The others were taken after and during the rain on Sunday afternoon. The group in the second photo is The Fitzgeralds. What an amazingly talented family. They are four fine stepdancers and fiddlers.
First Time in the Pool
Nikki Dee was a little nervous at first but didn't want to get out no matter how cold she got. Zachary cheered from the sidelines (fourth photo).
Nikki Dee was a little nervous at first but didn't want to get out no matter how cold she got. Zachary cheered from the sidelines (fourth photo).
Watering
The perpetually busy toddler helps Amma and Buppa water the flowers.
The perpetually busy toddler helps Amma and Buppa water the flowers.
Breakfast Time
Mom brought Zach over the other morning, just in time for breakfast. The boy recently started on solid food and really likes it.
Mom brought Zach over the other morning, just in time for breakfast. The boy recently started on solid food and really likes it.
Floor Time
After breakfast, Zach enjoyed some floor time. He can roll over now, both ways: front to back, and back to front. He's exceedingly clever.
After breakfast, Zach enjoyed some floor time. He can roll over now, both ways: front to back, and back to front. He's exceedingly clever.
Two More
Nikki Dee had to climb a fence on a recent walk before hanging almost upside down from a swing at the park.
Nikki Dee had to climb a fence on a recent walk before hanging almost upside down from a swing at the park.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Foto Friday
I have been very delinquent in all facets of blogging. I can't catch up with the photo backlog completely in one post, but I can make a darn good start.
Reading
Whether at the library or at bedtime, we try to read to The Bonnie Wee One. Although it's often an exercise in rapid page turning, one hopes that it does some good.
Whether at the library or at bedtime, we try to read to The Bonnie Wee One. Although it's often an exercise in rapid page turning, one hopes that it does some good.
Walking
With this one, you're never sure of what's next. Will she want to ride, push or wander, or all three — at once.
With this one, you're never sure of what's next. Will she want to ride, push or wander, or all three — at once.
At the Playground
This is one way to get her wiggles out. These photos are from three different parks. She seems to love things with wheels. In the first picture, she took over one shy little fellow's cart and made him cry. Of course, it's not malicious, she simply thinks that every person is a friend and that every toy is there for her. Unfortunately, she will learn that not everyone is her friend. Fortunately, she will learn that not every toy is hers.
This is one way to get her wiggles out. These photos are from three different parks. She seems to love things with wheels. In the first picture, she took over one shy little fellow's cart and made him cry. Of course, it's not malicious, she simply thinks that every person is a friend and that every toy is there for her. Unfortunately, she will learn that not everyone is her friend. Fortunately, she will learn that not every toy is hers.
Cycling
She took her first trip in the bicycle trailer that Cuppa and I received for Fathers Day and Mothers Day. She wasn't too happy about the helmet thingie, but once we got going, she quite enjoyed herself. The last photo is simply from a little jaunt that Cuppa and I took without her. We found a nice, paved country road, but then I had to stop and figure out where the heck we were.
She took her first trip in the bicycle trailer that Cuppa and I received for Fathers Day and Mothers Day. She wasn't too happy about the helmet thingie, but once we got going, she quite enjoyed herself. The last photo is simply from a little jaunt that Cuppa and I took without her. We found a nice, paved country road, but then I had to stop and figure out where the heck we were.
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