Friday, February 28, 2014

More snow! Here's where I'd prefer to be again...



camp counselor at the New Boulevard Pool Day Camp, Bayonne Pool, 1968

Am revisiting, singing along in the sun with both the innocent and soul searching songs of summer 1968...
 

Lady Willpower, Gary Puckett and the Union Gap


It's A Beautiful Morning, The Rascals


Stoned Soul Picnic, The 5th Dimension


Grazing in the Grass, The Friends of Distinction


Classical Gas, Mason Williams


Mrs. Robinson, Simon &Garfunkel


Light My Fire, The Doors


Born to be Wild, Steppenwolf


Magic Carpet Ride, Steppenwolf


Sky Pilot, Eric Burdon & The Animals

Summer 1968
 
 

Written by Robbie Jo -- 

We all do and say things at times that hurt someone. We need forgiveness and we need to be able to forgive. Let us all pray for those who hurt us and ask God to give us the Grace to forgive them. Forgiving gives us relief from our hurt. When we can truly forgive, it allows healing to take place in our spiritual lives.


Without forgiveness life is governed by an endless cycle of resentment and retaliation. ~Roberto Assagioli





The Heart of the Matter (Forgiveness), Don Henley (Eagles)


Let It Go, Tim McGraw


What I Cannot Change, LeAnn Rimes




Passover Song


Midnight Escape, Yehudah Katz

Spring is in the air...and some of the most beautiful natural wonders in the United States beckon



Deepest lake in the United States, Crater Lake, Oregon at nearly 2,000 feet deep

(CNN) -- Maybe we've been cooped up too much this winter, but now more than ever, the natural wonders of our world are beckoning to us from behind gray computer monitors, buzzing cell phones and the million red brake lights ahead of us on the long commute home.
 
We yearn to leave the laundry, the dishes and the bills behind and swap them out for something bigger, deeper and taller than we could ever be; something that will, at once, make us feel insignificant and perfectly in place.
 
Pack your bags and wear comfortable shoes, because we've compiled a list of nature's record setters in the United States that will make for great vacation memories.
 
Deepest lake in the U.S.
Looking to be gobsmacked by nature? Visit Crater Lake in south-central Oregon. Created by the eruption and ultimate collapse of Mount Mazama more than 7,000 years ago, water filled the caldera, or ring-like indentation left after the explosion, creating the deepest lake (592 meters; 1,943 feet) in the United States.
In winter, snowshoeing expeditions give a peek into the wilds of this natural wonder. But make sure to visit this beauty in the summertime, too, when more of the Crater Lake National Park is accessible. A two-hour trolley tour circles the rim of the lake and allows visitors four scheduled stops. Hop aboard a summer lake cruise, weather permitting, and catch a glimpse of the famed "Old Man of the Lake," a large tree stump that has been floating vertically in the cold water for nearly a century. Bicyclists rave about the 33-mile loop around the rim of Crater Lake, but be warned that the route features steep climbs and brilliant views in equal portion.
Crater Lake Lodge first opened its doors in 1915 and is a rustic, sweeping homage to the 1920s, complete with a Great Hall and oversized fireplace. It is open seasonally, usually May to October.
 
 
Largest living tree in the world
You're going to need a very long set of arms to hug the largest living tree in the world. Dubbed General Sherman after the Civil War general, this behemoth lives in the north end of Giant Forrest in Sequoia National Park, California, and towers about 84 meters (275 feet) high. At its base, this giant is about 31 meters (103 feet) around, roughly equal to fourteen and a half Shaquille O'Neals lying head-to-foot around the base of the tree.
Despite its impressive height and width, it is not the tallest or widest tree around. Instead, its distinction as the largest living tree is judged by the volume of its huge trunk -- 52,500 cubic feet .
 
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks lie adjacent to each other in the southern Sierra Nevada and make a wonderful playground, no matter the season. In May, Crystal Cave, a large, naturally-forged underground cave with stream-polished rock formations and large marble rooms, opens to the public. In the winter, book a room at the rustic John Muir Lodge, located just minutes from General Sherman, and take a cross-country ski trip into the snow-draped forests.
 
Lowest and hottest spot in the U.S.
If you've had it up to your hairline with ice storms and snow days, plan a getaway to the hottest, lowest place in the United States: Death Valley. It may sound like a depressing destination, but this place boasts some of the most adaptable plant and animal life on the planet.
Death Valley is 86 meters (282 feet) below sea level and was formed when movement in the earth's crust along a fault line caused the land to sink. From Telescope Peak, the highest mountain in the national park at 11,049 feet, to the Badwater Basin floor is nearly a two-mile drop, twice the depth of the Grand Canyon. The average rainfall for the area is less than 2 inches per year. A record high of 134°F (57°C) was recorded in Death Valley on July 10, 1913.
The park is open year-round, but guided ranger tours are available only in the cooler months from November to April, and they are a great way to learn more about the geology and history of this fascinating desert. Full Moon festivals, available in the cooler months of the year, give visitors the opportunity to see how this desolate landscape changes at night.
After a long, hot day of exploring the desert, check into the elegant Inn at Furnace Creek, a well-appointed resort with spa amenities, spring-fed swimming pools, an 18-hole golf course and stone patios with sunset views.
 
 
World's tallest mountain (measured from the ocean floor)
If stargazing is your passion, you can't get much better than Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano in Hawaii that, when measured from the ocean floor, is taller than Mount Everest, the world's highest mountain by altitude. From its ocean-floor base, Mauna Kea measures more than 10,000 meters (about 33,000 feet) or a little more than six miles.
Historically, the summit of Mauna Kea has been considered a spiritual place to native Hawaiians and only royalty and tribal chiefs were allowed to visit. Today, the summit is still spiritually relevant for many people, but thousands of visitors make the arduous trip each year to visit observatories perched at the summit. Every night, regardless of weather, the Visitor Information Station at the Onizuka Center for International Astronomy holds a free public stargazing program.
Book a room at the Shipman House Bed and Breakfast and relax in the sunny, privately owned Victorian mansion, complete with more than 20 tropical fruit tree varieties blooming in the garden.
 
Highest mountain in North America
If the rugged, wild terrain of Alaska is what your wanderlusting heart needs, book a trip to Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska. This mammoth park -- roughly half the size of Rhode Island -- is home to the highest mountain (as measured from its base) in North America: Mount McKinley. The mountain is 6,194 meters (20,320 feet) high.
At night, if you camp anytime from August through May, you might glimpse the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights. These vivid braids and streaks of light, sometimes red, sometimes green, can brighten the deep dark skies over Denali and take your breath away. Explore slabs of rocks that geologists have begun referring to as the dinosaur dance floors because of the high number of fossilized footprints they've discovered.
There are no National Park Service accommodations in the park, but you can find stellar digs at Camp Denali and North Face Lodge, two privately owned full-service lodges that feature guided outings and flightseeing tours.
 
Tallest natural bridge in the U.S.
The amazing natural structure at Rainbow Bridge National Monument in Utah is estimated to be more than 200 million years old, and it stands 88 meters (290 feet) tall. Rainbow Bridge is considered to be the highest natural land bridge in the United States, and its name hints at the unique color striations formed from layers of different types of sandstone which became hardened and fused together by wild fluctuations in the climate through the Triassic and Jurassic periods.
Geologists estimate that several million years ago heavy rains and a rising river gradient swept through the area, cutting wide swaths through the water-soluble sandstone and creating many interesting shapes in the landscape.
Today, most visitors gawk at the bridge from a viewing platform, but some folks may backpack along the Navajo Mountain trail once they've acquired the appropriate permit from the Navajo Nation.
Lake Powell, a reservoir of the Colorado River that straddles the border between Utah and Arizona, is relatively nearby and provides access by boat to the famous land bridge. One of the best ways to experience the spectacular landscape is to rent a houseboat and navigate Lake Powell via the more than 2,000 miles of shoreline.
 
The sunniest place in the world
If you're ready to trade in your parka and mittens for shorts and sunglasses, seek out a place where sunshine beams down 90 percent of the year. Yuma, Arizona, is the nation's sunniest city and the least humid place in the United States, according to the National Climatic Data Center. It's also the sunniest place in the world, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Also, Yuma boasts the least number of days of precipitation in the nation: on average, 16 days per year.
Several side trips outside of Yuma are worth taking. Bring your mountain bike and head out for an 11-mile trek in the Laguna Mountains area. Thirty miles north of Yuma is a must-see for history buffs: Castle Dome Landing is a ghost town and museum featuring 23 restored and recreated buildings, including a saloon and blacksmith.
 
Northernmost point in the continental U.S.
If the desert isn't calling your name, and ice fishing sounds alluring, head for an obscure little corner of Minnesota called Northwest Angle Inlet. The locals call the township "the Angle," and at 49.22 north latitude, it is the northernmost point in the contiguous United States. (Point Barrow, Alaska, is the northernmost point in all U.S. territory).
The only way to get to "The Angle" is to drive through Canada or boat through Manitoba Bay. The Angle is a fisherman's paradise with plenty of walleye and bass, depending on the time of year you visit. Go on an ice fishing adventure with the Red Fox Ice Fishing Company and try out their heated fishing houses. They also rent private, lakefront cabins complete with a cast iron skillet perfect for frying up your catch. A nine-hole golf course offers a respite from fishing, and in the warmer months, berry picking is the activity of choice.
By contrast, if you're hoping for warmer climes, try visiting the southernmost city in the continental United States: Key West, Florida. Its laid-back reputation and independent culture woos artists of all stripes, including authors Ernest Hemingway and Tennessee Williams, both of whom owned homes in the city.
 
Deepest canyon in North America
The Grand Canyon in Arizona may be immense, boasting nearly 277 river miles in length, but for sheer depth, Hells Canyon in eastern Oregon, eastern Washington and western Idaho wins hands-down. At its deepest, the canyon plunges 2,452 meters (8,043 feet) from the tip of He Devil Peak to the Snake River. The deepest part of the Grand Canyon is a mere 1,829 meters (6,000 feet).
Hells Canyon was carved with the help of the Snake River which begins in western Wyoming, winds through the Snake River Plains, descends into the rocky Hells Canyon and eventually empties into the Columbia River. Make sure to view the Rush Creek Rapids from the majestic Hat Point lookout, the highest point of Hells Canyon on the Oregon side.
Follow the Hells Canyon Scenic Byway, a 218-mile stretch of winding road that slips through much diverse landscape -- from the snow-tipped Wallowa Mountains to lush valleys. Book a night stay at the quiet, rustic Pine Valley Lodge in Halfway, Oregon.
 
Longest river in the U.S.
At more than 2,500 miles, the Missouri River is the longest in the United States, beginning in the Rocky Mountains of Montana, winding generally south and east before joining the mighty Mississippi River near St. Louis, Missouri. "Big Muddy" passes through seven states -- Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, North and South Dakota, Montana and Wyoming -- and explorers Lewis and Clark nearly followed its entire length before realizing that the waterway stopped short of the Pacific Ocean.
Three Forks, Montana, where the "Big Muddy" originates, is a city worthy of exploration. Start your stay at the Sacajawea Hotel, a recently renovated historic building, and get your waders ready because Three Forks is fly fishing country. Soak in the beauty of snowcapped mountains and cold, blue waters teeming with trout.
Go canoeing in the headwaters and watch great blue herons fish near the banks. It's not uncommon to spot a moose lumbering along in the distance. Check out the intricate limestone caverns lined with beautiful stalactites and stalagmites at the Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park, just 17 miles from Three Forks.
 

Going Up The Country, Canned Heat



"World falling behind on climate change," U.N. panel says by Ed Adamczyk

Massive coal-fired power stations surround Yinchuan, the capital of China's northwestern Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region on September 26, 2013. China is the world's biggest carbon emitter ahead of the U.S. 

A United Nations panel in Berlin warned worldwide attempts to reduce the effects of climate change are falling short.

UNITED NATIONS, April 14 (UPI) --
A report by a United Nations panel in Berlin said governments have not done enough to avert climate change, blaming the slowness of political leaders to address the issue.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, in the report released Sunday said greenhouse gases across the earth are increasing faster than ever, and although it remains technologically possible to keep planetary warming tolerably low, it will require and intensive push in the next 15 years to bring greenhouse emissions under control. The report said the emissions problem has caused atmospheric carbon dioxide levels to rise almost twice as fast, in the 21st century, as it did in the last decades of the 20th, reflecting an increase in coal-fired power plants in developing countries, most notably China.

It added advanced countries are making progress, but only slowly, in cutting their emissions levels. “We cannot afford to lose another decade,” said Ottmar Edenhofer, co-chairman of the committee which produced the report and a German economist. “If we lose another decade it becomes extremely costly to achieve climate stabilization.” 

The report noted that action is becoming more affordable. Solar and wind power costs are dropping dramatically, and tougher efficiency standards for buildings and cars are having a positive and measurable impact. Since the last time the intergovernmental panel issued a report, in 2007, many more governments have adopted climate plans, it said. 

The report is likely to increase pressure to secure a new global climate treaty to take effect in 2020.


Prophecy Song, Joanne Shenandoah



                                                   March 1st


Pisces Fish, George Harrison

...I’m a Pisces fish and the river runs through my soul
I’m a Pisces fish and the river runs through my soul

 I’ll be swimming until I can find those waters
 Of the one unbounded ocean of bliss
That’s flowing to your parents, sons, and daughters
 That's still an easy thing for us to miss

Blades go skimming through the water
I hear the coxswain shouting his instructions about
With this crew, oh, it could be a tall order
Have we time to sort all these things out...

I’m a Pisces fish and the river runs through my soul
I’m a Pisces fish and the river runs through my soul
mmmmmmmmmmm
I'm a Pisces fish and the river runs through my soul
mmmmmmmmmmm

My first haircut since a young girl, March 1977 



Sweet 16 with Ellen, Pat, friends & family, 1967 





Thursday, February 27, 2014

Happy Spring!
ALL ONE TRIBE  is a melodic, spiritual rendering by Scott Fitzgerald joined by percussionist, M.B. Gordy.  It's a global journey from North to South America, the Caribbean, Australia, the Middle East and China for a modern interpretation of ancient tribal cultures.

These are just samplings found on youtube.  I purchased the cassette in 1993 and, since, have been an avid Scott Fitzgerald fan. 

The full list is: Side A  1. Dawn Dance 2. Secret Life 3. My Island 4. Beyond the Wall 5. Eyes of ; Side B 1. Wakan Tanka 2. The Passion 3. Original Memory 4. Aire Columbia 5. Great White Shame


Dawn Dance, All One Tribe


Secret Life, All One Tribe


My Island, All One Tribe


Beyond the Wall, All One Tribe


The Passion, All One Tribe


Original Memory, All One Tribe


Great White Shame, All One Tribe

And, spring wouldn't be spring without Cat Stevens' Morning Has Broken....


Morning Has Broken, Cat Stevens

The Power of a Beautiful Melody, Tony Carey


http://www.truebeliever.de/
When I heard the song, I Won't Be Home Tonight, my marriage was nearing its end. It was 1982, and I felt exactly like the song in my soul in that moment, though faithful to the end.

But, what was the name of that song?  Who was the singer?  It was Tony Carey on his album, I Won't Be Home Tonight, an album I'd play for the duration of that year and to this day.

What I'd rediscovered was the power of a beautiful melody.  It was before the internet, and no searching for lyrics.  One listened over and over and learned.

I'm speaking, specifically, about Carry My Love.  One would never think at first listening it's about a jailed dealer's relationship with his lover due to its lovely Celtic melody.  For anyone with the love of Celtic music, what a hook, considering the subject matter.


Carry My Love, Tony Carey

MTV was launched in 1981 and rocked our television sets.  In 1983 a video to the song Why Me? was often played.  And the voice...it was so familiar...Tony Carey-familiar under his pseudonym, Planet P Project.


Why Me?, Tony Carey under pseudonym, Planet P Project


A Boy Who Can't Talk, Planet P Project

With his well over 1,000 penned songs, below are just several.


I Won't Be Home Tonight, Tony Carey


The Cold North Wind, Tony Carey
 

No Man's Land, Tony Carey with Eric Burdon and Anne Haigis


Blue Highway, Tony Carey


A Fine, Fine Day, Tony Carey

                                                                ~~~~~~~

And, with the band, Rainbow,


Can't Let You Go, Rainbow, Tony Carey (keyboards)



Tuesday, February 11, 2014

CNN's Anderson Cooper..."Weird detail found in historic painting"...love this story!



The Garden of Earthly Delights, by Netherlandish painter, Hieronymous Bosch, born Jeroen Anthonissen van Aken (c. 1450 - August 9, 1516)
~~~~~~~~~

 
 
It seems, in addition to Amelia, another, Spaniard Gregorio Paniagua, had already made the same discovery.  Interesting...


Atrium Musicae, Gregorio Paniagua


American college student, Amelia, transcribed and played the music painted on the tortured man's backside.



The Gregorian Chant interpretation

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Grammy's Tribute


Grammy's Tribute
 
 


Ahhhh, the Beatles.  Who would I be if they hadn't happened?  Less independent, less bold, less passionate, less loving?   

I was 13 when the Beatles came to the United States and appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show.  I watched, mesmerized, absorbing each persona.  I don't remember having favored one over the other until some time later, but collectively, they were the most dynamic and fun band I'd ever seen or heard.  My parents were unimpressed.  My younger brothers, in their usual way, cracked jokes amongst one another.  My younger sister was 8 and probably had a good time clowning around with my brothers.  But since, they "really had a hold on me..."

Within months, my girlfriends and I shared Beatles' cards which would give the hungry fan a glimpse both into their professional and personal lives.  We'd wait with bated breath for the next album, of which I'd have to have.  My two best friends, Ellen and Pat, and I would meet after school nearly every day to air play and lip sing to their music.  It was the most relaxing and invigorating part of the day. Ellen loved and imitated Paul; Pat, George; and I, enjoyed John whose spirit remained with me long after his death.  I sensed a rebelliousness with which I joined in with Give Peace A Chance and All You Need is Love -- songs having only scratched the surface of his defiance

Over several years, every friend and myself changed as pant legs grew wider, blouses grew skimpier, and hair grew longer in both sexes.  Black leather and motorcycles became more prevalent. This was the duality of the Beatles, of us, as a society sharing parallel paths.

When it was announced they would be appearing at Shea Stadium, Queens, New York in 1965, I pleaded with my parents to let me go with Ellen and Pat; a very daring feat for 14- and 15-year old New Jerseyans.  But the fever had taken hold.  And it couldn't have been easier to get tickets.  A maximum of 4 off third base were ~ $5.00 each. When we arrived at Shea, all the buzz was how the Beatles would arrive.  I've seen the images of hysterical girls, but nothing could have prepared me for a stadium filled with girls' screams as the Beatles jumped from an armored vehicle, then ran across the ball field to the stage in their beige military jackets.  Not a screamer, I watched on and absorbed the surreality.

And, never, did I feel that they posed a threat to society as so many adults, including my parents, feared.  Most of their songs sang of love and the human condition.  Yes, while the hippie movement took hold, so did experimentation with psychedelics which were reflected in their later albums.

However,  it was John, when he moved to New York, who became much more involved in the anti-Vietnam War movement with his chants of peace and love.  I so appreciated how committed he became.  My three brothers were very close to being drafted before Nixon was impeached and the war ended.  It wasn't until years later I learned that John was on Nixon's "list of enemies."  He made a difference, and changed me and so many others as we became involved with love-ins and protests at my all-women's college, Douglass, and its male counterpart, Rutgers, in addition to colleges and universities all across the United States in the late sixties, early seventies.

All affected me in their journeys to find peace in the world and within themselves, as we all try to do every day of our own lives.  "There are places I remember all my life, though some have changed. Some forever not for better, some have gone and some remain. All these places had their moments with lovers and friends, I still can recall. Some are dead and some are living. In my life I've loved them all..." From In My Life, The Beatles



Please Please Me, The Beatles, March 1963


With The Beatles, The Beatles, November 1963


Introducing the Beatles, The Beatles, January 1964


The Beatles' Second Album, The Beatles, April 1964


A Hard Day's Night, The Beatles, June 1964


Something New, The Beatles, July 1964


Beatles VI, The Beatles, June 1965


Help!, The Beatles, August 1965


Rubber Soul, The Beatles, December 1965


Yesterday and Today, The Beatles, June 1966


Revolver, The Beatles, August 1966


Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles, June 1967


Magical Mystery Tour, The Beatles, November 1967


The White Album, The Beatles, November 1968


Yellow Submarine, The Beatles, January 1969


Abbey Road, The Beatles, September 1969


Let It Be, The Beatles, May 1970

Saturday, February 1, 2014

A pair of my sixties jeans dedicated to love, peace, music, and the Olympics

 
I never could part with these jeans I wore in college.  They're as precious to me as my college ring.

Can't believe I was equivalent to a size 2! Before the upcoming summer Olympics in Munich in 1972, I began embroidering my wide-legged denims which I had, over time, cut and embroidered into a slim fit jean.
 
 
 
 

Adored Bob Dylan in high school to the present.  The kiss, smile represents love.  The G-clef, bars, and notes depict my love of music. 
 
My love for the guitar, especially Spanish.
 

My love for the Olympics, esp. swimming and diving, in fact, all the water sports. Perhaps it's the Pisces in me.  The rings aren't complete for the obvious reason. To quote Leonard Cohen, "...the dove, she will be caught again..."
 Nonetheless, it was my father who passed on the torch of the Olympics to me and my siblings. 


An incomplete peace sign reflecting world disharmony. Times have not changed much since the Vietnam War, have they?  "How many deaths will it take till he knows that too many people have died?" Blowing in the Wind, Bob Dylan
 

Mr. Tambourine Man, Bob Dylan


Blowing in the Wind, Joan Baez (Bob Dylan song)


Norwegian Wood, The Beatles


Send Me No Wine, The Moody Blues


Lay Lady Lay, Bob Dylan


Across the Universe, The Beatles


Green Tambourine, The Lemon Pipers


Crimson and Clover, Tommy Janes and the Shondells


Bell Bottom Blues, Derek and the Dominos


Aquarius, Let the Sunshine In, The Fifth Dimension