Spring weather
It warmed up yesterday. I can't believe it but it was humid and a bit hot. For some reason, this didn't bother me in the least. In fact, I relished it and felt so comfortable. Everyone else seemed to complain (of course, wearing sweaters and working at the hottest part of the day will do that to you). My joints in my hands complained a bit but Motrin helped with that. Still, I felt a bit stiff practicing the guitar.
The gals and I walked home from the grand-folks and attracted our first wasp. Norrie had chocolate on her face/hands and we wore these big hats which basically told the wasp, "giant sweet smelling flower ahead!" I almost had a panic attack but got the wasp off the hat and we started running. The little bugger tried to follow us (!) and finally caught a breeze and the dazed wasp flew away. Yikes! I am not usually that lucky with wasps. In California, a friend and I had been hiking in the arroyo and stumbled upon a wasp (or hornet) lair. Let's just say, these guys followed us back for miles as we ran like mad. We were stung probably about 50-100 times. I swelled up all over and felt really sick. After the welts subsided, I itched like crazy and had quite a few bruises. Let's just say a part of me will never feel 100% calm around insects. It took years to even get to the point of looking at an insect. Oddly, I did a painting of a wasp about 5 or so years ago and was able to see the beauty of their shape/colors. I found, in doing my study of wasps, they are amazingly constructed and evolved. If I wasn't afraid they'd sting me, I'd think it was quite funny how they are attracted by scents...the chocolate and at other times they really like lemon chicken! I remember going out with my sister and her family, and we brought some chicken to eat outside. The wasps came right up as if they were part of the picnic! So, we learned another lesson there. Fortunately, nobody was hurt and we just left an offering of chicken for them.
Now that I live in the East, I know not to go around fruit trees in the near end of summer when there are rotting fruits on the ground (wasps love this) and to wander about with anything sweet smelling on or near us. I basically gave up perfume.
Anyway, the weather was amazing yesterday. It is so odd how there can be such humidity and then within minutes a thunder storm and rain pouring down. I love this. It really cleans things up. It can make a depressed street seem to be washed away of any blight, and after these showers all streets seem fresh and full of so much potential. I love that.
The other day, we stumbled on an interesting show called American Experience "The Carter Family". I felt so drawn by the story and lives of people in this family. It amazed me because the tie for them was art, namely music. They sang about what was happening in their world during the Depression and I was reminded of a lot of what is happening to a lot of us, in the US, today. Certainly, we don't suffer nearly as much as our grandparents did back then (thank God). Still, there are signs pointing us in a similar direction with our economics. Most obvious is the need to have things regulated very strictly in business. I am reminded of the cat and dog food industry that recently allowed rat poison to leak into their products. What if this had been for people? Horrible. And I think this is why there needs to be more outrage at this problem. It's not just about pets but about the welfare to people.
Another recent problem was with credit card companies making deals with each other and our government to double fees if a person is late on a totally different credit card. This fraudulence is not right and apparently, now that we have some Democrats in office, guess who are changing their policies? Yep. Interesting, isn't it? If we don't have regulations (or even the threat of regulation) on these topics, people will get greedy and hurt as many people in their money lust.
Going back to The Carter Family, it's sad that where I live, there is such little respect for such past music or bluegrass or even alternative music on the radio. There is just a bunch of the weaker junk filtered from the big cities. It's very sad as listening to these classics, I am impressed by several things (I’ve listened to quite a few on Pandora). First, is the social consciousness by means of religious songs and lyrics. It's amazing to hear people sing about true events such as the suffering people went through by labor and economics. One song, Keep on the Sunny Side, is quite amazing because it acknowledges the pain and sorrow of the times but emphasizes how we need to focus on hope. I find the meanings still relevant today.
There's a dark & a troubled side of life
There's a bright, there's a sunny side, too
Tho' we meet with the darkness and strife
The sunny side we also may view
[cho:] Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side,
Keep on the sunny side of life
It will help us ev'ry day, it will brighten all the way
If we'll keep on the sunny side of life
The storm and its fury broke today,
Crushing hopes that we cherish so dear;
Clouds and storms will, in time, pass away
The sun again will shine bright and clear.
Let us greet with the song of hope each day
Tho' the moment be cloudy or fair
Let us trust in our Saviour away
Who keepeth everyone in His care
At one time, I'd have had issue to religious imagery but now I feel like when I read these words, they are talking about Love. And I can agree with that. :) Anyway, this song amazes me with its tone of courage and strength.
The gals and I walked home from the grand-folks and attracted our first wasp. Norrie had chocolate on her face/hands and we wore these big hats which basically told the wasp, "giant sweet smelling flower ahead!" I almost had a panic attack but got the wasp off the hat and we started running. The little bugger tried to follow us (!) and finally caught a breeze and the dazed wasp flew away. Yikes! I am not usually that lucky with wasps. In California, a friend and I had been hiking in the arroyo and stumbled upon a wasp (or hornet) lair. Let's just say, these guys followed us back for miles as we ran like mad. We were stung probably about 50-100 times. I swelled up all over and felt really sick. After the welts subsided, I itched like crazy and had quite a few bruises. Let's just say a part of me will never feel 100% calm around insects. It took years to even get to the point of looking at an insect. Oddly, I did a painting of a wasp about 5 or so years ago and was able to see the beauty of their shape/colors. I found, in doing my study of wasps, they are amazingly constructed and evolved. If I wasn't afraid they'd sting me, I'd think it was quite funny how they are attracted by scents...the chocolate and at other times they really like lemon chicken! I remember going out with my sister and her family, and we brought some chicken to eat outside. The wasps came right up as if they were part of the picnic! So, we learned another lesson there. Fortunately, nobody was hurt and we just left an offering of chicken for them.
Now that I live in the East, I know not to go around fruit trees in the near end of summer when there are rotting fruits on the ground (wasps love this) and to wander about with anything sweet smelling on or near us. I basically gave up perfume.
Anyway, the weather was amazing yesterday. It is so odd how there can be such humidity and then within minutes a thunder storm and rain pouring down. I love this. It really cleans things up. It can make a depressed street seem to be washed away of any blight, and after these showers all streets seem fresh and full of so much potential. I love that.
The other day, we stumbled on an interesting show called American Experience "The Carter Family". I felt so drawn by the story and lives of people in this family. It amazed me because the tie for them was art, namely music. They sang about what was happening in their world during the Depression and I was reminded of a lot of what is happening to a lot of us, in the US, today. Certainly, we don't suffer nearly as much as our grandparents did back then (thank God). Still, there are signs pointing us in a similar direction with our economics. Most obvious is the need to have things regulated very strictly in business. I am reminded of the cat and dog food industry that recently allowed rat poison to leak into their products. What if this had been for people? Horrible. And I think this is why there needs to be more outrage at this problem. It's not just about pets but about the welfare to people.
Another recent problem was with credit card companies making deals with each other and our government to double fees if a person is late on a totally different credit card. This fraudulence is not right and apparently, now that we have some Democrats in office, guess who are changing their policies? Yep. Interesting, isn't it? If we don't have regulations (or even the threat of regulation) on these topics, people will get greedy and hurt as many people in their money lust.
Going back to The Carter Family, it's sad that where I live, there is such little respect for such past music or bluegrass or even alternative music on the radio. There is just a bunch of the weaker junk filtered from the big cities. It's very sad as listening to these classics, I am impressed by several things (I’ve listened to quite a few on Pandora). First, is the social consciousness by means of religious songs and lyrics. It's amazing to hear people sing about true events such as the suffering people went through by labor and economics. One song, Keep on the Sunny Side, is quite amazing because it acknowledges the pain and sorrow of the times but emphasizes how we need to focus on hope. I find the meanings still relevant today.
There's a dark & a troubled side of life
There's a bright, there's a sunny side, too
Tho' we meet with the darkness and strife
The sunny side we also may view
[cho:] Keep on the sunny side, always on the sunny side,
Keep on the sunny side of life
It will help us ev'ry day, it will brighten all the way
If we'll keep on the sunny side of life
The storm and its fury broke today,
Crushing hopes that we cherish so dear;
Clouds and storms will, in time, pass away
The sun again will shine bright and clear.
Let us greet with the song of hope each day
Tho' the moment be cloudy or fair
Let us trust in our Saviour away
Who keepeth everyone in His care
At one time, I'd have had issue to religious imagery but now I feel like when I read these words, they are talking about Love. And I can agree with that. :) Anyway, this song amazes me with its tone of courage and strength.
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