As I continue finding fun things to do this summer while NOT spending a lot of money, or going out of the house much *grumble grumble stupid COVID* I’m utilizing my music resources much more effectively than I have in years past and I’m having fun curating my own playlists which I play via a little off-line music player called Musicolet. Here is what I’m listening to for morning motivation for July.
July Playlist
Brighter Than the Sun – Colbie Caillat Walking on Sunshine – Katrina and the Waves Long Time Sun – Snatam Kaur Colors of the Wind – Judy Kuhn Can’t Stop the Feeling – Justin Timberlake Our Song – Taylor Swift I Feel Lucky – Mary Chapin Carpenter Summer of ’69 – Bryan Adams What is Life – George Harrison Summer Wind – Michael Buble Dreams – Fleetwood Mac Have You Ever Seen the Rain – Creedence Clearwater Revival Sailing – Christopher Cross Changes in Latitudes – Jimmy Buffet
If you’d like to give the whole thing a listen on Spotify, you can find it here.
Til next time
~May your Mondays be short and your weekends be long may your memories be sweet, and your coffee be strong ~JP
First Line Lyric Thursday where I take a line from a song and make it the first line of a poem. Today’s poem is brought to you by Zac Brown Band — Colder Weather — see video at the end of the post
A Gypsy Soul
Got a gypsy soul to blame my heart was born to dance and sing my feet were made to wander
I have sailed the oceans blue far from meadows’ verdant hues The path I walk is mine alone walked for the sanity of my soul
I have climbed red mountains beneath brilliant azure skies and I’ve beheld the milky way with naught but my own two eyes
I was born to wander far from whence I came I can’t help but wonder why Got a gypsy soul to blame
The idea here is I’m taking one line from a song and making it the first line of a poem. I have oodles of “prompts” in my jar, time to use them. This week’s song is “Beautiful Day” by Joshua Radin and the line I’ve chosen is the first line of the song, “Gonna wash the dust off my soul.” Here we go.
Gonna wash the dust off my soul rise up once again from night’s dark hole with brilliant colors, the portrait’s drawn twenty-four hours too quickly gone this day is mine to live as I will mine to use for good or for ill so many days are wrecklessly lost when hate and anger ignore the cost with love and light my spirit grows as I wash the dust off my soul
Gonna wash the dust off my soul Gonna listen to some rock ‘n’ roll No cares, come what may I’m making a beautiful day
Gonna drive my car to the sea Swim out far cause I believe That waves will wash the grey away I’m making a beautiful day Let me hear you say
Ooh, oh oh, my my I’m learning to fly Hey, hey, what’s that you said Let’s not forget we’re alive
Gonna climb that hill behind my house See what this place is all about Cause from above it all, you can’t help but say It’s gonna be a beautiful day It’s gonna be a beautiful day But let me hear you say
Ooh, oh oh, my my I’m learning to fly Hey, hey, what’s that you said Let’s not forget we’re alive
Gonna turn my enemies into friends What’s broken gets stronger when it mends When we all come together, this song will play We’ll sing, it’s a beautiful day That’s gonna be my beautiful day
Oh oh, my my I’m learning to fly Hey, hey, what’s that you said Let’s not forget we’re alive, that we’re alive
As 2020 draws to it’s close and the new year beckons, I pause for reflection. It’s been a year of changes, oh so many changes. Pain, frustration, fear and general ickyness abounded. But like each of her sisters before her, 2020 has also been filled with joy and promise. I’ve had better years, but I’ve also had worse and the older I grow, the more I realize that every year, every day, has it’s share of Sacred, ordinary moments. I look forward to 2021, to finding the magic in the mundane, the beauty in the chaos, the mystical in the everyday. Farewell 2020, thank you for the blessings. Welcome 2021, thank you for the unknown gifts that are waiting to be discovered. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
“I’ve been lately thinking about my life’s time All the things I’ve done, how it’s been And I can’t help believing in my own mind I know I’m gonna hate to see it end
I’ve seen a lot of sunshine, slept out in the rain Spent a night or two all on my own I’ve known my lady’s pleasures, had myself some friends And spent a night or two in my own home
I have to say it now, it’s been a good life, all in all It’s really fine to have a chance to hang around And lie there by the fire and watch the evening tire While all my friends and my old lady sit and pass the pipe around
Talk of poems and prayers and promises and things that we believe in How sweet it is to love someone, how right it is to care How long it’s been since yesterday and what about tomorrow? What about our dreams and all the memories we share?
The days they pass so quickly now, nights are seldom long Time around me whispers when it’s cold The changes somehow frighten me, still I have to smile It turns me on to think of growing old
For though my life’s been good to me there’s still so much to do So many things my mind’s never known I’d like to raise a family, I’d like to sail away And dance across the mountains on the moon
I have to say it now, it’s been a good life, all in all It’s really fine to have the chance to hang around And lie there by the fire and watch the evening tire While all my friends and my old lady, sit and watch the sun go down
Talk of poems and prayers and promises and things that we believe in How sweet it is to love someone, how right it is to care How long it’s been since yesterday and what about tomorrow? What about our dreams and all the memories we share?” ~John Denver
~ all lyrics are the product of my memory. Any discrepancies or divergences from actual fact should not be viewed as errors but as all natural variations proving that I did, in fact, live through the 60’s~
about the photo: Love locks on the railing along Wellington, NZ waterfront footbridge over Frank Kitts Lagoon.
Love Locks
Love is not found in grand passion nor in the splendid hues of sunrise Love lives in the little things the twinkle in the eye at a well time joke the brush of your body against mine love doesn’t lie in the words we say but in those tiny details of life we live day after day
“I am not anti-social, I’m anti-idiot” ~ Sherlock Holmes
In a sudden irrational act of antimicrobial, antihistimine inspired social distancing, I caught myself waving to one of my soon to be co-workers from my window this morning. He didn’t wave back, then I remembered, I have tinted windows, you know those shiny mirror things that block the view so I can see out but no one can see in. Drat! That’s what you get from inhaling too much sanitizer! Wonder if that could be considered huffing?
We ventured out into the wilds of semi-suburban Rapid City to our local Health Food Coop today. It wasn’t half bad. Special “immune compromised” hours and a very small store with fairly high prices led to an almost serene atmosphere. No toilet paper, no wipes, no rolled oats, but filled most of the rest of my list. Got in, got out, got home, just in time for a Spring Squall complete with snow. Ahhhh Black Hills in the Spring. How y’all holding up?
Til next time ~ Keep your head down and your pantry full ~JP
Ran out of toilet paper afraid I won’t find more running out of vegetables afraid of grocery stores out of social contact afraid of being bored found last hand sanitizer at least that’s one I scored
Linda says: ”Because if you’re like me and stuck at home already, or if you’re going to be like me soon, the days of the week are going to be hell to keep track of. We have a wonderful community here on WordPress, and I’m sure many people are feeling nervous and/or isolated. I want to make sure every one of us has somewhere to congregate and someone to talk to.
Our Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt is “welcome.” Use it any way you’d like. Have fun!
Lilacs ready to burst forth in a glorious welcome of Spring
Kind of a mish/mash up for me today
Coping with COVID-19 — day 2 — March 21, 2020
It’s a beautiful day here in the Black Hills. Sunshine, blue skies, mild temps. It’s a welcome relief from the snow, freezing temps, and winds earlier this week. We have a large lovely, lightly populated area perfect for walking with minimal human interaction. We’ve been out for one walk already and plan to do one or two more. We’re both recovering from a mild virus and we’re still a little weak. It’s nothing more than sniffles, itchy eyes and a mild cough but right now a cough is about as welcome as a fox in the hen house.
If I’m honest about it, I’m kind of relieved to be home for a couple of weeks. I’m a Highly Sensitive Person and an introvert. Too much “peopling” can leave me exhausted under the best of circumstances and these, my friends are NOT the best of circumstances. Angry, frightened aura’s abound.
There has also not been much of an opportunity to celebrate the Equinox or Ostara which I always enjoy. I like to welcome Spring with a cleansed home and some special spring treats. This afternoon will be spent in an outdoor meditation, a “whole house blessing” (a fancy schmancy way of saying Spring Cleaning), and perhaps some nice vegetable soup.
From Linda’s one liner wednesday“All difficult things in the world are sure to arise from a previous state in which they were easy, and all great things from one in which they were small.” ― Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching “The first half of this quote is becoming all too obvious in the world we live in. But the second half remains a challenge. Think about it. What small things in your life do you now have time to make great?”
Funny you should ask Linda, at my age time is a constant companion. No matter what I have to do, or how much leisure I have, there’s never, ever enough time. So, every day I try to do small things with great love. Perhaps that’s the real lesson to be learned from the current crisis (no I’m not naming it, could be like Betelguese 😉 tomorrow is never promised, don’t wait.
“Saruman believes that it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I have found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love.” ~ Galdalf the Grey
I hope you dance ~ Lee Ann Womack
Til next time – practice random acts of kindness and senseless beauty ~JPP
Wide Eyed Wonderings 