I wore black because I liked it. I still do, and wearing it still means something to me. It’s still my symbol of rebellion — against a stagnant status quo, against our hypocritical houses of God, against people whose minds are closed to others’ ideas.
Johnny Cash
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Us, in summer, it is early morning, on a weekday after exercise and a dog walk. Weekends, upon waking, Greg a little sleepy-eyed and Juniper on the hunt for movement, my voice, and a coffee cup delicately placed on the ground for her to lick. The fountain is creek-like, the garden alive with bees and birds and a host of fliers. Our little sanctuary of green and calm. I love it!
And now, as the Monty Python boys would say, for something completely different. Last Thursday, we trekked up to Fiddlers Green for a little bit of ROCK. Not sure I have ever mentioned this here – Greg and I are rather big fans of Alice in Chains, and their amazing lyricist and Riff Lord guitarist Jerry Cantrell is out promoting his latest album, I Want Blood, with the slightly creepy cover just above. He’s also touring with Bush, whose 90s album Sixteen Stone is pretty spectacular, and two other bands we scarcely heard of.
Cue a hot-hot to trot day on the Front Range and a delightfully high energy crowd. Everyone brought it! Highlights: The drummer from Tim Montana clad solely in his underpants. The large number of fine folk that knew every word to every Candlebox song. Jerry belting solo tunes, like his latest, Vilified; Alice in Chains greatest hits, including Would?, my absolute favorite of theirs, to which I sang my heart out and cried, maybe just a little bit, too. But, but , but, that wasn’t all! Bush was also quite stellar, and Gavin Rossdale especially philosophical AND electric. The final photo has Jerry jamming with them to Comedown, which was really, quite a perfect end. Oh, happy day!
However mean your life is, meet and live it; do not shun it and call it hard names. It is not so bad as you are. It looks poorest when you are richest. The fault-finder will find faults even in paradise. Love your life, poor as it is. You may perhaps have some pleasant, thrilling, glorious hours, even in a poorhouse. The setting sun is reflected from the windows of the almshouse as brightly as from the rich man’s abode; the snow melts before its doors as early in the spring. Cultivate property like a garden herb, like sage. Do not trouble yourself much to get new things, whether clothes or friends. Turn the old; return to them. Things do not change; we change. Sell your clothes and keep your thoughts… Superfluous wealth can buy superfluities only. Money is not required to buy one necessary of the soul.
Henry David Thoreau
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The most common form of despair is not being who you are.
Soren Kierkegaard
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In your hands
The dog, the donkey, surely they know
They are alive.
Who would argue otherwise?
But now, after years of consideration,
I am getting beyond that.
What about the sunflowers? What about
The tulips, and the pines?
Listen, all you have to do is start and
There’ll be no stopping.
What about mountains? What about water
Slipping over rocks?
And speaking of stones, what about
The little ones you can
Hold in your hands, their heartbeats
So secret, so hidden it may take years
Before, finally, you hear them?
Mary Oliver
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We grew the sunflowers!
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