What a sound!

Re forestation Progress

For a few years now Sharon and I have been working to restore the forest on our second acre next door . The front of it had been cleared over 10 years ago to improve the ocean view. Since then it developed into a real mess of tangled vines and weeds. After weeks and weeks of pretty intense labor (not to mention a rash that took quite a while to clear up) it was cleared. We since have added native plants and over time have roughly worked out planting areas and even some paths! Maybe one day we will even figure out what we are doing! Even if we don’t we have achieved a fairly good record of keeping plants healthy. This is more rewarding than I ever imagined!

Weaver of Dreams Sonny Rollins1959

Illusion

Monday night just as I was getting ready to go on line our power suddenly went off . It seems that some nitwit had been speeding nearby and knocked down a power pole. The power company replaced the pole and power was restored in a respectable 4 hours. The rural area where we live is pretty independent. I guess having a volcano erupting nearby is a part of that. Many areas are “off the grid” meaning no power , phone or public water supply. Our house has power,phone and catchment water .Water runs from the roof to a 10,000 gallon tank. It is then filtered and pumped into the house . Back to the power outage. When it happens not only does the power go ,the water does too ,because the pump will not work . This situation always makes me think how interesting it is that One minute you have all that energy brings - tv – stereo –computer- internet etc - etc and the next you have candle light . Makes me wonder at the illusion of it all!

SF REVISITED

STRANGE BUT LIKEABLE

Cathedrals and Minsters in England

JAZZ JAZZ JAZZ

Coltrane's The Wise One

More Portmeirion

A legend in Jazz

Louis Armstrong was one of the first great Jazz soloists and one of its most creative innovators. Throughout the many years of his career thousands were inspired by and tried to emulate his playing. He increasingly came to represent to the world the spirit of American jazz and its international appeal. Daniel Louis Armstrong started his musical career several years before he actually played the trumpet. At the age of seven he and a group of friends would sing on street corners for pennies and nickels. On December 31, 1913 he celebrated New Year’s Eve by shooting his step-father’s gun in the street. He was arrested , and while at the waif’s home in New Orleans he began playing the Trumpet. There were four salient features which made his an outstanding player-his superior choice of notes to shape unique melodic lines, his outstanding tone quality, his sense of swing, and his famous repertory of vibratos. His music had the make-up of any great music experience – expressive fervor, intense artistic commitment ,a natural sense for structural logic and superior instrumental skill . In the early 1900’s jazz was just coming into being. The public’s attitude towards the “new music” was unfavorable. Generally speaking ,jazz, including Armstrong’s playing was being heard in red light districts. There were many players but no outstanding soloists. Louis Armstrong was the first. His trumpet playing was not the only factor in his success. His unique singing also played a major role. He had a charm with his audience that was unsurpassable. Later in his career his singing became as important as his playing. He had become a complete entertainer. As his popularity grew, appearances abroad became frequent. Also in addition to his music, he was active in movies, Television, and even Broadway. He was a giant star.
Louis Armstrong ; a legend In Jazz.

A few weeks ago Sharon’s cousin and his girlfiend----um womanfriend ----- er --- ladyfriend , visited us. As we were showing them the sights they took quite a few photos . One of these turnd out to be the best shot of the two of us in a long time. I just know this is because of our new lightweight selves! You have to go back many years to find us as trim as we are now. We have worked at this for a year and a half now. Every morning starts on the scale. Just a daily remider not to let things slip. Although not so strict now we still try not to eat too much of the wrong foods. It has all been worth it and this photo is the proof!

Earl Grey & Darjeeling .end of an era

To Earl Grey and Darjeeling and the end of an era

DARJEELING
1989-2007 GONE TO RUN WITH THE KITTIES IN HEAVEN

The Dot and the Line: A Romance in Lower Mathematics

for anne chuck jones award winning cartoon

from me to kg

to kg

Whoops-----my brain just drifted off to Portmeirion again! Review from Amazon.co.uk Synopsis "The Times" called Portmeirion 'the last folly of the Western World' while the "Guardian" saw it as 'a giant gnomes' village'. For eccentric architect Clough Williams-Ellis, the man who designed and built the resort, it was 'propaganda for good manners,' a statement of how planned development could enhance rather than destroy its environment. And for the quarter of a million visitors a year who make the trip to this Italianate village in North-West Wales, it's quite simply one of the most magical places on Earth. It was here Noel Coward wrote his comedy "Blithe Spirit", Patrick McGoohan filmed the legendary 1960s TV series "The Prisoner" and George Harrison celebrated his 50th birthday. It's the kind of place where Larry Adler gave informal concerts to other guests and hotel staff, Ingrid Bergman could be found talking movies with Bertrand Russell, and where royalty - from Edward VIII to King Zog of Albania - would join the general public in seeking escape from the modern world. Here too was born the world-famous Portmeirion Pottery, founded by Clough's daughter, Susan William-Ellis, and still one of Britain's leading ceramics companies nearly a half-century on. The book "Portmeirion" is published to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the opening of the resort in 1926. Lavishly illustrated with many unpublished and rare photographs, plans and drawings, it is the first book to cover the whole story of the village, the extensive gardens both at Portmeirion and Plas Brondanw, the Williams-Ellis family home, Portmeirion Pottery as well as Clough himself.

Laurel and Hardy - Blotto

One of the funniest comedy bits ever!

Pepper Adams in the UK

my man!