I Dare You - I

How many days can you go without watching T.V.? What are you going to do with all that free time?

Simple Pleasures

At Morning Martini the following posting was too good not to be repeated:


"that man is richest whose pleasures are cheapest"
-Henry David Thoreau

What are your simple pleasures?

Lost and Found

Drinking coffee while gazing at the backyard garden is one of the most supremely serene experiences. In early morning I do not turn on music as the naturalistic views and bird song are all one needs. Having repositioned the birdbath the birds now come closer than ever to the dining room windows. If you go quietly for the morning paper they don't seem to mind. Maybe they are busy enjoying the small fruits they find this time of year. I rarely get to eat any of the red raspberries, blackberries and grapes scattered across the garden. In fact the recent heatwave reminded me how important the water element is for these small creatures. Most days this is the scenario except when two rather large seagulls made an appearance. Were they lost? They were way off shore and looked as much out of place as two shoebees as the Jersey shore. Happily I can report another first, pairs of gold finches fluttering about the butterfly bushes. I highly recommend these deciduous shrubs for any home garden, as they attract more than just butterflies. Seeing birds return time and time again makes me think that the world is a beautiful place. Nature inspires serenity and the hope that mankind can turn it around. We don't have to remain off course like the lost gulls.

All Packed And Nowhere to Go.

I was overdue for a vacation in the worst way imaginable. Postponed from the beginning of July until this week. Not only was I deemed "essential" and had to work during the state shutdown there seems to be no reward for doing the deed. I missed out on a change to join a friend at the shore in MD. I was going to miss the party of the season at Merci's because I had tickets to a favorite artist's concert. What was I thinking? ARGHHHHH, What a month? I don't know how no one got hurt, frankly?

Music fills the soul and lifts the spirit above the mundane and responsiblities of life's to do list. Looking forward to outdoor music for months after splurging on concert tickets so I pack up toward Philly for the XPN's music weekend. Yeah baby, 3 days. Sounds good huh? I decide to rest on Friday instead of going to lunch at World Cafe with L & Big Daddy. I also had bought tickets to see Chicago and Huey Lewis at the Tweeter right in the middle of the other concert without realizing they were the same weekend. OK, it'll be a record of sorts, pardon the pun, I couldn't resist. It all sounds like the perfect start to a perfect weekend.
That is until the rain came......
Saturday still waiting for the sun to shine it was off to the waterfront in mid-afternoon. Finally securing a reasonable place to park we arrived at the waterfront. Just exiting the car the wind started to blow and the sand started pummelling my legs like razors. A nice picnic lunch was safety stowed in the trunk for the long afternoon and evening full of music. It was back in the car until it blowed over. Forty minutes or so later I wondered why I'd left the drinks and snacks in the trunk. It was raining too hard to retrieve them now. In minutes the parking lot looked like a lake, the drains looked like fountains unable to withstand the onslaught or water. It seemed to be raining upward as the deluge had no where else to go. At times you could not see the Ben Franklin Bridge though I was sitting one hundred yards away. I had time to imagine the car flipping and turning in the wind like an apocalyptic nightmare. Maybe it was low blood sugar, I don't know.
When the rain finally let up it was off to the park, well prepared with picnic, poncho's, color coordinated blue blanket and plastic tarp to save us from the wet ground. Imagine my surprise when there was plenty of great spots to sit in full view of the stage. Unpacked and seated it started to drizzle and I was happy to have brought along rain ponchos. What a sight, imagine a rain swelled slope filled with folks in various degrees of wetness. I barely got comfortable when there was the message from the stage. We are canceling today's concert as the equipment is all wet. Listen to XPN radio and they'll reschedule some of the artists to this evening at other venues. Where else but at World Cafe where everyone was welcome but first come first served with a capacity of 800. You're kidding I thought. Trying to "look on the bright side" all I could do was laugh. Did I want to go to World Cafe?

The Chicago concert was two hours off and there was no way I was going to sit and wait in hopes of better weather. For years I've gone to summer concerts and only once did it rain. I can still remember the saying, "oh, it's a light heavy rain" let's go anyway. Not a chance. Systematically I planned one concert a month for the summer entertaintment. Each time it was beseiged with rain. After last month's Dave Matthews show I vowed like a watery Scarlett OHara I will never get wet again.

I am looking for bright side and hope that despite the rocky start the vacation this week will be peaceful and serene, come rain or come shine.