The Light Half...

The marsh gets greener by the day as we now enter into Summer. I took these pictures on Beltane, and a lovely evening it was. The tide was in and higher than  usual during light hours, so I was glad to be home to take some photos. The tidal creek behind the condo takes on a completely different life when it is full of green brackish water.

The day was overcast, and pleasantly cool. A strong breeze danced through and around the flora. Other sounds mixed with Gaia's breath: the rustling of unseen creatures; the distant droning of a lawn mower; the unintelligible murmer of voices issuing from one of the screened in porches facing the creek. I purposefully stayed to the bank of the tidal creek. I saw no other people. There were no cars passing by. On one side were condos. On the other was nature...soothing and alive.

The Earth is in transition, entering into the light half of the year. I feel that I'm in transition, too. I have had my physical aches and pains, and they have been in full force this past week. I have been dealing with them as best I can. After all, I will always have them in varying degrees. Pushing through and dealing with them as part of day to day life has proven much easier. The point of my focus is key. That, and my mind set. The main tool in my personal arsenal is my creative side. The side that occupies the larger part of my self...of who I am.

Art projects that I have had waiting in the wings are now becoming works in progress. It feels good to be flexing my creative productivity.

Beltane. A time of rebirth...fertility. That encompasses so much. Much more than the obvious. 'Fertility' can be experienced on so many levels. Yes, there are the obvious "birthing" methods, but there are others, as well. The realms of the mind and the soul. Two realms that, for me, are tapped into on a daily basis. For me it is important to build and to grow. To expand on levels that are important to me.

Hoping everyone had a Blessed Beltane, and/or May Day.

Beltane & May Day...2013...

Cheap Trick's "Live at Budokan" 35th Anniversary Concert...

A couple of days ago, I learned that Cheap Trick was going to be playing a gig in honor of the 35^th anniversary of their mega-hit album, “Cheap Trick Live at Budokan”. Very cool. Even cooler, the performance was going to stream live online via the web site, ‘Livestream’. (The only other live event I have tuned into on the net was the ’09 performance of U2 at the Rose Bowl that was streamed on YouTube…a great show it was.) I have heard of Livestream, so I followed the link on my Facebook newsfeed. After a quick sign-up (a requirement for watching the Budokan show), I was good to go. Sunday, April 28^th, 8:00 PM/EST, at the John Varvatos Bowery boutique in New York City.

I had to work Sunday, and didn’t get out of there until a few minutes to 8:00. I was a bit ‘late to the party’, but tuned in when Robin Zander was intro-ing “Need Your Love”. Before I get to my mini-review of the show, I’m going to travel back for a moment…

In the late 1970’s to 1980’s, I was in high school. Music was of great interest to me, and I can safely say that while some teenagers were spending time glued to the television, I was frequently listening to music while drawing, etc. Some of my favorite bands during those days were RUSH, The Who, and…you guessed it…Cheap Trick. The first album of theirs that I could call my “intro” to them was, “Heaven Tonight”. It was the 1979 release of “Live at Budokan” that cemented their position on my favorites list. The “Dream Police” album (also released in 1979) didn’t hurt either.

(Left to right: Robin Zander, Bun E. Carlos, Rick Nielsen, Tom Petersson)

Seeing the Facebook announcement for the anniversary gig reminded me of the time I had seen them in concert. Initially, I remembered catching them at the Fox Theater in Atlanta, Georgia, for their “Dream Police” tour. I saved a number of old ticket stubs from back then, so I dug them out in search of the Fox stub. It appears that I misplaced it, but I do have the stub from another show I completely forgot about. It is for their “All Shook Up” tour in 1981, at the Omni.

My memories of seeing them in person are great ones. They really knew how to put on a show. All were skilled musicians, and Robin had great pipes. (He was extremely easy on the eyes, too.) They hold a permanent spot on my short list of great concerts.

Back to Livestream, and the concert of last night. As I already mentioned, I had to work Sunday afternoon, so I had to tune in to the show already in progress. Judging by a set list I found, I came in a little more than halfway through. The feed quality was better than expected. The sound was also good.  

(Left to right: Rick Nielsen, Robin Zander, Daxx Nielsen (in back), Tom Petersson)

As all of us do, the boys have aged. Rather well for the most part. Rick Nielsen (guitar) still looks as geeky as he used to, and is still rather hyper on stage. He bounded around, his bejeweled bow tie that said ‘BUDOKAN’ glinting in the stage lights. Tom Petersson (bass guitar) still looks pretty much the same, and was quite a bit more reserved than Nielsen. Then there was Robin, one of my huge fan-crushes from the past…

(Robin now...)

Robin Zander (lead vocals, guitar) has aged very well. For 60, he looks great. Still has maintained his stage persona. Still has his long blond hair. He hasn’t ballooned like other guys of his age. He’s still a good looking guy. Now for his voice…

(Robin then...)

I was doing some date checking via Google, and came across a Rolling Stone review of the streamed show. Their assessment was glowing. I am assuming they were at the actual venue, and didn’t watch it online like I had. That being said, it pains me to say that I was a little disappointed. “Need Your Love” was the first song I saw/heard, and there were times I found it painful to listen to. There is a bit of falsetto-ish singing Robin does during the tune, and…well...let's just say that some sour notes were hit. He did okay on other tunes. I just think it would’ve been wiser to stick with songs within the range he can still handle. Maybe he was having an off night.  I dunno. Seeing him on stage caused me to mentally regress a bit. To remember seeing him in the past. Looking down on him from the Fox Theater balcony, trying not to drool on the fans below. In the overall sense, I was glad to catch what I did.

There was one major discrepancy in my Cheap Trick experience. Bun E. Carlos was not in attendance. The gentleman who was there pounding the skins was Rick Nielsen’s son, Daxx. He did a fine job, but Bun E.’s absence left a hole. I think it did for a lot of long time Trick fans. I did some more Googling to try and find some explanation. All the info I found was from Bun E.’s side of things. He still considers himself a member of the band, and I didn’t find anything to say the others didn’t feel the same way. There does appear to be some bad blood though. Don’t know what it would stem from. Bun E. says that they asked him to take a hiatus, and so far it looks to have lasted a couple of years. Trying to find any clues as to what the feelings of the rest of the band are was like looking for the proverbial needle in a hay stack. I won’t lose any sleep over it, but I am curious to know the whole story.

My little criticisms aside, I’m glad I got to catch what I did. Cheap Trick is still rockin’ it out...hopefully, they will get the entire original line-up together some time in the not too distant future... 

Earth Days & Images...

Another day draws to a close here on the marsh. Spring has definitely sprung, the temperatures wavering between the low 60’s, and upper 70’s. Today was another day in the trenches at my part-time gig. I’m looking forward to a decent night’s sleep…tomorrow is a day off. A day off with predicted thunderstorms. 90% chance of rain according to the weather scan channel. I dig rain, so I’m looking forward to it. For me, rain and productivity go hand in hand. I’m in need of some creativity.

Trying to get a grasp on my daily schedule since becoming a part of the working world again has proven slightly daunting. My work shifts don’t usually last more than 5 to 5 ½ hours, but they are placed in the scope of my day in just the right way to make scheduling my time difficult. Three main areas of my life are: Work; Housework; Creative Time. So far, the first two are biting into the third…which, of course, is what I deem to be the most important area. I have had a few art projects waiting in the wings for weeks, and my blog hasn’t seen much action for just as long. It’s my blog that I am tackling first. Time to travel back a bit to grab my formula for posting on here…back to my blog’s beginnings. Not regressing…just retrieving the original essence to put it back into play.

(Bird houses, Camilia blooms, and new fern fronds.)

I have always posted what I have been moved to post. That has never changed.  What did change was a slowly evolving ‘expectation’ I placed on myself, in the guise of what I thought other people expected. Certain posts that I felt readers had come to expect from me. I claim responsibility for unintentionally nurturing this ‘expectation’. For the most part, I think it to be self-imposed. (I could go deeper into trying to relate what I perceive this “self-imposed” expectation to be, but that would just be tedious for me to write, and for you to read…moving on.) The change will probably be noticed more by me than anyone else, but it needs to happen. This blog is important to me, and it needs to be the organic creature it once was.

Last Monday (the 22^nd) was Earth Day. A day set aside to give props to the planet. One measly day. I look at every day as Earth day. After all, the Earth doesn’t live off of us…

The various photos in this post were taken over the last couple of weeks. Gaia has shown several of her moods in that time. Cool, warm, sunny, rainy, breezy, windy, calm. I captured some of them during my strolls. Strolls that are becoming more regular again, thankfully. It doesn’t matter how long or short my walks are, just as long as I take them. Walking outside and communing with nature for even a few minutes does wonders for my mental health. A little nature induced stress relief and relaxation should be a regular part of anyone’s health regimen…in my opinion.

(This photo and the one above it were from an overcast, and rather windy, day on the marsh. The strength of the wind was seen in low lying chop on the water's surface.)

I’m posting some of my photos from the last couple of weeks in much belated honor of Earth Day…and every other day…which I also think of as Earth Days…

(These shots are of a blooming Sago Palm by the  condos pool area.  I think this is in the later stages of the bloom cycle...strangely beautiful, it looks like an alien face-hugger might come flying out.)

(Radiant sun, Dogwood blooms, blades of grass.)

(Spanish Moss covered tree, Honeysuckle blooms (when I was young I would pinch off the end connected to the flower's stem and pull the stamen out...the drop of "honey" clinging to it was so sweet), and a mottled brown leaf that looks to be from one of the many Magnolia trees around here.)

(No stroll would be complete without paying a visit to the marsh side picnic table on the far side of the pond.)