May 2009
Saturday 30
A new Clematis.
Friday 29
Mountain Laurel. I have been using many of the nature photos for my Photo of the Day promotions to the Interior Design Community. I have also been doing Recipe of the Day promotions as well.
Thursday 28
Linguine with Tuna, Capers, Olives.
Wednesday 27
Nadine.
Tuesday 26
Peony.
Monday 25
Memorial Day. Susan and I rode our bikes to the parade in West Springfield. A few photos from parade. Later, re relaxed in the backyard with a glass of Pinot Grigio.
Sunday 24
What I Saw Today.
Saturday 23
Pre-Memorial Day Party. Daryl and Bijon came over for dinner.
Friday 22
Clematis.
Thursday 21
Shirley's Charm Bracelet.
Wednesday 20
Nadine Goes Outside.
Tuesday 19
Clematis.
Monday 18
Light.
Sunday 17
The First Clematis.
Saturday 16
The Bride.
Friday 15
Robins.
Thursday 14
Cemetery.
Wednesday 13
Cardinal.
Tuesday 12
Nadine.
Monday 11
Divine Idea.
Sunday 10
Mother's Day
Saturday 09
The Secret.
Friday 08
Old Fashioned.
Thursday 07
The Wise Fish Here.
Lobster Boat. Rockport, Massachusetts
Wednesday 06
Meditation on Bricks & Tulip.
Tuesday 05
Meditation on Bricks and Tulip.
Monday 04
Rain.
Sunday 03
Great Traditions.
The grandfather of a friend on Twitter:
Jerold Frederic's extraordinary career began at the grass roots level, playing in colleges and universities across the United States where he accomplished a record 257 engagements in his first three seasons under the management of Harry Culbertson. So remarkable was his success that Alexander Greiner, artist director for Steinway and Sons, said in the Steinway News, "Frederic's rise and extensive concertizing throughout the United States, accomplished as it was without preliminary debut in New York or Europe, presents an achievement without precedent in the history of the field".
In his early years he was fortunate to have contact with Moritz Rosenthal, Ignace Paderewski and Sigismond Stojowski. These remarkable pianists represented a tradition of playing that is all but lost today - a tradition that began with Franz Liszt and Anton Rubenstein. The printed note was used only as an entrance to a language in sound where everything is completely subservient to the nature of the thought. Harold Schonberg in the NY Times on 10/19/69 noted "...there is a dreadful uniformity today, and also an appalling lack of knowledge about the culture and performance traditions of the past". Frederic's playing has provided us with a new link to these great traditions.
Every few years Steinway provided him with his own concert grand which he would choose at their factory in Queens, NY from among a large number of these hand-crafted and very individual instruments. Most musicians would prefer to have their own instrument when they perform, but the nine foot long, 1000 pound Steinway presented a difficult logistical problem. Frederic solved that by designing a piano trailer that went with him wherever he traveled - even on his numerous trips abroad.
He has remained a Steinway Artist throughout his career and is one of the signatories on their distinctive 500,000th piano that was exhibited in Carnegie Hall and around the country.
Frederic's uncompromising approach to his art is one of the elements that has made him a great communicative artist and the present selections will allow his listeners to experience what is truly a language in sound.
Saturday 02
Kentucky Derby Day. It took nearly all day to find calm within my soul after learning this morning that there is a possibility that the images saved to my external hard drive may be irretrievable--100,000+ images from the past 10 years.
It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.
~Psalm 118:8
It was a great race, historical, and I wish I could have called my Dad, as I did after every running of the Kentucky Derby, and say, "Wow. Dad. Did you see that!"
Friday 01
Listening to Stone.
"In a laboring life, ideas percolate up through the routine of a working day. Mental space opens and allows for inventive thoughts. Call it daydreaming if you wish, because it does proceed from a freedom of movement of the mind. Or call it meditation, because it also entails a form of focused concentration. Whatever the name, it's where mental play and physical work coalesce."