Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for March, 2008

flickr friday

Happy Friday, everyone!

Let’s start with the photos, ok?  Here’s one of mine:

080223-popham-pinecones-1.jpg
Popham Beach State Park, Phippsburg, Maine

And here are some lovlies from Flickr:

wooden shoes – A nod to my (partial) Dutch heritage

paradise lost – I love the contrast of that vibrant red with the shadows.

potsie and i… – Oh, the 50s fantasies!  Potsie was always my favorite.  ;)

untitled – For some reason, the colors of these chairs remind me of Necco wafers (remember those?) …that’s a little perplexing…

shiny happy red flower pumps – These are some cute shoes!

And an array of pictures that are giving me some hope for spring on this snowy (#@&%$! – it’s March, for heaven’s sake!!)  Friday morning:

shape of nature

waiting to bloom

lily lines

pick of the bunch

almost spring – Ohmygoodness — I love this one so much (that background!) I want to eat it right up.  With whip cream.  ;)

Here’s some fun news in my exceedingly boring life:  I’m getting my hair cut today!  You have no idea how many different salons I’ve been to since we moved to Maine.  Trust me, it’s a lot.  And I’ve never been completely satisfied — the stylist and I don’t “click” or she’s downright woo-woo weird (Seriously, there was one who talked at length about achieving a good cut and style while still “preserving the energy of the hair…blahblahblah…”  I stopped listening.) or the salon charges too much or the service isn’t great in general or the hours don’t work with my schedule…  Anyway, it’s been a whole hoo-ha.  So today I’m trying another new salon, but I’m optimistic.  I’ll let you know how it goes…not that you care, but I’ll tell you anyway.

And finally, the really big news:  I’m going to San Francisco next week!!  It’s for work, but I’ll have some time to play too, so that should be a blast!  More on that soon…

Have a great weekend, friends!

Read Full Post »

it’s thursday.

Yup, it is. It sure is Thursday. Oh, who am I kidding? Hey, here’s a picture:

080223-popham-pinecones-6.jpg
Popham Beach State Park, Phippsburg, Maine

With any luck (and hopefully a shred of inspiration), I’ll be back tomorrow for flickr friday. Have a good day!

Read Full Post »

accept and move on

080223-popham-tree-1.jpg
Popham Beach State Park, Phippsburg, Maine

Here is another picture of the same tree from yesterday. Joel asked me to take some pictures of this tree, so I did. He likes this one with just the fence in the background; I think I prefer the one from yesterday with the fence in the foreground and the background. What do you think?

Ok, other than that, I’ve got nothing. I think I’m just going to have to accept that this post isn’t really happening and move on.

Read Full Post »

top ten tuesday: slackerliness

Let’s start with a picture:

080223-popham-tree.jpg
Popham Beach State Park, Phippsburg, Maine

After the picture, it’s all downhill. Seriously, just wait, you’ll see — blog content has sunk to a whole new low around here. Here are the top ten reasons there isn’t a real top ten tuesday topic today:

10. I annoyed myself so thoroughly with all the alliteration in the previous sentence, I had to go lie down for a bit.

9. I can’t think of an interesting topic.

8. I don’t really have time to spend on this today because I have actual work to do for my actual job for which I receive a salary (theoretically).

7. I have a pinched nerve (I think…?) and it’s making it all but impossible for me to concentrate on writing, as is evidenced by the quality of this post.

6. Did I mention that I can’t think of a good topic?

5. It’s a beautiful, sunny day and I want to go outside.

4. I haven’t had enough caffeine yet today.

3. I used up all my creativity coming up with the word slackerliness for the title of this post.

2. I have spring fever.

1. Oh, I almost forgot: I can’t think of a stinkin’ topic!

Please help. If you have suggestions for future top ten tuesday topics (there I go again with the alliteration), I would love to hear them — please leave them in the comments. Please? If you can’t help with a topic suggestion, at least send painkillers (see #7), ok?

(P.S. I’m just kidding about the painkillers. For heaven’s sake, do not send me narcotics.)

Read Full Post »

flickr friday

red_green_tree_buds.jpg

This photo is one of mine from last spring…I so So SOOO wish I could take a picture like this right now, but alas, there are no buds or sprouts or anything spring-like to be found here in the frozen north. We’re starting to see some bare patches of ground…that’s promising. Once again with feeling: springiscomingspringiscomingspringiscoming…

How about some flickr favorite yumminess?

animal brocade – The question is: why are there flowers sprouting out of the animals’ backs? Love the pattern though, especially the bird.

eames stamps – Oh my…nice! These will come out this summer. They’re also doing Betty Davis and Frank Sinatra stamps this year. Who knew the USPS had such great taste?!

but i never heard them ringing… – Cool picture. Even better song reference!

coffee – Hi.lar.i.ous! Nothing like getting right to the point, is there?

green apple – Yum!

un passé un peu flou – Yes, it certainly does.

Have a great weekend, friends! Happy Easter!

Read Full Post »

photo flashback

It’s overcast and gray here today, but I have hope because it’s now officially SPRING!! Happy first day of Spring, everyone!

A while back, I wrote about a lovely visit with our friends David and Melissa, and their daughter — they stayed with us for the weekend. Well, I’m finally catching up with all the pictures from their visit (I’m in total denial about all the pictures I’ve taken since then), so I thought I’d share:

080222-beer-brownies-1.jpg

You know what that is? That right up there? It’s brownies and beer. Together! And not just any brownies — Melissa’s home-baked layered-chocolate-and-blonde brownies. And not just any beer either — dark beer. As in Harpoon Munich Dark, Young’s Oatmeal Stout, and Mackeson XXX Milk Stout. This is how we celebrated their arrival on Friday night — just relaxing and catching up over dessert and beverages. Oh, yeah. Good stuff.

080223-breakfast-1.jpg

We also had a pretty great breakfast the next morning:

  • pancakes with local strawberries and blueberries (picked by our own hot little hands last summer and then frozen)
  • real maple syrup (for some people *cough*Joel*cough* real is a very important qualifier)
  • yummy, crispy bacon (“Mmm, bacon.”)
  • cappuccino (made with espresso beans from Caffè Fiorè, lovingly shipped to me by my friend Elizabeth)

080223-popham-25.jpg

And after breakfast, we made our annual February visit to Popham Beach — it’s always beautiful there, but it was particularly breathtaking that day due to a dramatic sky and heavy, crashing surf.

Ah, good times… :)

Read Full Post »

080213-ice-storm-1.jpg

This post is later than usual — let’s just say it took me a while to write because, as a musician, this is a topic about which I have very strong opinions. Hang in there with me, ok? This is kind of a long one…

As I briefly mentioned on Friday, Joel and I went to a Midcoast Symphony Orchestra concert over the weekend. Let me just say right off that the orchestra, guest artist and conductor were all amazing — I’ll get to them later. The people sitting behind us, however? Not so much. Unless you factor in their spectacularly bad manners… I’m not kidding. These may have been the WORST audience members I have EVER had the great misfortune of being seated near. See? I’m getting all shout-y — that’s how upset I was by their behavior. So, in the interest of being productive, as opposed to just bitching, I’d like to present this brief primer on formal concert etiquette:

10. It is impolite to wear hats or caps during a concert (or even inside, for that matter, but I digress).

9. It is impolite to eat or drink during a performance. Chances are the performance venue has rules about that sort of thing anyway.

8. Arrive a little bit early for the performance. Give yourself plenty of time to enter the performance space quietly and find your seat without disturbing the other audience members. Always say “excuse me” if you must pass in front of someone while going to or from your seat. Also, do not leave at intermission — stay for the entire performance.

7. Once you are seated, be aware of activity on the stage. Shortly before the performance begins, the concert master will enter to tune the orchestra; the audience must be quiet while the orchestra tunes.

6. It is customary to applaud when the conductor enters.

5. Applause is the appropriate way to show appreciation for a performance. Whistling or screaming are not appropriate at any time. Many larger works (such as symphonies or concertos) have more than one section or movement — do not applaud between movements of a large work; wait until the entire piece is finished. If you are unsure whether it is the appropriate time to applaud, watch the conductor and wait to clap until s/he turns to face the audience.

4. Turn OFF your cell phone/pda/pager. Period. Just turn it off. You are not indispensable — the world will continue to turn on its axis if you are unreachable for a few hours. If you are indeed indispensable, perhaps you should stay home/at the office.

3. Do not stand or enter or exit while music is being performed — it is very distracting to the performers and to the listeners around you. If you arrive late to a performance or if you absolutely must exit (and then re-enter) for any reason, wait until a piece is finished and the audience is applauding.

2. If your child becomes restless and disruptive in any way, remove them from the performance space until s/he can be quiet. If s/he cannot be quiet and respectful of other listeners, do not return to the performance — wait in the lobby or leave. And perhaps next time you should consider a babysitter.

1. Never, never, ever talk, or even whisper, while music is being performed or between movements. Also avoid other distracting noises including, but certainly not limited to: humming, fiddling with candy wrappers, tapping feet/ fingers/ programs, gum chewing, noisy jewelry, etc. Talking and making noise is inconsiderate and distracting to other audience members. It is also distracting and highly insulting to the performers who are trying to work.

Ok, I think I’m done ranting.

Aaaaanyhoodle, the concert was excellent! Midcoast Symphony Ochestra is an all-volunteer ensemble which is clearly dedicated to professional-level performances — they were incredible! If you’re local, I highly recommend attending a performance — they have one more concert this season; ticket prices are very reasonable. Their regular conductor is Rohan Smith, but Saturday night’s program was guest conducted by Yoichi Udagawa, who was on the conducting faculty at The Boston Conservatory when I was a student there. His hair has grayed quite a bit since then, but he is still as enthusiastic and personable and sincere as I remember him. He’s one of those guys whose love of music (not to mention his smile) is contagious…such a delight!

The program Saturday night opened with the Maine premier of Riveting Rivets by Boston-area composer Lachlan Fife. Admittedly, I tend to be initially-skeptical-but-ultimately-receptive to contemporary music and this time was no exception — I was worried the piece would be minimalist and atonal and unlistenable, but it was unique, interesting yet very accessible. Joel liked it too (but he likes Philip Glass so he may not be the best gauge for the average listener… ;) ) And here’s something really cool: Lachlan Fife was actually in the audience for the performance! Maestro Udagawa acknowledged him and the audience gave him a very enthusiastic applause.

After the Fife, the orchestra was joined by pianist Max Levinson for Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18. Levinson was amazing. A-ma-zing. Truly. Although I couldn’t quite see the piano keyboard, I could see his hands most of the time. There were times during the performance where his touch on the keys looked to be so light, it was difficult to believe he was still making sound come out of the piano. But then, toward the end of the first movement, he was playing so intensely that he was lifting himself up off the piano bench! And near the end of the third movement, he was playing so fast, his fingers were a blur! His performance was breathtaking — technically impressive, yet sensitive and beautiful.

The concert closed with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 in A, Op. 92. Not too much to say about that — it’s Beethoven, right? So it’s great by default. I especially enjoyed listening for the constant (some might say incessant) long-short-short rhythmic pattern as it made its way around from section to section of the orchestra. The rumble of the cello section (there were 10!) was particularly impressive!

Ok, I’ve gone on long enough…thanks for bearing with me through this! It was a great concert, we had a great time, I’m sure we’ll attend more of their performances down the road. You should, too. ;)

Read Full Post »

happy st. patrick’s day!

Like the warmth of the sun
And the light of the day,
May the luck of the Irish
shine bright on your way.

Have a lucky day, friends!

Read Full Post »

Gah! Sorry I’m late — my head doesn’t seem to be screwed on straight today and I feel like I’m in a bit of a fog. I’ll get it together soon, I swear! ;)

As usual, I’ll start with one of my own photos — this is the last of the photos I took at Two Lights State Park about a month ago:

080210-two-lights-state-park-berries-surf.jpg

Now I really have to finish editing all the pictures I’ve taken since then. No small task — there are probably a few hundred — yikes.

Anyhoo…here are the flickr favorites for the week:

cimg0625.jpg — I’m totally fascinated by these pod pictures — note to self, find more info! However, someone needs to work on his photo naming skills…

making — It’s the green, the green!

one more — Eames chairs — so cool! Love the red one.

vents

bakelite/i have a problem — Ah, a girl after my own heart…

tears of an angel — I hope you’re not getting sick of these weeping angel shots — I’m not sure exactly why, but I love them.

underwood no. 5 embroidery — This must have taken a minute…

that building across the street…

sand beach, acadia national park — One of my favorite places in the whole wide world

And finally, because I have a severe case of spring fever and would give my right arm for one teeny tiny meager sign of spring right about now. . . please please please prettyplease . . . Ahem. Oh right, the last photo:

yellow crocus — It’s not much, but it gives me a little hope.

~~~~~~~

We have a very balanced weekend “planned” — tacos and at-home-movie-night tonight, a concert on Saturday night (Midcoast Symphony, guest conducted by Yoichi Udagawa who was on the conducting faculty at the Conservatory when I was a student there, performing a program which includes Rachmaninoff and Beethoven — yay, so excited for that!) and hopefully some quiet, restful time at home on Sunday.

What are you up to this weekend?

Read Full Post »

fair’s fair

Because I really have nothing of interest to say today, and because I posted a picture of Poppy on Monday, I thought I’d go ahead and show you a picture of our other kitty — this is Daisy:

080213-daisy-donut-1.jpg

That’s the best I can do — she’s much more of an introvert than Poppy is and she really doesn’t like having her picture taken. Even in this shot, when she’s presumably fast asleep, she’s got one eye open (if you look really closely you can see it) — you know, just in case something happens and she has to flee! Can’t really blame her though — her little sister is a relentless pest, so she has to watch out for her at all times. Anyway, Daisy is the first cat I’ve owned as an adult (we adopted her about seven years ago) and despite the fact that she somehow always looks pissed off (seriously, that’s her only facial expression), I love her so much.

Ok, now that I’ve firmly established myself as a crazy cat lady, I should go…

See you tomorrow for flickr friday!

Read Full Post »

Older Posts »

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.