Thoughts on Music

Today I was listening to some music by a new (to me) young artist and was impressed with the way he spoke and sang.   This type of music for an 60's hippie type of girl is quite foreign to me and it takes listening to a few times in a row to get the feel of it.

I came across this young man, known as Pell because I was watching, (well sort of watching in the background while I was doing something else) a show on PBS and they had this little video on called Brief but Spectacular ( http://www.pbs.org/newshour/brief/181243/pell )  where Pell described his music and influences with a bit of his sound...  So I went to You Tube ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zht9zsZ23Ro ) to relisten to his sound (tho I don't know why he has to swear) and the comment section is almost a different language, because of some of the slang that I guess I am much too old and too out of the loop to get!  The comments tho, are other peoples thoughts and I try to read them to see what others think, but ultimately, if it suits me, I don't care what others have to say about it!

It never ceases to amaze me how much there is to learn and open one's mind to.   I must say I do like this piece of music even tho I am too old to get the message that must be in it.  I just like the beat and the sound of it.  One of the things that I liked about what he said about music is his comments on an artist making an ALBUM, not just a single song.

I have always preferred to listen to an artist's ALBUM as I seem to find in it a complete message that lacks in one song.  I find it difficult even to this day to listen only to Whole Lotta Love on Led Zepplin 2 without the whole rest of the album.  Even tho it is sort of a reworking of other people's stuff, I enjoy the whole album and find that I need to set a block of time so I can immerse myself in it.  The same thing goes for alot of artists that I listen to.  It needs the whole album to get the whole message.

Now having said that about Pell, I must tell you about another young man that actually makes me shiver when I listen to him!   This time tho, this young man's sound could easily have fit in with the 60's sound, but I am so glad he is making music now.   I discovered George Ezra last year about this time.  The same thing with George Ezra's album as with other of my favourites the whole album completes the message, but check out some of his videos on you tube - Listen to the Man (with Ian McKellan) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS0WvzRVByg ) and from that one you can easily find a half dozen of his other songs which are all on one album (so far as I know at this point)

I am not sure whether my listening habits are usual or even expected for a mid 60's (in time and actual age) lady but I listen to an eclectic list of artists -- some of them include, Great Big Sea ( I have at least 10 of their albums) Kings of Leon (which I discovered while driving across the Canadian Prairies in the summer of 2009) The Proclaimers (which came to me via my sister) Chris Isaak (my little bit of country) Louis Armstrong, oh and I can't forget the three albums by T-Rex (they make me want to dance like Snoopy from Peanuts cartoons!)

Along with the wonderful sounds of Blues, Jazz, Rap and Rock and Roll, I stop and listen when on some documentary or special a bit of throat singing or the breathy sound of inuit women is being featured.  I love Canadian aboriginal sounds -- maybe because some of that is part of my genetic make-up?

And what music gives you Joy?

A few things to catch up on....

Not that anyone would much care what I have been doing, unless of course my name was one that was recognizable to the media for doing nothing but showing a nice rounded bum or saying dumb political things...

But I am writing them anyway, not dumb political things, tho.

Just my bit of life in my corner of this little green ball out in the middle of a galaxy or whatever you want to call where we are situated...

Of course in this family our pets are certainly an important part of sharing in our daily life.   Walter, who just turned 5 years is snuggled under some fleece blankets -- a cat that craves warmth even on a warm spring morning!

Did I say this blog was no longer about crafty stuff?  Well, sometimes it will be.  Here, on a whim, I used double strand of crochet cotton and made a shell stitch cover over a pint canning jar.   No particular reason to do so.  Just because I could...

We did a bit more reno work in our townhouse a couple of months ago.  When we bought this place it had a small dark room for a previous photo enthusiast, but we found that it became just a place to pile junk!  So we tore down the walls and took out the plywood floor and a sink and other stuff, laid the basement entryway bare, and took all the stuff away.  At a building recycle place we picked up a counter and a set of cabinates and placed them against the far wall.  Re-situated the washer and dryer and brought the chest freezer out of the dining room and into the basement....

I took a little trip a couple weeks ago.  I went to visit my son and other family members who live in Victoria, BC.  

When I lived in Victoria in the mid 1980's  I used to drive my mother to her favourite second hand stores (before my sister took over that job in the 90's).  One of our favourite stores was St. Vincent de Paul in Langford and now 25 years later visiting the same store, I was surprised to see that the shop was exactly as it had always been!

 I visited with my brother and his wonderful wife Rene'.   My brother's health is not good, but Rene' is an absolute gem!  She is so loving and attentive and Mike is a happy man.

And driving along Gorge Rd. near where we lived and worked in Victoria.  There used to be a popular 24 hours restaurant where you see the fence and a car now...  It was a nice drive around town and I guess Victoria is not a town that changes a great deal...

The only part of the trip I did not enjoy was travelling home via BC Ferries, from Victoria to the lower mainland.  I guess I forgot how people rush around and have a need to be first in any line.  It's not like the ship is going to leave the dock before everyone gets on or off!  I trundle along at my old lady pace, and they did not leave me behind -- I was the last person out the gate and once all those in a rush hurried past me, my walk to the arrival/depart building was peaceful and quiet.

I did learn something wonderfully happy tho,   The sons that I made so very long ago, have become all that I worked so hard to make them.  Attentive and thoughtful, good citizens of the world, working and caring to make the world, at least our little world, a very fine place to spend our time here on earth...  I like the sons that came from me.   I am proud of them, and proud of myself for doing a mighty fine job of helping them find their place.

- Men are, that they might have joy.  2 Nephi 2:25

Life Continues to Change

Well, I thought I would give this blog another try....

Its not about sewing, its not about quiltmaking, and its not about crochet anymore.

Its just about life and progress and just about things as they come along.

I have been working a bit more on Family History and have got alot of help with my husband's family from one of his cousins from Winnipeg.

The above photo is my husbands grandfather (in uniform, just before going to serve in europe in WW1) John Frederick, and Wife Elizabeth Jane, with their 6 children, the boy with his hand on his father's knee is my husbands father, John Richard.

I have been doing family history research for quite a few years now and with so many records coming online and being digitized research is becoming easier to find and follow.

I have also discovered much more on my own father's family history and am in regular contact with a cousin who is the son of one of my Dad's half brothers -- you see my Dad was born out of wedlock, and in 1920 that was quite a terrible thing.   Now in today's more enlightened world, we are able to acknowledge and have even proved through DNA testing who my Dad's father truely was and his family history has opened up like a time lapse flower blooming!

It is so interesting to discover the people who populated my past and the world they came from!

More long ago family on my Dad's side (John Merry).  The young man in the centre of the photo with suit and tie on, is my father's father.  And by the stories I have heard recently, he was quite the rascal!

Planning more blog posts hopefully on at least a weekly basis, but if you followed me because of my quiltmaking, I think those subjects will be few and very far between...