The Big 5-0

Yikes! October meant another birthday. Now I've reached the "milestone" 50th year.

What a great surprise party Allen planned for me, with allot of help from some friends. It took place under a tent next to The Wine Bin on a gorgeous, gorgeous, sunny Sunday afternoon.
The recipe for such a perfect party- Beautiful florals, fabulous food (a lunch of salmon, filet and shrimp), wonderful music by a solo guitarist, Luscious cake filled with lemon mousse and raspberry, good wine (and martinis). But most importantly the love of my dear family and friends.



Loving Family




Amazing Friends







A Scrumptious Cake

Live Music and a serenade


FABULOUS FLOWERS



The longer I live the more beautiful life becomes.
Frank Lloyd Wright (1869 - 1959

CAVALIA

One of the birthday gifts that I gave myself this week were front row tickets to this beautiful show- CAVALIA.

It was started by one of the founders of Cirque de Soleil. This one has a very similar feel as a cirque de soleil show with beautiful, lilting music, amazing scenery and lighting and graceful acrobatics. The thing that set this show apart is the focus on the horses. This is the most gorgeous show I have ever seen.

Here are a few images from the show. (Not taken by me however)


And Allah took a handful of southerly wind, blew His breath over it, and created the horse.... Thou shall fly without wings, and conquer without any sword. Oh, horse. ~Bedouin Legend

Ah, steeds, steeds, what steeds! Has the whirlwind a home in your manes? Is there a sensitive ear, alert as a flame, in your every fiber? Hearing the familiar song from above, all in one accord you strain your bronze chests and, hooves barely touching the ground, turn into straight lines cleaving the air, and all inspired by God it rushes on! ~Nikolai V. Gogol, Dead Souls, 1842

Go, Lassie, Go

Oh the summertime is coming
And the trees are sweetly blooming
And the wild mountain thyme
Grows around the blooming heather
Will ye go, Lassie go?

And we'll all go together
To pluck wild mountain thyme
All around the blooming heather
Will ye go, Lassie go?

I will build my love a tower
Near yon' pure crystal fountain
And on it I will build
All the flowers of the mountain
Will ye go, Lassie go?

If my true love she were gone
I would surely find another
Where wild mountain thyme
Grows around the blooming heather
Will ye go, Lassie go?

IRELAND

CALEDONIA

I don't know if you can see
The changes that have come over me
In these last few days I've been afraid
That I might drift away
So I've been telling old stories, singing songs
That make me think about where I came from
And that's the reason why I seem
So far away today

Oh, but let me tell you that I love you
That I think about you all the time
Caledonia you're calling me
And now I'm going home
If I should become a stranger
You know that it would make me more than sad
Caledonia's been everything
I've ever had

Now I have moved and I've kept on moving
Proved the points that I needed proving
Lost the friends that I needed losing
Found others on the way
I have kissed the ladies and left them crying
Stolen dreams, yes there's no denying
I have traveled hard with coattails flying
Somewhere in the wind

Now I'm sitting here before the fire
The empty room, the forest choir
The flames that could not get any higher
They've withered now they've gone
But I'm steady thinking my way is clear
And I know what I will do tomorrow
When the hands are shaken and the kisses flow
Then I will disappear

Roses and Death

ROSES LATE SUMMER

What happens
to the leaves after
they turn red and golden and fall
away? What happens

to the singing birds
when they can't sing
any longer? What happens
to their quick wings?

Do you think there is any
personal heaven
for any of us?
Do you think anyone,

the other side of that darkness,
will call to us, meaning us?
Beyond the trees
the foxes keep teaching their children

to live in the valley.
So they never seem to vanish, they are always there
in the blossom of the light
that stands up every morning

in the dark sky.
And over one more set of hills,
along the sea,
the last roses have opened their factories of sweetness

and are giving it back to the world.
If I had another life
I would want to spend it all on some
unstinting happiness.

I would be a fox, or a tree
full of waving branches.
I wouldn't mind being a rose
in a field full of roses.

Fear has not yet occurred to them, nor ambition.
Reason they have not yet thought of.
Neither do they ask how long they must be roses, and then what.
Or any other foolish question.
Mary Oliver


Dedicated to Arthur Remanjon Feb. 3 1955 - Sep.2 2009

Thank you for all that you have given all of us who have had the privilege to have known you. Our lives have been enriched by your unbounding joy, exuberance, wit, amazing talent and endless love and compassion.
Your life will remain a fine example of a life well lived.

Rest in peace

THE VIEW FROM THE DECK ON A SUMMER EVENING

Flamenco Recital

Last Sunday was the Arteflamenco annual recital. Seeing as how I could not participate (due to my knee problem) I was able to take a few photos of the performance.

My classmates preparing for their "Tango"

Several of my classmates in the midst of a "Sevillana".

Our fabulous instructors.

The Advanced Class performing a classical dance inspired by Bizet's Carmen.


I will begin 2 classes this week (if the knee cooperates)so maybe next year I will be among the ranks. Who knows?