Just a table top this year. Not sure why I didn't feel like floor to ceiling; table top seems to fit my current lifestyle better I suppose. More manageable and just as beautiful.
I've been doing some work on the organ since that little video was made. The keys are now all much whiter, some dust has been removed from inside, and the Vox Humana stop has been fixed. After the holidays I will align the keys so they are all the same height and make some minor (I hope) cabinet repairs.
So far (knock on wood) this winter has been easier than last though I did get some fish-tail practice in a week ago driving back from the bus station, returning from NY. We have less snow (so far) and the temps have been manageable. The blue jays are back and they're ever so pretty to watch at the bird feeder. I absolutely delight in the chick-a-dees of the black-capped variety which also visit. Their sweet song brings pings of happiness across the cold landscape. I answer them back and like to think that their next exclamation is a response but I can't be sure it is. But it's a nice dream. Maybe, you know. Yes, maybe they are responding. There were also some mourning doves by the feeder this week. Theirs is a gentle and reassuring lullaby to my ears.
There are tracks in the snow but I don't know if they are deer or moose or something else on the loose. My neighbors have seen bobcat.
Oh!... the trip to NY. I lost my knitting! Haha, I did. Left it on the bus. I remember getting up to use the restroom and noticed that the plastic bag with my knitting in it was hard to see against the dark floor and I made a note that I'd better pick it up. Well even though I looked around my seat carefully before disembarking it was left behind. Good thing I hadn't made much progress on it yet. I called lost & found but nothing there. Oh well. On to some slippers which I need! :)
Thursday, December 18, 2014
Thursday, December 4, 2014
Magic
Is there anything more magical and beautiful than an almost full moon's rays on a snow-covered landscape? Perfect lighting, blue and black, misty highlights, artful shadows. Sigh. The spectacle hints at the depths of nature, and the perfectness of it all; oh joy in it's beauty. Debussy comes to mind. Perhaps I will record Clair de Lune soon.
Temps in the teens tonight. The crisp chilliness adds to the sensual delight of the out-of-doors. One desires to witness an apparition--a wolf perhaps, a fox, or a moose. Spirits of these woods. Speaking of which, I spotted my third in a week just the other day. As I was on my way into Plymouth on Thanksgiving day I encountered 2 moose: One very large, and one younger lolling about Halls Brook Road. Saw another one Tuesday. My goodness! What a thrill to see them in person. I had to slow down quite a lot so as not to hit the larger one and I did fear it would try to attack my car, but no, it just wanted to cross the road I guess. Oh how majestic they are.
Changing the subject, last night was my first experience rehearsing in a string orchestra. As you know, I'm pretty new to cello--it was 4 years ago in November that I started at the ripe young age of 54. So my sight reading ability is not up to reading much beyond basics. I had prepared for the night by downloading the sheet music from the Petrucci Music Library (IMSLP)--can you believe such a glorious resource exists!!--and had started to go over bowings and fingerings with my teacher. We focused most of our attention on the Schubert (Symphony #5), and wouldn't you know, last night we spent the entire rehearsal on Brahms! (Variations on a Theme by Haydn) I did my best. Which is to say that the movements in Bb major were somewhat doable, but the minor movements (5 flats) gave me an opportunity to listen and follow along, playing a few bits here and there. They will require some practice time alone.
It was very enjoyable. I'm glad I broke the ice. It had me a little nervous coming into it--had an anxiety dream about it over the weekend, but it's a nice group and I think I'll be able to learn a lot from participating.
Such beautiful music. Worth looking up if you're not familiar with these two pieces.
Temps in the teens tonight. The crisp chilliness adds to the sensual delight of the out-of-doors. One desires to witness an apparition--a wolf perhaps, a fox, or a moose. Spirits of these woods. Speaking of which, I spotted my third in a week just the other day. As I was on my way into Plymouth on Thanksgiving day I encountered 2 moose: One very large, and one younger lolling about Halls Brook Road. Saw another one Tuesday. My goodness! What a thrill to see them in person. I had to slow down quite a lot so as not to hit the larger one and I did fear it would try to attack my car, but no, it just wanted to cross the road I guess. Oh how majestic they are.
Changing the subject, last night was my first experience rehearsing in a string orchestra. As you know, I'm pretty new to cello--it was 4 years ago in November that I started at the ripe young age of 54. So my sight reading ability is not up to reading much beyond basics. I had prepared for the night by downloading the sheet music from the Petrucci Music Library (IMSLP)--can you believe such a glorious resource exists!!--and had started to go over bowings and fingerings with my teacher. We focused most of our attention on the Schubert (Symphony #5), and wouldn't you know, last night we spent the entire rehearsal on Brahms! (Variations on a Theme by Haydn) I did my best. Which is to say that the movements in Bb major were somewhat doable, but the minor movements (5 flats) gave me an opportunity to listen and follow along, playing a few bits here and there. They will require some practice time alone.
It was very enjoyable. I'm glad I broke the ice. It had me a little nervous coming into it--had an anxiety dream about it over the weekend, but it's a nice group and I think I'll be able to learn a lot from participating.
Such beautiful music. Worth looking up if you're not familiar with these two pieces.
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