The Finer Things........

There is an episode of the t.v. sitcom "The Office" titled The Finer Things Club. Some employees opt to refine their lives by using the breakroom as a gathering place to drink tea from fine china, listen to classical music, and discuss classical literature. It's a funny, albeit sarcastic, look at snobbishness.

Without intending to be either sarcastic, nor snobbish, I spent time recently enjoying some of my favorite "Finer Things". Every summer we travel to Provo to see our married daughter and her good husband, it's sort of a small family reunion. This is certainly a "Finer Thing" ~ being together as our small family again. The past few summers we've gone jet skiing, something we greatly enjoyed. This year, our water activity was going down the Provo River. Heavy winter snow melt-off combined to make our individual rides both ice-freezing cold as well as swift-rapids-fast. The warmth of the sun beating down on us was welcome as we enjoyed the beauty of Provo Canyon. Additionally, we attended a night performance of the stage musical "Footloose" at a great outdoor amphitheater. I always enjoy the many gardens and landscaped areas of Provo, this year we took our family photograph at Orem's "Nielsen Park". I loved strolling there among it's gardens and fountains, a great place I'll return to again. I always go to the nearby Springville Museum of Art (www.sma.nebo.edu). I've been to many fine art galleries in Europe, Santa Fe, and the eastern United States, but this little glazed brick-floored musuem is one of my favorite places on the planet. I simply always feel refreshed by going here. Likewise, another of my favorite galleries is The Hope Gallery in north Provo. They feature the largest Scandinavian Art collection I know of, outside of Scandinavia, of the 1800's. Their website is second to none (hopegallery.com). Nearly every day I visit it, and/or the New York City Metropolitan Art Gallery, and study a different work of art while learning more about that particular artist. It's literally one of the Finer Things I enjoy, and I commend it to those I care about.

Upon returning home I traveled thereafter to the Santa Fe Opera (santafeopera.org) and enjoyed not only a great Behind-the-Scenes tour of that fabulous place just north of the city, but also enjoyed a great opera that night, "Billy Budd". I go to the opera alone because only I enjoy it. Based upon Herman Melville's last work, it tells the story of young able-seaman Billy, who is completely devoted to the ship's Captain, even though he was pressed into service of the H.M.S. Indominable. Falsely accused of mutiny, Billy is put to death in the last act, by Captain Vere, a biblical-like Pontius Pilate character who while believing in the innocence of Billy Budd, never-the-less is compelled to follow British Naval Law. (I'm a fan of Naval Warfare history and in particular, the Master & Commander books by the late Patrick O'Brien, something else to add to my "Finer Things" list). The ambiguities of life are considered in this Naval-themed story that takes place during the Nepolianic Wars. I took food and had my own "tail-gate" party before the production in a glass-walled rehearsal room with a grand piano, where I could gaze at the Sange de Cristo mountain range to the east, as it reflected western setting sun light. It was beautiful, another "Finer Thing".

Finally, I drove to Taos before my cello lesson this past Saturday (I've practiced with a few string instrumentalists this summer here, another enjoyable "Finer Thing") and attended the annual Taos Garden Tour (gardencluboftaos.com). I saw 5 unique, amazing homes and their respective gardens. Wisteria growing in this altitude? I first saw it in Newport, Rhode Island f ew years ago growing on those gilded-age "cottage" mansions of Vanderbilt, etc., (a wonderful "Finer Things" place as well). I've seen in in Santa Fe at a favorite location, but was surprised to see it flourish yet again in Taos. If you go to the site, which does injustice to these 5 homes/gardens, notice in particular the Canyon Fantasy home. After touring a magnificient home, one climbs those stone steps up a canyon wall to see an immaculate large barn. The lower level is a stunning guest house. But climbing up the stairs, the loft area of the barn is a fine rabbitry with a vast variety of rabbits and sheep. Walking out of that area onto bricked steps and grounds, one finds terraced corrals with llamas, goats, horses, etc. Another "Finer Thing"

Having written all of that, what I enjoy mostly however, is being here at home, enjoying our backyard, our white latticed patio with hanging baskets, reading at the patio table or while in the hot tub at night. Or equally enjoyable, working & being in the different small gardens and in my little Danish greenhouse. We live on a very quiet cul de sac street. It has yet to be paved by our little town, much to my chagrin. Argh. But I so enjoy the peace and quiet here. This is my ultimate "Finer Thing".
Be well, do good...