Chicago at Easter time

Long held as my favorite holiday, I awoke to 2 inches of snow on Easter morning. Raspberry Danish Kringle from Racine, Wisconsin was a great way to begin the day! I had just been in Chicago where it was likewise cold, windy, and wet. In fact,the Magnificient Mile was supposed to be flanked in Tulips, as was the Chicago Botanical Garden, but the midwest had experienced a long, cold winter. Macy's on State Street (formally Marshall Fields) was hosting it's annual Flower Show, which was impressive. However, cold weather didn't stop me from enjoying a great performance at Chicago Symphony Hall of the famed Simon Bolivar Youth Symphony of Venezuela. Amazing performance!
Upon returning home, an invitation to dinner a few nights later, at the home of a talented musician from our local symphony, was wisely and gratefully accepted. My wife, son, and I enjoyed an evening in her home with an accomplished cellist visiting, as well as her professional violinist daughter/family visiting from Paris, France. Both mother (who was the principal violist in the Houston Symphony until retirement a few years ago) and daughter, could have been evasive and elusive, as they certainly are accomplished and talented people. But, on the contrary, both are extremely warm and welcoming. I've appreciated this in the mom whom I have come to enjoy working with in rehearsals, and I found her daughter to be equally gracious, kind, and sincere. Then last night I attended a concert featuring these fine string musicians. I enjoyed both of these recent concerts: one large and very impressive, the other small and intimate, yet equally impressive.
However, what has been most touching is a recent You-Tube 7-minute presentation of Susan Boyle this week, as seen on Britain Has Talent. Her story is heart-warming: the youngest/last of 9 children, she has, until her mother's recent passing, stayed home tending to an aging parent. Her father, long ago deceased, was a coal miner. She's lived in the same small village in Scotland all of her life, the mine is now closed, the economy poor. She lives alone with her cat, Pebbles. "Never been kissed" and never been married, she appears to be the stereotype of a graying, middle-aged, frumpy woman. The judges and the audience, upon seeing her/hearing her self-introduction, were sceptical, if not out-right rude. But then the opening chords to "I Had a Dream" from Les Miserables (a personal favorite) were heard, and she soon after began to sing. What an impeccable voice~she is the real deal. I've so enjoyed this 7-minute video over and over again. I commend it to anyone reading this.
I typically plant Sweet Peas on Good Friday afternoon, but this year at that time I was at the Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows at the Navy Pier in Chicago. (Pleasantly surprised, I found a large collection of original works designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. I've loved his architecture since I was college age, and then when we had young children, taking them to Washington D.C., I stumbled upon his Stained Glass work at the National Building Museum. Ever since then, I've taken an interest in his stained glass designs as well.)But the seeds got planted none-the-less, giving me something to look forward to in my Danish Garden.
Finally, I mention yet another unexpected pleasantry of my Chicago trip: Thursday evenings from 5-9 is free admission night at the Chicago Art Institute. Of course I went. Where I spent most my time was in a lower level section called The Thorne Miniatures Musuem. What a great way to learn about both 18th century European Estates & affluent American13-Colonies Revolutionary War Era homes. Room-by-room, scaled to perfection in minute detail in miniature, were drawing rooms, libraries, dinning rooms, etc. I took several photographs as a way of reminding myself what I was experiencing. If interested, google Thorne Miniature Rooms The Art Institute of Chicago. You can then click the link to show these amazing rooms, enlarge on your screen to optimize the experience. The Chicago Art Institute is, like the National Art Galleries in Washington D.C. and Copenhagen, Denmark, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, one of the many fine places I hope to enjoy again. Until then, I'm thankful the internet allows me to visit them on line. One of the best on line visitations is the Springville Art Museum in Springville, Utah. It, and the BYU outdoor track, are a couple of my favorite places on the planet. Just google Springville Art Museum. Go to it's site, and explore the links on the left hand side. They host an amazing feature: a magnifying glass that allows one to look up close and in detail at fine works of art. It's an amazing place to visit, in person and on line.

As always, I'm glad to be home. I enjoy the quiet, peaceful evenings here with my family. I enjoy reading in the hot tub out in the patio in the back yard. I enjoy working in my greenhouse, yard, and garden. On my flight from Albuquerque to Denver to Chicago we flew over this valley where I reside, I could see my little town and surrounding towns from high above. They really are very small. But I'm okay with that. Regardless the cultural advantages of an urban area,.... given the meanness, crime, and drama of city streets, I'll take "home" any day!
Be well, do good...

January: Freeze Your Buns Fun Run

30 years ago today the temperature was -40 degrees. So today's 5K race was, by comparison, a tropical breeze. Still cold, it's been a much milder winter than anticipated. I'm glad.
The day was made especially memorable by a string quartet rehearsal after the run. New music, preparing for an upcoming performance, it was relaxing and fun. My family and I then drove to Pueblo, enjoyed time together getting a framed picture that was ready, shopping, eating at Applebee's, and a nice walk along the beautiful Pueblo River Walk. I awoke this morning not wanting to leave the house, wishing I hadn't registered for that race, wishing I weren't going to be performing soon, wishing I didn't have to feel so rushed from race to rehearsal, wishing we hadn't planned on this trip to Pueblo. I realized that in my past I would have actually been excited about this, but that now, I've relinquished these kinds of things in favor of the security and warmth of home, a good book, and some quiet time. I'm not sure what the change has been, nor when it happened. I find myself looking towards retirement, in 4 or 5 years, with excitement. I still enjoy teaching, I have a great job, I'm just tired of the social problems of our society and having students with such difficulties. I find that much of the time I am tired. My health is good, a blessing I'm thankful for, but still, I'm tired much of time. Perhaps getting older has something to do with it? And perhaps anxiety and taking some gut punches the past months has had something to do with it. I know I'm glad I've traveled a lot, seen what I've seen, learned what I've learned. No regrets. But I'm somewhat tired of travel. Perhaps with Springtime coming I'll revert to more optimistism. I've learned that I'm to become a grandfather at summer's end. I look forward to that, although I worry about the health of our daughter, the pressures our son in law faces and his health, and what kind of a future they'll face given global economic concerns. Times are tenuous. What was it Dicken's wrote? "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, .... we had everything before us, we had nothing before us..." I suspect this has always been the case. Just now, however, at age 50, with our family nearly grown and soon empty nesters, I find that I have concerns for our children, and their children. Typical, I suspect.
So, despite the cold January day, this 1st race of the year was good. I'm glad I did it. Glad too that it's over. :)
Be well, do good...

Summer's Done, Fall's Begun

I have a great group of kids that I'm teaching this year. It makes going to work most enjoyable.

But to summarize the past few weeks......We had a busy summer. My fellowship award took me to Philadelphia, we all worked summer jobs, we had a family vacation, we trekked part of a pioneer trail, and I grew a garden. With the harvest in, yard and garden beds put to rest for winter, the house painted (I did it with a 2 inch brush, I'm a stickler for detail, but it took forever), we're ready for winter.
Last April, after an unusually long and colder-than-usual winter, we ran out of firewood. It was still cold in April. To insure that this didn't happen again, I began my firewood project in June. Gas prices were high and so going to the mountains didn't make sense. For years I've scrounged around for firewood, but this year, it was more difficult. However, scrounging and working on weekends, by the end of July I had enough for the upcoming winter. It was at this time that I noticed that the roof of the school where I teach was having a new roof installed. All the metal came on wooden crates from Wisconsin. Having lived there two years in my early 20's, I know something about the fabulous hard woods of Wisconsin. I asked the construction crew if I could have this wood that they were throwing away in huge dumpsters. They readily agreed, but warned me that it would take a lot of work, getting nails out, etc. So from August until now, the middle of October, I've been going out nearly daily after school, and harvesting wood. Yellow pine to be specific. Transporting it 15 miles home, it then needed more nails bent and/or removed before we cut it up and stacked it. It's taken a long time, but we now have 2 years of firewood! Teachers watching me would sometimes laugh when I told them I was using this for firewood storeage. Some teased me calling me Noah. I laughed back, remembering that the real Noah took some kidding too, but in the final outcome, he had the last laugh. :) Anyway, it's done. Whew. There was even enough higher grade 2X4's available in the salvaged wood that my son and I are building a small structure to be used as my studio for writing, artwork, stained glass, and practicing the cello. We actually started that project just today.

I'm currently involved with a local community and college string instruments ensemble. My cello playing still isn't great, but membership in this group affords me the chance to work and get better. We're currently working on our Thanksgiving Concert repertoire, including works by Bach and Mozart. Additionally, I likewise belong to a fine Chorale, directed by an amazing director from New York City. We too are working on different Mozart piece, in Latin, for our Christmas Concert. I enjoy working/performing with this group as well.

I'm still working on learning Danish. My "Rosetta Stone" software program is good. I spend 20 minutes a day on it, not a lot I know, but enough to help me move closer to my goal of at least reading Danish better. Speaking it? The Rosetta Stone program has a great component to it that does that too, but it's a difficult language to speak, at least for me. Still, I'm having fun.

My children's book, "The Chicken Soup Gargoyles" has been picked up by an agent that is representing me. At present, four different publishers in New York City have the manuscript. I'm learning that publishing happens at a glacier-like pace. I had hoped by now to have had an illustrator on board, etc., but as it is, I'm still waiting. I'm currently writing a sequel to this, dealing with the same Upper West Side New York City neighborhood, (my favorite part of the city,) titled "Phil, Phil: the Real Deal". It's about a real albino peacock that resides at St. John the Divine Cathedral. He was named Phil (after white-haired t.v. celebrity Phil Donahue) by the ground crew of this amazing Cathedral. My son and I saw the New York Philharmonic Orchestra perform there a few years ago, the night before we went to a great New York Yankees game. It was a great trip. These two books are written and inspired by that 1st trip, of many since, to NYC.

I'm recently completed an original stained glass design. I'll now begin the actual stained glass piece titled: Raven. It's a totempole image based on the numerous various Pacific Northwest Native American tribes relationship to the Raven. The Makaw Tribe of the Olympic National Forest area, specifically Neah Bay and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, influenced my work. My son and I visited the Makah a few years back. A whaling tribe, I found them to be extremely interesting. The ferry trip from Port Angeles to Victoria, British Columbia was fun, and Butchard Gardens and Victoria were equally enjoyable. Hence, I'm currently doing stained glass and Prismacolor pencil drawings/paintings reminiscent of that time & place.

Finally, I ran a great race recently in near-by Pagosa Springs (Colorado). The Mountain Chili Cha Cha was a fun, but difficult all-mountian trail race. I ran it with my good friend, the Bishop of my Ward, we had a great time! I found it difficult running uphill, but managed to keep up at my goal pace. To my surprise, going downhill was the part I had the most trouble with however. I had a difficult time controlling my speed, grabbing on to Aspen trees to slow me down. The ruts in the trail could have easily caused a twisted ankle, and had I fallen onto boulders I could have broken bones. So at age 50, I've decided to stick with flat road races. Safer at this point. But then, safety is relative, having recently gotten bucked off our faltering 10-year old tread mill. (We just got a new one to avoid this happening again.)

So that's a run down of what I've been doing, am doing, and hope to continue to do. Rather than hate Fall the way I use to, I've learned to embrace it. About 3 or 4 years ago now I traveled to New England. There in New Hampshire, on Squam Lake, where "On Golden Pond" was filmed, I boat-toured that magnificient lake with Loons nearby and decided that Fall was a pretty time of the year. The reds, purples, oranges, and burgandy Fall colors of Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire trees were beautiful. But none compared to the vivid, bright yellows of our Colorado and New Mexico Aspen and Cottonwoods here at home. I've not taken them for granted since.

On the lamptable......... I'm reading "The Best of James Herriot" again. These Yorkshire/Dales vet stories of the 1930's/40's/& 50's are heartwarming. It's a fine read. I recommend it to anyone that enjoys animal stories.
Be well, do good...

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...

4th of July & Philadelphia Streets

Having just returned from a great learning experience in Philadelphia, it was fun then to celebrate the 4th of July. Of the different "Colonial America" places I've been to repeatedly in the East, Colonial Williamsburg is my favorite, followed by Boston (a great walking town. Beacon Hill is my favorite place. I like staying at the Holiday Inn there because it's so close to Massachusetts General Hospital's great cafeteria and then just a short run to the Charles River, where I love to run! The old cobblestone streets and original colonial homes of Beacons Hill is a favorite too).
But in a close 3rd place, comes Philadelphia. This was my 4th trip there and probably my best so far. Carol Berkin, a great history professor from NYC, taught these day-after-day seminars. She is an amazing author if you've read her, and an equally amazing instructor. The new Constitution Center was the classroom. In and of itself, it's a fabulous facility. This blog features one of many (me and Alexander Hamilton, he was small, but what a intellect) of the bronze figures in the Hall of Signers (to the Constitution) and is worthy of the time taken to visit. Also, Society Hill area, near the Holiday Inn on 4th and Arch street where I stayed, (similar to Boston's Beacon Hill) The photos with this blog are of that area.
Be well, do good...

Wyoming Pioneer Trek Just Before Turning 50

(I may have been required to dress in Pioneer garb, but I'm sporting a Perry Ellis hat!)

I just returned from a 4 day history re-enactment along the Oregon/Mormon/California trail in Wyoming. We pulled handcarts in nearly every kind of condition, including SNOW BLIZZARDS on June 11th. The wind was horrific, the days wet and cold, the nights freezing. But this made the experience all the more authentic. I walked on the same trail as did my ancestors 150 (approx.) years ago. My dad's grandmother (the Brady's) fled mob persecution in Nauvoo, Illinois and made that trek first. Dad's great-grandfather (Peter/Peder) left Denmark as a young man on the Forest Monarch ship from Copenhagen/Liverpool/New Orleans, up the Mississippi River and then on foot across that trail a few years later. My Mom's great grandfathers (both Jensen and Holman) likewise left Denmark, on different ships, made their way up the Mississippi and likewise trekked that trail. My wife's Danish ancestors also made that trek. To walk in the footsteps of these remarkable people was not only surreal, but somewhat emotional as well. I'm in awe of their faith and veracity, their courage and strength.

I turned 50 today. My wife and 2 of our kids still living nearby and/or at home had a great little noon cookout for me. The best part of my day(s) is being with them. I found this bookmark I had made a few years ago in my scriptures this morning. I quote from what I had written:

"...I'm sure we have to live in faith, and trust that He knows best for us & has a plan for us, and that this plan is better than the present "here & now". Joy. No anxiety. No pain. No sorrow. No hurt. No angst. Something better than this. But -- if I have to go thru all of this to get to that something better, I'm so glad I have Genia, Brittany, Chelsi, and Kip to go thru it with, together, because they make it bearable, they provide a safe harbor for me. And I'm thankful to God for His giving/sharing them with me." (And I now add "Roger"our son-in-law.)

And so at age 50, that's where I'm at. My faith isn't perfect. I still struggle, I have questions. But I've not thrown in the towel. I find valor in keepin' on keepin' on. My life is good. Rich. And having friends and family, ~be they but a few~ to share with, is icing on this Birthday Boy's cake!
Be well, do good...

Daddy/Daughter Date in DC

Me and my buddy Tommy Jefferson

Eating out at "Windows Over Washington"

Dad and Daughter at Jefferson Memorial

I just returned from a great Memorial Day weekend in Washington DC with one of my daughters. The kids went to DC when they/we were younger, but this particular daughter recently expressed a desire to go back. (In one of her college classes this year she had read "Night", by Eli W. and wanted now to visit the National Holocaust Museum. I had seen it twice in recent years and so offered to take her, tour it with her. As expected, it was a sobering, but a most memorable learning experience.) Additionally, we attended the National Memorial Day Concert on the west steps of the U.S. Capital. It was a great concert!

One of my daughters and I at the PBS Concert

After the concert we were surprised that our subway train had closed. So rather than take a taxi, we opted to walk/see the Memorials along the National Mall at night. The Lincoln Memorial is always spectacular at night, but so too was the new WWII Memorial with its fountains. The long walk back to our hotel in Crystal City took 1.5 hours, but I had been going on runs in this area repeatedly on previous D.C. trips so I knew the way.

I especially enjoyed yet another large city "Parade" exhibit.... Crystal City/Pentagon City area was hosting a fun "Planes on Parade" (like these exhibits I have seen in various cities: Cows on Parade in Kansas City, Salmon on Parade in Anchorage, Buffalo on Parade in Salt Lake City, Pigs on Parade in Cincinnati, Mustangs on Parade in New Mexico, etc.)





The following day we sat curbside at the beginning of the annual National Memorial Day Parade. This too was enjoyable.

We walked then to the impressive Jefferson Memorial, one of my favorite places, and decided to rent a 2-seater paddle boat. We had a "spash"/blast paddling in the Tidal Basin of the Potomac. Returning to the west end of the National Mall we walked the path along the VietNam and Korean War Memorials. Thereafter, we had supper at one of my favorite buffets in DC: George Washington University Hospital Cafeteria, ha ha. It's great food!...and just steps away from the Foggy Bottom subway stop on the Blue/Yellow subway line.) Later that night we subwayed our way up to Chinatown and walked around before returning to our Courtyard by Marriott hotel back near Reagan National Airport. Our room overlooked the Potomac, we had an enjoyable stay there, albeit initially somewhat noisey as thousands of "bikers" were in DC for the Memorial Day weekend, vets honoring those missing in action/prisoners of war(s). The weather was wonderful the entire time. But the best part was being with one of my kids. They grew up all too quickly! This was a rare opportunity to forge memories with her.



I'm glad to be home now, however. It's colder here, the winds blow, and it is not nearly as green as the Atlantic Coast. But it is quiet and peaceful here, and I've a garden to till and plant!
Be well, do good...