dual personalities

Tag: music

September 10, 2024

Just to be alive on this fresh morning in this broken world

by chuckofish

Mondays are for laundry, putting away toys and puzzles and games, vacuuming up crumbs, and generally getting situated for the week ahead. I also had to catch up with my Bible reading, which I had failed to do over the weekend. Now hear the word of the Lord:

And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. 14 And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.” (Ezekiel 37:13-14)

Now it is Tuesday. Time for a new ‘to do’ list!

And here’s a poem by Mary Oliver (1935-2019)–today is her birthday: “Invitation”

Oh do you have time
        to linger
                for just a little while
                       out of your busy

and very important day
        for the goldfinches
                that have gathered
                       in a field of thistles

for a musical battle,
        to see who can sing
                the highest note,
                       or the lowest,

or the most expressive of mirth,
        or the most tender?
                Their strong, blunt beaks
                       drink the air

as they strive
        melodiously
                not for your sake
                       and not for mine

and not for the sake of winning
        but for sheer delight and gratitude—
                believe us, they say,
                       it is a serious thing

just to be alive
        on this fresh morning
                in the broken world.
                       I beg of you,

do not walk by
        without pausing
                to attend to this
                       rather ridiculous performance.

It could mean something.
It could mean everything.
It could be what Rilke meant, when he wrote:
You must change your life.

Another busy day!

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July 29, 2024

Hillbilly rock etc.

by chuckofish

We made it to Jefferson City on Friday and the Marty Stuart concert was superlative! Our seats were front and center and we could really see everything. It wasn’t too hot and there was a nice breeze. Marty, Cousin Kenny, Handsome Harry and Chris Scruggs were rockin’. Before the concert we also managed to have a lovely and relaxing lunch at the Les Bourgeois Vineyard in Rocheport on the Missouri River.

Can’t do much better than that.

We spent the night in JC and then we drove to Boonville where we dropped daughter #1 off at a DAR Regent workshop. The OM and I then drove home where I went to a good estate sale at the kind of house I like best–one where someone has lived a long time and has a lot of stuff like my stuff. Best is when I can figure out whose house it was. (I did.) I usually find something. I got some books and a Christmas present.

We picked up Mr. Smith at the kennel, but it was pouring rain and he freaked out, becoming enraged by the windshield wipers. I talked him down from the ledge and we made it home, thankfully, without wrecking the car, and daughter #1 retrieved him after returning from her DAR workshop. He was happy to be back home again and at his post…

I went to Sunday School and church as usual where we had a trombone accompaniment (with piano) to our hymns, It was different, but surprisingly effective. I was also pleased to hear that my old colleague Abram Van Engen, the Stanley Elkin Professor in the Humanities and chair of the English department at my former flyover university, is going to give a talk at church in a couple of weeks about his new book, Word Made Fresh: An Invitation to Poetry for the Church. He is a fellow admirer of the Puritans. I ordered the book and look forward to reading it.

I watched Red River (1947). Did you? Walter Brennan won three Academy Awards, but he really deserved one for his portrayal of Nadine Groot. A terrific and layered performance. John Wayne is iconic and Montgomery Clift at the beginning of his career was never better.

Anne had a good take on the anti-Christian display and general debauchery at the opening of the Olympics with good links to other comments. “I like telling my 10 & 7 year-olds, “We’re skipping this because those are men dressed up like women” and seeing the look of revulsion on their faces. God’s created order is pretty straightforward to kids.” We’ll try to keep our sense of humor and as usual just turn off the telly, keeping in mind Romans 1:24-25.

Meanwhile we will be girding our loins and staying inside this week as we have this to look forward to…

Jealous of the boy and his fam who are in Hilton Head…

Have a good week! Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

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July 26, 2024

And I stood beneath the blue sky

by chuckofish

Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer,
    who formed you from the womb:
“I am the Lord, who made all things,
    who alone stretched out the heavens,
    who spread out the earth by myself,
25 who frustrates the signs of liars
    and makes fools of diviners,
who turns wise men back
    and makes their knowledge foolish,
26 who confirms the word of his servant
    and fulfills the counsel of his messengers,
who says of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be inhabited,’
    and of the cities of Judah, ‘They shall be built,
    and I will raise up their ruins’…

(Isaiah 44:24-26)

Here’s more Isaiah to propel us into the weekend. I daresay we can all use it.

We are heading to Jefferson City today and the boy and his family are heading out to the beach on Sunday so traveling mercies to all who are on the road. We also wish the boy and daughter #3 a happy 12th anniversary on Sunday! Mazel tov!

This is a cool photo from @audubonsociety…

Pileated Woodpeckers are my faves.

And daughter #1 sent this for your weekly dose of Mr. Smith…

Quel cutie.

The summer is winding down. Soon it will be back-to-school time!

(Chris and Thomas)

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July 25, 2024

“Give me a condor’s quill!”

by chuckofish

Unlike the narrator of Moby-Dick, I have no great topic to write about today (see above quote), but only some odds and ends of my small life. But I do love that image of a condor’s quill.

Tomorrow the OM and daughter #1 and I are heading to Jefferson City (woohoo!) to see Marty Stuart and the Fabulous Superlatives in concert. While in town we will visit our favorite winery down there and other old haunts. I was pleased to see Marty visiting with Robert Duvall…

Speaking of Red River Valley, Saturday is the National Day of the Cowboy, so you will want to plan accordingly. We will toast my ancestor John Wesley Prowers and watch Red River (1948) which is our tradition.

If I was in Oklahoma City, I would, of course, go to the celebration the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum has planned, but we do what we can.

In other news, maybe you have noticed that there is nothing to watch on TV and, if you do watch–even streaming platforms–you are inundated with ads and more ads. And political ads. So the OM and I are watching (on DVD) the Hillsdale College series on WWII with Victor David Hanson. It is intellectually stimulating and the politics is 85 years old. After watching last night’s episode, we watched Operation Pacific (1951) with John Wayne as a submarine commander in WWII. Not the greatest movie ever, but entertaining and diverting. If I was in a submarine in WWII, I would want the Duke as my commander! (The freckle-faced kid below is Martin Milner of Adam-12 fame.)

Meanwhile here is something good to read about Mothering in today’s world. “Mothering is a fraught profession in the modern world. The stakes are high to do it right. If you’re going to ‘waste your intellect’, as my own mother so kindly put it, you’d better have exceptional children to show for it. Or at least a podcast.”

So learn something new, call your mother (or mother substitute), watch a cowboy movie, and listen to some good music:

Live for the glory of God and the good of others.

3 Comments
July 3, 2024

Come and see, look on this mystery

by chuckofish

It is a sultry day; the sun has drunk

The dew that lay upon the morning grass;

There is no rustling in the lofty elm

That canopies my dwelling, and its shade

Scarce cools me. All is silent, save the faint

And interrupted murmur of the bee,

Settling on the sick flowers, and then again

Instantly on the wing.

–William Cullen Bryant, “Summer Wind”–read it here.

Yesterday I had lunch with two old (and much older than I) friends at the fancy retirement home where they live. It is always a delight to meet with them and talk about what we are reading, re-reading and what we are finding to watch on TV/streaming. One of them walks on the treadmill every morning and recites the Gettysburg Address from memory. I told him about the guy I used to know who recited the lyrics to Abide With Me while maintaining a plank position every morning. We avoid discussing politics but one of them said that the (very liberal) interfaith group he was in fell apart this year following the events of October 7. This is troubling, but no surprise to me I said. It is not the evangelicals the Jews have to worry about. I have no doubt that I am somewhat of a mystery to them, but we respect each other, and yes, even love each other. And that is the way it should be.

So meet an old friend for lunch, read some poetry out loud, memorize something! And here’s a hymn that we heard in church on Sunday that the boy really liked:



Sing to Jesus, Lord of our shame
Lord of our sinful hearts
He is our great redeemer
Sing to Jesus, honor His name

(The painting above is by Winslow Homer, 1878)

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April 19, 2024

Newer every day*

by chuckofish

TGIF. It has been a stressful week for this old retired lady. I have had a lot to do, on top of our ongoing street renovation stress.

So I am going to channel Katie’s vibe this weekend and chill as much as possible.

However, we do have a birthday to celebrate (mine) amidst other distractions.

I had my last bible study meeting of the “semester” yesterday–we finished part one (chapters 1-13) of Matthew. I really enjoy this group of old and young ladies who take their prayer work seriously and study very hard. We had a nice potluck salad lunch afterwards. Indeed, I feel very blessed to be in this group. I am grateful that God has been so patient with me over the years and that he has put me in this good place.

This is a wonderful story from the book God’s Smuggler about Christians communicating. I have heard of this book, but have not read it. I will soon.

And did you see that an elephant escaped from a circus in Butte, Montana this week and ran through town? The trainer managed to get her under control and there was no need for law enforcement intervention. I guess people in Montana take such things in stride.

So happy birthday to me and here’s to another trip around the sun!

*Emily Dickinson, “We turn not older with years, but newer every day.” (from a letter to a cousin, 1874

4 Comments
April 2, 2024

Day by day

by chuckofish

It’s April again! Woowee, I can hardly believe it. It came in like a lion–stormy!

I spent yesterday getting the house back in semi-order after our busy and fun-filled weekend. Laundry, dishes, toys.

Just the usual.

I had DVR’d Godspell (1973) when it was on TCM on Easter and I watched about 20 minutes of it. It is of an era, for sure, but it is pretty unwatchable I’m afraid.

Is that Grant’s Tomb?

I remember in high school the choir from another school came and sang selections of it in chapel and I thought hearing the words to old Anglican hymns sung to sultry tunes was pretty cool. (Turn back, oh man! Forswear thy foolish ways!) The whole thing is really kind of high school quality though. Seriously I wish they had done it at KHS–the boy would have been great in it! I loved the cast album and listened to it a lot in college, but I don’t think I ever saw the whole play performed. Day By Day was a big hit. I had forgotten that DC Talk covered it in 1995.

Now you gotta love that.

It is also interesting to note that in the movie, which takes place in Manhattan, the city looks terrible–dirty, run-down. Central Park is a mess. Thankfully the park was renovated in the following decades. We are so used to seeing NYC photographed to look good, but not so in this movie. The production values are generally very low.

As is often the case, things you thought were great as a teenager do not hit you the same way years later. Thank goodness, right?

And I really liked this about a man who died in the pulpit.

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March 14, 2024

How like a prodigal

by chuckofish

–from “To the Dandelion” by James Russell Lowell, 1819-1891. Read the whole poem here.

Spring seems to have sprung, but here in flyover country we know better than to jump to any conclusions. We could have snow before the end of the month. It sure is nice, however, to sit on the patio in the seventy-degree afternoons and soak up some sunshine.

In other news, we wish Michael Martin Murphey a happy birthday.

He is 79 years old! Kudos for still touring. Here is a list of other oldsters who are still out there making music in public.

Later today daughter #1 is dropping Mr. Smith off at our house. He will be staying with us while she visits daughter #2 et al in Illinois. So please keep us in your prayers!

Ha!

Daughter #1 will no doubt enjoy spending quality time with Katie and chasing Ida around–did I mention that Ida is now walking/playing soccer? The boy says, “Get out the cones! Agility drills start now!”

We will do our best to keep Mr. Smith from stressing out.

(The painting is by Jean-Francois Millet, 1868)

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January 30, 2024

Now I ain’t too good at prayin’/But thanks for everything

by chuckofish

Well, I didn’t end up driving to Champaign-Urbana, as it turns out daughter #2’s moving truck-full of stuff won’t arrive until next week so…the best laid plans of mice and men and all that. Thank goodness they made it there safely.

Meanwhile Garden and Gun had a link to this back porch concert which introduced me to singer-songwriter Larry Fleet. I really like this song which Morgan Wallen also covered.

And this was really good.

Plus here’s a reminder. “I agree with Peter: “I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder” (2 Peter 1:13).”

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

3 Comments
January 24, 2024

Fun facts to know and tell

by chuckofish

Yesterday we were able to put away the storm gear and venture outside in relatively balmy temperatures in the 40s. Hopefully this weather system will persevere through next week when daughter #3 and DN will make the Big Move to Illinois. As you can imagine, the Move looms large in their lives and three-year old Katie has a limitless supply of questions.

Well, in case you were wondering, Illinois has been a state since 1818.

It is known as the “Land of Lincoln”–an excellent slogan, as they go. Three U.S. Presidents have been elected while residents of Illinois: Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant and Barack Obama. Ronald Reagan was born in Tampico, Illinois and raised in Dixon. He graduated from Eureka College outside Peoria where he was student body president, played football and was president of his fraternity. Although he left Illinois after college never to return, Reagan is a true son of Illinois.

Illinois is a very flat state, lying entirely in the Interior Plains. Its highest point is Charles Mound at 1,235 feet (376 m) above sea level. It is located in the Driftless Area in the northwestern part of the state. At 279 feet (85 m) above sea level, the lowest elevation point in the state is located near Cairo and the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers.

Champaign is the 10th largest city in Illinois. Because the university and a number of well-known technology start-up companies are located there, it is often referred to as the hub, or a significant landmark, of the Silicone Prairie.

Carl Perkins and Bob Dylan joined forces in 1969 to write the song “Champaign, Illinois”, which Perkins released on his album On Top. This is a very cool, fun fact. Not many towns can say that Carl Perkins and Bob Dylan wrote a song about them.

“Yes, I certainly do enjoy Champaign, Illinois!”

My maternal grandmother was born and raised in Illinois–the Ravenswood neighborhood on the North Side of Chicago. After her mother, Anna Hough, and father, William Carnahan, were married in Colorado in 1889, they moved to Chicago where they lived thereafter and brought up their five children. They helped found the Ravenswood Baptist Church which still appears to be going strong.

The next few days are going to be a stressful time for daughter #2 and her famille as they wrap things up in Maryland and head west. I have no doubt they’ll all handle it with aplomb.

He moved away from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it; so he named it Rehoboth, for he said, “At last the Lord has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land.” (Genesis 26:22)

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