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There are plenty of videos with this beautiful song out there, but I absolutely LOVE the photography used in this one – it’s full of the people and things that make America such a great country:
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(“Simple Gifts” from “Appalachian Spring” by Aaron Copland, performed by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, and conducted by Leonard Bernstein, is available in CD and MP3 formats)
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Today would have been my friend Becky’s oldest son’s 36th birthday. Jonathan left us much too soon (a car accident in 2001), but he left lots of great memories behind for those who loved him best.
One of the things that his family ran across while looking for things to include in his memorial service was a poem that he had written in one of his classes about a leaf falling to the ground. It gave them great comfort, and ever since then whenever Autumn rolls around I like to think that Jonathan is surrounding everyone who knew and loved him with his presence.
Every time I hear this song, I think about Jonathan and his family:
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(“Autumn Leaves” sung by Eva Cassidy is available in CD and MP3 formats)
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The story goes that as Benjamin Franklin emerged from Independence Hall at the close of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia on September 18, 1787, a woman asked him, “Well Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?”.
Mr. Franklin replied, “A republic, madam – if you can keep it.”
Ladies and Gentlemen, in looking over the events of the past few months, I would submit to you that Mr. Franklin’s Republic is still intact.
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Just ask my family – I’m one of the original “Fanilows“, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. I’ve been hooked ever since I heard “Mandy” on the radio in 1974 (what can I say? Other girls my age went gaga for Donny Osmond – Barry’s always been “my” guy).
“When October Goes” is one of my absolute favorite Barry Manilow songs. I first heard this song on his amazing “2:00 A.M. Paradise Cafe” album*** – I managed to wear out the cassette tape from rewinding it to hear this song over and over and over…..
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Have a great day –
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***”When October Goes” is available in CD and MP3 formats – there are lots of good songs on the album (including duets with Sarah Vaughan and the “Velvet Fog”, Mel Torme).
I love Halloween – it’s the only night of the year when you are allowed to wear a costume without being in a play:
I’ll be rocking this “Maleficent” costume tonight…
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It was 33 years ago today that our lives changed in the space of an instant. One second we were a couple, and the next we were a family. It still never ceases to amaze me how seamlessly that transition occurred, and how it felt like things had always been that way.
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The lovely actress Teresa Wright
Growing up, I always wondered why my parents had named me “Teresa“. It isn’t a particularly common name (“Theresa” did make it to #65 in 1950); I lost track of the number of “Mary”s I grew up with, however!
The only other girl I knew in Elementary School who shared my name was a friend’s little sister – she was the 3rd or 4th daughter in a Catholic family, and I remember thinking that they must have run out of names by the time she came along (come to think of it, “Teresa” was her middle name; three guesses what her first name was….)
Don’t get me wrong – I like my name; it’s just that I never really had anything that I could point to as a kid and say, “Hey, look – there’s my name!” (that all changed in 1988, when Mattel introduced their “Teresa” Barbie, but by that time I was already a mom).
She’s been glammed up a bit since she was first introduced
When we went on vacation, my sister (Beverly) and I would always look for something with our name on it – a cheap license plate, a mug, a thimble, a necklace, etc. Bev lucked out more often than I did. Most of the time there was a space – and sometimes even a product – for “Terry” (which, I’m told, was originally going to be my name, until I was born; Mom took one look at me and declared that I “didn’t look like a Terry”, so “Teresa” I became) or “Theresa”, but very rarely was there a spot for something with a “Teresa” on it.
And when there was, it was ALWAYS empty. Apparently all of the other “Teresa”s had gotten there before me….
Today is “Lola’s” 7th birthday, so I thought I would re-run this post from 2012:
….and whatever Lola wants, Lola is gonna get.
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Continue reading
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“Fall” in Texas doesn’t really start until mid-October most years. Today, we’ve got a blustery wind blowing in, and the leaves are starting to swirl around. The temperatures are getting nippy (for Texas), and the dogs want to be outside longer as the days get shorter.
I love this time of year. Apparently musicians both classical and contemporary do, too – here is the hauntingly beautiful “October“, composed by Eric Whitacre. Originally written for a wind orchestra, it translates beautifully to a string arrangement:
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“October” (wind orchestral arrangement) is only available in the MP3 format.
(Mr. Whitacre has an amazing body of work)
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The Fat Lady Has Sung
Koch's Tour 