Monday, July 21, 2008

A Valley Like This.

A poem by William Stafford sits atop Washington Pass in the Cascades. I read this beautiful poem this weekend just after I had gazed into the gorgeous valley below and peeked at the craggy spires above this pass for this first time. I almost cried after reading it:

A Valley Like This

Sometimes you look at an empty valley like this,
and suddenly the air is filled with snow.
That is the way the whole world happened
-there was nothing, and then...

But maybe sometimes you will look out and even
the mountains are gone, the world become nothing
again. What can a person do to help
bring back the world?

We have to watch and then look at each other.
Together we hold it close and carefully
save it, like a bubble that can disappear
if we don't watch out.

Please think about this as you go on. Breathe on the world.
Hold out your hands to it. When mornings and evenings
roll along watch how they open and close, how they
invite you to the long party your life is.

--William Stafford

I will post a picture here, eventually, of the pass so you can see for yourself.

Friday, July 04, 2008

Happy July 4th!

Just got back from viewing the excellent fireworks in a neighboring (small) town...very fun and brings back such nice memories of when I was a child. Ahhhhh...

Couple of things I keep forgetting to mention...

First of all, I finally was able to do a single pick-up in tap a few weeks ago! I couldn't believe it! I had never even tried them as I had so much trouble learning double pick-ups but, S, my teacher encouraged me to attempt them and -- WOW -- I can do them!

Secondly, Munchkin and I attended the wedding reception of my boss last weekend. It was fun but the coolest thing was the band! A group called The Tallboys played old-time swing music and the guitarist was also a clogger! She actually clogged at times while she played guitar, serving as the percussionist for the group! Now, if you know me you know that I am not a big fan of nor am I very knowledgable about swing music or bluegrass but these guys were fun and that girl was amazing! Yay, cloggers! I have no idea what clogging really is but it sure looked a lot like tap dancing to me.

Thirdly, I'm back at Intermediate Tap this summer. It is fast and difficult but not as overwhelming as last year. I definitely can manage it better and it is more fun now, too. I think the online work I've been doing to learn more tap is helping me. I wish I had time to take more classes. I did do an online class this afternoon and tried to improvise a bit to an old Macy Gray CD (I forgot that my iPod was within easy reach). I need to do that (improvise) more often, too.

Well, that's it...almost midnight and I am exhausted! Good night!