"tomorrow.in.spring"

On the first full day of Winter here, I am mixing images of early Spring and late Fall - with dashes from Europe and Japan.

For those who like holiday music, check out NPR's All Songs Considered Holiday Mix for 2009. A really odd Dylan song is in there, "Must Be Santa."

On the page you can listen to specific songs. I recommend Sufjan Stevens' "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing," Low's "Silent Night" and The Raveonettes' "The Christmas Song."

I will be taking a number of days off so today will be my last Penn BB's until almost New Year's eve.

Thank you, always, for your visits and for your kind supportive words.

Mariana with her Halloween witch's costume on - I finally took a lot of pictures of the costume yesterday including this one with the BB.

"a.winter.collection"


detail

I was not that happy with the earlier version - here it is retooled and retitled. The subject is COSMICaroline in her imaginative Halloween costume.

In late October we had dried leaves. Flash foward - we had two feet of snow to shovel today. I am not dreaming of a white Christmas. Our kids had fun, but my arms and back ache. Marie, my darling shovel buddy, also is very tired.

I am not sure how many of you know Debi Cates but she is a remarkable photographer and friend living in West Texas. Debi was one of my first blog friends and inspired me through her words and her actions. She allowed me to sample two years ago and if you click on her name under Labels you will see "old" work together. It seems like light years ago.

Debi and I will be working together, with my sampling (for the first time) some of her splendid full sized images and that is incredibly exciting for me. I really admire Debi's work.

Thanks, Debi. All my best.

"in.fashion.one.winter"


"detail"

Quick study - image already sampled....snow everywhere here.

I spent time yesterday at a Music Store. Greg was trying out foot pedals for his guitar and Mariana and Alex first playing the drums and then a wonderful sounding electric piano.

The fuzz pedal that Jimmie Hendrix used costs about $150. As I have stated before, with the loss of record stores here a few music stores like the one we visited have become my sanctuary.

"Angel came down from heaven yesterday
She stayed with me just long enough to rescue me
And she told me a story yesterday,
About the sweet love between the moon and the deep blue sea
And then she spread her wings high over me
She said she's gonna come back tomorrow"

Hendrix

Stay warm. Create.

Thursday and Friday's commute - Penn and subways and LIRR. Self portrait even - one has my accidental thumb on it but it still works and gives it a claustrophobic feeling.

Today we have blizzard warning. Let it snow, I guess.

Variations, drafts - summer (not) in the city. A northern girl, not a Northern Song.

Well East coast girls are hip
I really dig those styles they wear
And the Southern girls with the way they talk
They knock me out when I'm down there

The Mid-West farmer's daughters really make you feel alright
And the Northern girls with the way they kiss
They keep their boyfriends warm at night

I wish they all could be California
I wish they all could be California
I wish they all could be California girls

The West coast has the sunshine
And the girls all get so tanned
I dig a french bikini on Hawaii island
Dolls by a palm tree in the sand

I been all around this great big world
And I seen all kinds of girls
Yeah, but I couldn't wait to get back in the states
Back to the cutest girls in the world

I wish they all could be California
I wish they all could be California
I wish they all could be California girls

I took out the last refrain. This song is magical.

Ask Santa to buy ya The Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds" in Mono if you do not have it. It is truly amazing.

My best.

"au.gust"

Simple Simon sampled - renegade quilt maker that I am. Recently I have asked for permission to use images from two blogs and I have gotten no response.

I am working on a sampling "partnership" with an exceptional photographer and I hope it will work out. I do not have time to take good photos nor do I own a good camera. Let's see. I need inspiration. I enjoy collaboration.

The new work would involve weeds or plants or fields or old walls and nature, possibly some birds. Many of my favorite samples have include nature.

I want to work with large image files and be able to blow up large.

I am tiring of the BB shots in part since I have done them a lot, almost every work day commute, since maybe June. Need to take a break.

I had thought of using the BB shots for samples but the quality is not there not sharp enough. We shall see.

Create. As they sang in the play Rent, "The opposite of war is not peace, it is creation."