Yep, my birthday. A week in on the shiny new year. No resolutions here, but maybe an early birthday more of less gives you a do-over? Probably not. I mean, every day is the first day of the rest of your life, so nothing special about this one. Anyway, Larry and I did make a good dinner this evening from one of my Christmas books: Bobby at Home. For which thanks, Jenny, for noticing me admiring the book at Peter and Allison’s house. And I am resolved to do better at everything.
Starting with banjo lesson today. Over at Black Butte I had found a book at Paulina Springs, and have begun reading it. Crow Talk by Eileen Garvin (one of the few new books I’m actually enjoying). In it, one protagonist is a song composer who muses about the creative act of writing music. I asked Tim, my banjo guide, how it works for him, and it was an interesting conversation. One of his observations about providing lyrics for song is the challenge of rhyme. He says he begins by writing a poem, of sorts, then finds the music to accompany his thoughts. But lyrics usually rhyme, though poems no longer have to, and thoughts hardly ever do, so there’s the challenge. All I have to do is learn to play it — there’s a resolution for you! So that you know, you can Google “Clinch Mountain Back Step,” a fiddle tune for dance, and you can see what I’m working on. Yes, I know. A fiddle tune on a banjo? How does that work?
Moving on, unfortunately, this evening, the Ducks lost at the Peach Bowl, and Viehls all across this great land were bummed. So much for January 9.
Here’s a photo: A bird house for bluebirds.
Larry has been planning to replace the 10-or-so birdhouses, some of which he and the grandkids built a few years back. He must have broadcast that into the universe, because 2 days ago, on turning onto the driveway, I found a plastic bag leaned against the post. Inside was this little wooden house, complete with dimensions and instructions tucked inside. A bluebird house. But no message, no name of the donor. It’s a bit thicker than the ones along our fence. Sturdier. Just what Larry has envisioned, and there it is. So thank you, mysterious anonymous soul, whoever you are. What a brilliant act of generosity and kindness. I love people!
This is a short post — I’m going to ask Allison and Cole of Lamplight Creatives to attempt a comment, and hope that their words will appear on the blog. I can’t begin to understand how a comment, written after the fact, on the already published blog, can appear on your screen when you open my site, but it can and does. Here’s hoping!
Happy belated birthday!