Power

Notes, rhythm, words and the combinations they afford enable, express, exude power that comes from a different place, a place deep in person’s souls. It enables in almost every situation. Listening this a.m. to a joyous folk piece sung by the Bulgarian Women’s Choir in a 1993 tour and the Xzibit and Eminem in a recording in 2000 spitting their discomfort with fame brought it home. Expression is power, and its contagious. It’s no wonder rulers seek to suppress it. Good luck with that.

Google the women’s choir. There are a number of selections in YouTube. Given the popularity of rap, you’ll have no trouble finding “Don’t Approach Me,” either. If you don’t feel a lift from the former and a lot of discomfort in the latter, you aren’t paying attention.

Oh, and here are a couple late video additions, one a half-hour of a battle for life, the other a short screed about the human race’s short-sightedness brought to my attention by a Facebook friend, each incredibly powerful.

Checking in with a favorite site

I can always count on Zachary Houle to present new music, or, at least, music I haven’t heard on a regular basis. He’s finding his role as a critic expanding, and it’s no surprise. He’s literate, witty and curious. Makes for good blogging about music. My tastes run beyond what he presents, but I never fail to hear something interesting, such as Nadine Shah. Thanks to the Invisible Ink blog, I’m sure my ears will be tweaked for some time to come.

So very welcome…

A couple of hours before I was due to get up, the sound of thunder and the strobe-flashes of lightning served notice that the first spring thunderstorm had arrived. Rain continues to stop and start during the day, giving a shot of much needed moisture.

I also heard  a mourning-dove call in the evergreens just west of the house.

I do believe spring has sprung.

I knew it was dry…

…But, it must be really dry.

One of our pesky neighborhood red squirrels is licking the moisture from a branch of our river birch (I think that’s what it’s doing.), and our dog is going bananas that it’s so close, yet so far.

I wish, to quote Charles Barkley, I could hang upside down from a branch and still drink water.

Boy, little dogs can make a lot of noise.