somewhere i have never travelled, gladly beyond
any experience, your eyes have their silence:
in your most frail gesture are things which enclose me,
or which i cannot touch because they are too near
your slightest look easily will unclose me
though i have closed myself as fingers,
you open always petal by petal myself as Spring opens
(touching skillfully, mysteriously)her first rose
or if your wish be to close me, i and
my life will shut very beautifully, suddenly,
as when the heart of this flower imagines
the snow carefully everywhere descending;
nothing which we are to perceive in this world equals
the power of your intense fragility:whose texture
compels me with the colour of its countries,
rendering death and forever with each breathing
(i do not know what is is about you that closes
and opens; only something in me understands
the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses)
nobody,not even the rain,has such small hands
— e.e. cummings
My brother first shared this poem October 14, 2005, which was E. E. Cummings birthday.
Enjoying the passage of time. Yes, “any fool can do it!” — Image by Joy
Secret O’ Life
The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time. Any fool can do it, there ain’t nothing to it. Nobody knows how we got to the top of the hill. But since we’re on our way down, we might as well enjoy the ride.
The secret of love is in opening up your heart. It’s okay to feel afraid, but don’t let that stand in your way. Cause anyone knows that love is the only road. And since we’re only here for a while, might as well show some style. Give us a smile.
Isn’t it a lovely ride? Sliding down, gliding down, try not to try too hard, it’s just a lovely ride.
Now the thing about time is that time isn’t really real. It’s just your point of view, how does it feel for you? Einstein said he could never understand it all. Planets spinning through space, the smile upon your face, welcome to the human race.
Some kind of lovely ride. I’ll be sliding down, I’ll be gliding down. Try not to try too hard, it’s just a lovely ride. Isn’t it a lovely ride? Sliding down, gliding down, try not to try too hard, it’s just a lovely ride. The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time.
— James Taylor
Dedicated to Tom’s, Kenne’s and Joy’s children: Lisa, Vanessa, Kenne Dave, Katie, Jill, Justin, Jason
Ray Wylie Hubbard at the Rhythm Room, Phoenix, Arizona (October 30, 2014) — Images by kenne
I live with a women that loves to gamble, Me, I can take it, or leave it — mostly leave it.
But, life is all about give and take, my coochy coochy, coo — give and take.
There’s a night club in sun city called the Rhythm Room, home of a mean blues harp player twenty-two years out of Chicago.
Got a Rhythm Room email — Ray Wylie Hubbard, October 30th, this trick and treat time
will be only a treat.
I’m gonna give my women a deck of cards at Wild House Pass Casino and count my blessings.
Ordered our tickets and off to Phoenix — she at the helm, I listening to iTunes radio.
She gets in gambling time before driving down Indian School Road — “Look at that line at the door.”
Doors opened at seven, house packed an hour before D.L. Marble give us some Sonoran Rock ‘n Roll.
Sitting behind mama Marble, we couldn’t help but feel kinda special on another evening at Corritore’s Rhythm Room.
We were ready for some down home country blues, Lighten Hopkins style with sprinkles of Townes and Hayes.
Here we are just north of the border, our table just been cleaned, must be time to order some of that mescaline.
“I’m gonna holler and I’m gonna scream I’m gonna get me some mescaline She brings me roses and a place to lean A drunken poets dream.” *
Ray walked onto the stage to the hollering and screaming, a love fest sing along — loving the music, loving the story,
Loving the man — It don’t get no better!
— kenne
Click here to watch a great full concert video done three years ago. The Rhythm Room show was pretty much the same — “If it ain’t broke, don’t break it!”
Mik Garrison at La Cocina Cantina, October 11, 2014 — Images and video by kenne
After spending some time checking out the scene at the “Tucson Meet Yourself” event October 11, 2014, we walked over to one of a favorite cantinas in the historic Presidio district. On this Saturday afternoon the music was by Mik and the Funky Brunch. As described on the La Cocina website, Mik Garrison is a beat-box looping, bassist, singer and saxman. Mik is a funk/afro-pop/jazz groove original song-writer that will free-style and make you shake yo rump.
Mik’s music is a fusion of different genres making use of synthetic and traditional musical instruments. At times I could close my eyes, picturing a young Tom Waits singing a funky, ” Bad As Me.”
They were cheap but they were real,
the old bistros. You could have a meal,
drink the devil’s own red wine, and contemplate
the sawdust on the floor, or fate,
as the full-fed beast kicked the empty pail.
— from “Poem in the Modernist Manner” by David Lehman
Billy Joe Shaver, Conroe, Texas (June 3, 2006) — Image by kenne
I was listening to NPR this morning and there was a segment on one of my favorite country singer/songwriters, Billy Joe Shaver. His songs are probably better known than he is — Billy Joe Shaver Writes Country Songs — And Lives Them, Too. If you didn’t hear the segment, click on the segment title — he’s real country!
If you want to get even more of a feel for who is Billy Joe Shaver, watch the following video:
Somedays, the hillbilly in me just comes out — like I can’t help it.
Wild Flowers On Mt. Lemmon (List compiled by SCVN member, Anne Green.) — Images by kenne (July 30, 2014) (Click on any of the tiled images to see larger view in a slideshow format. You can also click here to see a full-screen slideshow on Flickr.)
If you love the Sonoran Desert, or never been to the desert southwest, I think you will find this video very interesting, informative and enjoyable — just learned about it this morning.
Some years ago I thought it a little eccentric to throw birthday parties for Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson. But then, over time I have become very much a part of the annual events held by the Montgomery County Literary Arts Council. Now I ponder the need to celebrate the birthdays of other greats in the arts.
Since my brother, Tom, is always reminding me of the birthdays of his “heroes” (mine too), today I received a reminder that today is the birthday of someone who changed the face of music forever, Miles Davis — May 25, 1926 – September 28, 1991. So, what’s good for Whitman and Dickinson should also be for Davis. Maybe I have a new project?!
Although his genius influenced many, then in 1970 “Bitches Brew” was recorded and the music world has never the same since — now we have the world of “fusion!”
Miles Davis will always amaze the music world of generations to come. One of those people is my good friend, Rafael. Check out Rafael and his friends.
Oh, happy birthday Tom! (May 23rd) And, thanks for caring and sharing.
Pete Mayes, Grady Gaines, Calvin Owens and Joe ‘Guitar’ Hughes at Billy Blues, June, 2000 — Image by kenne
For years, Sunday morning has been about the Blues, listening to Mr. & Mrs. V on KPFT, Houston. Thanks to Internet streaming, the Sunday morning tradition continues.
While listening to this morning, I was going through some of my digital image files when I ran across these old black & white images I had scanned in 2010, which led me to start flipping through one of the best references on Houston blues, “Down in Houston – Bayou City Blues by Roger Wood. Of the four blues musicians in these images, Grady Gaines is the only one still with us. However, thanks to technology and radio personalities like Mr. & Mrs. V in Houston and Marty Kool (KXCI) in Tucson, their music is still with us — some of the best blues anywhere! Take the time to enjoy and share so this great music genre will always be alive and in the hearts of music lovers everywhere.
George Schott (co-leader) & Linda Moraski (leader)
On April 6th, The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) began a week of hiking in the Tucson area. The first hike started in Catalina State Park, following the Romero Pool Trail in the Push Ridge area of the Catalina mountains. Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalists, Tim Ralph and myself, along with Mike Harris, lead guide in the Southern Arizona Hiking Club, shared the roles of hosts and guides for the hiking group from the east. The AMC Adventure Travel group of sixteen was under the leadership of Linda Moraski (leader) and George Schott (co-leader).
Additional postings of the AMC time in Tucson will take place over the next week.
kenne
Images & Video by kenne
(Click on any of the following “tiled” images to see larger views in a slideshow.)
Jonn Richardson, Diunna Greenleaf and Bob Corritore — Image by kenne
We have thought more about Houston lately and our many “blues” friends. Since moving to Tucson from The Woodlands, we have stayed in touch via the Internet, social media and other electronic media. Friday, we learned via Facebook that our good friend, Mary Harris (aka, Ken & Mary of Ken & Mary’s Blues Project) was in the hospital after having a lung collapse — gotta be hard on breathing! The news is good, she is resting and getting better all the time.
Each time we go to Houston visiting family, we tried to include friends, which is not always easy. So, Ken & Mary are a “must see,” because we love them and they are soooo connected to all our blues friends in the Houston area, therefore we try to schedule trips around Ken & Mary’s house concerts. (Sometimes we can only schedule lunch.) We could go on and on with superlatives, but we will let past and future posting on the blues and Ken & Mary do the talking.
When time allows, we stream KPFT on Sunday morning, listening to Mr. & Mrs. V, who we are pleased to say have been a part of our circle of friends for almost as long as we have known Ken & Mary — our circle has grown to include blues in Tucson and Phoenix, with the likes of Marty Kool , KXCI, and all the great blues Bob Corritore brings into Arizona at his “Rhythm Room” in Phoenix.
This morning, we were streaming KPFT, knowing the the V’s would mention Mary’s hospitalization. We stepped away from the computer for a moment, when returning we heard Diunna Greenleaf singing one of our favorite Diunna songs, “Growing Up and Growing Old.” Given Mary’s situation, having heard Diunna sing it on several occasions, plus having the CD, I kept saying to myself, “myself, I thing I videoed her singing this song when she and Jonn were here at Plaza Palomino’s Rhythm & Roots Concert Series, Tucson, Arizona, and the Bisbee Blues Festival. Hoping that I had not lost the clips from their time here in September 2012, my Sunday became an “age like fine wine” project, in more ways than one.
Here’s the video, dedicated to Mary — hope we continue to hear great news on your recovery, Mary!
kenne & joy
“I aspire to inspire, before I expire.”
— Diunna Greenleaf
Blackett’s Ridge, End of the Trail Overlooking Sabino Canyon: ‘Scuse me while I kiss the sky!
— Image by kenne
The Blackett’s Ridge trail is a very popular hiking trail in Sabino Canyon. The trail is located on the ridge between Sabino and Bear canyons and ends a little over three miles from the Sabino Canyon Visitor Center, where the hiker has beautiful views, including the nearby Thimble Peak. With an elevation gain of 1,800 feet, most of which takes place about halfway into the hike, 34 switchbacks make the steep climb a little easier for the hiker. You can get a better idea for hiking this trail by watching the video below.
kenne
Hiking Blackett’s Ridge — Images by kenne (Click on any of the images to see slide show.)
The kid loves to hike and also has an eye for skirts! ( When he saw her really picked-up his pace.) Last Monday, James, mom, grandma and I went on a three-mile hike/nature walk in Sabino Canyon. All bias aside, he was my best student yet — interested, attentive, lots of questions and very good at answering mine.
On our way back, James took the lead and proceeded to mimic me — “Now over here is a blah, blah, blah. And here is a blah-blah cactus.” He didn’t always remember the names, but he was something else when it comes to having my style down. Too bad I didn’t get it on video.
Three miles is a good distance for a five-year old. We hiked to the Sabino Canyon dam and back. His only complaint was that we didn’t do more climbing. Of course, his mimicking by body language was a not so subtle way to show he was getting tired of my naming everything along the trail — he had all the moves down pat.
kenne and bobby — images by joy & kenne
kenne and bobby
Enjoying the passage of time. Yes, “any fool can do it!” — Image by Joy
Ray Wylie Hubbard at the Rhythm Room, Phoenix, Arizona (October 30, 2014) — Images by kenne
Billy Joe Shaver, Conroe, Texas (June 3, 2006) — Image by kenne
Gateway to the Desert — Image by kenne
Miles Davis — Image by kenne
Pete Mayes, Grady Gaines, Calvin Owens and Joe ‘Guitar’ Hughes at Billy Blues, June, 2000 — Image by kenne
Jonn Richardson, Diunna Greenleaf and Bob Corritore — Image by kenne
Blackett’s Ridge, End of the Trail Overlooking Sabino Canyon: ‘Scuse me while I kiss the sky!
