December 16, 2008
You know I love it
…about the musicPeacefully green and white.
Continuing on my weather theme, ta-DAH! Snapshots of the property that allows itself to be called mine, after a good dose of that white fluffy stuff the night before last. Kelp-laden readers already know just how giddy snowfalls make me, and this one was no exception. It’s rare to get “real” snow here because it’s usually so warm that whenever a few flakes hit the ground they quickly morph into liquid. But as some may have heard and others are experiencing, the Pacific Northwest is in a week-long grip of the coldest snap in almost twenty years– and even broke a 44 year old record low today with 19 degrees in the Seattle area. On the islands, it’s been in the low 20’s every day, and for those exposed to the sturdy wind on the west side, well, I can’t imagine what that chill factor makes it, but the views across the wave-driven straits are spectacular.
Normal temps this time of year would be in the low to upper 40’s. But perhaps nothing is “normal” any more, or perhaps we’ve been keeping records for far too short a period in the grand scheme of things for any of this to raise an eyebrow with the Universe. Business as usual, maybe, if you’ve been around a few hundred thousand years. I’m working to achieve that goal myself because I enjoy my life so much I don’t particularly want it to come to an inevitable cadence. But my fondness for wines, spirits and dark chocolate may be cutting into my competitive edge. We’ll see.
In the early morning, 5:45 a.m. to be exact, I’m off to a place where the temperature currently reads 9 degrees. Far less, if you count the YIKES! effect of wet wind whipping off Lake Michigan: Chicago. Brrr! The enormous and fun annual Midwest Clinic is this week, and I cannot stay away from 14,000 crazed band musicians, some of whom are actually crazy enough to play my stuff. I’m very excited to be attending. I will return with wonderful tales of low tubas, low trombones, and low, low temperatures. In the meantime, stay warm!
Glenn Buttkus said,
December 16, 2008 @ 8:03 am
Listening to Evensong Phos Hilaron @ 1:32, from the 40 page six momement opus you completed in 1999, and staring both at your pictures and outside my window here at the office, as the sun comes up over American Lake, tossing orange juice and strawberry jame on the glaciers of Mt. Rainier, I applaud your joy. It will help me brook the crunch under my boots, the ice in my hair, and the fact that my glasses lenses do not unfog for five minutes when I come into the warmth. Actually while driving in this morning, grumbling at the 17 degrees temps in Sumner, on the shoulders of the foothills for the Cascades, I wondered how you were faring up there on your island. Sounds like you’re doing fine.
Flying to Chicago seems like a symptom of mental illness, but for a party girl and consumate composer such as yourself, what’s a little winter to get in your way? I read over your posting a few times before the Shapiro poem of the week made itself apparent to me.
Snow Hug
We had a good dose
of that white fluffy stuff
the night before last.
Everyone knows just how giddy
snowfalls make me,
and this one was no exception.
It’s rare to get “real†snow here
because it’s usually so warm
that whenever a few flakes
hit the ground
they quickly morph into liquid.
But as some may have heard
and others are experiencing,
the Pacific Northwest is in a week-long grip
of the coldest snap in almost twenty years–
and even broke a 44 year old record low today
with 19 degrees in the Seattle area.
On the islands,
it’s been in the low 20’s every day,
and for those exposed to the sturdy wind
on the west side, well,
I can’t imagine what that chill factor makes it,
but the views across the wave-driven straits are spectacular.
Normal temps this time of year
would be in the low to upper 40’s.
But perhaps nothing is “normal†any more,
or perhaps we’ve been keeping records
for far too short a period
in the grand scheme of things
for any of this to raise an eyebrow
with the Universe.
Business as usual, maybe,
if you’ve been around
a few hundred thousand years.
I’m working to achieve that goal myself
because I enjoy my life so much
I don’t particularly want it
to come to an inevitable cadence.
But my fondness for wines,
spirits and dark chocolate
may be cutting into my competitive edge.
We’ll see.
Alex Shapiro December 2008
Jannie said,
December 16, 2008 @ 10:00 am
You look very beautiful in your photo. I must remember to look beautiful in a photo some time, yeah I’ll make a note to get perfectly alluring for my next blog jpeg.
“perhaps we’ve been keeping records for far too short a period in the grand scheme of things for any of this to raise an eyebrow with the Universe,” I do believe that says it all!
— A Jannie in passing
Alex Shapiro said,
December 16, 2008 @ 12:29 pm
i love, “…tossing orange juice and strawberry jame on the glaciers of Mt. Rainier, …”
You ARE such a poet, Glenn! Just great.
Wonderful to e-meet you Jannie– I am sitting at a restaurant at SeaTac biding my time until my [slightly delayed] flight to Chicago, and really enjoyed your blog. Kelphistos, here it is:
http://www.janniefunster.com/
I appreciate your dry/wry/funny/twisted e-tone of blog.
Thanks for the comment, however you should not be deluded and feel badly: I actually weigh nearly 400 pounds (see “Orca Whale Goes Kayaking” photo below) and am covered head to toe with hideous moles and warts that make me pay a premium for the latest PhotoShop upgrades. Ok, well, maybe not. But these days I think anyone could devise a persona that wasn’t theirs and get away with it. Hmmm… I need to think about who I’d like to be and give this some real thought! Ha ha!
Barry said,
December 16, 2008 @ 3:56 pm
Jannie – you are beautiful! I saw your picture with Kelly on your blog. And in San Diego one of my favorite places.
Thanks for the link Alex. Have fun in Chi-town. Are you having more snow there as we are here in KC?
Mike Wills said,
December 22, 2008 @ 12:55 pm
Happy Holidays, Alex and Charles. The days are now getting longer, the nights shorter. with each sunrise — a moment worthy of celebrations. My son let me know he will be returning to the Northern Cascades in 2009 for six days of climbing.
Glenn Buttkus said,
December 22, 2008 @ 4:33 pm
Gosh, here we are with the Shapiro curse full weight upon us all. The weather folks claim that on San Juan Island there is more than one foot of snow. That should please you to no end once you finish your tortuous commute home. Sea-Tac made national news with the most stranded passengers at any airport in the USA. Chicago got slammed too, so I’m sure you will have a wonderful tale to tell us after the first of the year when you finally are able to make it home. Happy holidays to you and Charles, all those sturdy kelphistos out there being brave. Yes, Barry, Jannie is beautiful too, and musical. Her blog site just won the Best New Blog of the Week on WordPress.
Glenn