JT and music I like

“The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time.”~ James Taylor

James Taylor was born in Boston Massachusetts on March 12, 1948. He is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He began his career in the mid-1960’s, but he found his audience in the early 1970’s. He sings sensitive and gentle acoustic songs. He was part of a wave of soft singer songwriters of the time that also included Joni Mitchell, John Denver, Jackson Browne and Carly Simon. He later married Carly Simon.

He is one of my favorite musicians . His Greatest Hits album from 1976 went diamond and sold more than 11 million copies.

I have many videos on my computer that I am not able to upload to my blog. I did find them elsewhere on the web. People have been uploading video to a site that I found. If your computer is slow or you have a slow connection just push the pause button on the player until the light grey line moves from the left to the right and almost to the end. Then click play and you can watch and listen without interuption.

This is wonderful. This is James Taylor singing You’ve Got A Friend in 1971.
Awsome video! Click on the link below to watch and listen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sC6-iBCuug&search=James%20Taylor%20

This video is not very clear. It is evident how much fun James and Carly are having singing this song together. She is barefoot and bopping around the stage and James makes some faces and dances too. Carly Simon and James Taylor perform “Mockingbird”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeOqD3uMIRs&search=James%20Taylor

I also have an unreleased holiday song that is not on his latest CD. The song is called River and was written by Joni Mitchell. This clip is audio only.
http://jamestaylor.com/_mp3/james_taylor--river.mp3

JT teamed up with Alison and they made a music video. The link will take you to the James Taylor and Alison Krauss music video called "How's the World Treating You "
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkUzI9absnU&search=James%20Taylor


Some music on my current play list include Nickel Creek, Alison Krauss, Anna Nalick, Doc Watson, Cat Stevens, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Sara McLaughlin, Jackson Browne, Seals and Crofts, Jim Croce, Jimmy Buffet, Don Williams, Tim McGraw, Neil Young, Neil Diamond, The Righteous Brothers, Johnny Cash, Kenny Chesney, Norman Greenbaum, Paul Simon, Willie Nelson, Roger Miller, Lynard Skynard, Garth Brooks, John Lee Hooker, Beatles, Three Dog Night, John Valby, Bob Seeger, Dr. Hook, and John Lennon.

Commercial Flight?

There are three rules for making a smooth landing: Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.

Actual Flight Conversations:

"Please use caution when opening the overhead compartments as shift happens!"

After taking off, the pilot got on the speaker and said, "Bear with me folks, this is my first time."
"From a Southwest Airlines employee: "There may be 50 ways to leave your lover, but there are only 4 ways out of this airplane.

"Pilot: "Folks, we have reached our cruising altitude now, so I am going to switch the seat belt sign off. Feel free to move about as you wish, but please stay inside the plane till we land. It's a bit cold outside, and if you walk on the wings it affects the flight pattern.
"After landing: "Thank you for flying Delta Business Express. We hope you enjoyed giving us the business as much as we enjoyed taking you for a ride.

"As the plane landed and was coming to a stop at Washington National, a lone voice came over the loudspeaker: "Whoa, big fella. Whoa!"
After a particularly rough landing during thunderstorms in Memphis, a flight attendant on a Northwest flight announced: "Please take care when opening the overhead compartments because, after a landing like that, sure as hell everything has shifted.

"Weather at our destination is 50 degrees with some broken clouds, but they'll try to have them fixed before we arrive.
"Your seat cushions can be used for flotation. In the event of an emergency water landing, please take them with our compliments."

"As you exit the plane, please make sure to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses."

From the pilot during his welcome message: "We are pleased to have some of the best flight attendants in the industry. Unfortunately none of them are on this flight."
This was overheard on an American Airlines flight into Amarillo, Texas. After an extremely hard landing, the flight attendant came on the PA and announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Amarillo. Please remain in your seats with your seatbelts fastened while the captain taxis what's left of our airplane to the gate!"

Another flight attendant's comment on a less than perfect landing: "We ask you to please remain seated as Captain Kangaroo bounces us to the terminal."

A passenger was overheard asking the pilot a question after the plane landed, "Sonny, did we land or were we shot down?"

After a real crusher of a landing in Phoenix, the flight attendant got on the PA and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, please remain in your seats until Captain Crash and the crew have brought the aircraft to a screeching halt up against the gate.

Part of a flight attendant's arrival announcement: "We'd like to thank you folks for flying with us today. And, the next time you get the insane urge to go blasting through the skies in a pressurized metal tube, we hope you'll think of us here at US Airways."

John O'Reilly

As you slide down the banister of life, may the splinters never point in the wrong direction.~Irish

In Ireland an Irish pub is at the heart of social life. The pub is where the community gathers. A true Irish pub is distinguished by its “craic,” and Irish term referring to positive interaction among people through conversation, stories, and music.

Last Friday the pub was giving out a prize for the best toast of the night. The winner of the evening was John O’Reilly when he hoisted his beer and said, “Here’s to spending the rest of me life, between the legs of me wife!”

He returned home to his wife Mary and told her that he won first prize for the best toast of the evening. Mary said, “Aye did ye now. And what was your toast?” John O’Reilly was so caught up in his excitement he did not think Mary would ask him what his toast was. John said, "Here's to spending the rest of me life, sitting in church beside me wife." Mary said, "Oh, that is very nice indeed, John!"

On Saturday Mary ran into one of John’s drinking buddies, Brian, at the bakery. Brian chuckled leeringly and said, “John won the prize last night at the pub with a toast about you, Mary.” Mary said, “Aye, he told me, and I was a wee surprised meeself. You know ees only been there twice in the last four years. Once he fell asleep, and the other time I had to pull him by the ear to make him come.”

Bird Clickfest!

I once had a sparrow alight upon my shoulder for a moment, while I was hoeing in a village garden, and I felt that I was more distinguished by that circumstance that I should have been by any epaulet I could have worn.~ Henry David Thoreau



The name of this bird is the Western Meadowlark. I love this bird! It is common where I live. Years ago when I lived on the farm, one of these beautiful birds used to visit me and sing every morning while I fed my horses their grain. Toss away those ear mops and ipods. When Joe was little my eldest son went through his rap music period. I made him wear headphones to listen to it. Joe called the headphones ear mops and I still call them that. The sounds of nature are wonderful. Click on the link below to listen to a 2 second. Yes, I said second. A two second sound bite from this wonderful bird. After you listen to the meadowlark use your back arrow to return to this page.
www.humboldtredwoods.org/images/Western_Meadowlark.wav


I am just surfing around and I found some things to share. Get your clicker finger ready. I am going to direct you to a few interesting places. Sit back and enjoy. First you will view a short video of a King Eider resting and preening. This little clip is just ducky! I love the little tail wag at the end of the video. Turn your volume up I think i can hear him make a cute noise with the tail wag like wooohoo! It is only a 2 minute video it is worth the click.


Of course it is a two minute video if you watch it once. My daughter is wanting to watch this character over and over and over. There is a part of the video where he takes a foot out of the water. I thought it looked like he was waving. I told Jaycee he is waving and she said, "No Mamma he is shivering!" She is laghing and laughing as she watches the video. I may have to place a shortcut on my desktop.

Click on the link below to watch and listen to this cheeky ducky. After you watch the duck, click the back arrow on your explorer bar to return to this web page.
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/video/OSD145-1.html


This video is ten seconds, if you only watch it once, tee hee. Click the link to watch and listen to a Great Reed Warbler.
http://birdseen.co.uk/images/videoclips/greatreedwarbler.wmv


This little birdie can sing. I loved this ten second video of the Common Chiffchaff.
http://birdseen.co.uk/images/videoclips/chiffchaff.wmv
This next link is a ten second video of the Canary Islands Chiffchaff.
http://birdseen.co.uk/images/videoclips/canarychifchaff.wmv


Drum roll. For the final two videos these are Puffins. They are a sea bird and only land to lay and egg and nurture their young for 21-39 days. They spend their life at sea. A few of them were tagged and tracked and they did not come back to land for 3 years! Jaycee really likes this one. She said the birds are kissing.
http://www.projectpuffin.org/movies/Atlantic_puffins_billing02.htm
And in this final link music was added to the video and it is tastefully done.
http://www.projectpuffin.org/movies/scenes_from_the_film02.html

That is all I have for today. If you have not had enough then the link below will direct you to the site where you can watch 10 second videos of many other birds. *waves

http://www.birdseen.co.uk/videoclips.htm

Our Family

I read a quote from Ben Silliman and adjusted it to fit our family.

Our Family
Our family has always shown remarkable resilience. We have not been able to change the direction or velocity of the wind. I want to thank my Dad for showing us how to adjust our sails. We have adjusted to natural, economic, and social challenges. We have suffered the loss of a family member. Sruti left us before we were ready to let her go. We miss you Sruti! Our strengths resemble the elasticity of a spider web, a gull's skillful flow with the wind, the regenerating power of perennial grasses, the cooperation of an ant colony, and the persistence of a stream carving canyon rocks. Our strength is not that of a fixed monument or solid rock but that of the human condition,vital, flowing, alive and energized. Our resilience is not measured by wealth, muscle or efficiency but by love, creativity, unity and hope. I am blessed to have such a wonderful family. Words do not do justice for what I feel inside. I am not able to express how much I love you all, how much you mean and have meant in my life. Thank you for being there for me, thank you for sharing this journey of life with me!
All my Love,
Sara

To my wonderful mother, Carolyn, Jaycee is still clinging to the pillow you embroidered for her. She takes it to bed with her every night. I love you and I miss you! We had all kinds of plans for putting the garden and flower beds in over the weekend. Well, it started to rain late Thursday , Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and today! With all those rain days in a row we surely must be heading for a weekend where we can work outside! Jaycee told me to tell you, "I love you Gamma!"


I am overwhelmed from the responses to my blog. This project is something that I took on for myself. I entered the blog world when a person I knew directed me to his website. He writes anonymously and I am not able in good conscience to reveal his blog address or name. When I finished reading his blog I began reading the blogs that were linked to his site. Of course those blogs had links to other blogs, and you get the picture. I left comments on the posts that made me laugh, cry, or were interesting. These people wrote me back via e-mail. I was asked to write some guest posts for some of them and I probably had at least one entry on about seven blogs over a three month period. They encouraged me to write one of my own. A friend told me what a loss to the blogging community if I do not jump in and do this. I baulked at the idea for a long time. I am not confident in my ability to write. My Dad can write! Is it possible that he passed me a writting gene? *giggles * I still have my doubts.

I feel a deep need to express my gratitude. Keeping it inside me is like sitting here with a gift that you gave me and not sending a thank you card. I want to thank my friends who encouraged me. I want to thank my friends who are reading me. You have made me laugh so hard. I am honored that I can return the favor. Thank you for the mail and responses.


I finally gave the web address out to my family. I hope they do not feel obligated to read it. I was completely overwhelmed and grateful for the responses from my Dad and brother. I cried so hard when I read the mail from my Dad. Part of it read, "A Memory" completely overwhelmed me. You capture the scene so perfectly, and I am touched by how well you remember those wonderful times. With tears in my eyes I went over to Carolyn and said, "I have just received one of the most beautiful gifts of my life." Now isn't that just like my Dad. He thought a post I wrote was one of the most beautiful gifts of his life. So he turns around and sends me an e-mail that is one of the most beautiful gifts I have ever received. I have never read anything that touched me more. I love you Dad with all my heart. I am reliving that touching moment again because I read your mail again to enter this post.

I need to move away from that touching moment and tell you about the mail from my eldest brother. I laughed so hard at his mail I cried. I was very fortunate not to have taken that sip of coffee as I opened his mail. It would have shot out my nose! I have to edit here a little: "Cool Blog! I really liked "We Survived." I remember walking down our street with a friend and we were both openly carrying loaded .22 rifles and it was no big deal. My God we would be arrested if we did that today!...." I am still laughing. I am attempting to tone it down to at least a snicker and giggle here. I wish I could have added that in the "We Survived" post Hun! That was priceless. I Love You!

I gave the site to my husband and son. I told them they did not need to read it. Well, err, umm, they are reading it too...

Out of the blue Joe said "Thanks Mom, I Love you." I asked him what he was thanking me for and he replied "I read the Northwood Drama Department Post." I gave him a big hug. I didn't even know he had been reading my blog. Joe wanted to write a blog also! So I started him on his yesterday and he already knows more than I do. Maybe he can find out how I can upload video and music to my site?


Mom, I am definately in need of a new Rachel picture! I hope you enjoy your vacation to Florida! You are in my thoughts and I love you! This note to you is short because I just finished talking with you on the phone.


Anthony is my oldest son. He has left the nest. I treasure the many memories that were made as you were growing. It was a joy and a pleasure watching you grow from a wonderful little boy to a wonderful man! I miss sharing every day of your life with you. I wish we lived closer. Long distance hugs from Mom. I Love you! I am very proud of you!

Serenity

The Serenity Prayer
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can;and the wisdom to know the difference.