Song for Friday...happy anniversery...

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Paul Simon's album 'Graceland'.

This was huge in terms of the roots of world music coming into the forefront of pop music.

It also created much controversy because of the timing.

The world was witnessing the height of the anti apartheid movement in South Africa

and due to strict cultural boycotts sanctioned by the United Nations,

Paul Simon was not welcome by many people and became involved in a

much heated discussion for violating these sanctions.

This subject still brings up tension amongst some.

Personally I could see both sides but I tend to believe he only wanted

to speak the common language of music.

His songs were not political in any way.

In my opinion they were just great songs.

Really great songs.

So Happy Anniversary to 'Graceland'.

Have a great weekend all!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I_T3XvzPaM

Wordless Wednesday...

Thrifting 101...

Last week, on a whim, Norene, her daughter Haley and I decided to

go into the city for some serious thrift store shopping.

Usually I tie this in with other chores I have to do but this day

was strictly devoted to the art of thrifting.

We parked the van, paid the all day fee and walked all

over the city in search of  our treasures, beginning with a walk through Chinatown...

After spending some time in Value Village (one of the biggest thrift stores around)

we had worked up an appetite...Irish Times Pub to the rescue!

Nothin' like Guinness, fish tacos and pizza to recharge your retail therapy battery...

Cruising around town on a sunny day, checking out the old and the new...what fun...

 Heritage buildings becoming condos.

Some places have been around since I was a teenager.

My mission was to find vintage wooden spools of thread for a needle felting

project but I was out of luck on that mark.

But the thing about thrifting is that you never know what treasures will appear to you...

Here's a few of my finds.

Nice, wooden stamped fruit box...$3

Lovely bird print fabric...$4

Antique cutlery for a garden project....25cents each...

Pretty summer skirt...$4...

Wooden Russian bear on skis toy (for a friend who collects them)...$3...

Shadow box frames for needle felting landscapes...$3 each...

Little blue plant pot $2...

So grand total about $22 dollars.

Shopping with the girls...

Priceless!

Post script...

I just recieved this email from my 2nd cousin in Australia!

Hi Kerry,
I've been following your blog for a couple of months. I love your images and your thoughts. The apple blossoms are exquisite!!! They resonate really strongly with me. And your music - Levon Helm, Joe Cocker, Neil Young - I just love it.

One of your recent blogs mentioned thrift shops and I had to smile. I saw your blog this morning and I thought I'd send an email. It must be genetic. Your Great Grandmother, May Cairns, was a big fan of thrift shops. I can remember trailing around behind her in the early fifties as she checked out 'Sally's' and the 'Goodwill'. I remember baskets of buttons and jewellery, big bins of ladies' 'foundation garments' - that pinkyorange colour was both horrible and fascinating. Maggie and I still visit the second hand shops. The city (pop of about 40,000) she lives in has at 5 or 6. Retail shops are very boring. 2hand shops always have something different, unexpected, surprising, emotive......

Oh yes, I recently found a post card, (at home, not in a 2hand shop) with a poem to May, from WW1. I think it must be from Jack Cairns to Granny. I'll send it to you as you seem to be the keeper.

All the best
Ellie (your second cousin)

After the rain...

The other night it rained softly through the night, leaving behind a mist covered morning.

I woke at 5 a.m to the sounds of a ships fog horn.

Although we live miles from the sea, we are higher up and when all is still,

the distant sound of ships slowly making their way to points

beyond our Island can be heard.

I lay there wondering where the sailors would wake up...

Maybe shrouded in the same mist but a world away in the Far East.

When the dawn finally broke and it was light enough, I went out to the garden.

These kind of soft mornings are favorite starts to a summer day...

The rain suspended...

...bees already at work...

...fat poppy heads ready to burst open...

...seeds planted, finally coming up...

...strawberries and old bikes...

...delicate Japanese Iris stands guard by the greenhouse...

...and who's that I hear snoring in the field?

Why it's our old pal Blue, back for a few months of grazing.

Lazy boy, dreaming to the sounds of buzzing bees...

Paper thin poppies pop up here and there...

...and the perennial patch by the barn...always a bright spot in the spring...

Hope your garden is growing well...