5 Days Until Bob Dylan

We are getting excited about the concert coming up this weekend. Bob and his band are practicing nearby, getting their set list together. I think it is going to be a good mix of old and new songs.






This poor kid has to wait until his parents listen to some of their crappy cds before he can listen to his favorite cd. See how disappointed he is that he has to wait to hear Bob?
But... great choice little guy--I love listening to "Time Out Of Mind" also--every song is a gem.

Guess what crappy CDs this little guy has to endure before he gets to hear some good tunes? In your opinion, what is the crappiest music out there?

Special Delivery

Special Boulders being delivered to the Catskill Region, where we so desperately need even more big boulders. I felt slightly uncomfortable driving directly behind this truck full-o-boulders, so I changed lanes...but driving while taking pictures? Well, I needed the photo for my BLOG...


OK, exit here and follow the signs for Swan Lake. See? It wasn't a long drive, I often drive to the mountains and back as a day trip.


Once you crest yonder hill, take a quick sharp right.

After a couple of miles you may or may not see this unmarked driveway. Drive down a little more than a quarter mile and you're there. Welcome! (remember to save these directions for the big Blogstock party we plan to throw!)

Let's Hope That the Roof Stays On

Catskill Mtns. Update: A new roof over my head. The new roof replaced "old leaky roof" and was tested by lots of heavy rain. The new roof is superfine.


"I don't have any regrets, they can talk about me plenty when I'm gone.
You always said people don't do what they believe in, they just do what's most convenient, then they repent.
And I always said, "Hang on to me, baby, and let's hope that the roof stays on."
--From the song
"Brownsville Girl" written by Bob Dylan and Sam Shepard.


My search for WiFi in the Catskills was arduous. The local college library summer staff didn't know the password, and the local internet cafe is only open on weekends. I am going back up to the mountains tonight, so I will check the cafe out this weekend.


I finally found a pub that had signs proclaiming it was also an internet cafe, but the barmaid told me "The thingie is broken." So my attempts to blog from the Catskills went nowhere. The libraries have their own computers, however there were long waits to use one. I felt like I had climbed this ladder and ended up on the rooftop, stranded, unable to even read any of my favorite blogs. I was dying to know what Merle was up to!



I got a mini bottle of Le Baiser du Dragon by Cartier. A light warm woodsy fragrance, slightly almondy. (iris, musk, patchouli, amber) Smells good on a man, so it should be a unisex scent. So light it doesn't last long-- of course it might wear better in winter. Nice bottle design.

Belonging

Bob Dylan was a very young man when he adopted his daughter Maria, who was a toddler, but he was mature enough to be a good father to her, always. Anyone who has ever spent time with a small child knows that they can get you out of a bad mood with just a smile and "paint the daytime black" with a tantrum, or by getting into an awkward situation. The song "She Belongs to Me" should really speak to those currently being amused and confused by some little person.

Young children are a group of artists, and if they lock you out and lose the key it's not done with any real malice, it may just be a performance art piece.

Anyway, Bob wrote this song inspired by Sara's daughter, Maria, shortly after he met her. He felt she would always be his daughter, even if the legal adoption they were talking about didn't go through. A sense of belonging is very important to a little girl, and he was able to give her that gift. He was able to legally adopt her later that year. Maria was just three years old.

She Belongs To Me (1965)

She's got everything she needs,
She's an artist, she don't look back.
She's got everything she needs,
She's an artist, she don't look back.
She can take the dark out of the nighttime
And paint the daytime black.

You will start out standing
Proud to steal her anything she sees.
You will start out standing
Proud to steal her anything she sees.
But you will wind up peeking through a keyhole
Down upon your knees.

She never stumbles,
She's got no place to fall.
She never stumbles,
She's got no place to fall.
She's nobody's child,
The Law can't touch her at all.

She wears an Egyptian ring
That sparkles before she speaks.
She wears an Egyptian ring
That sparkles before she speaks.
She's a hypnotist collector,
You are a walking antique.

Bow down to her on Sunday,
Salute her when her birthday comes.
Bow down to her on Sunday,
Salute her when her birthday comes.
For Halloween give her a trumpet
And for Christmas, buy her a drum.

Photo: Bob with drum.






Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.
--Picasso


PS: Typeface designer draws dylan with garamond typeface--watch it happen here:

http://www.ni9e.com/typo/typo_dylan.html

Navy Blue Bird

Don't get much graffiti in Mytown, USA.


It may not last very long.


This is the actual graffiti -- when I spotted it I thought of Steve immediately. I put down my bag of cat food, to take the snaps.


The shadows on my wall were produced by lamplight, a wicker chair, an iron railing and my hand.




"i saw a navy blue bird
Flying way above the sea
i walked on and i learned later
That this navy blue bird was me

i returned a paler blue bird
And this is the advice they gave me
"you must not try to be too pure
You must fly closer to the sea"

So i'm walking through the desert
And i am not frightened although it's hot
i have all that i requested
And i do not want what i haven't got

--Sinead O'Connor

Bob Dylan and Fyodor

Bob Dylan was awarded Spain's Prince of Asturias arts award, one of the country's most prestigious honors, yesterday.

"He's considered one of the most important figures of song, a form in which he combines, in a majestic way, the beauty of his poetry and ethical commitment," said the prize foundation in a statement.


The Sopranos finale featured a scene where AJ and his new girlfriend listen to Bob Dylan's "It's Alright Ma" and are amazed by how relevant the song is today, even though it was written more than forty years ago. Then they start making out and the SUV they are in catches on fire.


My book group meeting was last week. I was supposed to have purchased a copy of "Crime and Punishment." I rebelled at the bookstore and got a lot of short story collections instead. But one of them is "The Best Short Stories of Fyodor Dostoevsky" (Including Notes From the Underground.) Fyodor writes a great short story. I vaguely knew about his imprisonment in Siberia. I never knew he was once led in front of a firing squad, thinking that this was the end. I never knew he translated Balzac's wonderful short story "Eugenie Grandet" into Russian. I never knew he had an uncanny gift for getting into debt, or had become famous at such a young age. People have lives that are crammed with interesting facts, stories, adventures-- not just famous people, but everybody. We may not get a crapload of major awards or survive something like years of hard labor in Siberia, but our lives are still filled with truly amazing experiences.

I have a feeling that this will be my summer of reading Fyodor.



"It was a lovely night, one of those nights, dear reader, which can only happen when you are young. The sky was so bright and starry that when you looked at it the first question that came into your mind was whether it was really possible that all sorts of bad-tempered and unstable people could live under such a glorious sky." --Fyodor Dostoevsky

You Smell

I smell too--I got my spray on.( I stand still so they can spritz my little backside ) So... I'm wearing Sun, Moon, Stars by Lagerfeld. (which I tested on my humans first)
I smell freshy-fresh ... kind of like roses and candied almonds. What are you wearing?

My favorite food smell is roasting bird... what's your favorite food smell?

Emeraude

Once upon a time in 1921, Coty introduced a wonderful bright green colored perfume called Emeraude. It was an instant success but was soon overshadowed by Guerlain's launching of Shalimar in 1925.
Some people thought the perfumes smelled too much alike, but Shalimar had a warm dark side that Emeraude did not, and so it felt sexier and outsold Emeraude.
By the 1950's Emeraude was a bargain perfume, known by many as "The poor man's Shalimar." True, many people when they couldn't quite afford Shalimar, would opt for Emeraude, which was readily available at any drugstore or five and dime.
How much longer will Emeraude be available? It smells crisp and delicious. While it vaguely reminds me of Shalimar, there is no confusing the two. Emeraude offers a sharper citrus top note and mellows into a very fresh scent. It is getting harder to find bottle of Emeraude.

Every year hundreds of new bland perfumes flood the market pushing wonderful perfumes like Emeraude into the bargain bins and eventually killing some off completely.

Blue Smoke & Parasites

If they made a blue smoke bush it would be the centerpiece of many gardens. The actual plumes are a reddish color, although there is one a few blocks away that is a buff color. The plumes are very unusual in shape and design.



Parasites. Yes a museum of parasites. Someplace in Japan.
I received this pic via e mail this morning. This is the pretty part of the museum. The other nasty part of the museum shows what these little beauties do to the human body.

Bob Dylan and Dennis

On June 30th Bob will be performing at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts along with Lou Ann Barton (an incredible blues singer from Texas) and Jimmie Vaughan (The Fabulous Thunderbirds, brother of the late great Stevie Ray.) There are still a few tickets left if you are wondering what to do with yourself and can travel to the Catskills.




Part 2:
This is my exhausted friend, Dennis
Dennis wants to be an entertainment news reporter and really high-pressured me to put his story on my blog. He worked all night writing it, so here it is.

NICK NOLTE IS A BIG CRYBABY by Dennis Conrad
Hollywood June 8, 2007

A hysterical Nick Nolte was sent screaming and crying back to jail Friday after a judge ruled that he must serve out his sentence behind bars rather than in the comfort of his mansion.

"It's not right!" wailed Nolte, who violated his probation in a reckless driving case. "Mom!" he cried out to his mother. "Make them stop!" Nolte sobbed throughout the hearing, dabbing his eyes, and his body shook constantly. Several times he turned to his mother who was seated behind him in the courtroom, and mouthed, "I love you."

Hours earlier, the 66 year old actor was taken handcuffed from his home in a black-and-white police car, paparazzi sprinting in pursuit and helicopters broadcasting live from above. He entered the courtroom disheveled and weeping, hair askew, without makeup, wearing a fuzzy gray sweat shirt over slacks.


Oh wait--it wasn't Nick Nolte, it was Paris whats-her-name.

bLoGsToCk '07

I should host a Blog Festival this summer. Three days of peace & blogchat. Here is the view from the Catskill abode. As you can see, there is ample room for tents, teepees, and yurts. Beyond the trees there are more open meadows. The bears have not actually killed anyone that we know of.


If you notice a small white rectangle in the center of this photo, it is the Bethel Woods Center about 10 miles away.

Tangled Up Bloggers: Part One

When I started blogging I had never thought about actually meeting other bloggers, but then I realized some lived near me and I felt curious. Would meeting other bloggers be a surreal experience? Clearly, in my blog-dealings with Kurt, Jenny, Merle, Princess Haiku, Sidney, Ms. Water, and many others, I felt sure that they were bright, interesting people with a sense of humor and an appreciation of the absurd. You could only have a good time sharing a walk or having tea. You already know the basics, and sometimes you have been through birthdays or sad times with them, so you know some aspect of them that has endeared them to you. Everyone who has visited this blog is a person I would like to meet, because through their comments, and my visiting their blogs, I have found something intriguing and true in them. Pod was the first to visit, and I have a feeling I will meet him one day. Tangled up in reality and tangled up in fantasy, or illusion, it all comes down to a sharing of ideas, feelings, experiences, more ideas, self expression and welcoming others into our world, a world that is real, unreal, surreal and realized.


Yesterday I ended up meeting 3 bloggers, all people I feel I have to see again (in the "real world") and Reya's idea of "blog kin" makes a great deal of sense. Sitting together at lunch, we felt other bloggers were with us in spirit, (there was an extra chair for Pod or Merle or someone to inhabit in spirit.) The great thing about meeting other bloggers is they laugh and speak, and make eye contact and that just enhances the experience.

We walked on the west side, a wide-open landscape of concrete, metal, acres of railyards, no crowds. We passed two men fixing a car, a pizza delivery man on his bike, a man shredding documents, a man just sitting on a loading dock with his lunch. We had the luxury of empty blocks to walk down in perfect weather.

Multi-Tasker

In these hectic times if you cannot multi-task, your blog will suffer. Here is my human companion helping me blog. She is calling around doing research, writing drafts and outlines for me to approve, grooming herself and testing perfumes. (Yes, I test all of my perfumes on a human being first, before I try them out myself.) I wish I could say "No human was harmed doing testing for this blog" but that would be a fib. This isn't the only human who helps me with my blog, I also have a blog technician and a blog consultant. In these hectic times, if you cannot delegate responsibility, your blog will suffer.

Air Kisses, Shadows Touch

If not for you,
Babe, I couldn't find the door,
Couldn't even see the floor,
I'd be sad and blue,
If not for you.

If not for you,
Babe, I'd lay awake all night,
Wait for the mornin' light
To shine in through,
But it would not be new,
If not for you.

If not for you
My sky would fall,
Rain would gather too.
Without your love I'd be nowhere at all,
I'd be lost if not for you,
And you know it's true.

If not for you
My sky would fall,
Rain would gather too.
Without your love I'd be nowhere at all,
Oh! What would I do
If not for you.

If not for you,
Winter would have no spring,
Couldn't hear the robin sing,
I just wouldn't have a clue,
Anyway it wouldn't ring true,
If not for you.
--Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan: An Enigma

Bob Dylan:The Hall of Fame singer-songwriter offers well-received new work while his contemporaries peddle nostalgia.
he's still vital – and suddenly more human than ever. Of the handful of giants from his generation still recording and performing, only Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen (arguably more a devotee than a peer) come close to measuring up to his artistic determination and touring stamina, and not even Bowie has maintained as much mystique. --Ben Wener


This morning I took these snaps of a poodle through a Starbuck's window.
My friend Bruce asked me why I took pics of this dog (just as he was making disparaging remarks about the dog's breed and looks) I don't know why I took the pictures, but now you have to look at them.
Taking the snaps also made a weird loud-talking guy with a fake Irish accent come inside and tell me my puppy looked like he needed a wee drink. the dog had been sitting outside for maybe 3 minutes. His human companion was just getting a cup of coffee.


"The drinks are ready and the dogs are going to war."
--Bob Dylan

The Magic in Everyday Things

I feel like anything is possible when I look closely at things. I have no plans for this summer and yet I know some magical things will just happen. I took this photo yesterday while relaxing and thinking about how much I like dandelions and other weeds.


"Take me on a trip upon your magic swirlin' ship,
My senses have been stripped, my hands can't feel to grip,
My toes too numb to step, wait only for my boot heels
To be wanderin'.
I'm ready to go anywhere, I'm ready for to fade
Into my own parade, cast your dancing spell my way,
I promise to go under it."
--Bob Dylan


Not only do I find a light spray of Shalimar refreshing in this summer weather, but mosquitos absolutely hate perfume. I haven't been bitten in decades. i haven't bought any perfume since early February, but I got 5 bottles of Shalimar for my birthday in April. I dropped one into a glass of water to see how it would look.

Bob Dylan & The Yankee

I went out and bought some double chocolate mini cakes and a can of frosting. Why so much effort? It is Bob Dylan's Birthday. Happy Birthday Bob!
Personalizing these cakes was not easy for me--I had to wear gloves and I don't have opposable thumbs like all you primates out there. A friend of mine, Lysander ( a lemur who lives down the street ) was supposed to help me with this project last night, but he flaked out on me, and went to a Yankee's game instead. I can't blame him. I'd be there too if somebody gave me a ticket and a ride to the stadium.
This is one of my favorite Yankees. Jim 'Catfish' Hunter. He was pretty cool. In 1974 he won the Cy Young Award. The Yankees won three straight pennants with Hunter from 1976 to 1979. At age 33, In poor health, he retired to North Carolina, where he had a farm.
"If I hadn't played baseball, I wanted to be a game warden or something. I want to be outdoors." --Hunter
He died in 1999 at the age of 53. (He had ALS / Lou Gehrig's Disease)

He was absolutely thrilled to be the subject of a Bob Dylan song. Catfish wrote an essay about the moment he found out Bob had written a song for him.






Lazy stadium night
Catfish on the mound.
"Strike three," the umpire said,
Batter have to go back and sit down.

Catfish, million-dollar-man,
Nobody can throw the ball like Catfish can.

Used to work on Mr. Finley's farm
But the old man wouldn't pay
So he packed his glove and took his arm
An' one day he just ran away.

Catfish, million-dollar-man,
Nobody can throw the ball like Catfish can.

Come up where the Yankees are,
Dress up in a pinstripe suit,
Smoke a custom-made cigar,
Wear an alligator boot.

Catfish, million-dollar-man,
Nobody can throw the ball like Catfish can.

Carolina born and bred,
Love to hunt the little quail.
Got a hundred-acre spread,
Got some huntin' dogs for sale.

Catfish, million-dollar-man,
Nobody can throw the ball like Catfish can.

Reggie Jackson at the plate
Seein' nothin' but the curve,
Swing too early or too late
Got to eat what Catfish serve.

Catfish, million-dollar-man,
Nobody can throw the ball like Catfish can.

Even Billy Martin grins
When the Fish is in the game.
Every season twenty wins
Gonna make the Hall of Fame.

Catfish, million-dollar-man,
Nobody can throw the ball like Catfish can.

1975
Bob Dylan (& Jacques Levy)



"The sun don't shine on the same dog's ass all the time"
--Catfish Hunter

Bob Dylan in the Movies

In the film "Private Benjamin" Eileen Brennan sneers at a Bob Dylan poster on a locker door. She says something along the lines of ...

" I know how crazy you ladies are when it comes to this FONZIE character, but not in my barracks!"

She rips the poster down and orders it burnt.


In real life Brennan and Hawn are close friends who attended Dylan concerts together.


Harry Dean Stanton's cool slithery performance in
Private Benjamin is a wonderful thing to watch.
You may remember some of Harry Dean's
other films:
Christine, Paris Texas, Pretty in Pink,
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (with Johnny Depp)
The Green Mile, Renaldo & Clara (with Bob Dylan)
Alien, and The Care Bear's Movie.










Tomorrow is THE BIG DAY! In the meantime, relax and make yourself pretty.

Princess Haiku Tribute

The Shadow Ghost of Blue Cat wanted me to post a tribute to a beautiful thinking blog. Here he bows to the Princess, he says, 'as the grass bows down before the wind.'

Princess Haiku's blog is filled with visionaries and poets. There are tea ceremonies, labyrinths, roses wet with dew, shadow ghosts, music, the scents of a garden, and splendor. It is an actual place you can visit, filled with people singing and performing lovely music. There are also book and movie reviews.

One post was about San Francisco's ban on plastic bags for groceries and shopping. Princess suggested learning to wrap purchases in beautiful cloth and gave some Japanese examples. While other's complained about the ban, she embraced it. I often shopped with canvas bags, but not always, and her post made me realize I needed to get serious. I am trying out colorful string bags as well as strong cloth bags for 'major' grocery shopping trips. Sometimes we forget that every small step we take towards green living makes sense. I took this picture for her some time ago, with some two-headed paper whites and white dicentra I found in my garden.

Although she seems ethereal, Princess is a strong down to earth person.


"My dreams are made of iron and steel
With a big bouquet
Of roses hanging down
From the heavens to the ground."
--Bob Dylan

Moments

Peering into the quiet monster in my back garden.



Sitting in my car in a parking lot on a very rainy day.







I've become used to taking my camera everywhere with me, thanks to reading Goldpoppy and Shadows & Light.