The Sixties and the Samba Craze

We all know what the teens and very young adults were up to in the sixties:  Beatles, dropping out, tuning in, etc.  But what about the 30 and 40 somethings?  The sixties was also the time of the Samba craze in the US.  And, one of the best samples of Samba music has to be Astrud Gilberto. 

Of course, she is most famous for her Girl from Ipanema hit, but that is so overplayed.  Try a few others by Astrud and be transported by her smooth tones and unique style.  Then I have posted Ipanema last for you.

Enjoy!

Summer Samba In Spanish:

Summer Samba In English:

Fly Me To The Moon

And Finally, The Girl From Ipanema

Easy to Be Hard

My song of the day is an amazing performance.  Cheryl Barnes singing Easy To Be Hard in the musical Hair.  The second half when she really gets going is amazing.

Enjoy...such a treat to view:

CLICK HERE FOR EASY TO BE HARD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCs1rkAXZ9o

Peeps Gone Wild!

Is there a possibility for me to meet international friends through Blogger?  Usually I get four or six or maybe twelve hits on my posts.  But the PEEPS that I posted around Easter time got over 900 hits!!!!!

How did this happen?  I am guessing someone liked it and emailed it to someone else who emailed it to their friends....I guess that is how these things always happen.  It just has never happened to me before.

EVEN MORE AMAZING is that the readers are from ALL OVER THE WORLD!!!  Excuse my caps, but one of my passions is to get to know people from cultures different than mine.  Much love to you, my American friends, but I AM SO EXCITED to make a potential friend from elsewhere. 

People from the following countries have read my posts (at least the Peeps one!):

Malaysia

Russia

United Kingdom

Germany

Japan

Denmark

Canada

Netherlands

Puerto Rico

If you are from one of these countries (or any non-North American country), PLEASE post a comment and say hi!  I would so love to hear from you.!

And for my American readers, I will keep you "posted" on if I get any response.   Also, if you are a blogger yourself, please let me know if you have made any international friends through blogging.  Or, if you have any old comment of any kind, I would love to hear it! 

Peace and Love All! 

Song for the Day: Wishbone Ash

This music touches my soul...


"Shadows like an opening hand
which hold the secrets that I've yet to find and wonder at
the light in which they stand."

What's Up With My Blog???

Some of you might be saying to yourselves: What the heck?  I started reading this blog because I was interested in natural living, soapmaking, and other projects.  Or, perhaps the soul-spilling that sometimes appears here. 

Now, lately, it's all jokey things or music.  What's up you might ask...

Well, I have just been busy working many hours and really have not had much time for projects.  I did make a new batch of soap which I kicked myself for not taking the time to take pics of the process.  (old pic from Christmas batch above)  I will try to next time along with full recipe and instructions. 

Another project I have coming up is continuing to learn how to properly use my sewing machine and make curtains for our house.  We have really cool curtain holders (I am sure that is not the right term) that are wrought iron and were made by the Amish.  They will look great on our log walls.  I will definitely post pics of this project. 

As for the soul spilling, that takes place only as it wells up in me and again only if I have the time to let it spill. 

But I am a whole person...not just a natural projects soul-spiller.  I also have a sense of humor and love art and music.  I was told that a blog will be more popular if you keep to one type of post.  I just don't think I can do that.  I am a many-sided person and can only share what is in my heart and mind at the moment. 

Perhaps, dear reader, since you are also a multi-faceted person, my blog will still appeal to you. 

Peace to all!

And for today, I would love to share this beautiful song about marriage and death by Iron & Wine.  Enjoy!

Naked As We Came

Hilarious Totem Poles

Take a peek at this animated comedy about a totem pole!  This is particularly funny to me as I live among totem poles that look much like this. 

                This is a pic of a Tlingit totem pole at Totem Bight
                 which is about 4 miles down the road from me.
                                          

Song of the Day: Young at Heart

Wow, what a song!  I don't know who the pics in this video are, but just listen to the words.  With his smooth rich tones Ol' Blue Eyes gives us invaluable advice. 

"You can laugh as your dreams fall apart at the seams..."

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May is National Zombie Appreciation Month!

 

May is National Zombie Appreciation Month. We all should take a moment to think about the many ways that Zombies touch our lives. Hug a zombie today!  (CAREFULLY!)

  Here is a Jonathan Coulton song with a wickedly funny World of Warcraft zombie video. WARNING!  Cartoon gore!  

 

Back on Blog with thoughts of revealing our highest truths....

Many years ago when I was new to commitment, my then boyfriend (now husband) and I read "The Bridge Across Forever" by Richard Bach.  I am a huge Bach fan, but that is for another blog.

One thing that stuck with us was the concept of Highest Truth.  It is a concept that has done amazing things for our lives and one in which we taught and raised our daughter.

The idea is simple:  We go day to day busy and working mainly off of an auto-pilot or surface part of ourselves.  People say: how is it going?  You say: great!  But is it really?  In our family, we could ask each other for the Highest Truth.  That meant that you had to stop what you were doing and really explore your thoughts or feelings about a given subject and reveal your innermost being.

For example, let's say your brother is ill.  A loved one might ask you how you are coping.  You are likely to give an answer based on your hopeful positive self (which I am not bashing at all). 

You might say:  I am sure it will be alright.  He is strong and the doctors are good. 

Now, when you are asked for Highest Truth, you must look beyond...peel back the layers of autopilot and positive thinking.  What is really there at the core?

It might be:  I am terrified that I might lose him and don't know how I can live on without him.

Now your loved one knows you at your core being.  This is so important in a relationship, because, although you are keeping up the brave face in the situation, what you really feel...the terror...is what your emotions will be based on and will effect all the other areas of your life.  By revealing this Highest Truth, you allow your loved one to understand and support you.  Thus giving them the opportunity to help you....maybe just by knowing and recognizing this thought with you...it doesn't necessarily require further discussion.

Look for the highest truth in yourself...and share it completely with those you love.  Give them the opportunity to love your darker, disappointing, unfulfilled, and immature areas of self as well as your beautiful shining parts.  You find your friends among those who will love both.  And you become a friend when you see all in another as part of one beautiful path of their life.