Denver botanic garden vegetation

flashback

I don't care what the naysayers go on about. I agree that this is certainly not the best show the Dead have ever played. I will say that after having listened to & read reviews of the Highgate show, I do remember my brother & I talking afterwards about how unhealthy Jerry looked & how, sadly, the end was near.

Listening to this PGH show brought back a lot of painful memories. It was a memorable summer -and not in a good way. Imagine me going to a show -band I love- surrounded by all that wonderful hippy vibe. My then-husband on a mission to buy his "not a girlfriend" friend a toe ring. It's a long story, but let's suffice it to say everyone knew better. So it was a mixed feelings kind of night. Missed most of Rusted Root; should have left his ass out in the lot while I went in to the show.

But there was the usual "energy" in the air. Undeniable. Magical. The Dead came on & all was well in my world for a couple hours. Yay :) This song in particular was especially wonderful in that it started downpouring just as the the band started in. Yeah, so they went through the obligatory rain songs after that. So what. It was perfect. Almost as perfect as the Deer Creek show the year b4 with the upside down rainbow (and NO I wasn't on anything) and it was raining & the band played, of course, some rain songs and then perfect timing Here Comes Sunshine simultaneous to the rain stopping. Sweet, sweet memory.

Those '94 Deer Creek shows I went to with our sitter (NOT the "not a girlfriend" friend sitter) & some of her friends. It was an adventure in that I had rented a full size van to fit everyone & they were all about 10 years younger than me. So I was the "mom". But it was fun. Oh & no one but me had tix for the shows. I traded the first night ticket for a 3rd night so that Melissa could get in w/ me. She was such a neat girl. And Nikki was like her parents' 2nd daughter -considering she'd been sitting Nikki since she was 12 & Nikki was 6 mos. and at this point Nikki was almost 6. Anywho. I ended up camping beside this very cool guy & girl from CA. I only remember the girl's name was Juliette. It was an interesting 4 days. We were camped on a farm that rented out sites. I'm sure it was quite profitable considering how many folks followed the Dead. Found out my tent was fully water proof. The next week I went to the Buckeye Lake show with some friends. They got weirded out at the beginning of the show because of some lightning & split to hang out in the lot so I was alone. Wandering in the dark through the crowd, who do I run into? Juliette. No kidding. A needle in a haystack. I love how the Dead always had a way of being right on.

botanic garden playdate

We went for the "Big Bugs" display. Lib was concerned when we were getting out of the car that the bugs would eat her sun hat. Too cute. The cashier at the entrance had to reassure her that the bugs were not alive & would not eat her hat. I think she was pleasantly surprised...as was I. The details in the pieces were fantastic. Amazing that one artist made all of these sculptures.

BIG bugs


assassin bug




Lib is a tactile learner -she explores everything with her hands


"Rose" & "Silver Moon" meet for an interpretive dance during a solar eclipse








Fiona the conquerer looks up to see if she's busted
whew these preschoolers wear me out

been on my mind

'cuz it's that time of year. Sadly, I realized the other day that I had never seen a winter tour show. These are the last two shows I saw.

Franklin Co. Airport Field, Highgate, VT (Thursday 6/15/95)

Touch of Grey
Wang Dang Doodle
Peggy-O
El Paso
Ramble On Rose
Black Throated Wind
Loose Lucy
Promised Land

Here Comes Sunshine
Samba in the Rain
Truckin ->
Rollin and Tumblin ->
That Would Be Something ->
He's Gone ->
Drums ->
Space ->
Box of Rain ->
Standing on the Moon ->
Sugar Magnolia

E: Liberty

*(Bob Dylan opened)*
*(first Rollin and Tumblin)*


Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA (Friday 6/30/95)

Hell In A Bucket
West L.A. Fadeaway
Take Me To The River
Candyman
Masterpiece
Bird Song
Promised Land

Rain
Box Of Rain
Samba In The Rain
Looks Like Rain ->
Terrapin ->
Drums ->
Space ->
I Need A Miracle ->
Standing On The Moon

E: Gloria

*(Rusted Root opened)*
*(soundcheck included It's A Man's World, Truckin)*

VT, Nikki & I drove to upstate NY to pick up my bro on the way (he was camp counselor that summer). It was a fun 3 day adventure. Camping at Lake Champlain the night b4 the show. It was the first show I had been to where it seemed the crowd was overwhelmingly college students. So very entertaining how many of them split when the band got into a deep, almost ominous sounding drums/space. The cops the morning after the show trying to get folks to leave the parking areas by running their sirens nonstop. I had gotten a little shuteye so we left when I got really annoyed. VT is so unbelievably beautiful. Like CO but green. Really green.

Nikki slept through Dylan's whole set, just like that. You remember how it always seemed like there were people who just had to be somewhere else than where they were during the show? You know, always cutting through the crowd...where did they come from? where were they going & why? It must have looked like there was a path in front of us where Nikki was sleeping b/c we had to stop so many people from cutting through & stepping on her. This was her 3rd show, @ 6 years old.

Who would ever have thunk that 40 days after the PGH show, it would all be over. Can't remember where I was when the space shuttle blew up, but I sure as heck remember the day Jerry died. Don't you?

Happy Summer Solstice!

I can't believe that this day is already here. The longest day of the year. And now the days will get shorter. Already? I mean, c'mon, I was just getting used to the longer daylight hours. Starting tomorrow, we'll have less of them. In my ideal world, days would be longer like this for at least 3 months a year. -and don't say, "well, they are longer for 1/2 the year." That's not what I mean. Not growing longer for 6 months then shorter for 6 months. I want it to be 1/2 day & 1/2 night for 3 months. Maybe I should move to AK? No, I don't want full on daylight for months at a time, just a longer days with some night or some version of it. I remember when we were in Scotland on this day 8 years ago. We were in the Highlands staying Carbisdale Castle that had been converted for use as a hostel. It never got fully dark outside. It was like twilight all night long. The next night we were at a B&B on a little sheep croft in Keiss close to the north eastern shore. The husband & wife there said that they easily could work too late because of the extra daylight hours. I could go on, & maybe when I get out the pics & post them, I will. I didn't journal it, so it's all from memory. If there is any place in the world that I would love to visit again, it would be Scotland. We were there for a month & saw alot yet so little. We really had a great opportunity to live "locally" & get to know a bit about the place & people. I am truly grateful for that opportunity & for the friend who invited us to stay.

flashback

interesting tidbit:

Following the September 11th attacks, Clear Channel created a list of "songs with questionable lyrics"; RATM has the dubious distinction of being the only band to have all its songs on the list.

Right on. And what exactly does "questionable" mean? lyrics that "question" the US government? Lyrics that cause people to "question" the morality of an unchecked capitalism which only serves to keep a select few in power while the masses toil to survive? What state has the motto "give me freedom or give me death", btw? or what's the other one? "don't tread on me"? Potent phrases and quite meaningful way back in the day, if you think about it. Protesting a government that was doing us wrong. Fairly meaningless in today's society b/c "questioning" our esteemed leaders is unpatriotic, no matter how wrong they are. Bah. I'm way off on a tangent. & I'm starting to feel my blood boil, just thinking about it. Grrrrr.

the only time I had the privilege of seeing RATM was Lollapalooza '93 with this lineup:
Main Stage: Primus, Alice in Chains, Dinosaur Jr., Fishbone, Arrested Development, Front 242, Babes in Toyland, Rage Against the Machine

Side Stage: Tool, Sebadoh, Cell, Unrest, Mercury Rev, Mosquito, Free Kitten, Royal Trux, Tsunami, Mutabaruka, The Cocktails, Scrawl, Luscious Jackson, Genitorturers, Truly, Eggs, Girls Against Boys, Thurston Moore, Glue, Karl Hendrick's Trio, Hurl

For some reason I remember Tool being on the main stage. I could be wrong. Good show, Rage & Tool being my faves, Alice in Chains not bad too. I just remember we had seats towards the back of the amphitheatre near a hand railing & people from GA hoisting themselves up over the railing all around us in an effort to rush the stage. I was not in a rush the stage mood that day, so it was a little annoying.

I miss the energy of a large music festival. The last one I attended was probably Further Fest at what was then Fiddler's Green...& that gives you some idea as to how many years have passed since then. I went with my friend Sandy & Maddie was a babe in arms (we couldn't bring the backpack in.) Mad enjoyed the dancing, of course. We had to stay out in GA even though we had tickets for seats b/c the sound under the amphitheatre was too loud. Just as well, it was easier to dance. I do remember handing Mad off to Sandy briefly so I could at least check out our seats. They were decent seats, courtesy of B. I remember that when I showed up, his gfriend wasn't too happy & sat down pouting. Whatever.

I wouldn't mind seeing Projekt Revolution this year. It conflicts with the Snowmass Jazz Festival, though, which I would also like to see. hmmmm, Linkin Park? Allman's? Linkin Park? Allman's? decisions decisions....

how 'bout them apples?

(lifted from Yahoo news)

TORONTO - Sidney Crosby skated away with the Hart Trophy on Thursday night, becoming the NHL's youngest MVP since Wayne Gretzky.

The vote wasn't even close. The 19-year-old Pittsburgh captain — who received his trophy from six-time winner Gordie Howe — got 91 first-place votes and 1,225 points in a poll of Professional Hockey Writers' Association members.

"To get that from him was obviously a huge honor. Everyone knows the history and what he's done for the game," said Crosby, who led the Penguins to a 105-point season, second best in team history, before they were eliminated in the first round by Ottawa.

Gretzky won his first Hart with Edmonton in 1980, and followed it with seven more in a row at the start of an unparalleled 20-year career during which he won the Hart a record nine times. When Gretzky won for the first time, he was five months younger than Crosby, who turns 20 in August.

Two weeks ago to the day, Crosby was made the youngest captain in NHL history. So has this been the best two weeks of his young life?

"I haven't won the Stanley Cup yet so ask me after that," he said. "But this has been a couple of memorable weeks."

The Hart was given out at the end of the awards ceremony, which was supposed to be shown live in the United States on cable channel Versus, but a technical glitch prevented the station from showing the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's live feed. Versus planned to air it later Thursday night.

Crosby began the evening with a trophy, too. Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper gave the Pearson Award, an MVP prize voted on by the players' union, to the teenager from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia.

Vancouver goalie Roberto Luongo was second with 25 first-place votes and 801 points. New Jersey goalie Martin Brodeur was third with 21 first-place votes and 763 points, though he got to take home the Vezina Trophy for top goalie.

Brodeur was also chosen as the goalie on the all-NHL first team. Detroit's Nicklas Lidstrom and Anaheim's Scott Niedermayer were the defensemen and wingers Dany Heatley of Ottawa and Alex Ovechkin of Washington were forwards along with, yep, Crosby.

"The fans love him," Brodeur said. "Everybody seems to be on his wagon, and that's well deserved. He's going to be like Gretzky in making the NHL a better sport."

Crosby led the NHL with 120 points (36 goals, 84 assists) this season, earning him the Ross Trophy and making him the seventh in league history to win the Hart, Pearson and Ross. Vincent Lecavalier's 52 regular-season goals entitled him to collect the Maurice Richard Trophy.

Last season, Crosby came away empty-handed when he lost out on the Calder Trophy to top rookie Alex Ovechkin.

This season, fellow Penguin Evgeni Malkin took home the Calder. The 20-year-old Russian beat out teammate Jordan Staal and Colorado's Paul Stastny.

kids are talkin' about:

"look Fi, mommy's knitting herself," says Lib as I was using a 13" size 8 as a back scratcher this morning.

"look! a mouse! pet it!," exclaims Lib as she walks in the house, freshly dead mouse rescued from Cody's clutches cradled in her hand. They buried it in our new pet cemetary -next to the late bess beetle- headstone & all. Lib promptly dug it back up.

"mommy spilled her brains out her ear & it fell on the sidewalk," explained Maddie to Fi & Lib when they inquired what was wet spilled on the back path near the clothesline (it was my mojito that I had sadly kicked over.) Lib & Fi commence to tip their heads to the side & smack the upper sides of their heads in an attempt to do the same.

ice cream cake is more than food...

Ice cream cake is FUN




"I'm making a house"
a future in architecture?






Are we having fun yet?

yes, we are definitely having fun now

more birthday pics

yummy yummy DQ
she didn't want to have fun b/c the new bike wasn't cooperating in the dark street.

she's trying to smile...she does have this very large slice of ice cream cake

finally a little smile emerges

breaking up is hard to do (spoiler)

So that was it. That was the season finale. I suppose it could have been a long drawn out good-bye, you know the kind where everyone walks to the door but no one opens it so that everyone just stands in the foyer talking for another hour. Then someone opens the door & everyone moves out to the porch to continue the "goodbyes". Eventually everyone moves to the car still goodbye-ing, but then you do have to get in, start the engine, put it in reverse & leave, arm out the window waving, a couple honks as you drive away. It could have been a 3 or 4 week finale. Or maybe it was. Actually, if you think about it, it was a 9 week goodbye. Not bad, not bad. What more could I ask for? I mean, other than for the series to not end. Philly finally bought it, so that wraps up the NY b.s...kind of. It was quite an abrupt end to that particular episode though. I yelled b/c I thought my t.v. had quit working as it is wont to do the past year or so. But no. It was like someone closed a book. The story wasn't really over, just that the book was closed. G thought it was that the audience got whacked. "you just got whacked, life goes on for the Soprano family, but you're dead so you don't know what happens" theory. I suppose. But I think it leaves room for a possible reunion type episode or season on down the road. Possible. Can't imagine there being a movie as the rumor mill is suggesting. There is no way to encompass the essence of The Family in a two hour movie. It's a weekly thing. And it actually was a fitting finale. Nothing too over the top, just a little shock & horror & then the usual day to day stuff. (what, you didn't jump just a little when Philly got shot? And then you didn't squirm just a little & say "eeeeew" as the scene ended?) -sigh-I can't complain but I can -sigh-. And I can watch the series from the very beginning & look at it from a different angle. Which is sounding better all the time. Like a freshly wounded relationship, you keep reading the letters, the emails, reliving scenes in your head, looking for clues & insight. 'Cause I'm just not ready to admit that it's over.

flashback

I was thinking about my eldest daughter & of course this song this song came to mind. (actually I was watching Slash on Utube & my mind naturally wandered to this song, which in turn brought to mind the wonderful, the incredible, the one & only NIKKI). We lived in Lawerenceville when she was a newborn...Stanton Ave...that small upstairs apartment. I danced w/ her in my arms & sang to her this particular song. She would look up at me with her big baby eyes full of wonder, soaking in every detail, big smile on her face...moments I will never forget. She was such a good baby...turned out to be such an awesome kid...and now? OMG! She's an adult?!? How did this happen? Seems like yesterday. We were so young & had so much...life. I wouldn't change a thing. How life changes...I remember so much & forget some too. And it's all good. (FYI, she even has this very ringtone on her phone just for me. Love ya Snickerdoodle!)

olde town arvada...fountain fun

more McIlvoy Pk pics

Madster discovers the joys of easy climbing in a pine tree
Fi & friend discover sap

friday picnic @ McIlvoy Pk

goobers


Fi offers a leg up...it was fun just watching them try, try, try again.


I'm bored. bored. bored. bored.



koala bear in a previous life


look I finally have enough hair for pigtails