Monday Music #23

It’s hard to believe the last Monday Music I posted was on February 17,2020. Just before the world around me was totally reprogrammed.

“The Keep Going Song” by the Bengsons came out in October, 2020. It’s silly and profound at the same time. And much better than “This is the Song That Never Ends”!

And we are so lucky and blessed to be safely here
And we thought we’d be here for like ten days, tops!
{What did we know?} What did we know?
{What did we know?} What did we know?
We thought we knew a lot
We thought we knew a lot

Here we are, ten months, not ten days, after this song came out and it feels like we are back at square one.

And if your heart is breaking
I hope it’s breaking open

My heart was broken last year. And though it will never be the same, music helps to heal and soothe.

And I hope that you’ve watched a lot of
Really great television
Like, a lot of it!

I watch TV late at night. I plowed through several series this past year: Still Standing With Johnny Harris, Lost, Manifest, the Good Doctor.

I pray my pain is a river
That flows to the ocean
That connects my pain to yours
And I pray I pray my happiness is like pollen
That flies to you and pollinates your joy oh boy
Oh boy is that possible?
I don’t know I don’t know
We are making this up as we go

I’ve been able to connect my pain and my joy to other widows, most recently via Hope for Widows.

So, take a listen to this song – I hope it makes you smile.

Say Love

I used the song “Living of Love” as a springboard for a post last October. Once again the lyrics hit home. Some days aren’t easy, But, some are surprisingly wonderful. Yesterday was a mix of both. I heard a good message at church, but could hardly sing the hymns for the lump in my throat. I went to Pastor Eric’s home for lunch where I met some new people and got to know them a little bit. I listened to Eric’s mom tell funny stories and remembered my mom who could tell some funny stories. And Mom had a few good jokes up her sleeve, also. Just ask my family about the southern lady on the train.

If the days aren't easy and the nights are rough
When they ask you what you're thinking of
Say love, say for me love
Say love, say for me love

No matter how rough and lonely the nights, I can still Say Love. I think of God’s love and how He has not forsaken me. I think of Chuck’s love and all the little things I miss. I think of my kids’ love and all the ways they show it.

Monday Music #22

I haven’t done a Monday Music in a longtime. Today I discovered some great music and wanted to share it. This group, Cobalt Strings, is a super talented trio of women. Not only that, I discovered them via Amber who is also a very enthusiastic Braves fan!! I love that they all live in Georgia and I hope I can hear them in person someday. Take a listen.

 

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

Monday Music #21

““… for music alone can abolish differences of language or culture between two people and evoke something indestructible within them.” –  from Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky

 

 

St. Johns River 2014

I was introduced to the music of JJ Grey and Mofro, many years back by my daughter. I’ve only seen him in concert twice; once in concurrence with the Jacksonville Symphony (with my daughter)  and then again in Birmingham (with my husband). On my many trips from Jacksonville to Tampa I’ve driven through Lochloosa and I always think of Grey’s love for Florida.

View from the Buckman Bridge – 2013

 

My father-in-law had a little trailer in Astor on the St. Johns River for many years.  The pictures below are from a trip I took up the river with my brother-in-law and niece back in 2012. We went out to Lake George and stopped at Silver Glen Springs. It was one of the most relaxing days I’ve ever spent.

 

 

St. Johns River – 2012

St. Johns River – 2012

This song, This River, grips me every time I hear it. Growing up minutes from the St. Johns in Jacksonville, I never appreciated it like I do now. As a kid, it was just the river we crossed to get to downtown. Now I understand a little more about the vastness and beauty it contains. I long to get back to this river someday.

 

 

 

 

 

Monday Music #20

I discovered a song last week called Walk and Don’t Walk by Guy Clark. Take a listen.

“I’m sittin’ here on the corner of walk and don’t walk”

 

 

I then discovered a similar song made popular by Rhonda Vincent. Both have sentiments that are quite alike.

 

“I’m at the corner of walk and don’t walk and I can’t make up my mind” 

 

Monday Music #18: Woody’s Legacy

 

“For the winds of the years have blown between us and the clouds of many storms have danced around us and it was said many times that we were parted, but distance matters not to friendship and there is no such thing as time.” (in a letter to his friend Cluster Baker)

This year I read Woody Guthrie: A Life by Joe Klein. I learned so much but not just about his life, one that was a combination of brilliance and mental illness, but also a lot of our country’s history. His son and his granddaughter followed in his musical footsteps. I hope you’ll take a listen to all three generations.

WOODY

 

ARLO

 

SARAH LEE

 

Monday Music #17

 

“Roll with it or get rolled over.” – Raven’s tattoo

 

I love the story behind this video and I really love the song. I am new to John Moreland, but this caused me to look up some more of his music.  Take a listen to  Slow Down Easy.  And then watch the video below. Don’t cry…

 

 

 

Monday Music #16

 

Home is where the heart is. How many times have I heard this? But what if your heart is in two places?

 

 

 

“Home again

One day I know

I’ll feel home again…

Moving on, moving on

So I close my eyes

And the tears will clear…”

 

 

Monday Music #15

 

“It seemed so unfair: that time should render both sadness and happiness  into a source of pain” – from A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry

I just love the sound of this song more than anything else. But, there is a message in here, too. Take a listen to Michael Kiwanuka with Love and Hate

 

 

 

 

 

Monday Music #14/Just Breathe

“I have always found that I did not get so tired, and my day seemed shorter, when I listened to the birds singing or noticed, from the window, the beauties of the trees or clouds.”           – Laura Ingalls Wilder