Tuesday, February 9, 2016

ROMANCE AND DEATH ON A WINTER NIGHT





Snow again. Monday night, Tuesday, today. Finally dwindling to flurries this afternoon. Soft, wayward, drifting flakes. Annoyingly cold. My fingers and toes are numb. Everything is very still, except for the occasional squabble of hungry birds - and random, distant blasts from hunter's rifles.

It's 20 degrees (Fahrenheit) this afternoon. The nights are bitterly cold. This is the coldest house I ever lived in (ha, that's what I said about my Texas house, too). Bosco always sleeps under the covers, which helps keep me warm.

my back yard this morning

I summoned the courage to drive into town last Friday. Got groceries in anticipation of the predicted storm. Very early this morning I made soup from the turkey leftovers. I'm actually going to make two pots of it. I forgot to buy bouillon and V-8, which always enhances the flavor, but what the hell - I'm the only guest. And I never complain about my cooking.


 This is just before I started cooking the soup. Raw veggies and onions floating on top (it looks much better now...)

Had an unbelievably bad migraine last night. My vision was so impaired that I couldn't see. I get migraines frequently. My mother used to get them.
The migraine induced a panic attack. I'm miles from civilization. An ambulance could never get here on icy mountain roads.....
I'm really f***k up. Or screwed up. No matter how you look at it. 



Paris, snow, romance, death

I immensely calmed my nerves by watching  a performance of La Boheme.
( a snowy, winter story of romance....and impending death - - what could be more appropriate on a frigid winter night?).
This was the 2009 film version, with Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon.
(it's available on YouTube)

Villazon is not exactly my favorite Rudolpho....
but Netrebko is exquisite as Mimi...I'm hopelessly in love with her.

And as for all of you little sniveling, nitpicking Netrebko critics - - you're just jealous.


Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon

Here's an old, raw & unedited rehearsal tape of me playing shreds of music from La Boheme. (music by Puccini, in case you didn't know).
Taped in my San Angelo music studio on a broiling 110 degree (Fahrenheit) summer day. 
I was way past my prime and hopelessly out of practice, but - what the hell..... 




23 comments:

  1. I worry about you way out there alone. Can you get good cell phone service so that you can call your cousin? Beautiful music!

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    1. Thanks, Paula. It's actually nice to know that others worry about me. I do have a cell phone but the connection isn't always reliable. Fortunately, my cousin checks up on me regularly.

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  2. Jon,
    Your prose is beautiful. I wish I could write as well as you. Just one more reason why I am one of your devoted blog followers. Migraine headaches, thankfully that's something I've never experienced. My youngest bother John has frequent bouts of them, so much so that they completely destabilize him (he has to lie down flat on his back). Something else I've never had is an ear ache but I have my arthritis, and believe me, that's enough. I do worry Jon that you are so far from emergency medical help. This Saturday a low temperature of 3 degrees is predicted. Reminds me of this time last year when the temperature was 5 degrees when I fell and severed my quadricep leg muscle. That was on February 17th, a date which I will always remember. Be careful in that show when you're out there taking your beautiful photos!
    Ron

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    1. Hey, flattery will get you everywhere, Ron! Far more women seem to get migraines than men - - but I have a lot of the same ailments that my Mom had (sinus infections, etc.) It hardly seems possible that a year has passed since your fall. You've made a remarkable recovery - - but this winter ice is SO treacherous.... Los Angeles is starting to look better & better.....

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    2. Jon,
      I went to work yesterday afternoon while the treacherous snow was falling. I already informed my manager that I wasn't shoveling snow and he agreed with me. The owner came in later on in my shift and shoveled the snow. All is well. I am being very careful this year not to fall, which is more possible because of my enriching arthritis. I never want to go through in my life what I went through last year.
      Ron

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  3. When the temp gets to 20f in my town, people start frolicking in shorts. Don't move to Montana (or Minnesota, etc), I currently have around 3 feet of snow in my front yard, and still have 3 or 4 monts of winter ahead.
    And nice playing, very nice indeed.

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    1. Since Tennessee is a southern state, I always assumed that winters here were more mild (well, they are compared to your neck of the woods). Fortunately it doesn't last long - I can start relaxing after February......I hope.....

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  4. OK, I should be a jewish momma. Like Paula, I worry about you, Jon!

    On a lighter note ... your soup sounds yummy! I never thought to add V8 to the mix. Unless I can craft a brew pot in the back yard to harness the sun's rays, it's going to be a long time before I willingly turn on the stove. 86-degrees today and higher temps are predicted in the coming days. :(

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    1. As I told Paula, it's always comforting to know that others worry about me. 86 degrees in February - - holy crap, you could cook a turkey with the sun's rays.
      When I first moved to Texas I lived in San Angelo and it was near 100 degrees on Halloween! I never saw a jack-o-lantern sweat before.....

      I( only use a small amount of V-8 in my soup - - just enough to give it a little "kick".

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  5. There's something beautiful about all those ingredients in a clear broth --without the V-8-- and something audibly beautiful in your clip with both hands spanning 7 to 8 keys. A magnificent interpretation that I thoroughly enjoyed. Thank you, Jon. You are remarkable.

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    1. Well, you're certainly right about liking a clear broth - I agree. As I told Myra (above) I only use a small amount of V-8, mostly just to give the soup a flavorful "kick". It actually depends on my mood. This time it tastes good without it.

      You have sharp eyes to notice my 7-8 key spreads. I incorporate a lot of octaves into my "stuff". Actually, I can span 10 keys with my right hand and almost 12 with my left.

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    2. Show off...

      ...I can put 4 Hostess Twinkies in my mouth.

      :-)

      -Andy

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    3. All at the same time? I'm impressed.

      I'll leave my X-rated thoughts to myself....

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  6. Beautifully played! Really made my night :-)

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    1. Hey, Dylan, many thanks. It isn't often that I can make someone's night (at least not lately).

      BTW - I read the introduction to your poetry book last night (on Amazon) and I really liked your honesty. I have a feeling that the story of your life would make a good memoir.

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    2. Thanks a lot, Jon. I value your opinion big time :-)

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  7. Replies
    1. I'll try to think warm and safe thoughts.....

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  8. Hi, Jon. Sorry my presence on your blogs has been scarce recently - or, rather, non-present. Part of the reason is this ever-slower computer - but also, must admit, partly my own laziness. Your postings tend to be immeasurably more substantial than most of them so I tend to put off reading and replying to them until, when I do, they've gone way past the 'sell-by' date. But at least I've caught you in reasonable time on this one.

    If you'd mentioned before that you were a migraine sufferer (and you must have) then I'd forgotten, which I shouldn't have done. Not being one myself I've always been grateful to have such good fortune. I've met a number of sufferers in my life (mainly through doing my voluntary works - now past) and I can't begin to imagine the reality of what it must be like, though I have seen sufferers in their agony. Even just the thought of it now sends shivers through me. You absolutely do have my total sympathy - and with my best wishes that such future bouts, if and when they do come, are each time not quite as severe as the previous one; though I know that's an awfully big hope.

    'La Boheme' is indeed a lovely opera. Over-performed, perhaps, but there's no taking away from the glorious music. Sorry that your own weather has been far worse than she would ever have experienced in Paris.

    I'm still soundless here, and will be until I can find some way to get an entirely new computer - but that possibility hasn't even come over the horizon yet. Sorry I'm not able to experience your own performance(s). It really frustrates me - so near yet so far!

    I'll try to keep up with your blogs better in coming times - but I fear you've probably heard that before. However, can but try.

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    1. Hey, Ray, thanks for the visit. I left a response to this comment on your blog.

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    2. 'Ta' for your comment on my 'Dad's Army' post, Jon. An answer is now there too.

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  9. The solitude you have there is a precious thing, but I can see how it could also be a dangerous thing if you need help and can't reach anyone. Too bad you don't have an amateur radio license. With your altitude, you'd be able to reach a lot of repeaters to call for help. Take care of yourself!

    Thanks for sharing a bit of your music with us. Beautiful.

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    1. I admittedly get a little nervous here in the middle of the night when I'm snowed in and isolated. Solitude is WONDERFUL but it does have limits.....

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