Dear Diary #MusicMovesMe

It's Monday, and it's time for music!  

Today I am joining up with other Music Moves Me bloggers (and you can join us at the linky above). We are a group of music loving bloggers who blog about music each Sunday or Monday (or even later in the week). If you have music to share with us, you are most welcome to join! (Music Posts Only-meaning at least one music video, please! Otherwise, your post link may be labeled "No Music" or even removed.)   We have occasional theme weeks, but you are welcome to ignore the theme and use music of your choice.  Why not join us?  You don't have to sing, or play an instrument.  All music lovers are welcome. 

Today's theme is "today is "Dear Diary Day" according to the National Day calendar.  Run with this prompt the way you are moved to and have fun!"

I never wrote a diary, although, in a way, blogs can become a type of personal journaling.  Diaries are supposed to be private, but let's look at some songs about reading diaries or making a song-diary entry. 

The song that immediately came to mind was Bread's 1972 hit "Diary".  I always cried a little when I heard this song.  You'll know why as you get towards the end. 

Hard to believe this song is almost 20 years ago.  Here's a 2006 hit - The Diary of Jane - Breaking Benjamin.  This song was inspired by a real life murdered Jane Doe, buried with no one knowing of her life story.

This is such a beautifully sung song - Dear John (Taylor's version) from Taylor Swift.  This is one of her breakup songs, singing about a relationship she had with an older man when she was only 19, a relationship that became manipulative as the man took advantage of her youth.

Finally, a group I discovered in researching this post talks about the Book of Love.  Maybe it's a diary  Who knows?  Here's the Book of Love from Magnetic Fields.  Lead singer and songwriter Stephen Merritt has such a deep bass voice.

And that's a wrap!

Join me again next week for another episode of Music Moves Me. 

Down the Stairs #ShadowshotSunday

It was a beautiful late August day, and the shadows invited me to go down the stairs.

 What would I see at the bottom? 

These beautiful flowers. 

Tomorrow is the first day of fall where I live, and soon these flowers will be a memory. 

Joining Lisa at This and That-A Blog for her #ShadowshotSunday. 

September 17 Sunset #SkywatchFriday

We had another beautiful sunset on Wednesday.

I didn't have much time to capture it, as I walked quickly to where I could get some pictures.

I missed the actual sunset by about 10 minutes, but the afterglow was wonderful. 

Hard to believe fall begins in just a few days.

Joining Yogi and other skywatchers for #SkywatchFriday. 

Random September 17 Photos #WordlessWednesday

 Today, in honor of a late dear friend, I am posting some random photos taken September 17 several years ago in the Pittsford, New York area. 

This giant golfball statue has an interesting history.  I must have been in the right place at the right time. 

Asters in bloom along the Erie Canal.

This person's back yard includes the Erie Canal.

 Dear friend, may you continue to rest in peace. You are missed.

Joining Sandee at Comedy Plus for her #WordlessWednesday.

Garden Bloggers Bloom Day September 15 2025

 (If you are looking for my Music Moves Me post, please click here).

September 15 already...it's time for Garden Bloggers Bloom Day.

It's been dry in my zone 6a garden in the Southern Tier, and my plants look just a bit - tired?  Perhaps they feel the decreasing daylight, despite the warm temperatures, and know that their time is almost up. But besides that, I have an issue with one of my knees, and there has been not too much weeding done this year.

Also, either squirrels or chipmunks have been digging in my flowerpots, Yes, I know they have the instinct to bury nuts for the winter, but do they have to try to kill my plants, too?  Sigh. 

But I still have plenty of flowers to show you.  First, my front bed.

My sedum is coloring up nicely.
 

Garlic chives are thriving among the weeds.

 My two tall phlox is petering out, but I have a few blooms left to show you.  First, dark pink.

Light pink. 

Yellow lantana.

The sweet peas are out of control this year, spreading everywhere and are still flowering sporadically.  I didn't have the time to take care of their pea pods so I'm sure they will reseed profusely. Next year I may have a lot of pulling to do. 

In the back yard, red fuchsia. 
 

Zig-zag goldenrod. (I should point out here that all of my wildflowers were procured from wildflower nurseries or growers.)

Pink turtlehead.  

Coral bells.

Finally, there is one flower missing, my Japanese Anemone.  None of the flowers have opened yet, alas.

But if you want to see more flowers, how about visiting the owner of this meme, Carol at May Dreams Gardens , to see her flowers and other gardening blogs from all over the world?

 

Hope They Find Their Paradise #MusicMovesMe #ShadowshotSuday

It's Sunday, and time for two memes.

Each Monday, I normally join a music meme called Music Moves Me.  Today, I am combining Music Moves Me with Shadowshot Sunday.

But first, the music.

Today I am joining up with other Music Moves Me bloggers (and you can join us at the linky below). We are a group of music loving bloggers who blog about music each Sunday or Monday (or even later in the week). If you have music to share with us, you are most welcome tPo join! (Music Posts Only-meaning at least one music video, please! Otherwise, your post link may be labeled "No Music" or even removed.)   We have occasional theme weeks, but you are welcome to ignore the theme and use music of your chice.  Why not join us?  You don't have to sing, or play an instrument.  All music lovers are welcome.

Our head host is Xmas Dolly, and our co-hosts are Cathy from Curious as a Cathy, joined by the knowledgeable Stacy of Stacy Uncorked and, last but not least, me.

This week's theme is "You Pick".  And once again, I must lead off with inductions into Rock and Roll Heaven.

First, Rick Davies, frontman keyboardist, and cofounder of the group Supertramp, died September 5, 2025 at the age of 81, after a long battle with multiple myeloma, a bone marrow cancer.

 I loved Supertramp, and I owned the Breakfast in America album (in vinyl, of course).

 Here is one of Supertramp's hits, Goodbye Stranger, from 1979.

I have several other favorite songs from this group, among them Dreamer. 

Last but not least - School. 

Fun fact, the drummer of one of Davies' early bands was Gilbert O'Sullivan, who went on to his own music career.

The other induction?   Tom Shipley, age 84, one-half of the duo Brewer and Shipley, died August 24, only months after Michael Brewer's death on December 17, 2024.

 Brewer and Shipley were best known for their 1971 ode to cannabis, One Toke Over the Line, which was originally written as a joke but became their only hit. 

And that's a wrap!

Join me again next week for another episode of Music Moves Me. 

But wait!  I'm not done yet.

 Let's retreat to the shadows, with this photo. 

Taken September 8, another Giant Swallowtail has visited one of my tall phlox plants.

I am linking up with #ShadowshotSunday, brought to us by Lisa at This and That - A Blog.

 

September 10 Sunset #SkywatchFriday

 I was late getting back home from some shopping on Wednesday and I needed to take the garbage out.

This is what I saw when I got to the curb with my garbage can.

I didn’t have much time to linger because I had to get supper going, so I stepped into the street (making sure no car was coming!) for a view that wasn’t blocked by trees.

The sunsets make me sad now because they were earlier and earlier each day it won’t be that long before the sun is setting at 4:30 PM.  

Joining Yogi and other skywatching bloggers for #SkywatchFriday.

Just an Ordinary Day

It was an ordinary day where I lived in the United States.  I woke up, got ready for work, arrived at work.  I signed onto my computer and worked on a project.

It was ordinary, until it wasn't.

September 11, 2001.

Today should be an ordinary day.

My spouse and I will get up.  Have breakfast.  My spouse has an appointment today.  It's just another day.

Today is the 24th anniversary of a day when some 3,000 people died in several terrorist attacks. 

We've reached the point where September 11 is only the day on the calendar between September 10 and September 12.   When someone makes an appointment for September 11, or mentions something they are doing on September 11, our mind doesn't catch on the date for a moment. That isn't a bad thing, but people of my generation will remember 9/11 for the rest of our lives.

But about one third of the people living in the United States weren't alive, or were too young to understand what was happening. That includes many teachers.

 How do we teach the importance of 9/11 to that generation?  How do we give them context?  How do we make them care?  Their 9/11 was the COVID epidemic.  Something that happened 24 years ago has become ancient history.

But not for my generation. 

I remember that evening, too, sitting with my preteen son in front of a computer and reading headlines from newspapers all over the world.  It was front page news everywhere, our American tragedy.  Now, newspapers die everyday and we are connected by social media, something we could not have imagined on September 11, 2001.

My son, who is in his 30's, remembers, too.

For our grandchildren, perhaps they will ignore a plaque in the lobby of their high school honoring the alumni who died that day.  This is the plaque in the lobby of my high school with 11 names of alumni who died that day.   But, more likely, they will have their own way of remembering, perhaps the way we who were not alive for Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941) still remember and honor that day.

One of the names on that plaque in my high school is Christian Regenhard.  He was the youngest New York City fire fighter to die on 9/11. He was one of those who ran to danger, making it possible for others to escape and live another day.

Of the 11 people who went to my high school that died that day, two of them left pregnant spouses.  This is the story of one of the children later born, one of the so-called Children of 9/11.

Yes, we who remember, remember September 11, 2001 in different ways. 

My late childhood best friend remembered going to lunchtime concerts on the grounds of the World Trade Center during the summer.  Her husband worked in the area.  On that fateful day, her husband witnessed one of the towers fall but he made it out of Manhattan, covered in so much dust that my friend didn't recognize him when he showed up on their doorstep that afternoon.  

I visited Ground Zero in August of 2002 with my spouse and son.  It is a visit I will never forget.

My father in law was born on a September 11 (although he was no longer with us on that day.)  

So, today is just an ordinary day.  But still, at 8:46 am, I will remember. 

 I hope future generations, in some way, will remember, and apply that learning in their lives, too. 

Almost Fall in New York #WordlessWednesday

 Today, I celebrate almost-fall in New York State, with some beautiful local produce at a local farm stand from several days ago.

Large winter squash and heirloom pumpkins.

Warted pumpkins on the left.

Pumpkins and (in the back) celosia. 

Acorn squash and carnival squash.

 

Joining Sandee at Comedy Plus for her #WordlessWednesday.

Raisins Almonds Turtles and Grandparents #MusicMovesMe

It's Monday and it's time for music! 

Today I am joining up with other Music Moves Me bloggers (and you can join us at the linky above). We are a group of music loving bloggers who blog about music each Sunday or Monday (or even later in the week). If you have music to share with us, you are most welcome tPo join! (Music Posts Only-meaning at least one music video, please! Otherwise, your post link may be labeled "No Music" or even removed.)   We have occasional theme weeks, but you are welcome to ignore the theme and use music of your chice.  Why not join us?  You don't have to sing, or play an instrument.  All music lovers are welcome.

Our head host is Xmas Dolly, and our co-hosts are Cathy from Curious as a Cathy, joined by the knowledgeable Stacy of Stacy Uncorked and, last but not least, me.

This week's theme is "Yesterday was National Grandparents Day.  Either honor yours or your grandchildren with your song picks".

Before I do, though, it's time for a Rock and Roll Heaven induction.  Mark Volman, founding member of the Turtles, died September 5 at the age of 78 after a brief illness.  He was also "Flo" in Flo and Eddie, a musical comedy duo that toured with the Mothers of Invention.

Volman created background tracks for various groups and singers, including T Rex and Bruce Springsteen.  Why did he go under the name Flo?  Because he was forbidden by contractual restrictions from using his real name (or the band name The Turtles) in any musical context.

Here are some of these songs.

From 1967, Happy Together. 

Elenore, from 1967. 

Volman was a backing vocal on T Rex's 1971 hit Bang a Gong (Get It On ). 

He was also a backing vocalist on Bruce Springsteen's 1980 top 10 hit Hungry Heart. 

But now, to our theme.  Ah, grandchildren.  Grandparents. 

Many people have used this 1939 song as a lullaby for their grandchildren:  "You Are My Sunshine". This cover is by Jimmy Davis from 1940. 

Finally, I've had this song on my blog before - it's a song my father used to sing to me and I can imagine that his mother or father, both of whom emigrated from Easter Europe inn the early years of the 20th century, sang it to him.  Here is "Raisins and Almonds",  a Yiddish lullaby originally written in 1880. This recording, in English, is thought to be from around 1949. My parents were both Yiddish speakers.  I am not.

And that's a nostalgic wrap.

Join me again next week for another episode of Music Moves Me.