Blackberry Bonus

The blackberries were not finished as i thought they were. With rain, comes mold. And a wet, spider-laden, hazardous thorn bush with bunches of berries now sopped together, morphed into a different dangerous thing, a moldy mass, seems to be a great place to avoid.

But a safe way in was found - late season berry picking. Jam was made before the first rains, which came early. But the freezer bags were only one quarter full. When a picker was spotted after the rain, blackberry hope was rekindled.

Again armed with closed shoes, denim and determination to top up the freezer component of the berry harvest, our intrepid gleaner went forth. To return with buckets full of shiny, perfect blackberries.

The jam is made, the freezer full and the wounds are a few scratches and stings. And a lesson was learned about rain, berries and perseverance.

My Public Library Near The Beach

Things from Sooke Library at New moon, summer, dark moon, 7th month of the Lunar calendar.

1001 Inventions That Changed The World

- wicked series of books, lots of bite sized info. Due back today.

Everything Music Theory Book - Marc Schonbrun

- i learned that scales have formulas and that helps.

Stargazing With Binoculars

- looked at the moon on gibbous waxing, reportedly a better time to see shadows. Me, binoculars, not so much.

The Universe In A Single Atom: the convergence of science and spirituality - HH Dalai Lama

- the Dalai Lama knows his quantum physics. Brilliant but slowgoing, so, much, thinking, - finish another time.

Tibetan Phrasebook

- who knows why i do this to myself

Selected Stories from H.G. Wells - editor Ursula LeGuin

- so far, subversive

Graphic Novels

- we try to read more comics in summer. I love being an adult.

Fables v.1, 1001 Nights

The Goon v.1, v.5

Umbrella Academy v.1 & 2

The Wizard's Tale

- gorgeous art, same artist that did The Illustrated Hobbit.

Kids Books

- anybody can take out kids books.

Tibetan Tales For Little Buddhas

Forests of Secrets

Music

Mary Gauthier Between Daylight & Dark

Fred Eaglesmith From The Paradise Motel

DVD

Luxury Car

The Gleaner's -Agnes Varda; brilliant, brilliant, beautiful, brilliant

Treat your library item's like you borrowed them from a friend. A friend you like.

The Green Fuse

After a late night high tide on a full moon everything changes.

The once stark sand bars of the Sooke River delta have began to glow green with new life. Green like a tennis ball, or a lime popsicle, these new plant varieties take on unnatural shades of green. It matches the baby geese's plumage. And many new birds need for food.

During the full moon, the tides take more severe swings; higher highs, lower lows. It was a rainy night too, so the river estuary gets full and life at the water's edge changes.

The morning's low tide exposes a tree top of the same new-life green, grounded on the beach. It's a branch from a large Big leaf maple and its budding upper tips, now horizontal and in the water, are not destined for maturity. A span of 45 cm, a single leaf is a thing to see.

From green buds to glowing sea plants and baby geese on this foggy and fluorescent morning, my senses are filled with the ebb and flow of life.

By Gregg and Linda

By Gregg Koep and Linda Hughes
Benaulum, Goa, India
January 2002

Blow Up At Take-Off

David Bowie Major Tom Space Odyssey

I have acquired a different version of this song than the one I grew up with. I had a black cassette tape of Changes 1 David Bowie. I always liked his music. His persona was at a greater distance from me. Granted it was 1982 or so. His trippy stuff was from the 70s. His persona as Ziggy Stardust. But it was all David Bowie. His performances were a key to his magic.

I passed up a show in 1984 - David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, and the Tubes. My buddy, Mark, raved about it. A worthy, trippy show. I finally saw him in 1987. A life-changing period and a wicked show. Georgia Satellites, Duran Duran, and David Bowie - Glass Spider Tour.

Satellites were rockin. We were late. No Booze Allowed at the gate. Good thing we ate all those shrooms.

The problem with getting intoxicated before a concert is the drug becomes the experience. I loved the music, but we had our own show going on.

When Challenger blew up in 1986 (73 seconds after take-off), I recorded a radio broadcast of its immediate and utter failure.

I kept it for years, waiting to follow it up with Space Odyssey for a killer intro to a mixed tape. It never happened.

Ground Control to Major Tom, commencing countdown, engines on.
Check ignition and may God's love be with you.

By this time, in 2010, I keep few cassettes, and my current version of Space Odyssey is not even a CD - digital only. I could probably find the original Challenger broadcast. Today's technology makes it easy.

Technology allows me to get this photo and read all about Challenger, Bowie and 1986. Because a teacher was going into space, many students watched. I only heard the radio broadcast. That was enough. Today is the anniversary of that explosion.