Like millions around the world, I watched the inauguration of our 44th president today. It was quite a celebration.
I recall the John F Kennedy moment of January 1961: Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country! That was a great moment and a great memory.
Now that I have a grandchild I have this reflection of our nation. Our country has been great for us, and it will be great again for him. So help us God.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Sunday Music and Old Traditions
We prefer to call it tradition instead of saying our life is in a rut. The tradition for Sunday mornings is reading the Sunday edition of the LA Times while listening to five (5) CDs. Five is the format of our current CD player. Our collection of CDs is so large and disorganized that if I wanted to listen to a specific song, it might take me a while to find it. But that is not important since I like about 98% or more of the CDs we own. So anything Son chooses will be great. Today I got up later than usual, and Son’s selections were well into the third CD. After his five were heard, I was then privileged to pick the next five CDs.
The first CD I picked is one that some people might classify as elevator music, but I enjoy it because it has the traditional Mexican music done with symphonic twist.
I bought this CD in the early 1990s when a professor at Cal State Fullerton introduced me to Luis Cobos. Included with the folkloric songs is also the Moncayo themes of "Huapango" which I really love.
But, it was hearing some of the traditional folkloric dance music that brought some childhood memories. The nuns at St. Anthony’s School taught us some of the dances to perform for our parents at the end of the school year. As I was listening to “Las Chiapanecas” (literally, the women or girls from the state of Chiapas), it was easy to remember the right time to do the double clap, but harder to remember the steps that the nuns taught us for the dance. I was surprised that I could at least remember some of them—did not mean to imply that I could execute the dance, though. When “La Raspa” came on, I easily remembered the steps, but those steps required much more agility than “Las Chiapanecas.”
I wish that I had some photos of those programs at St. Anthony’s when my sister and I attended there, but I don’t. Last summer, however, I did take a few photos of articles that had appeared in the Robstown Record in 1949-1950. When I saw this group picture of children, I identified with them immediately. I recognized the stage where I had danced “Las Chiapanecas” two or three years before them.
The first CD I picked is one that some people might classify as elevator music, but I enjoy it because it has the traditional Mexican music done with symphonic twist.
I bought this CD in the early 1990s when a professor at Cal State Fullerton introduced me to Luis Cobos. Included with the folkloric songs is also the Moncayo themes of "Huapango" which I really love.
But, it was hearing some of the traditional folkloric dance music that brought some childhood memories. The nuns at St. Anthony’s School taught us some of the dances to perform for our parents at the end of the school year. As I was listening to “Las Chiapanecas” (literally, the women or girls from the state of Chiapas), it was easy to remember the right time to do the double clap, but harder to remember the steps that the nuns taught us for the dance. I was surprised that I could at least remember some of them—did not mean to imply that I could execute the dance, though. When “La Raspa” came on, I easily remembered the steps, but those steps required much more agility than “Las Chiapanecas.”
I wish that I had some photos of those programs at St. Anthony’s when my sister and I attended there, but I don’t. Last summer, however, I did take a few photos of articles that had appeared in the Robstown Record in 1949-1950. When I saw this group picture of children, I identified with them immediately. I recognized the stage where I had danced “Las Chiapanecas” two or three years before them.
Click on the photo to read the names of the children. The only boy in the photo went on to become a local/regional celebrity who had his own tv series of variety shows. He is now known as Johnny Canales instead of Juanito Canales.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Christmas Tulips in Bloom
My niece and sister-in-law gave me a really sweet gift for Christmas. Thank you very much. As you can see, I have been really enjoying your gift. They are well aware that I love flowers and gardening. The major jobs in gardening are getting a bit much for me, now, but I still can do the 'little' jobs.
The gift: three tulip bulbs in water. I wish I had started photographing the growth from Christmas day, but just the last three days have been dramatic enough.
Since I grew up in South Texas, I always thought a tulip was something esoteric, and I can't recall that we ever had any tulips growing in our vicinity. Since moving to California I have had limited success with tulips. They will be in bloom when I purchase them (just before Easter), and then never again will I see a flower. I have tried storing them in the freezer, but that did not help.
Daffodils have been more responsive. I can usually count on daffodils coming up around the time for my birthday. Hope I get to see some this year. I like all flowers.
The gift: three tulip bulbs in water. I wish I had started photographing the growth from Christmas day, but just the last three days have been dramatic enough.
This was on Monday.
Here is Tuesday.
And, this one was taken tonight.
But I think my favorite photo is this one that I Photoshopped some effects. I like to do that just to see what comes out.
Since I grew up in South Texas, I always thought a tulip was something esoteric, and I can't recall that we ever had any tulips growing in our vicinity. Since moving to California I have had limited success with tulips. They will be in bloom when I purchase them (just before Easter), and then never again will I see a flower. I have tried storing them in the freezer, but that did not help.
Daffodils have been more responsive. I can usually count on daffodils coming up around the time for my birthday. Hope I get to see some this year. I like all flowers.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
New Year, New Calendar
First day of the new year means I had to choose a new calendar. I receive many mailing labels from charitable organizations, and a number of them have sent me calendars, too. I like the one with flowers, so I will keep that one in the kitchen where we write down all our appointments. The calendar with pictures of wild life is very attractive, too. Maybe that will go in my sewing room--don't have to check that one for coming commitments. I keep a mini calendar by the telephone in the kitchen/dining area. The medium-size calendar with the pictures done by the Mouth and Foot Painting Artists is kept by my computer.
Then there is still another calendar that I frequently refer to and that is the pocket sized one where I keep all the information that is on the first calendar--the one in the kitchen with everyone's appointments. I carry that calendar in my purse. It is handy to have all that information with me when I am at the dentist's office and need to make the next appointment. I know some people keep their calendar in their computer, but I need to have all these calendars to keep me informed of what is coming up next.
The calendars that I remember when I was a child were usually hung in the kitchen area. I remember a popular picture of a calendar was of a beautiful couple of Indians. I remember reference being made to the woman as "La Mujer Dormida" and of the man as "Popo." Not much else explanation do I remember being given at the time. If it was, it probably had little meaning to me at the time. It was not until probably about the time I was a teen-ager that I learned about the legend of the star-crossed lovers Mixtli and Popoca. It is a beautiful story (reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet) of the formation of the volcanoes Ixtaccihuatl and Popcatépetl.
The other type of calendar I remember we had was one courtesy of the funeral home or of the Catholic church. I liked that one better because every day had the name of a saint. I never found my name among the saints' in the calendars, but I remember that San Fidel was the name on my birthday. The other thing the calendar had were symbols of fish for every Friday and other days designated to be meatless days. I think during Lent there were lot of "fishy" days, too. It also listed the holy days of obligation--when we had to go to Mass! I think I mainly enjoyed reading all the names of the Saints and hoped that one day there would be a saint listed with my name.
Then there is still another calendar that I frequently refer to and that is the pocket sized one where I keep all the information that is on the first calendar--the one in the kitchen with everyone's appointments. I carry that calendar in my purse. It is handy to have all that information with me when I am at the dentist's office and need to make the next appointment. I know some people keep their calendar in their computer, but I need to have all these calendars to keep me informed of what is coming up next.
The calendars that I remember when I was a child were usually hung in the kitchen area. I remember a popular picture of a calendar was of a beautiful couple of Indians. I remember reference being made to the woman as "La Mujer Dormida" and of the man as "Popo." Not much else explanation do I remember being given at the time. If it was, it probably had little meaning to me at the time. It was not until probably about the time I was a teen-ager that I learned about the legend of the star-crossed lovers Mixtli and Popoca. It is a beautiful story (reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet) of the formation of the volcanoes Ixtaccihuatl and Popcatépetl.
The other type of calendar I remember we had was one courtesy of the funeral home or of the Catholic church. I liked that one better because every day had the name of a saint. I never found my name among the saints' in the calendars, but I remember that San Fidel was the name on my birthday. The other thing the calendar had were symbols of fish for every Friday and other days designated to be meatless days. I think during Lent there were lot of "fishy" days, too. It also listed the holy days of obligation--when we had to go to Mass! I think I mainly enjoyed reading all the names of the Saints and hoped that one day there would be a saint listed with my name.
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