Autumn Reflections

Quite The Pair

A bit of Fall whimsy.     :)

The Music Man

Jim "Red" Pope 

1929-2009

That’s my Dad, looking rather rakish, back in 1949. He was an accomplished musician from an early age.
He played the guitar, the piano, the violin (fiddle) and bass violin (known as a bass fiddle in bluegrass/country music).

At the age of 5, he played the violin in a symphony orchestra! Mom couldn’t find the photo but I bet he was a cute little stinker. He grew up winning many County Fair fiddling contests across New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.

During the 1940’s he played with the Lee Bell band. They had their own radio show. In 1954, they had their own television show on KSWS in Roswell, New Mexico.  We moved to Indiana where he played with the Ray Kizer band then, later, with the Dixie Drifters. He played with them until 1970.

The uniforms they‘re wearing, in all the photos, were designed by Dad and sewn by his aunt Esther.

The Lee Bell Band

Fiddling duo- Lee Bell band (I found this photo on the internet)

The Ray Kizer Band

The Dixie Drifters

Then, he moved to Lubbock Texas to play with former members of the Lee Bell band who formed a new band headed by Jimmy Blakley. Jimmy owned the Palm Room nightclub and they played there until the late 80’s.

Over the years he was invited to sit in with many famous bands such as Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys, Tex Ritter, Rex Allen, and Eddy Arnold.

I remember my favorite song that Dad played on the fiddle. It was “Pop Goes The Weasel”. He would play a line, then move the fiddle to the top of his head, play a line, move it behind his back, behind his knees, under one leg, then the other-- never missing a beat. It was such fun to watch and a real crowd pleaser.

We all miss him and his music very much.
 
Further reading:

http://www.bigvjamboree.com/LeeBellStory.htm

http://www.hillbilly-music.com/groups/story/index.php?groupid=13527

Sunset Rose

 

"Sunset Rose" 

Sunset falls on a lonely flower,
With petals of crimson flame,
And for just one golden hour,
Its beauty, all nature proclaims.
Basking in resplendent beam,
A blossom of colored glass.
The dew drops all like crystal gleam,
As fond mem'ries of the past.

~Unknown~

 

Pastel Rainbow Dahlia

Amidst The Flowers

Amidst The Flowers 

Dream
amidst the flowers
of you
and me.
What can be
hope to be.
Yearning
sighing ....

Barbara B. Baskin 2011

Dueling Banjos

 Hope you enjoy the music!

The Writer

The act of putting pen to paper encourages pause for thought, this in turn makes us think more deeply about life, which helps us regain our equilibrium.  ~Norbet Platt

Flowers in the Bubble Bath

Now, I'd love a bubble bath like this! :)

 

Night Of Faeries

Night of Faeries

Evening falls across the heather
And the stars come out to dance.
The faerie folk come to life
And fill the night with their lyrical chants.

The mists on the moors swirl and caper about,
Taking rock and tree to embrace
The faerie folk make merry and dance about
'Neath the silver of the moon's face.

by Mike Winegar

(Mike has since added to this poem. You can read the entire version at the link in Mike's name)

Wallpaper Fantasy

I usually don't create fantasy images but this one was fun to do! :)

Redhead

Redhead

The wind blows, stirs, billowing flaming tresses.
A mystic magic this prize of locks possesses.
Green eyes with just a hint of mischief fill
Alluding to her strength, her forceful will.
She is so like moonlight, like full moon's light.
So pale and so perfect that it just seems right,
That freckles flecked in myriad across her skin,
As in the sky one looks at the stars within.
And beautiful without bounds, are they and she,
Without stars, where would the sky's beauty be?
Not just in the brilliant sunrise flame of her hair
But how she does everything with certain flair,
There is inside her, a flame that shows through,
In everything large and small she chooses to do.
Moods and temper flit like autumn winds blow,
Not even she knows in which direction they'll go.

Copyright Heather Glenn 2007

Leather

Leather

Dampened jeans and hot leather combined

Sweet horse sweat and human salt beads

Sticky sun in a dusty earth patch

Two dry throats and sore muscles

Hearts thudding with heavy motion

Work and play are all the same

This is my day…

by HorseFeathers, age 17

Nature's Tease

NATURE'S TEASE

Tease me again
With your shimmering body
Glide past me now
In glowing delight

Glints of turquoise
Sparkle and shine;
Emerald and amethyst
Jewels so divine

Through your wings
I see beauty
Simplicity, grace
Hovering near me
Not a moment to waste

For in a breath
You shall be gone
Lovely dragonfly
Ah yes, I've been
Forewarned!

Nancy Ellen Crossland

Shredded Heart

I've never created an animation on this site so I thought I'd try it out.

The poem is by a young girl. Ahhh, the bittersweet memories of young love. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shredded Heart

My poor, shredded heart
Is weak from loss
It's ripped part

I'm so sick of falling
For the wrong guy
I always end up bawling

I guess you dont' love me back
What? Couldn't you tell?
It's painted clear in black.

So, my torn up heart,
May just give up,
It's sick of falling apart,
After putting itself together again.

Lauren

Woodland

Woodland

There is a serene and settled majesty to woodland
scenery that enters into the soul and delights and elevates it,
and fills it with noble inclinations.

 

Washington Irving (1783-1859)

At Sunset

At Sunset

To-night the west o'er-brims with warmest dyes;
Its chalice overflows
With pools of purple colouring the skies,
Aflood with gold and rose;
And some hot soul seems throbbing close to mine,
As sinks the sun within that world of wine.

I seem to hear a bar of music float
And swoon into the west;
My ear can scarcely catch the whispered note,
But something in my breast
Blends with that strain, till both accord in one,
As cloud and colour blend at set of sun.

And twilight comes with grey and restful eyes,
As ashes follow flame.
But O! I heard a voice from those rich skies
Call tenderly my name;
It was as if some priestly fingers stole
In benedictions o'er my lonely soul.

I know not why, but all my being longed
And leapt at that sweet call;
My heart outreached its arms, all passion thronged
And beat against Fate's wall,
Crying in utter homesickness to be
Near to a heart that loves and leans to me.

Emily Pauline Johnson

Ghostly Wolf

He emerged silently
soft tread, wispy moves
The wind blew
No trace
save a track
in the dandelion field.

© Barbara Baskin 2011

Dawn

The Dawn

Ecstatic bird songs pound
the hollow vastness of the sky
with metallic clinkings--
beating color up into it
at a far edge,--beating it, beating it
with rising, triumphant ardor,--
stirring it into warmth,
quickening in it a spreading change,--
bursting wildly against it as
dividing the horizon, a heavy sun
lifts himself--is lifted--
bit by bit above the edge
of things,--runs free at last
out into the open--!lumbering
glorified in full release upward--
songs cease.

William Carlos Williams

The Jewelry Tree

Photo credit: Montucky (Terry)

Terry, I changed nothing except to select the 'jewelry' parts 

and apply an Edge Enhance filter and added a pop-out frame.

Thank you so much for letting me play with it! :)

I wrote a quick little ditty to go with it.....

Baubles litter  maple leaves

Shining in the sunset

Tiny flashlights illuminating

the way to enchantment