Can you fly?

Always loved this song – rumored to be sung to me as a kid – maybe that’s part of the reason it resonates with me.  Regardless….Ella Fitzgerald’s voice is beautiful in this YouTube piece.
“One of these mornings you’re gonna rise up singing
And you’ll spread your wings and you’ll take to the sky…”

The big questions are –
❓Are your wings spreading out…
❓Are you trying to fly…
❓Are you singing…

I’ve been thinking a lot of late about taking chances, i.e., spreading one’s wings. In chatting with friends, we often comment on how some people, particularly younger ones, are willing to just throw something up, whether it be on Social Media, in life, in business, or even just an idea.  It’s pretty much an anything goes and let’s see what sticks attitude. As an “older” person I often feel like I have to know something about what’s going on before I do ‘X, Y or Z’ for BBB3 (Botanical Beauties and Beasties.) The curiosity is that in many other parts of my ‘creative life’ I seem to be able to throw the spaghetti up and see if it sticks. I even enjoy doing that. For instance, I have just started playing with acrylic paints. I know NOTHING about them, and for that matter, I know virtually nothing about painting. And yet, when it comes to this I only have smiles-I have no shame, little fear, and I just allow myself to play and paint knowing that ‘something’ will turn out on that small canvas lying in front of me. I am so sure of my fun play that I bought a package deal of 14 little blank canvases-Chutzpah!!! So there I am, having a grand time, mixing paints and mediums, using paint brushes, cotton sticks, whatever, with a minimal idea as to the outcome. I have only a vague concept if I am playing within the lines or the rules, and couldn’t care less. It’s exciting and fun to just be like a kid again-just DOING WHATEVER. Surprisingly the painting(s) are not too bad. One I like quite a lot (see below)- as do some of my friends.

So…why is it that sometimes a level of laze fare and ‘confidence’ exudes, while other times fear and one’s mind stop us? What it is that lets one throw caution to the wind and just try things out?  I think it may have something to do with private verse public? What are your thoughts?

And with much hesitation – Izzy shares my first painting! Izabella and Blue Painting

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

Summertime – and the livin' is easy…

Well – here it is the week of The Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. It’s a good week to chat about the joys of summer, and that is indeed exactly what we will be doing! Today it’s music and one of my favorite classic summertime songs. Tomorrow will be about the solstice itself. The rest of the week, well, you will just have to come and see for yourself! I will tell you, there is a NEW Community member joining our Land of Botaniumus this week – always exciting. {A hint: She’s has a bright and shiny disposition.}

My mom loves this song and would sing it to me as a baby. It must have a strong and very positive resonance for/with me, for I love it too.  In a very personal invitation, I invite you to enjoy it also. Since Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong are 2 of my absolute favorites I choose this YouTube link so you too can listen to this classic summertime song! 

Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong
Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong - Summertime

Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong – Summertime  http://youtu.be/MIDOEsQL7lA
Here are the lyrics which I never had read fully until today!

George Gershwin – Summertime Lyrics 

Summertime,
And the livin’ is easy
Fish are jumpin’
And the cotton is high

Your daddy’s rich
And your mamma’s good lookin’
So hush little baby
Don’t you cry

One of these mornings
You’re going to rise up singing
Then you’ll spread your wings
And you’ll take to the sky

But till that morning
There’s a’nothing can harm you
With daddy and mamma standing by

Summertime,
And the livin’ is easy
Fish are jumpin’
And the cotton is high

Your daddy’s rich
And your mamma’s good lookin’
So hush little baby
Don’t you cry