The Lighter Side of JzB

Here you will find photos, poetry, and possibly some light-hearted foolishness. For the Heavier Side
of JzB
see my other blog,
Retirement Blues. (There be dragons!)

I claim copyright and reserve all rights for my original material of every type and genre.


Every day visits*
From Moose, Goose, and Orb Weaver
All seized by Haiku


"Why moose and goose?" you may ask. Back on 2/04/13 Pirate wrote a haiku with an elk in it, and I responded with
one with a moose and then included him every day. A few days later in comments Mystic asked "Where's the goose?"
So I started including her with this post on 2/07. A week later on the 14th, Mark Readfern
asked for and received a spider. The rest is history.

*Well, most days, anyway. Grant me a bit of poetic license.

Monday, May 30, 2011

Mellow Yellow Monday - Flowers

.
YELLOW FLOWERS


A table of yellow flowers at Block's Nursery, Romulus, MI.

Evening Update:  We placed flowers on my wife's father's grave today.  They weren't yellow, but I spotted these yellow ones at another grave, and thought I'd add them to the post.   He served in the Navy during WW II.  His grave (not shown) and all those of veterans had flags at the headstones.  Many, many veterans in this cemetery.




MellowYellowMondayBadge
.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Shadow Shot Sunday - Black Lake

.


A view of the south-west shore line of Black Lake, Cheboygan Co. MI, taken on April 7th, 2011.

The lake was still partly frozen.




This is a view to the east across the lake, from the same spot.

Oh, frigid water:
Will you be thawed and warm when
I come this Summer?




.

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Sensational Haiku Wednesday - Anniversary

.
ANNIVERSARY

I
Remembering a
Certain day, a certain way
To say, "Yes, I'll stay."

II
So much time passing,
Bringing seasons of change, but
Something stays the same.

III
Passing a mile stone
This great day in history
Do you remember?

IV
Many years gone by
Since that first time together,
And I still want more.



Join the fun!
.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Mellow Yellow Monday - On Tap

Here is granddaughter Amanda (far right) with her competition dance team, all decked out for their tap number, HEY PACHUCO!


This picture was taken last month.  They competed again this week, and swept the top three spots with their tap, point and lyrical group numbers.  Amanda also took top overall, among 21 teen dancers, for her point solo, ESMERALDA.  Some stills from the earlier comp  can be found here.  This time, she totally nailed it, and made audible contact with the tambourine on each of her back kicks.

Back to HEY PACHUCO!  Doesn't it make YOU want to dance?



MellowYellowMondayBadge
.

Shadow Shot Sunday - On Deck

Actually, on the stage at Chicago's Navy Pier, preparing for our 30 minutes of fame anonymity.

The setting is nautical, but nice.

The passers-by did seem to appreciate our rendition of Oya Como Va.




 Let us play for you
A shuffle or Latin tune,
And feel free to Dance!




.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Six Word Saturday

.
Will you still love me tomorrow?

Dunno.  Will there be a tomorrow?

Will the rapture rupture your relationships?



.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Sensational Haiku Wednesday - Spontaneity

.
SPONTANEITY

I
I plan a solo
But what comes out is -- Who knows?
That's what makes it JAZZ!

II
Spur of the moment,
A simple touch or gesture
That says, "I love you!"

III
Some people take drugs
So they can be ready for

Sensational Haiku Wednesday is powered by Jenn.
Join the fun!
.

L..A. Times Crossword Puzzle Blogging - Wenesday, May 18, 2011

Bill Thompson

Cross-posted at The Corner.

Theme:  RIGHT AS RAIN.  The theme entries start with a word that can describe a kind of SHOWER.  OK - they aren't all the RAIN kind of SHOWER, or even the kind that get you wet, but I'm going to run with it.  It's a great expression meaning "all is well and things are as they should be," dating back to the time when an agrarian society depended on spring and summer rains to get good crop yields.  Then, all was right with the world.

17. 1958 Robert Mitchum drama : THUNDER ROAD The story of a Korean War vet who comes home to take over the family moonshine business.  A THUNDER SHOWER is a brief rain storm with a natural light show and sound effects.

26. Dorm room snack : COLD PIZZA.  I was a townie, not a dormie, so I never developed this awful-sounding culinary habit.  A COLD SHOWER is simply a self-inflicted deluge of cold water.  It is reported to have numerous health benefits.  You be the judge.

40. '70s-'80s Haitian president, familiarly : BABY  DOC DUVALIER.  Jean-Claude was the son (hence "Bébé Doc") of the previous president, François "Papa Doc" DUVALIER.  He continued the family tradition of torture, tyranny and lavish personal life-style, while his subjects languished in bone-crushing poverty.   Odd, odd juxtaposition with BABY SHOWER, a joyful party where an expectant mother is SHOWERED with gifts by her friends.

52. Early spring shout : "APRIL FOOL."  The origin of APRIL FOOLERY is lost in the mists of time, but is believed to have started with the change to the Gregorian Calendar, around 1582.  News traveled slowly in those days, so some people didn't catch up with the change and didn't know the proper date.  Others resisted the change.  Both became the butt of practical jokes.  It's believable, I guess.  APRIL SHOWERS are springtime episodes of rain that bring May flowers, and kids cooped up in the house for hours.

Plus the unifier:  65. Bath fixtures, and a hint to the starts of 17-, 26-, 40- and 52-Across : SHOWER HEADS.  This is a device that sprays you with water (of any desired temperature.)  And HEAD indicates that the beginning theme words can precede SHOWER.  Pretty clever.

Hi gang, JazzBumpa here.  In this tidy theme we have two meteorological events, get all cleaned up, and have a party.  Let's join the fun

Monday, May 16, 2011

Happy Birthday, Mom!

My mother and her twin sister are 90 today.

Here's mom, with her great-grands Nate and Emily, taken on thanksgiving, 2009.

A year and a half later, she's still spry and wrinkle free.

You go, girl!

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Mellow Yellow Monday - Dandelions

I try to have a decent looking front yard.  Curb appeal, you know - not that we have any actual curbs.  But my neighbor's yard looks like a commercial dandelion farm.  Somehow, a couple of vagrants made it all the way across the property line and the driveway to the middle of my lot.  Yes, I am suggesting that dandelions migrate!

Of course, I had to pluck them before the yellow flowers turned into seedy puff-balls.

But, first, I snapped this pic. 




DANDELIONS

These cute little blonds
Stand out against the green grass,
So  --  OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!

MellowYellowMondayBadge
.

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Shadow Shot Sunday - PIRATES!

.


PIRATES!

Avast, me Hearties!
Now appear -- in Chicago,
At the Navy Pier.


.

Six Word Saturday

Great Concert Last night - All French

Update:

Just to be clear -- I played!

Here is part of the program.

Cortège de Bacchus from "Sylvia" by Leo Delibes



And here is another fun part.

Saint-Saëns - Samson and Delilah 'Danse Bacchanale'





.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Sensational Haiku Wednesday - Addiction

.
ADDICTION

I

Can't do without her.
Might as well admit it: I'm
Addicted to love.

II

A deep craving from
Within - what is that thing that
You can't do without?

III

Minor seventh chords,
Tritones, altered fifths and ninths:
Addicted to JAZZ


Join the fun!
.

Monday, May 9, 2011

Mellow Yellow Monday


Senior Citizens Crossing -- I've found my spot.

Corner of S. Plymouth Ct. and W. Polk in Chicago
Near the Jazz Showcase



On the road of life
There are many crossings. Be
Sure to find your own.


MellowYellowMondayBadge

Wednesday, May 4, 2011