“Chicagua” — I learned today that that is the origin of the word Chicago.
We are here in Chicago for another wedding. Even though I was born here (well, Evanston) it’s as though I hardly know the place. It’s truly a great, great city. We have been staying in the ‘magnificent mile’ in the heart of [...]
Damon and Jane got married on Saturday. Damon is a founding partner of ELECTROLAND, a designer, and has been a friend for the past 10 years. Jane oversees therapists of autistic children, is Korean-American, and has been a friend for a similar period of time. A high contrast pairing: tall, short; male, female; Asian, Caucasian; [...]
We are just back from a wedding in Santa Rosa, California, a beautiful just-inland community and the heart of wine country. We stayed in an excellent Marriott hotel (cotton sheets ALWAYS appreciated, well run these days) across the street from the Hyatt where the ceremony and wedding feast was to occur. Daniel and I had [...]
Here is a map that shows the structure of Maui. On Friday, Mark and I went up the mountain on the right (Haleakala Crater) and you saw the pictures we took and heard the story. Saturday we decided to go around the left mountain. We had been warned the the road on the northern [...]
I was shocked flying to the island of Maui yesterday. I expected it all to be green and lush, but saw, on the south part of the island, this kind of terrain. It seems the northern part of most of the islands are wetter, greener and cooler, and the southern part more desert like. As [...]
Multi-colored chickens lead their hysterical chicks down the road. Steel grey waves crash on the basalt shore with dark grey clouds slowly becoming lit at the sun begins to appear. A man steps out of his door and walks to the beach. He looks at the ocean as though he has no control over his [...]
Why is time lapse photography so interesting? In the case of plants, it’s just they look so ALIVE when they move quickly. Check out the good work at Plants in Motion. Here is one of their small video clips.
[Thanks Ursi]
102º at 8 pm, Palm Springs. Cicadas screaming. Stravinsky’s “Petrouchka” on the radio, Larry sanding. Bike ride at dusk finds a smoketree in bloom.
Photo by Larry Luchtel.
I’m making great progress on the opera, and I’m taking a break to introduce you to my host here in Palm Springs, Larry Luchtel. Larry has a new home here and is working hard to make it look even more fabulous than it already is. So I sit here and compose, and he works in [...]
I’m in Palm Springs today. It’s 110 degrees fahrenheit. Good thing it’s air conditioned. The pool is 90 degrees. I hope to finish my first chamber opera on Thornton Wilder’s “Flight into Egypt.” Burn a candle. Think hot.
I’m taking the rest of the day off. So for the time being, while it cools down to [...]
Subscribe in a reader