I got the idea for this and possibly other related music-themed posts from the West Hempstead Historical Society's display in the lobby of the West Hempstead Post Office. For those that know my love of music, it'll be no surprise that there's a song involved. In fact, as soon as I saw the Buffalo Soldier piece (see below), I started playing Bob Marley's classic and finished enjoying the rest of the display's contents...Looking ahead to future posts...the display included information about a time Dr. Martin Luther King visited our hamlet...Come back and let's learn together... As this month unfolds, I expect to learn more about the history I wasn't taught as I was being schooled...(I'm 75)...Parents and grandparents, let's take time to teach ourselves and our children our true history. As I learned, what caught my early attention was that these Black soldiers - an already oppressed people - were being used by those in power to control another group of already oppressed peoples: this land's original indigenous inhabitants. Some of these Buffalo Soldiers saw military service as a possible avenue to gain respect and also earn a decent income for their families. Unfortunately, from their founding in 1866, it would take another 100 years before the Civil Rights Act was enacted. George Washington, himself a slave owner, saw legislative action as the only way slavery was to be abolished. And, even before this was to happen, the hearts of individual people - you and me - have to change. Origin of the Name "Buffalo Soldier" "One theory claims the nickname arose because the soldiers’ dark, curly hair resembled the fur of a buffalo. Another assumption is the soldiers fought so valiantly and fiercely that the Indians revered them as they did the mighty buffalo." [Source] Either way, these men included this imagery in the various versions of of their insignia: In a hurry? Watch this video... The Truth About The Buffalo Soldiers (16:18) --includes these Executive Orders: Black History Month Black History Month originated in 1926 and was finally recognized by the US government in 1976. These next three images are only part of the aforementioned lobby display. National Buffalo Soldiers Memorial Day July 28 National Buffalo Soldiers Museum Houston, Texas National Buffalo Soldiers Museum reopens on Juneteenth 2020 (01:40) Juneteenth Juneteenth is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the emancipation of enslavedAfrican Americans. Deriving its name from combining "June" and "nineteenth", it is celebrated on the anniversary of General Order No. 3, issued by Major General Gordon Granger on June 19, 1865, proclaiming freedom for slaves in Texas.[7] Originating in Galveston, Juneteenth has since been observed annually in various parts of the United States, often broadly celebrating African-American culture. The day was first recognized as a federal holiday in 2021, when PresidentJoe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law after the efforts of Lula Briggs Galloway, Opal Lee, and others. Source: Wikipedia 2023 Black History Month Theme: BLACK RESISTANCE Bob Marley & The Wailers - Buffalo Soldier (Official Music Video) (02:42) "Buffalo Soldier" is a reggae song written by Bob Marley and Noel "King Sporty" Williams and recorded by Jamaican band Bob Marley and the Wailers. It did not appear on record until the 1983 posthumous release of Confrontation, when it became one of Marley's best-known songs. The title and lyrics refer to the black US cavalry regiments, known as "Buffalo Soldiers", that fought in the American Indian Wars after 1866. Marley linked their fight to a fight for survival, and recasts it as a symbol of black resistance. Source: Wikipedia "In the song, Marley sheds light on the remarkable bravery and courage of the black soldiers in the Indian Wars while at the same time lamenting on the oppression that the black man was subjected to in the same country he fought for and helped building with his own hands and strength. The song also signifies black resistance." [more at link below] Source "Buffalo Soldier" Buffalo soldier, dreadlocked rasta There was a Buffalo Soldier in the heart of America Stolen from Africa, brought to America Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival I mean it, when I analyse the stench To me it makes a lot of sense How the dreadlocked rasta was a Buffalo Soldier And he was taken from Africa, brought to America Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival Said it was a Buffalo Soldier, dreadlocked rasta Buffalo Soldier in the heart of America If you know your history Then you would know where you're coming from Then you wouldn't have to ask me Who the heck do I think I am I'm just a Buffalo Soldier in the heart of America Stolen from Africa, brought to America Said he was fighting on arrival, fighting for survival Said he was a Buffalo Soldier, in the war for America Said he, woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy Woy yoy yoy yoy, yoy yoy-yoy yoy! Woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy Woy yoy yoy yoy, yoy yoy-yoy yoy! Buffalo Soldier troddin' through the land, wo-ho-ooh! Said he wanna ran and then you want a hand Troddin' through the land, yea-hea, yea-ea Said he was a Buffalo Soldier in the war for America Buffalo Soldier, dreadlocked rasta Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival Driven from the mainland to the heart of the Caribbean Said he, woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy Woy yoy yoy yoy, yoy yoy-yoy yoy! Woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy Woy yoy yoy yoy, yoy yoy-yoy yoy! Trodding through San Juan In the arms of America Trodding through Jamaica, a Buffalo Soldier Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival Buffalo Soldier, dreadlock rasta Woy yoy yoy, woy yoy-yoy yoy Woy yoy yoy yoy, yoy yoy-yoy yoy! Source Bob Marley’s “Buffalo Soldier” Lyrics Meaning Buffalo Soldiers - History.com Editors Updated: Jan 25, 2021 Buffalo Soldier - Wikipedia For my Baha'i Arboretum friends: Some of these soldiers were among our first national park rangers... [from the Wikipedia article] In 1904, 9th Cavalrymen in Yosemite built an arboretum on the South Fork of the Merced River in the southern section of the park. This arboretum had pathways and benches, and some plants were identified in both English and Latin. Yosemite's arboretum is considered to be the first museum in the National Park System. The NPS cites a 1904 report, where Yosemite superintendent (Lt. Col.) John Bigelow, Jr. declared the arboretum "To provide a great museum of nature for the general public free of cost ..." Unfortunately, the forces of developers, miners, and greed cut the boundaries of Yosemite in 1905 and the arboretum was nearly destroyed. What You Don’t Know About Buffalo Soldiers in the National Parks - Sierra Club -Inside the movement to enhance this aspect of interpretive cultural history Celebrating Black History Month There Are Plenty of Ways to Celebrate Black History Month. Here Are a Few (2/1/23) [from the article] "February is Black History Month, a time dedicated to celebrating and amplifying the essential contributions of Black people in the story of America, which so often get overlooked and under-recognized. National and local events and online celebrations will take place throughout the month to focus attention on Black people's achievements and history. Since 1976, the US has marked the contributions of Black people and celebrated the history and culture of the Black experience in America every February. Read on to learn more about Black History Month and the ways in which you can participate. Honor and celebrate Black history this February by supporting Black businesses, educating yourself on Black history and more." Includes: visiting museums, watching documentaries, movies, music, find Black authors and stories for yourself and your children How Black History Month became a national celebration of Black Americans' accomplishments (1/29/23) Includes: What do the Black History Month colors stand for? "The official colors of Black History Month are black, red, yellow, and green, which symbolize unity and pride. The colors are derived from the Ethiopian flag and the Pan-African flag, which was created in 1920 to represent the unity of the African diaspora and Black liberation in the US. 'Red is the color of the blood which men must shed for their redemption and liberty; black is the color of the noble and distinguished race to which we belong; green is the color of the luxuriant vegetation of our Motherland,' according to the Universal Negro Improvement Association. The color yellow, from the Ethiopian flag, symbolizes justice, optimism, and equality." Further Study There are many online articles and videos where you can learn more about this part of our history. The Buffalo Soldiers (1992) | Documentary by Bill Armstrong (45:55) {from description] A photographic history of the two black cavalry regiments that served to keep peace on the frontier from 1867 to 1891. Also shown is the dedication ceremony at Fort Leavenworth of a monument to the Buffalo soldiers by sculptor Eddie Dixon, with speeches by Gen. Colin Powell and other high ranking black officers of the U.S. Armed Forces. While not about the Buffalo Soldiers, these recent posts address racially-based disunity through the lenses of graphic and musical artists... Takin' it to the Street Artists-1: Jesse Kreuzer...Mural, mural on the wall... Inspired by the words & brush strokes of Jesse Kreuzer & musical guests, we take this post to the streets..."Do you hear the people sing.??? With G-d on our Side: The Doctrine of Discovery, unHoly Roman Empire & other matters... And now for something completely different: THE FACTS of how kings & Popes colluded to forcibly take the lands of our original inhabitants.. #music #BobMarley #BlackHistoryMonth #BuffaloSoldiers #WestHempsteadHistoricalSociety #racism #segregation #Juneteenth #NationalBuffaloSoldiersMuseum #BuffaloSoldiersDay

I offer these reflections without judging my fellow human beings who see this important matter from other perspectives. That said, let's sit back, open mind and heart...and "Listen to the music play..." Music to be Born by...heartbeats to drumbeats... Mickey Hart is my inspiration for this post. Those that know my affinity for the Grateful Dead are probably amused and not surprised. Michael Hartman (his given name) is a modern day "Michaelangelo." Mickey uses his talents in so many ways to help his fellow passengers on Spaceship Earth. While working on another post, I came across an article that mentioned a project he did called "Music to be Born by." Music to be Born by - Mickey Hart (00:48) "This soothing, 70-minute soundscape, originally created for the birth of Mickey Hart’s son Taro in 1983, was intended to transform the coldness of a hospital birthing room into a warm, rhythmic environment for the process of labor and birthing. However, after requests by several friends to use the album for their own birthing processes, Hart decided to release the recording for the general public. The music consists of Taro's heartbeat (recorded in utero) overdubbed with bass harmonics (provided by Bobby Vega), drums, and wooden shakuhachi flute (played by Steve Douglas). Music to be Born By was issued in 1988 as part of “THE WORLD” series (now part of the Mickey Hart Collection made available by Smithsonian Folkways)." Source: from the Smithsonian Folkways page Note: 1988 is the same year Eileen brought our musical son, John, into this big concert hall of life... Music in the Womb...BabyPod Amazing video shows babies 'SINGING' in the womb: Foetus can 'hear music as early as 16 weeks - and moves their mouth and tongue in response' First study to show foetuses can hear sounds as young as 16 weeks Pregnant women between 14 and 39 weeks took part in the study Music played via an intravaginal device, and via speakers on the bump Found 87% of foetuses responded directly to intravaginal sounds Moved their mouths and tongues 'as if they were trying to sing' Do Babies Hear in their Mom's belly? DJ shocked after ultrasound showed his baby ‘wearing tiny headphones’ Ultrasound scan appears to show an unborn baby wearing HEADPHONES in the womb (and her father is a DJ) Can Babies Hear Sounds Inside The Womb? II Ultrasound Ireland (00:41) Babypod Website As a result of what I'm learning from this post, I added some musical touches to this rally sign and will bring it with me today as we stand in solidarity for an endangered group: our pre-born children... For this afternoon's rally, I also modified this favorite tee that my friend Ray gave to me... Our World Needs Musicians More Than Ever to Help Heal Our Divisions... August Rush - Original Theatrical Trailer (02:24) The Grateful DEAD in a Pro-LIFE Post??? Sure! And I'll let the band tell us how...AND, amazing but not surprising...a cover that features a female lead singer AND female drummer...Cool, huh? Scarlet Begonias (Grateful Dead) :: Savannah & The Kings :: DeadCoversProject (05:03) ...and a post about sobriety...Sober Deadheads, Huh??? Yup...Here's a Wharf Rats Facebook page as "furthur" evidence... Grateful Dead - Wharf Rat (Orchard Park, NY 7/16/90) (10:50) Greatest Stories Ever Told: Wharf Rats - David Dodd (from this post) Hunter and Garcia both had a certain amount of experience to draw on in writing and singing about being homeless, on at least semi-indigent, living in cars in their early years of first acquaintance, crashing where they could. This post is still Furthur proof of something my friend Steve often intones: "There's a Grateful Dead song for every occasion..." Babies are what YOU eat... I was watching a video that said babies in the womb can learn tastes from what their mothers frequently eat...and may want those after they are born... ...So, choose wisely... "In another time's forgotten space Your eyes looked from your mother's face..." The lyrics in this Grateful Dead classic seemed appropriate for this post. Franklin's Tower Lyrics By: Robert Hunter Music By: Jerry Garcia, Bill Kreutzmann In another time's forgotten space Your eyes looked from your mother's face (note a) Wildflower seed on the sand and stone May the four winds blow you safely home Roll away the dew Roll away the dew Roll away the dew Roll away the dew I'll tell you where the four winds dwell (note b) In Franklin's tower there hangs a bell It can ring, turn night to day It can ring like fire when you lose your way [tOM here: See "Dead Ringer" link at end of this post) God save the child who rings that bell (note c) It may have one good ring, baby, you can't tell (note d) One watch by night, one watch by day If you get confused, listen to the music play Some come to laugh their past away Some come to make it just one more day Whichever way your pleasure tends If you plant ice, you're gonna harvest wind In Franklin's tower the four winds sleep (note e) Like four lean hounds the lighthouse keep Wildflower seed in the sand and wind May the four winds blow you home again (a) Robert Hunter's lyrics in "Box Of Rain" are "Your eyes looked through your mother's face" (b) the lyrics in "Box Of Rain" are "You ask me where the four winds dwell" (c) the lyrics in "Box Of Rain" are "God help the child ..." (d) the lyrics in "Box of Rain" are "It may have one good ring left ..." (e) this is the lyrics in "Box Of Rain" and the studio recording, but Jerry mostly sang "I'll tell you where the four winds sleep." Thanks to Dan Franzen for pointing this out. The Annotated "Franklin's Tower" - David Dodd Greatest Stories Ever Told - "Franklin's Tower" - David Dodd All Are Welcome Here... Deva Premal & Miten: All is Welcome Here - LIVE- Lausanne 2018 (06:16) Post-Partum Post... Music to be Born By - Mickey Hart & others (1:10:10) --complete project offered by Smithsonian Folkways (click here for info) Life's Rhythms Reimagined w/ Mickey Hart & Dr. Adam Gazzaley (04:54) --A few years ago, I got to enjoy this demonstration and more as part of an event sponsored by the combined efforts of NYC's Hayden Planetarium and the American Museum of Natural History... Rhythm & The Brain: Superorganism - Mickey Hart & Dr. Adam Gazzaley (04:56) Dead Ringer is Saved by the Bell on Graveyard Shift 10 of the Most Beautiful Things the World Can Learn from the Grateful Dead Finding insight – another lesson learned from the Grateful Dead - Todd Baird #music #humor #Babypod #MickeyHart #GratefulDead #SavannahAndTheKings #pregnancy #prolife #AugustRush #SmithsonianFolkways #DrAdamGazzaley #BenAndJerrys #sobriety #recovery #Furthur #DavidDodd #abortion

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Lookin' at issues BIG and small... FOR RAMI...and other lovers of this genre... AND his artist Dad - Farhan... IN A RUSH??? Scroll down and click the "Undivided" link (06:37) that's under the first image. Before our feet hit the pavement, let's get in the mood...So, take 5...Naw, 10... The Doobie Brothers - Takin' It To The Streets (Live) (06:02) --with appropriate images from our historic struggles to get & remain free... Takin' It To The Streets - 1979 No Nukes (MUSE) Concert (04:08) --Carly Simon joins the Doobie Brothers and friends... Remember, while the words in this song are easy to shout to our elected officials, the real work begins in our own hearts and continues out into our families and to our neighbors... JESSE KREUZER A friend sent me a link to Jesse's recent video on this piece he calls "UNDIVIDED." He created it out among the people so he could engage passers-by...hear their views and share his with them. He intentionally did it in a way so it's beauty would invite people to look at potentially difficult subjects without looking away...and also to enable them to keep seeing the images after they left. His hope was that they would walk away thinking about what they saw in ways they previously hadn't been able to. Undivided (06:37) --in the video, Jesse talks about this work. There's so much wisdom in his observations... The words of the prophets are written on subway walls, tenement halls and now museum window barricades..."Do you hear the people sing...?" Painted (31' X 10') on the Whitney Museum’s plywood barricade during 2020 lockdown and protests. Removed by the museum (see article below under "Meet the Artist"). Source: Jesse's website Here's a scene from his video: MEET THE ARTIST Jesse's website --Check out all his inspirational photographs on the murals and sculptures links I liked the ones where he's climbing in trees, up walls... Source Source These two remind me of these lyrics from the Grateful Dead's "Playing in the Band" (09:23): "Some folks look for answers Others look for fights Some folks up in treetops Just look to see the sights" "Standing on a tower World at my command You just keep a turning While I'm playing in the band" Jesse's YouTube Channel The NATION The Whitney Took Down My Mural - New Politics (penned by Jesse) Brooklyn Street Art Site ---includes these two pieces below as well as many by other artists from the NYC/NJ Metro area This text appears on this BSA site under this work (with my added emphases-Red, Bold): --“Jesse Kreuzer is a lifelong artist (he received an MFA from Cornell in 2016). In addition to painting, he makes videos, sculpture and performance pieces, and yet, “I usually feel like an outsider to the art world.” In fact, during this year’s Black Lives Matter demonstrations, one of his Diego Rivera–inspired murals painted on plywood used to protect the Whitney Museum of Art was summarily removed. “There is a certain irony here,” he wrote in New Politics, “since the current exhibit is about the Mexican muralists and their influence on American painters.” – PRINT – Jesse Kreuzer (photo © Jaime Rojo) MUSICAL ARTISTS/PROPHETS Bob Dylan: With God On Our Side (lyrics video) (first 7:13 of 12:13) --haunting images on our inhumanity... For our Children...and theirs... Muppet Songs: For What It's Worth (03:20) For my Surfin' Buddies... KALANI ROBB | FOR WHAT ITS WORTH (01:58) For all of us... "For What It's Worth"—Faith Jones (04:14) Lyrics include a quote by Angela Davis: "I'm no longer accepting what I cannot change, I'm changing what I cannot accept." Other posts in this series... Click here to view post #art #music #JesseKreuzer #DoobieBrothers #CarlySimon #LesMis #FaithJones #SesameStreet #Muppets #BobDylan #KalaniRobb #WhitneyMuseum #BrooklynStreetArt #GratefulDead #RossClark

Big BAGEL BOSS Man First, the skinny: BAGEL BOSS in Hewlett, NY has been featuring music with its delicious munchies & more...The next two graphics provide some details and the third a little backstory on how bands and bagels came together... The music is in the next section... Allan is a keyboard player... Some backstory on HOW BAGELS & BANDS came together... Seeing that the band is called "PLAYING DEAD"... BIG BOSS MAN: THE TUNES "You got me workin', boss man, workin' 'round the clock I wanna little drink of water, but you won't let Jimmy stop Big boss man, can't you hear me when I call? Well, you ain't so big, you just tall, that's all" I'm leading off the set with this cool compilation of musicians and lyrics... Bob Weir, Bruce Hornsby, and Branford Marsalis Perform "King of the Hill" into "Big Boss Man" at Gathering Of The Vibes 2012 (15:04) Song's Origins "Big Boss Man" is an uptempo twelve-bar blues shuffle that features "one of the most influential Reed grooves of all time".[1] It is credited to Jimmy Reed's manager, Al Smith, and Vee-Jay Records staff writer Luther Dixon.[1] The song is one of the few Reed hits that was written by someone other than Reed and his wife.[2] Reed recorded the song in Chicago on March 29, 1960; backing Reed, who sang and played harmonica and guitar, are Mamma Reed on vocal, Lee Baker and Lefty Bates on guitars, Willie Dixon on bass, and Earl Phillips on drums.[1] See Wikipedia for footnotes and the rest of the article. Jimmy Reed with Eddie Taylor - Big Boss Man (06:05) This song was just tailor-made for Pigpen's soul... Big Boss Man (Live at Fillmore East, New York, NY, April 26, 1971) (05:11) Grateful Dead - Big Boss Man (Mountain View, CA 6/16/90) (06:56) --Jerry singin' the blues while Phil lays in the baseline with' his 6-string... B B King - Big Boss Man (04:40) --maybe not for purists...but, Hey! in music, food and other areas...IMPROVISATION is what makes life come ALIVE!!! "TAKE THIS JOB AND SHOVE IT" First, a little animated backstory... Tales from the Tour Bus: Take This Job and Shove It! (03:24) Johnny Paycheck - "Take This Job And Shove It" (02:31) FOOD FILMS ABOUT TAKE THIS JOB AND SHOVE IT... Chef Official Trailer #1 (2014) - Scarlett Johansson, Robert Downey Jr. Movie HD (02:38) --A "must see" Co-staring an amazing rolling restaurant (i.e., "foodtruck"), this funny masterpiece also depicts a developing relationship between father and son. In my early years with Avis Rent-a-Car, I worked in our repair shops and one of my favorite sounds was the air horn as the coffee truck was asking permission to come aboard. When our son John was young I'd take him with me to the shops to appreciate the gourmet delights from these rolling restaurants. As a result of watching this flick, I'm hungering for the featured El Cubano sandwich and have scheduled a meeting at the Havana Central eatery in Roosevelt Field in Garden City. For sometime I'd been hankering to visit because they usually have some pretty cool old time vehicles parked in front. Today's Special Official Movie Trailer (02:22) Yet another GEM, my mate Eileen picked for our evening movie time. Like "Chef" it also has a father-son subplot. The movie's protagonist is not appreciated by his boss - the head chef but he doesn't have enough faith in himself to quit...UNTIL, fate intervenes and he finds himself in his family's restaurant. Add some stars if, like Eileen and me, you like NYC-themed movies. I also added points because one of the main characters is a taxi driver. In my early years, I drove both gypsy cabs ("We're not YELLOW...We go anywhere") and medallioned ones. Not coincidentally, my garage was in Woodside and I spent a lot of nights cruising for fares right on some of the same streets shown in the movie. COMING DISTRACTIONS... As a 75-year young Deadhead, I love to experience all the places I find fellow members of our tribe. This "bagels & bands" event has prompted me to put the finishing touches on a draft post I have that might be called something like "JEWS FOR JERRY..." Even though Mickey Hart (a.k.a., Michael Hartman) was the only Jewish member, there's a lot of interesting stories around this subject. For starters, born in Flatbush, he grew up in Lawrence, one of the Five Towns communities that includes Hewlett. Stay tuned. Furthur more [sic]... If you like the Dead, check out my blog: asoulinwonder.com/blog-1. BONUS TRACKS Ron 'Pigpen' McKernan's 12 greatest Grateful Dead songs --includes links to the tunes Big Boss Man - List of Covers with Links to Some Proud Mary - Creedence Clearwater Revival (03:09) "Left a good job in the city Workin' for the man ev'ry night and day And I never lost one minute of sleepin' Worryin' 'bout the way things might have been" #music #humor #BagelBossHewlett #GratefulDead #JohnnyPaychek #CreedenceClearwaterRevival #RonPigpenMcKernan #BBKing

I Remember Mama In grateful remembrance of our Mom’s 103rd birthday (in heaven)…shown here with our Dad... I’m honoring her poetic influence on me with some reflections on the Nature of things and beginning my “SUNnet” (sonnet) with the title from her self-published book of prayer-verses…which was a life’s work and brought to all of us by her Editor - our sister Peggy. It was published one day after the 60th anniversary of the day she carried me here. Take a look inside... This morning's sunrise... And fittingly...through the trees... Following in her footsteps, I add my words to the Dance... 93 Million Miles: Across the Universe Just for Us --tOM Tittmann The God of the Universe Dances in Trees As your sun warms my face, hands and knees Your wind crafts shapes in the clouds high above As with yourself you fill each heart with your love With patience your rivers carve valleys so deep Likewise you wait for us your ways to keep You show us that life has it seasons of four And invite us to find beauty in whatever’s on the floor: Flowers or grass or leaves or snows These are the ways everything grows Imitating you, we work, create and rest And when sun sets we return to our nest This happens daily as we lay down to sleep Trusting that with grace our lives you will keep Until that day when our sun rises last And with peace our lungs return their first gasp Day is done Gone the sun... Across the Universe - The Beatles (03:46) NASA Beams Beatles' 'Across the Universe' Into Space NASA beamed this Beatles song to space on Feb. 4, 2008. "Amazing! Well done, NASA!" McCartney said in a message to the space agency. "Send my love to the aliens. All the best, Paul." Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono, characterized the song's transmission as a significant event. "I see that this is the beginning of the new age in which we will communicate with billions of planets across the universe," she said. The refrain: "Jai Guru Deva" translates as “Glory to the shining remover of darkness.” A recent sunset...recalls Genesis 1:2 Music & Inspiration for Dancing with Trees For our little saplings... Sesame Street - Dancing with Nature (00:58) For sisters Peggy and Cathy and other friends and family in Florida... Dancing Palms, coconut trees swaying in the wind, peaceful and relaxing (00:29) For all of us... Dance With the Trees (Adrian von Ziegler cover) - Andramaloth (03:28) Dance With the Trees - Adrian von Ziegler (with children's orchestra) (03:16) A tree dancing with the wind (01:29) I've always been attracted to the energy of trees. For my first psychedelic experience, I walked from my parents' house in Richmond Hill to Forest Park and communed with these wooded beings. Despite having no idea what was going to happen, I was totally filled with peace, as I enjoyed the quiet of the forest... At our Tai Chi "retreat" at Hempstead Lake Park, NY... (Tuesday's & Thursday's 8 AM) I've reconnected with a friend from my late 20's surfing and partying days. A few months ago he invited me to join him on the Lake for morning Tai Chi lessons. Richie has studied martial and related arts like Tai Chi and Qi Gong for many years and is a gifted and patient teacher. These practices are helping my balance, enhancing my kundalini yoga practice and helping me be more mindful about how I move through my day. We meet on the fishing pier (Parking Fields 2&3) or in inclement weather under the Pavillion by Parking Field 1. Feel free to join us. The natural beauty is breathtaking...the sunlight dancing across the water...waterfowl soaring on air currents, birds calling to mates and trees rustling in the wind... Tai Chi…TOM-a-Son, Lake & Calmer (01:36) ...where the wind longs to play with my hair... I selected the above image because Mom wrote a poem about her two surfer sons: me and Mike...and it was published in THE coolest place: Surfer Magazine. My sister Cathy sent both the poem and a link to the complete issue. Awesome!!! Across America with Mom & Dad in 1973 After a series of reconciling encounters with my parents, in the Summer of 1973 my folks asked to accompany me as I was moving to California to begin a new adventure. Dad sat in front enjoying one of his hobbies: taking photographs, while Mom rode in the back of the bus writing poems. Tree-chi: Connecting with our Mother...Earth Dancing with Trees - Ecotherapy, Chi-Gong and Bioenergetic Alchemy (02:31) You Can Heal Yourself Using The Chi Energy of Trees According to Taoist Masters Tree-hugger... --across the street from our home: pines adjoining the George Washington Elementary School --same location but in the play field Tree pose... "Come back to me With all your heart Don’t let fear Keep us apart Trees do bend, though straight and tall So must we, to others’ call...." Hosea - John Michael Talbot (04:51) Next on Deck...Treebeard & Offspring A week ago during our Tai Chi session, this fallen leaf captured my imagination, inviting me to imitate nature and lift up my own upper limbs... Then, that same day...I was greeted by my neighborhood Treebeard... The Last March of the Ents (02:30) Tolkien's reminder that trees are sentient beings and deserve our respect and care... These images from dock and neighborhood called out for a song. While there are a lot of scriptural exhortations to lift up...hands, heads and voices...this one with its '70's visuals from my youth got my vote. Bottom line: It's simply just good mental health! Hold Your Head Up-Argent-1972-(Long Version) (06:20) Bayard Cutting Arboretum State Park (Great River, NY) ...where every day is Arbor Day... In early summer 2022, Eileen and I started hanging out with members of the Town of Islip (Long Island, NY) Baha'i fellowship. The Arboretum was a favorite place where we met to share... Poems, Prayers and Promises - John Denver (04:30) ...and then feasted on goodies at the cafe. Great group of folks and we've been enjoying spending time among them and among the trees...Feel free to join us. Planted around the property...among the trees and in the mansion...are reminders of our connection...to each other...and everything else... More Musings on Mom Mother's Day: I remember Momma - In her own words & "my" songs #music #Mom #poems #trees #dancing #chi #taichi #energy #healing #yoga #JohnMuir #TheBeatles #SesameStreet #AdrianVonZiegler #JohnMichaelTalbot #Andramaloth #BayardCuttingArboretum #Bahai #California #VWBus #Argent #LordOfTheRings

Traveler: To experience the other "dayze" in this seer-ease...just get back on your camel...travel afar (out)...to the blog: https://www.asoulinwonder.com/blog-1 As we've traveled so far through fields and streams...we've highlighted seasonal tunes and symbols. "WELCOMING STRANGERS" is now in focus... ...Who are they??? Where are they??? How can we help them feel welcomed???... Let's get our hearts right...right into the music... Deva Premal & Miten: All is Welcome Here - LIVE- Lausanne 2018 (06:16) --I've enjoyed them in concert... NO ROOM IN THE INN Even in these supposed inns... and these... Source Source Sadly, no surprises here... Give me your tired poor - PraiseGathering Music Group (02:57) STRANGERS STOPPING STRANGERS JUST TO SHAKE THEIR HAND "Reach out your hand if your cup be empty If your cup is full may it be again..." --Ripple - Grateful Dead (04:24) "One man gathers what another man spills..." --St. Stephen - Grateful Dead (04:01) One man gathers what another man spills - The Deadhead Cyclist Grateful Dead 5-23-72: The Stranger (Two Souls in Communion): London (07:35) Featuring Pigpen pouring out his heart as his life was ending...He died a few months later. "You who have found it, please help me along I'm a man, I'm a man, - I'm not made out of stone My needs they are simple, I don't want many things, But I truly want to fly on those wings of love one more time." Feliz NaviDEAD Source Source Source Source: Day of the Dead Sugar Skull Nativity Manger Creche Christmas --gives new meaning to "edibles" NO ROOM AT THE SHOW...Show's Sold Out...I Need a Miracle... Grateful Dead - I Need A Miracle - 6/17/1991 - Giants Stadium (06:10) SANTA'S GRATEFULNESS BAG OF EXTREEES All is Welcome Here - Deva Premal and Miten (05:47) --fitting imagery for the subject Top 60 Songs For Immigrants' & Refugees' Rights #music #humor #strangers #immigrants #racism #DevaPremalAndMiten #Miten #GratefulDead #Pigpen #DayOfTheDead #StatueOfLiberty

Traveler: To experience the other "dayze" in this seer-ease...just get back on your camel...travel afar (out)...to the blog: https://www.asoulinwonder.com/blog-1 As we've traveled so far through fields and streams...we've highlighted seasonal tunes and symbols. "FOLLOWING" is now in focus... ...What do we follow???Who???Why??? Where???... In the traditional Christmas tales we hear of women and men who encounter other-worldly messengers like angels who give them instructions to go and do. These often involve leaving the KNOWN for the UNKNOWN... They are picked for their assignments and may be the only ones that hear this call to follow... "And if you go no one may follow That path is for your steps alone" --Ripple - Grateful Dead ...their actions ("go", "stay")...produce ripples...in their own lives and in the lives of those around them and on to future generations... RIPPLES... "You, who choose to lead, must follow..." Ripple - Grateful Dead DEADHEADS ARE BOTH FOLLOWERS AND LEADERS "What do Al Gore, Whoopi Goldberg, Game of Thrones author George R. R. Martin, Carlos Santana, Nancy Pelosi, Mario Batali, and yes, Ann Coulter have in common? Give up? They are all members of the inimitable community of Grateful Dead fans commonly and affectionately known as Deadheads. [My add: Bill Walton of the Celtics] Urban Dictionary defines Deadhead as 'a person who greatly enjoys the music of the Grateful Dead and particularly the genius of Jerry Garcia.' But decades ago, a subset of fans cranked up that devotion to a whole new level and began following the band from city to city. This subset grew in number, soon giving birth to a community with its own set of rules and even slang." (Full text and link is at the end of the post.) Celebrities who are Deadheads (more here) LEADING OURSELVES...SO WE DON'T GET FOOLED AGAIN [Thanks to my mate of 44+ for these next-day additions to this section...] Getting fooled and making "mistakes" is part of the trip. At 75, when I look back at my life, I see that's simply how I've learn...how we learn. To change, we must take risks...including risking getting it "wrong"...One of my life guides says it like this: So, let's keep this in mind as we first learn to lead...ourselves... ...and remember, let's be patient and gentle with ourselves as we wander...wonder...stumble...around...This practice helps us develop compassion towards ourselves and then others: LOVE our neighbors AS we love ourselves... “First the fall, and then the recovery from the fall, and both are the mercy of God.” --Julian of Norwitch - mystic (1342-1416) "Julian’s showings helped her to understand that it is in falling down that we learn almost everything that matters spiritually. Humans come to full consciousness precisely by shadowboxing, facing their own contradictions, and making friends with their own mistakes and failings." Source: Center for Action and Contemplation This critical practice deserves much more attention...so, for now, here are two articles. Additionally, check out the "ELEVEN" section that follows. LEAD YOURSELF Part 1: Three reasons why it is so important 'You were built to count, as water is made to run downhill. We are placed in a specific context to count in ways no one else does' - Dallas Willard, Theologian. "We are all influencing other people. Arguing against this idea is like arguing that you can throw a stone into water without creating ripples. Even the most gentle attempt to slip a stone past the surface of a pond would still create ripples. This is us! We are stones in the pond of people around us having a ripple effect." 1. You can only influence others to go where you are actively going. 2. Quality performance is the result of quality preparation that is built on quiet pursuits. 3. You are always passing along who you are. LEAD YOURSELF Part 2: Passion, plan, & persist 1. Invest time and energy into what you are passionate about by first figuring out what you are passionate about. 2. Make a simple, daily plan on how to invest into what you are passionate about. 3. Never miss your simple, daily plan. The author closes with this: 'Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power.' Lao Tzu The Who - Won't Get Fooled Again (Shepperton Studios / 1978) (09:09) ELEVEN: AA & G-D THE ELEVEN - Grateful Dead "Grateful Dead" The Eleven Jam - Aoxomoxoa 1969 (14:52) "The Eleven" High green chilly winds and windy vines In loops around the twining shafts of lavender They're crawling to the sun Wonder who will water all the children of the garden When they sigh about the barren lack of rain and Droop so hungry 'neath the sky, Ai-yi Underfoot the ground is patched With climbing arms of ivy wrapped around the manzanita Stark and shiny in the breeze William Tell has stretched his bow 'Til it won't stretch no further more And/or it may require a change that hasn't come before No more time to tell how, this is the season of what [Now is the time of returning with our thought Jewels polished and gleaming] [Note 1] Now is the time past believing the child has relinquished the rein Now is the test of the boomerang tossed in the night of redeeming Seven faced marble eyed transitory dream doll Six proud walkers on the jingle bell rainbow Five men writing with fingers of gold Four men tracking down the great white sperm whale Three girls waiting in a foreign dominion Riding in the whale belly, fade away in moonlight Sink beneath the waters to the coral sands below Note 1: As I see it, the two bracketed lines seem to tell us that the speaker has gone on a quest - within...without...possibly both - to seek "a change that hasn't come before" and is now "returning with our thought jewels polished and gleaming"... This can be a description of what can happen when we have a regular practice of prayer and meditation. These quiet, spacious places awaken with us new eyes that help address the limitations of the two eyes and the rational mind that only sees through them. This deeper seeing has been called by terms like Holy Spirit, Third Eye, Calm Center... "Trouble with you is The trouble with me Got two good eyes But we still don't see" --Casey Jones - Grateful Dead AA STEP 11: PRAYER & MEDITATION Step 11: The Contemplative Mind We sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood [God], praying only for the knowledge of [God's] will for us and the power to carry that out. --Step 11 of the Twelve Steps The word prayer, which Bill Wilson rightly juxtaposes with the word meditation, is a code word for an entirely different way of processing life. When you "pray," you are supposed to take off one "thinking cap" and put on another that will move you from an egocentric perspective to a soul-centric perspective. Source: Richard Rohr's Daily Meditation Twelve-Step Spirituality: Week 3 --His "Breathing Under Water: Spirituality and the Twelve Steps" was my introduction to the wisdom of this recovery process. He was also one of my early guides into meditation, as was Thomas Keating, who taught our family the centering prayer method. A Deeper Look at the 12 Steps: Step 11 Takin' time to CHILL in the desert... The following 4 meditations are by Jody Johnson (Minnesota Contemplative Outreach) Note: In the first, the Hosea verse should be Hosea 2:14. "The desert offers timeless space to discover, engage, and wrestle with restlessness" In the Desert, Part 1: I Will Lead You into the Desert... In the Desert, Part 2: Out of the Stillness… In the Desert, Part 3: Be Still and Know.... In the Desert, Part 4: God Comes to Us FOLLOW WHAT? DEADHEAD FAMILY CODE: BE KIND...BE GRATEFUL...BUTT... WHARF RATS...A "BUT"..THAT WILL SAVE OUR BUTTS... ...PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT WE'RE FOLLOWING The lifestyles of some members of the band (and many bands), were NOT healthy. In the early 80's, some Grateful Dead fans who were trying to live life SOBER... "one show at a time..." ...banded together and WHARF RATS was born. They showed up at concerts using yellow balloons as sign posts. Wharf Rats Facebook Page The Meaning of the Grateful Dead’s “Wharf Rat” - Extra Chill “Who Are the Wharf Rats? – Enjoying Concerts and Music Without The Drugs - SOBERNATION Grateful Dead - Wharf Rat 7-7-89 (10:33) "Old man down (note 1) Way down, down by the docks of the city (note 2) Blind and dirty Asked me for a dime, a dime for a cup of coffee I got no dime, but I got some time to hear his story My name is August West And I love my Pearly Baker best, more than my wine More than my wine (note 3) More than my maker, though he's no friend of mine Everyone said I'd come to no good I knew I would Pearly, believed them Half of my life Spent doing time for some other fucker's crime (note 4) The other half found me Stumbling around, drunk on burgundy wine But I'll get back on my feet someday The good lord willing, if he says I may I know that the life I'm living's no good I'll get a new start, live the life I should I'll get up and fly away I'll get up and fly away Pearly's been true True to me, true to my dying day, he said I said to him I said to him, I'm sure she's been I said to him, I'm sure she's been true to you I got up and wandered Wandered downtown, nowhere to go but just to hang around I've got a girl Named Bonny Lee, I know that girl's been true to me (note 5) I know she's been, I'm sure she's been true to me" Source for notes: Dead.net LEADERS LISTEN TO THEIR FOLLOWERS In the article at the end "How Grateful Dead Fans Became Deadheads" and other places, we read of the synergy...the communication that took/takes place between the band and those who follow them...Each learning from the other...In actuality, this is the foundation for all healthy relationships... WE ARE ALWAYS MAKING RIPPLES...BUT WHAT KINDS??? Grateful Dead - Ripple (Official Music Video) (04:24) --FOLLOW the "Tariotteer's" cards in this fitting video for these allegorical and mystical words and images... Ripple (Grateful Dead) feat. Bill Kreutzmann | Playing For Change | Song Around The World (04:41) (Click and move the lyrics frame to see the performers' names and locations) --Check out all the musicians making ripples around our shared world including Keelin Garcia, Bill Kreutzmann, David Crosby, Jimmy Buffet, and others The Story of "Ripple" by the Grateful Dead (04:53) Jerry: "Working in the studio is like building a ship in a bottle...Playing live is like having a row boat on the ocean..." Also includes mandolinist David Grisman recalling how his invitation to sit in on this song came by way of an invitation to attend a softball game between members of the Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead. SANTA'S GRATEFULNESS BAG OF EXTREEEES Jerry Garcia – Days Between Companions: David Grisman Wharf Rat - Bob Weir National Symphony Orchestra at Kennedy Center Oct. 6, 2022 (11:35) --take a load off, baby, and browse the comments. WE ARE a mixed tribe... YES, the Grateful Dead are a KULT… Yes, "Weir" a cult…a KULTure of KINDness… --post has links to several examples of how the band and followers practice BEING KIND... 15 Things Never to Say to a Deadhead - HuffPost --article can help us appreciate the culture How Grateful Dead Fans Became Deadheads (complete article text below) What do Al Gore, Whoopi Goldberg, Game of Thrones author George R. R. Martin, Carlos Santana, Nancy Pelosi, Mario Batali, and yes, Ann Coulter have in common? Give up? They are all members of the inimitable community of Grateful Dead fans commonly and affectionately known as Deadheads. Urban Dictionary defines Deadhead as “a person who greatly enjoys the music of the Grateful Dead and particularly the genius of Jerry Garcia.” But decades ago, a subset of fans cranked up that devotion to a whole new level and began following the band from city to city. This subset grew in number, soon giving birth to a community with its own set of rules and even slang. Sure, Beatlemania once swept the U.S., where the demand to see the foursome live gave rise to stadium rock. And the Rolling Stones still have audiences under their thumb, despite their combined age of 284. Fans of the band Phish—Phishheads—as well as Bruce Springsteen are a formidable force, but in terms of unbridled loyalty and devotion to the late Jerry Garcia and his bandmates, Deadheads are without peer. Rock critic Robert Christgau was the first to write about this unique, traveling audience, commenting in the Village Voice after attending a 1971 New York City concert that “regulars greeted other regulars, remembered from previous boogies, and compared this event with a downer in Boston or a fabulous night in Arizona.” And the band took notice. As Jerry Garcia once said, “our strong suit is what we do, and our audience.” The Dead played a different song set at every show, sending “regulars” on the road to the band’s next gig—since no two shows were ever the same. The Dead also not only allowed but actually encouraged fans to tape the concerts, eventually setting up a “taper’s section” for them. Hence, somewhere in the Deadosphere there exist tapes of practically all of the 2,500 shows the Dead performed in their 30 years of touring. If you have a lot of time to kill, just ask a group of Deadheads to talk about their favorite live show. The atmosphere at a performance reflected a sense of community and a deep bond between the band and the audience. In an interview in the short film A Conversation with Ken Kesey, which followed the documentary Tie-Dyed: Rock ‘n Roll’s Most Deadicated Fans, author Ken Kesey commented on this phenomena: “[the Dead] weren’t just playing what was on the music sheets, they were playing what was in the air. When the Dead are at their best, the vibrations that are stirred by the audience is the music that they play.” And if you couldn’t get a ticket to the show? No problem—there was plenty of action outside. When the Dead were in town, parking lots outside of their concerts were transformed into small villages, with vendors selling tie-died shirts, burritos and of course, drugs. Many of these vendors never attended a single concert, but would camp out, hoping to earn enough money to pack up their painted Volkswagen bus and follow the band to their next stop. Among the parking lot hordes you could always spot the hopeful, roaming the grounds with a single raised finger: Deadhead code for “I Need a Miracle,” a free concert ticket. Interestingly: That gesture was still in play in 2007 when newly-elected House Speaker Nancy Pelosi threw a party and invited former members of the band to play. Outside stood a pony-tailed, grey-suited gent holding a sign that read, “I Need a Miracle.” A staffer on the inside recognized his clarion call and sneaked him in. The parking lot scene was featured in the Tie-Dyed documentary and aptly described by one hippie couple in the doc, who met at a show and had been following the band for three years, with their baby —conceived at the first show—in tow: “It’s one big happy Dead kinda thing.” It was not always happy, though. As Jerry famously sang, “every silver lining’s got a touch of grey”—more than a touch, actually. With the proliferation of drugs at Dead concerts, it was not uncommon to spot fans who had overdosed. The Dead were the first rock band with a group of fans who formed a 12-step program to keep the lure of drugs at bay during concerts, where temptation is everywhere. These Wharf Rats—named after a Dead song—gathered under an arc of yellow balloons during concert breaks, finding strength in numbers as they maintained sobriety “one show at a time.” Over the years, the fan base changed and evolved, but one thing remained constant. As Dennis McNally, longtime Dead publicist and author of the best-selling book A Long Strange Trip wrote about deadheads, “[They] had only one thing absolutely in common: Each had experienced some inner click of affinity, some overwhelming sense of ‘here I belong,” when confronted by the Dead, its music and scene. It was the recognition of an essentially spiritual experience that bound them together. “ #music #humor #GratefulDead #TheWho #RichardRohr #12Steps #WharfRats #PlayingForChange #desert #prayer #meditation #contemplation #recovery

Traveler: To experience the other "dayze" in this seer-ease...just get back on your camel...travel afar (out)...to the blog: https://www.asoulinwonder.com/blog-1 As we've traveled so far...we've highlighted seasonal tunes and symbols. "WISE MEN" & "TRAINS" are now on the schedule...ALL ABOARD!!! MY LOVE AFFAIR WITH TRAINS I grew up in Richmond Hill, Queens (NY) right by the Long Island Railroad's Morris Park Yards on Atlantic Avenue. Our playground was called "Smokey Park"...and, YES, I saw steam engines there. My friends and I would spend some days climbing into parked freight cars behind the Sheffield Farms Dairy bottling plant and the Diehl & Sons Trucks dealership (a "Diehl" was in my grammar school class). I remember telling my friend Tommy that when I grew up, I was going to work on the railroad. This love affair with rails led me to explore every line in the NYC Subway System and the Staten Island Rapid Transit System. Also introduced our son John via all sorts of model trains (LEGO, BRIO, Thomas the Tank Engine...) I STILL LOVE TRAINS. --LIRR's Morris Park Yards seen from Atlantic Avenue BETHLEHEM EXPRESS: WISE MEN TAKE THE RAILS THREE WISE GUYS: MOE, LARRY, & CURLY...OFF THE RAILS The Three Stooges A Pain In The Pullman (1936) Full Episodes #16 (19:52) 3 MORE WISE GUYS: GROUCHO, CHICO & HARPO...OFF THE RAILS Marx Brothers Go West (The Train) (03:12) OF MONKEYS AND ENGINEERS 'Monkey and the Engineer' by the Barton Hills Choir (02:41) "Monkey and the Engineer" live in Denver, CO - Barton Hills Choir (02:47) Monkey & Engineer - Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir on Letterman, April 13, 1982 (17:20 to 19:40 [end]) --watch Bobby's changing facial expressions as he tells the story... Jerry Garcia posing in front of a train, San Francisco Zoo 9/1/66 tOM at the controls as Engineer & Monkey Monkey and the Engineer (Oct. 2022) --a post about the Grateful Dead cover band Half Step Band's arrival at the LIRR's Malverne, NY station for a show that was part of Malverne's Fall Street Festival. "NEXT TIME YOU THROW A TRAIN, INVITE ME" - JANIS JOPLIN Festival Express Trailer (02:07) --This is the trailer for a film that was thought lost for over 30yrs... then found and beautifully restored. It showcases a cross-country tour of Canada by train in 1970....a fascinating look how the promoter Kenny Walker got together such a wide-ranging group of musicians if mind-boggling... groups/ artists here include Janis Joplin/ Grateful Dead/ The Band/ Ian & Slvia/ Flying Burrito Bros/ Buddy Guy/ Sha Na Na/ Delaney & Bonnie/ Mashmakan, Eric Anderson, Tom Rush...If you're into that late 60's vibe this is must-see film with an amazing list of extra's....This is much more than just music..... Grateful Dead - Don't Ease Me In (Festival Express) HD (03:28) DEAD ENGINEERS AT THE THROTTLE Grateful Dead - Casey Jones (Winterland 12/31/78) (05:33) Grateful Dead - Big Railroad Blues 1972 (05:45) --Check out the goofy masks Grateful Dead - Mystery Train / My Babe 11/8/70 (09:56) Jerry Garcia-Mystery Train (partial) Honeymooners (02:14) Stop That Train (Live) - Jerry Garcia Band (06:50) Dylan And The Dead - Slow Train Coming 7-12-1987 Giants Stadium, NY (Set 3 - 01) (04:33) Grateful Dead- Passenger rides the Soul Train - Mashup (02:56) RIDIN' THAT GRATEFULNESS TRAIN: NYC SUBWAYS This section is from a previous post in this seer-ease... Grateful Dead-Iko Iko 3-18-90. NYC Subway Dance Party (08:07) This was on the NYC subways "1" line..."ONE" nation under Grateful Dead...ONE...where people from all backgrounds can play together as ONE... Check out all the happy faces.. Social Experiment: Blast Grateful Dead on Subway in 2018 and see what happens (05:49) Another "grate" video by Knut Masco --interesting that this was filmed on the "G" & "D" lines...as these are the band's initials AND how some orthodox Jews respect the name of Yahweh by writing "G-d"...indicating that it's entirety cannot be captured by our mere words... Video comments say that some people didn't get it...some did...just like with many messianic figures... SANTA'S GRATEFULNESS BAG OF EXTREEEES The Traveling Wilburys - End Of The Line (Official Video) (03:25) History Of Model Railroading - Model Trains Through The Years (02:17) Miniatur Wunderland: Largest Model Train Set - Guinness World Records (05:33) You can move the German text element so you can view the English subtitles. --"Located in Hamburg, Germany, the largest model train set has a huge total length of 15,400 m (50,525 ft). To put that into perspective, the length of the train set is enough to get you to the top of Mount Everest - and 6,000 m back down the other side!" #music #humor #trains #ThreeStooges #MarxBrothers #BartonHillsChoir #GratefulDead #JerryGarciaBand #BobDylan #TravelingWilburys #FestivalExpress #modeltrains

Traveler: To experience the other "dayze" in this seer-ease...just get back on your camel...travel afar (out)...to the blog: https://www.asoulinwonder.com/blog-1 As we've traveled so far...we've highlighted seasonal tunes and symbols. "LIGHT" is now in focus...OR...is it??? HOW...WHERE...WHEN..."DEW" we find it...and, sometimes, doesn't it FIND US??? OLD Testament NEW Testament People living in darkness have seen a “GRATE” light… "Sometimes the light's all shining on me...Other times I can barely see..." First, offstage...some backstory... The Story of "Truckin" by The Grateful Dead (05:34) Now...LIVE from New York...Uhh...The team and stadium moved... ...LIVE from New Jersey... Grateful Dead - Truckin’ (Giants Stadium 6/17/91) (06:54) "Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places…IF you look at it right…" Scarlet Begonias ~ (2 cam) - Grateful Dead - 10-14-1994 Madison Square Garden, NY (set2-01) (09:36) --I liked the use of imaginative lighting One of these "strangest of places" to find light can be in the “dark” times… ...where we can be more open to receiving these messages... Sobering reminders about the brevity of our lives... --Witches Brew Coffee House (West Hempstead, NY) crow and skull cawing out a warning... "Well, the first days are the hardest days Don't you worry anymore 'Cause when life looks like Easy Street There is danger at your door Think this through with me Let me know your mind Whoa, oh, what I want to know Is are you kind?" "It's the same story the CROW told me It's the only one he know Like the morning sun you come And like the wind you go Ain't no time to hate Barely time to wait Whoa, oh, what I want to know Where does the time go?" --Uncle John's Band-Grateful Dead Grateful Dead- Uncle John's Band (04:41) --creative images fitting for these mystical words... Similar reminders from other BYRDS...and a prophet named Robert... The Byrds + Bob Dylan - Turn Turn Turn + Mr Tambourine Man 2/24/90 (10:10) Today Eileen and I celebrated the Winter Solstice with friends. At our eclectic gathering, we met someone new - a man from the Sioux Nation named Michael Crowfoot. Dressed in ceremonial attire and using a drums and rattles, he led us in a chant... Light and Dark in Robert Hunter's Lyrics His job is to share the light, and not to master... --"Terrapin Station" We humans spend our lives bumbling along, and occasionally we have moments of insight, or of grace. They don't last long, but they somehow make life more worth living. Many writers have attempted to capture this feeling of momentary magical thinking; religions are founded upon seeking a permanent state of illumination or grace; and those who use drugs as "escape" are often seekers of the light. The light. Robert Hunter's lyrics for the Grateful Dead make repeated allusion to the gold ring of understanding, knowledge, bliss, grace, or whatever else "it" might be called, which all too often just slips away when we try to reach it. It's a transitory thing, this "knowing." Hunter uses evocations of light and dark, of day and night, to present many shades of meaning. Dawn and dark can be seen as birth and death, as well as knowing and unknowing. And they are not completely separate at all times: sometimes there is only grey. Sometimes the darkness gives birth to the light, as mystery and the unknown are as necessary as revelation. And sometimes, as in "Blues for Allah," the seeds of light give birth to darkness: knowledge brings a price with it. Source: Light and Dark in Robert Hunter's Lyrics A thematic essay for The Annotated Grateful Dead Lyrics. By David Dodd --David is always my SME (subject matter expert) for all things Dead Santa's Gratefulness Bag of Extreeees Jay Blakesberg - Photographer --of the Dead and other bands Check him out!!! #music #humor #GratefulDead #DavidDodd #Byrds #BobDylan #JayBlakesberg #RobertHunter #WitchesBrewCoffeeHouse

Traveler: To experience the other "dayze" in this seer-ease...just get back on your camel...travel afar (out)...to the blog: https://www.asoulinwonder.com/blog-1 As we've traveled so far...we've highlighted seasonal tunes and symbols. "DRUMMERS" is/are now in focus...They are our timekeepers... MICKEY HART Source “Life is about rhythm. We vibrate, our hearts are pumping blood, we are a rhythm machine, that’s what we are.” ~ Mickey Hart (Source) Grateful Dead Jingle Bells (00:28) - Mickey wishes all a Merry Christmas!!! Sammy Hagar & Wabos w/ Bob Weir & Mickey Hart - "Santa's Going South for Christmas" (02:52) Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band // Christmas Time’s A-Comin' // Live (1987) (03:06) "Run Rudolph Run" ☮ Grateful Dead (03:40) Legendary Grateful Dead Drummer Offers Music as Medicine to Children Rock Icon Mickey Hart Lifts Spirits at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital BILL KREUTZMANN DAVID KEMPER (JERRY GARCIA BAND) Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band, "Christmas Time's A Coming" - 1987 (03:02) LITTLE DRUMMER GIRLZ Little Drummer Girl - Christmas Songs (02:25) Viral little drummer girl RHIAN | little big shot (02:22) Check out her intensity!!! Pretty World Drum Cover by 21mos old, Shia Wilson | Wilson World (03:12) --Check out her "big" brother L.J. - 3 years old - in next link LITTLE DRUMMER BOYZ & GIRLZ (around our world) 3 yr old LJ playing Little Drummer Boy at church (03:23) Leslie Odom Jr. - Little Drummer Boy (feat. Mzansi Youth Choir) [Official Video] (03:23) Little Drummer Boy | Flash Mob | Christmas Outreach (07:29) with dancers Little Drummer Boy Christmas Dance 2020 - Artistic Intensity Dance Company (02:15) Artistic Intensity dancers perform their annual hip hop dance to Little Drummer Boy by Justin Bieber. 2020 - Bob Seger - Little Drummer Boy (03:33) Check out the light show!!! The little drummer boy Reggae Christmas, Irie Christmas by Marlon Clarke (03:18) King Clave | Planet Drum ft. Mickey Hart | Playing For Change | Song Around The World (02:48) See story here SANTA'S BAG OF GRATEFULNESS EXTREEEES Honeymooners Grateful Dead Dancing Christmas Specia:l Ep.# 3 (03:50) Charlie Brown Christmas Grateful Dead⚔️⚡💀 (00:15) Stick mentor...with protege... #music #humor #MickeyHart #BillKreutzmann #DavidKemper #LeslieOdomJr #BobSeger #JerryGarcia #PlayingForChange

Traveler: To experience the other "dayze" in this seer-ease...just get back on your camel...travel afar (out)...to the blog: https://www.asoulinwonder.com/blog-1 As we've traveled so far...we've highlighted seasonal tunes and symbols. "PROPHETS" is/are now in focus...Who are they??? How "dew" we recognize them??? What are their messages??? Are we really listening???...and ACTING??? One more background thought...Now 75, as I've begun paying more attention to the lyrics of one of my favorite groups, I've been seeing lots of spiritual messages - with some of them pointing those in the Judeo-Christian scriptures. (Google this for further proof.) Last year I did a post on this ("Grateful Dead in the Bible") featuring "St. Stephen" and could easily "dew" "others"... In this post, I'm presenting comparisons between the Grateful Dead's song lyrics and prophecies about the promised Messiah and how he lived and treated people while he walked this earth...Let's remember, that our actions speak louder than our words... Estimated Prophet - The Grateful Dead - 1977 (05:50) --AMAZING images...Recorded at Madison Square Garden, New York, October 17th, 1994 In this song's lyrics below I've used RED letters [ sound familiar : ))) ] to call our attention to words and imagery that I see as referring to a person like Jesus...or any do-er of good deeds. "note 1" and others in black refers to Dave Dodd's annotatations. Click the "Source" link to get there. "note 1" and others in RED are my remarks. Estimated Prophet Lyrics By: John Barlow Music By: Bob Weir My time coming any day, don't worry 'bout me, no Been so long I felt this way, I'm in no hurry no Rainbows end down that highway where ocean breezes blow My time coming, voices saying, they tell me where to go (note 1) (My note 1) Don't you worry 'bout me--oh no no, don't worry 'bout me, no And I'm in no hurry--oh no no no, I know where to go (note 1) California, preaching on the burning shore California, I'll be knocking on the golden door Like an angel, standing in a shaft of light Rising up to paradise, I know I'm gonna shine (note 2) My time coming any day, don't worry 'bout me, no It's gonna be just like they say, them voices tell me so Seems so long I felt this way and time sure passing slow (note 2) Still I know I lead the way, they tell me where I go (My note 3) Don't you worry 'bout me--oh, no, no, don't worry 'bout me, no And I'm in no hurry--oh, no, no, no, I know where to go California, a prophet on the burning shore California, I'll be knocking on the golden door Like an angel, standing in a shaft of light Rising up to paradise, I know I'm gonna shine You've all been asleep, you would not believe me (note 4) Them voices telling me, you will soon receive me We're standing on the beach, the sea will part before me (note 3) Fire wheel burning in the air You will follow me and we will ride to glory (note 4) Way up in the middle of the air And I'll call down thunder and speak the same And my words fills the sky with flame (note 5) And might and glory gonna be my name And men gonna light my way (note 5) My time coming any day, don't worry 'bout me, no It's gonna be just like they say, them voices tell me so Seems so long I felt this way and time sure passing slow (note 6) My time coming any day, don't worry 'bout me, no Don't you worry 'bout me--oh, no, no, don't worry 'bout me, no And I'm in no hurry--oh, no, no, don't worry 'bout me, no And I'm in no hurry--oh, no, no, no, I know where to go [etc] Source: Dead.net My Notes: Links are at the bolded underlined sections below. (1) This estimated prophet responds to inner promptings directing his path. Similar to how Jesus was led into the wilderness by the Spirit before beginning his work. (2) There are numerous references associating the Messiah with light. (3) "You, who choose to lead, must follow..." "Ripple". Please see Dave Dodd's insights about the spiritual significance in this ode - including a reference to Psalm 23 (The Good Shepherd). (4) There are numerous Biblical calls to wake up... Don't like these sources??? See "Buddha image below. (5) "Light" is a frequently used image as it helps us see...Teachers of the contemplative path in all traditions advise us to enter our inner spaces...beyond what the outer eyes can see...and find a treasure hidden within us...a wealth of discernment and guidance. See 2nd and 3rd images below. --Above from "Casey Jones" lyrics The "inner room" of Matthew 6:6 can be anywhere we can be alone, quiet and centered. Nature is one of my favorite places to seek within... "And the Colorado Rocky Mountain high, I've seen it raining fire in the sky You can talk to God and listen to the casual reply..." Rocky Mountain High - John Denver (04:41) (wonderful images) "You who lead must follow..." Are You Kind? The Grateful Dead's Philanthropic Legacy - The HuffPost He went around doing good... The Words of the Prophets Are Written on.... ...and subway cars... Grateful Dead-Iko Iko 3-18-90. NYC Subway Dance Party (08:07) This was on the NYC subways "1" line..."ONE" nation under Grateful Dead...ONE...where people from all backgrounds can play together as ONE... Check out all the happy faces... Social Experiment: Blast Grateful Dead on Subway in 2018 and see what happens (05:49) Another "grate" video by Knut Masco --interesting that this was filmed on the "G" & "D" lines...as these are the band's initials AND how some orthodox Jews respect the name of Yahweh by writing "G-d"...indicating that it's entirety cannot be captured by our mere words... Video comments say that some people didn't get it...some did...just like with many messianic figures... One more with NYC Bronx subways that appeared in my search results...this one from someone that I subscribe to... Jerry Garcia-Imagine (Instrumental) 1/20/72 The Lions Share (10:55) --next 2 images are from this BRONXSHOTS video: Santa's Bag of Gratefulness Extreeees: Prophecies about the Messiah Messiah would spend a season in Egypt.Hosea 11:1Matthew 2:14-15 The Prophecies of Osiris, Egyptian Mythology, and the Grateful Dead’s Giza Trip By Ryan Slesinger, PhD. A messenger would prepare the way for Messiah.Isaiah 40:3-5Luke 3:3-6 The New Riders of the Purple Sage opened for the Grateful Dead Messiah would be a prophet.Deuteronomy 18:15Acts 3:20-22 See this post Messiah would bring light to Galilee.Isaiah 9:1-2Matthew 4:13-16 See this post Messiah would speak in parables.Psalm 78:2-4 Isaiah 6:9-10Matthew 13:10-15, 34-35 Light and Dark in the Lyrics of Robert Hunter Messiah would be praised by little children.Psalm 8:2Matthew 21:16 12 Dayze of Christmas Gratefulness-SIX...and a little child shall lead them... Messiah's bones would not be broken.Exodus 12:46 Psalm 34:20John 19:33-36 The Grateful Dead- Throwing Stones...The kids they dance and shake their bones...(07:16) Lots of prophetic messages for those who will listen and ACT... Messiah would pray for his enemies.Psalm 109:4Luke 23:34 "What good is spilling blood. It will not grow a thing." "Blues for Allah" (15:38) - video includes historical footage of the trans-Arabian pipeline Messiah would be mocked and ridiculed.Psalm 22:7-8Luke 23:35 Matt 27:42 (He saved others, himself he cannot save...") Ship of Fools (08:11) David Dodd's reflections Messiah would be sent to heal the brokenhearted.Isaiah 61:1-2Luke 4:18-19 Light Into Ashes-Grateful Dead Music - Sound Healing Research Foundation Life's Rhythms Reimagined w/ Mickey Hart & Dr. Adam Gazzaley AARP (05:54) --I got to experience this a few years ago at NYC's Hayden Planetarium Mickey Hart's Brain on Music (03:01) PBS NEWSHOUR - The Science of Mickey Hart (07:58) Messiah would ascend to heaven.Psalm 24:7-10Mark 16:19 Luke 24:51 Caption read: "A lovely view of heaven but I'd rather be with you..." ("Standing on the Moon") #music #humor #prophet #GratefulDead #JerryGarcia #MickeyHart #Jesus #bible #JohnDenver #DrAdamGazzaley