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Saturday, August 1, 2015
Summertime...
And the weather is sweltering. Never known a summer to be so hot for so long. Cool down with these fantastic versions of the classic Summertime. Which one is your favourite?
I was just whining to Tom about the continued hot weather. I cried when I got our last water bill. It was 97 today. I really hate weather like this, I can't be out in it at all. 70's to the low 80's would be perfect, I hope the latter part of August will be like that.
So "Summertime" is very apropos. I'm partial to Janis but am going to listen to one cover each evening and pick my fav...
I'm thankful that I have my own well, or I would have a ginormous water bill. Trying to keep everything alive and thriving is a big job when it's this hot...if I miss one watering, I have a dead plant or two. On the positive side, I have a bumper crop of tomatoes and cukes, and even made a batch of salsa the other day. Yum!
I'm partial to Joplin's version, but only listened to a little bit of each of the others. I'll listen to the full versions on my next day off (and watch the Maggie video!).
I wish we had a well, lady red. There was one on the property at one time, I have no idea why they switched to the city water. We do have our own septic, if I hit the jackpot I'd have a well put in as well as one of those hand pumps that you can use if there's no power. In my dreams!
We had to buy an air conditioning unit the second week of the hots florrie. Made a huge difference in the house. We are leaving for Vegas on Monday (Rod Stewart!) it's a Dante wonderland there...
But at least everything is air-conditioned there! I'm so glad to hear you are feeling up to a trip, have a wonderful (and safe!) time, Fay.
We lucked out, the house we bought here in 2008 had air conditioning. During the hot weather we are thanking our lucky stars every day. Matt knows that most people here in WA don't have it as our summers haven't been so consistently hot. Ugh.
Oooo, Vegas will be hot as Hades this time of year! Seeing Stewart would be SO worth it though! I hope you guys have a great time!
I read earlier today that Lake Mead is so low that towns that were submerged when they filled the reservoir are now visible, and that it's become quite a tourist attraction. It might be fun to zip over there and check it out. :)
It was over 100 here in pdx land on Thursday. I had meetings in a few different parts of town and was probably doing the brisk walking thing for about an hour. Then I had a workout at the gym.
I thought about you, lewy, when they were doing the nat'l weather forecast on Thursday evening. They said Portland was going to hit 102! Yikes!!! You are really dedicated if you had a workout, good gawd.
We have had a fairly decent summer...e.g., our AC has not maxed out on any day yet, unlike a couple years ago. None the less, its also been fairly dry...my dill weed plant is croaking...now who on earth can dill of a dill weed? The rest of the herbs seem to be doing fine...I suspect the dill weed problem is due to the crappy mulchy "herb soil" I got sold...it either holds too much water or not enough, don't know. I will replant a new bunch in regular top soil with better drainage shortly. Need dill weed since my ex-son-on-law makes the best fresh "ice box" dill pickles (not salty) I've ever had, cut on a mandolin device, and can always use a fresh supply... must keep the pickle supply coming. His are better than even those sold in Kosher stores in the suburbs...I can eat them like popcorn.
He and my daughter are still friendly as well...their differences were more about life style than emotional or intellectual. He's the classic "Bubba" who lives to hunt, fish, and such (although he is a designer for a major firm) while Kim is more urbane and inclined to work related matters...e.g. they found themselves with little in common after a few years except their basic friendship. They kept the best and discarded the detritus. He's about to re-marry a lovely girl, that I really like a lot, who has his inclinations to the core...loves to camp out, hunt, and fish. Both Kim and I think she's great and wish him well...Kim is invited to the very small (rustic) wedding in fact, while I was about to be when I suggested he just meet Judi & I for dinner some night, after the wedding, with his new bride and his family, whom I know well. Deciding you can like someone without loving them in the matrimonial sense is key to not making divorces acrimonious. When Nina and I divorced we sat side by side in the final hearing, much to the amusement of the judge. We had the requisite lawyer (it's mandatory here) but we both said the judge should disregard anything he said but the requirements of the basic statutes. We had no intention of becoming enemies, and haven't.
Fay, you picked a wonderful variety of covers. They were all very distinct and I didn't expect that!
Norah Jones - this was probably my favorite. I don't know much about her so looked up her wiki page and was surprised to learn that she was born in Bed-Stuy and is the daughter of Ravi Shankar. I would have liked to see her perform it live!
Nina Simone - I loved her voice. Unfortunately, I *didn't* love the overly long piano solo and also thought the pianist tried to outdo her & drown her out at the apex of the song.
Ella Fitzgerals - What a talent she was. I liked her change of tempo in the second verse and really enjoyed her (impromptu?) comments to the audience, I loved her sense of humor.
Janis - this is the version I know best. Janis is one of my favs.
Billy Stewart - this copy frightened and confused me :-) It was just kind of surreal - his style of singing...his pants hiked up to his chest with the open-V shirt...the cowboy audience (WTH???)...all sitting on straw bales, clapping and swaying in unison, yikes! img:"http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y117/floranista/emoticons/gaa.png"
Billy Preston - I LOVED his Bach and Ray Charles versions! What a showman, and that ring!! I think of him as the 5th Beatle.
Anyway, thanks for putting these all together, Fay. I really enjoyed listening to them.
I was just whining to Tom about the continued hot weather. I cried when I got our last water bill. It was 97 today. I really hate weather like this, I can't be out in it at all. 70's to the low 80's would be perfect, I hope the latter part of August will be like that.
ReplyDeleteSo "Summertime" is very apropos. I'm partial to Janis but am going to listen to one cover each evening and pick my fav...
I'm thankful that I have my own well, or I would have a ginormous water bill. Trying to keep everything alive and thriving is a big job when it's this hot...if I miss one watering, I have a dead plant or two. On the positive side, I have a bumper crop of tomatoes and cukes, and even made a batch of salsa the other day. Yum!
DeleteI'm partial to Joplin's version, but only listened to a little bit of each of the others. I'll listen to the full versions on my next day off (and watch the Maggie video!).
I wish we had a well, lady red. There was one on the property at one time, I have no idea why they switched to the city water. We do have our own septic, if I hit the jackpot I'd have a well put in as well as one of those hand pumps that you can use if there's no power. In my dreams!
DeleteI've priced those hand pumps...yowza! They're VERY pricey. I'd sure love to have one though!
DeleteI see a business opportunity... Bottled well water. Hand pumped bottled well water!
DeleteI'll buy the pump if someone will work it... ;)
lewy, lol!!
DeleteHand-pumped bottled water sounds like a progressive's dream.
We had to buy an air conditioning unit the second week of the hots florrie. Made a huge difference in the house. We are leaving for Vegas on Monday (Rod Stewart!) it's a Dante wonderland there...
ReplyDeleteBut at least everything is air-conditioned there! I'm so glad to hear you are feeling up to a trip, have a wonderful (and safe!) time, Fay.
DeleteWe lucked out, the house we bought here in 2008 had air conditioning. During the hot weather we are thanking our lucky stars every day. Matt knows that most people here in WA don't have it as our summers haven't been so consistently hot. Ugh.
Oooo, Vegas will be hot as Hades this time of year! Seeing Stewart would be SO worth it though! I hope you guys have a great time!
DeleteI read earlier today that Lake Mead is so low that towns that were submerged when they filled the reservoir are now visible, and that it's become quite a tourist attraction. It might be fun to zip over there and check it out. :)
It was over 100 here in pdx land on Thursday. I had meetings in a few different parts of town and was probably doing the brisk walking thing for about an hour. Then I had a workout at the gym.
ReplyDeleteI'm still re-hydrating.
I thought about you, lewy, when they were doing the nat'l weather forecast on Thursday evening. They said Portland was going to hit 102! Yikes!!! You are really dedicated if you had a workout, good gawd.
DeleteIt's weird when Portland is hotter than LIttle Rock. Drink lotsa H2O!
DeleteWe have had a fairly decent summer...e.g., our AC has not maxed out on any day yet, unlike a couple years ago. None the less, its also been fairly dry...my dill weed plant is croaking...now who on earth can dill of a dill weed? The rest of the herbs seem to be doing fine...I suspect the dill weed problem is due to the crappy mulchy "herb soil" I got sold...it either holds too much water or not enough, don't know. I will replant a new bunch in regular top soil with better drainage shortly. Need dill weed since my ex-son-on-law makes the best fresh "ice box" dill pickles (not salty) I've ever had, cut on a mandolin device, and can always use a fresh supply... must keep the pickle supply coming. His are better than even those sold in Kosher stores in the suburbs...I can eat them like popcorn.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice you two are still friendly, Aridog. Pickles are a benefit!
ReplyDeleteSo often the ex-in-laws fade out of our lives.
He and my daughter are still friendly as well...their differences were more about life style than emotional or intellectual. He's the classic "Bubba" who lives to hunt, fish, and such (although he is a designer for a major firm) while Kim is more urbane and inclined to work related matters...e.g. they found themselves with little in common after a few years except their basic friendship. They kept the best and discarded the detritus. He's about to re-marry a lovely girl, that I really like a lot, who has his inclinations to the core...loves to camp out, hunt, and fish. Both Kim and I think she's great and wish him well...Kim is invited to the very small (rustic) wedding in fact, while I was about to be when I suggested he just meet Judi & I for dinner some night, after the wedding, with his new bride and his family, whom I know well. Deciding you can like someone without loving them in the matrimonial sense is key to not making divorces acrimonious. When Nina and I divorced we sat side by side in the final hearing, much to the amusement of the judge. We had the requisite lawyer (it's mandatory here) but we both said the judge should disregard anything he said but the requirements of the basic statutes. We had no intention of becoming enemies, and haven't.
DeleteFay, you picked a wonderful variety of covers. They were all very distinct and I didn't expect that!
ReplyDeleteNorah Jones - this was probably my favorite. I don't know much about her so looked up her wiki page and was surprised to learn that she was born in Bed-Stuy and is the daughter of Ravi Shankar. I would have liked to see her perform it live!
Nina Simone - I loved her voice. Unfortunately, I *didn't* love the overly long piano solo and also thought the pianist tried to outdo her & drown her out at the apex of the song.
Ella Fitzgerals - What a talent she was. I liked her change of tempo in the second verse and really enjoyed her (impromptu?) comments to the audience, I loved her sense of humor.
Janis - this is the version I know best. Janis is one of my favs.
Billy Stewart - this copy frightened and confused me :-) It was just kind of surreal - his style of singing...his pants hiked up to his chest with the open-V shirt...the cowboy audience (WTH???)...all sitting on straw bales, clapping and swaying in unison, yikes! img:"http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y117/floranista/emoticons/gaa.png"
Billy Preston - I LOVED his Bach and Ray Charles versions! What a showman, and that ring!! I think of him as the 5th Beatle.
Anyway, thanks for putting these all together, Fay. I really enjoyed listening to them.