My Walk into the past through music.

Music carries the mind to other places. Tonight it carried me back to my childhood. Searching for music for this blogspot, I came across the artist Carly Simon. Carly Simon was one of the artist that we listened to in our home. Nostalgia surfaced and I began to search for other 70's favs.
Music was a big deal in our home. Dad and Mom always had music on. My favorite memory with music is waking up to music on the weekends. Saturdays were usually cleaning days for Mom, and tinkering around in the yard or elsewhere for Dad. Usually the choice of music played varied from the Fleetwood Mac "Rumors" album, Doobie Brothers, Cat Stevens, Steely Dan, Carly Simon, Heart, Grover Washington "Winelight" album. Dad took great care of his albums and his stereo system. He taught me the "tuner", "turntable" and when we got it, the "cassette player." I remember he built a sort of music entertainment center out of an old dresser, left over orange shag carpet from the maroon van? (I think that is where it came from) I even learned how to properly clean a vinyl too!
Mom and I use to sing and dance to music. I loved helping her clean and she would turn up the music and we would start dancing through the house! We still do it when the mood strikes us. Our dancing varies to hard core, true cuttin' the rug, to silly dancing.
I remember going to Peaches Record store on Reynolds road with Dad when he was in search of a new record. When I was around eight years old I got my first album of my very own it was Daryl Hall and John Oates "Voices" album. I remember the first time I heard the single "What I got you want and it might be hard to handle, like a flame that burns the candle..." I was laying in the back seat of our blue Buick Regal driving up Nevada St. going to Papa and Gram Jensen's house. I remember sitting up and telling Dad and Mom how much I loved that song and asked if I could get my own record of this. Dad said that Hall and Oates actually have been around since then. I was surprised. This was the beginning of my Dad and I having a common interest together. Dad took me to everyone of the Hall and Oates shows when they came to town.
Memories of parties, and cookouts, hanging at the quarry, the jam session in the backyard with Jim and Bonnie, going camping and singing in the back of the Maroon Van with mom, Dad's Harmonica sessions, when will "brown eyed girl and Margaritaville die?"The music that sticks out the most in my mind I have downloaded on my playlist below. Look at them, listen to them, see if they bring back any memories for you...

The first Picnic of the year!

The sporadic photos that are all over this page were taken on our picnic. This past weekend Northwestern Ohio had the promise that Spring is right around the corner. Saturday was nice, however Sunday and Monday were incrediable! Sunday we set off to Crane Creek Wildlife Refuge, along route 2 in Ottawa County. We packed up a picnic, loaded the kids up, plus the dog and set off on our adventure. Ottawa County, especially Bono, Ohio is one of my favorite parts of Ohio. I think it is a blood memory; part of my family settled this area and where my Native American roots came from.Whatever the reason, the drive from Toledo to Sandusky, in my opinion is stunning.
We saw so many birds returning home for the year. Canada Geese were everywhere, we saw two pairs of Swans, tons of Ducks, and good ole Muskrats. The neatest thing was driving out of the refuge, Avin spotted a doe in the woods bedding down for the day. Great eyes Avin! The beach was a place of wonderment for Lavinia, Avin and our dog Lily. Liam however was scared of the sound of the waves coming up on shore. He kept saying "What dat souuunnd?" "Mommy, I go home now, bye beach, see you nother time!" When we explained what the sound was and he started to relax. I can imagine how vast the lake looked like to him. After gathering as many broken shells, rocks and sand to fill our sandbox at home, we went up to the nature center. This is a must see if you have never been there. They have cases filled with birds and animals that are indigenous to our area. There are hands on nature items for the kids, and a huge piano that plays bird calls when you press the keys. They now have live fish and a Snapping Turtle that the kids would not stop watching.
We could not have asked for a better day as a family!

Night Owls!

Let me just say that alot of my posts will be late at night. Why, do you ask? Well first off the kids are in bed (sigh) what a job! Second, Brian is now working third shift as a security officer along with running his sword business. Despite my brave front, I get a tad bit "edgy" at night. So, I am up doing everything to keep myself from thinking of things that go "bump in the night." It is not a bad gig really, I have finished sewing, worked on family history, scrapbooked, read, and watched movies. However, you know it will be a bad day when you hear the first bird call and you realize the kids will be up in a hour...