blessed are

I am feeling mighty blessed. in the space of a week the temperature has gone from arctic to almost tropical (yesterday's high was recorded to be 65 degrees!). according to accuweather the highs for the next week are all above freezing!! of course, this is cleveland, just consider what we were experiencing last year during the same time. but I'm enjoying what we get when we get it! and crossing my fingers that the rest of the month will be very lamb-like. but if the lion returns that's cool too.

since weekends officially begin friday night (unless you are a college student then I hear they begin thursday or sometimes wednesday night), my weekend is off to a great start. last night we checked out the scene one of the local bowling alleys. we didn't go to bowl, but I can assure you that will be next. we went to experience their friday night fish fry. cleveland is all about the lenten fish fry - both restuarants and churches are big into having them. the meal was good and what a bargain. f and I each had the perch special which comes with fresh rolls, a salad (made with mixed greens not that disgusting iceberg lettuce - I asked before ordering), and your choice of side (fries, hash browns, slaw, or mac and cheese) and between us 3 beers - the total cost twenty-five bucks. not too shabby! but even better than the food was the company of our friends and chatting up with the staff at mahall's which I think got a kick out of the fact that after we finished dinner I went about snapping pictures (always thinking of the snap)

tonight I'll going to a concert of none other than the legendary joan baez. I have been on cloud nine for the last week anticipating this concert. I've seen joan perform in the past, but always in a setting where she is just one of many performers or where she lends her voice to advance the causes of peace, civil rights, and social justice for all. I remember reading that blogging buds steve and gary went to a baez concert last fall. steve published joan's playlist Iseriously doubt I'll be centered enough to write the songs down, but I'm going with my bud lin and she's got a mind like a steel trap when it comes to music and I bet she will be able to recall each and every song joan plays!

the concert is being promoted as part of joan's day after tomorrow tour and also a celebration of her golden anniversary as a singer-songwriter. 50 years! wow, no wonder why I feel that joan has been part of the artists providing the soundtrack of my life.....

hope everyone has a great weekend. and blessings to you!

blessed are written by joan and released on her album of the same name in 1971. definitely among the group of my all time favorite songs.



in case you want to sing along....

Blessed are the one way ticket holders
on a one way street.
Blessed are the midnight riders
for in the shadow of God they sleep.
Blessed are the huddled hikers
staring out at falling rain,
wondering at the retribution
in their personal acquaintance with pain.
Blessed are the blood relations
of the young ones who have died,
who had not the time or patience
to carry on this earthly ride.
Rain will come and winds will blow,
wild deer die in the mountain snow.
Birds will beat at heaven's wall,
what comes to one must come to us all.

For you and I are one way ticket holders
on a one way street.
which lies across a golden valley
where the waters of joy and hope run deep.
So if you pass the parents weeping
of the young ones who have died,
take them to your warmth and keeping
for blessed are the tears they cried
and many were the years they tried.
Take them to that valley wide
and let their souls be pacified.


photos: joan performing at the massive march on washington against the war in iraq, september 24 2005; insert - dinner at mahall's lanes, lakewood march 2009