Arizona Skies by Jim Beckwith

I just got a Google Alert this morning for Arizona Skies and got these lyrics to a song written and sung by Reggae singer Jim Beckwith in Tampa, Florida. Here is his website so that you can listen to this song. I just love it!

http://www.reverbnation.com/jimbeckwith
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Arizona Skies - Lyrics by Jim Beckwith

Desert Life is precious, a place of all extremes
Sun’s too hot to handle, it’s brighter than it seems
Nights are cold and lonely, Days hot as hell
You might survive living here, it’s just too soon to tell.

Look in all directions, there’s a billion stars tonight -
the suguaro cactus stands like a sentry, looking for a fight.
couples may be broken, river rocks may fly;
but the clouds are always beautiful - in the Arizona skies

We are the stones - smoothed by the river
Rough is the sand, and the water makes you shiver

Living here in desolation you expect some things to die
it’s strange, but true - no on even cries
Celebrate for the living, remembrance for the dead
We light a candle - at one end

Put the candle in the river - watch it float away
remember back in time to another day
life was good - we liked it then
but we must go on and on
till the candles come floating back again

Rarely in the desert comes a pouring rain
but it’s joyful when it happens, you can feel alive again
Standing in the shower it feels like rain
there’s nothing like the feeling of the absence of pain

We are the stones - smoothed by the river
Rough is the sand, and the water makes you shiver

I said look out across, send word down
to reach the boss on the way to town,
`if your going in the right direction...
Here, then we’re gone, but a little part lives on,
living life, dying death,
and the earth just took one breath

My own backyard Tangerine

This is my Kinnow Mandarin in my back yard. The plant is three years old and this is the first time it has had an actual harvest. Before this it was just a few fragrant flowers and nubs of fruits that soon shriveled and died. I'm wondering if I am not giving it enough water, I have never fertilized it. Next year I will look into this and try to do the right thing.

I just ate my first the other day and it's nothing like you buy at the store. This is not bland but a very strong taste, a little sour but I like that. The only thing I don't like is that it has some big seeds. All in all I'm happy with it.

Turning a lemon into lemonade

I just came across an article by Cathie Gandel in an AARP publication.

Teanne Harris was supposed to be married in a late October Halloween themed bash when six days before the wedding her fiance got cold feet. She then found out it was too late to get a refund for the reception. Rather than having all that money and hard work expended go to waste, she decided to turn her wedding celebration into a holiday party for the 340 residents of Ashbury Court Retirement Community in Des Plaines, Illinois.

She didn't know anyone there but moved everything - food, flowers, table decorations and even the DJ - to the community. Harris, 34, said, "I worked really hard on planning for the perfect party, and it would have broken my heart even more to have it go to waste". Instead she received joy watching the residents enjoy the holiday.

This was a perfect example of the adage, "If life gives you lemons, make lemonade". And what a wonderful gesture to be able to remember that bitter day as a joyful time for many strangers. Great karma to you, Teanne Harris!