Sadly a serious fire has broken out on Jonkershoek mountain near Stellenbosch in South Africa. Below is a picture of the fire last night (26 Feb. 2021) Other mountain slopes are also burning Our thoughts are with everyone fighting the fire. May they keep safe.
The pictures of the Mountain Zebra Park near Cradock in the Eastern Cape in South Africa generated quite a bit of interest, Here are some more pictures taken by other friends recently. I will try and get more pictures that we took a while ago. The Park is a great place to visit. Question: Who have those four naughty junior zebras seen coming? See below.
This wonderful National Park is near Cradock in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. These pictures were taken by good friends in the Park this week. Enjoy
.Six pictures. Why are the two buck on full alert? Scroll down for the answer!
Do you enjoy playing chorded piano music? Here is a fun thing to do. Try free flowing improvising within a group of chords that go well together. Don’t make up a melody beforehand. Just play and enjoy. Let your hands just play automatically. Here is a fun example staying within C, G7, F, F7, Dm, E7 and Am. Give it a go! Also for fun with the classics, type CDI in the search box.
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Allow the Masters to inspire your own improvisations.
May I suggest something for all you pianists who play chorded classical melodies. Try improvising within the chord sequences chosen by the great composers. Just let your hands go wherever they want to go. Do not have any preconception of a tune or melody. Just play. Of course there will be mistakes. Stick to the chords and more or less follow the sequence. The chords and the sequences will automatically create new melodies. Such is the inspiration of these wonderful composers. Here is a recording of me trying this with part of Csardas, Danse Hongroise (from “Coppelia) – Delibes. The chords include C, Am,G7, E, B7, Ddim, Fm, Bdim, Bb7, Dm improvisation is not perfect! How can it be! But wow it is fun. No two improvisations will be the same. Just try it with any chorded classical music. The great composers’ choice of chords and their sequence will blow your mind and leave you in awe of their genius. We can only thank them. I hope you find this interesting. Please share this post with other pianists.
To see other Chord Driven Improvisations, search for CDI in the top right of this post. Thank you.
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You and I don’t just exist. We are always deciding what our existence will be and what we will become the next moment. Why is this true for me and for you? Why is it true for all people? The reason is because we all have free will. As Victor Frankl wrote: “…every human being has the freedom to change at any instant.” The answer to the question? We each decide. No buck passing!
Based on the writing of Victor Frankl
I am Kiera. I love the woods. Especially enchanted woods. I have some questions for you. Who am I? What am I? What am I to you? Am I closer to you than you can ever imagine? In the stillness of an enchanted wood I heard you answer me. I have recorded our sacred conversation in a poem. Here it is. Please step softly on my dreams.
IN CONVERSATION WITH KIERA …..
Who or what am I?
A star in the sky?
Or think perhaps I could
Be a nymph in the wood?
A fish that swims maybe?
Delighting in the sea …..
A bird that flies the air?
A pig, cat, horse or bear?
I’m none of these
So help me please ………
“You are LOVE in motion and give devotion
You feed my soul and make me whole
A DOG so wise
In disguise …..
My Brightest Star
That’s who you are!”.
(Kiera lives with her devoted companion Anna in East Sussex, England. Anna also loves and writes poetry.)
I am Kiera from East Sussex in England. What a winter it has been! Plenty of snow and lots of ice. Everyone is talking about the cold weather. Below is a picture of me talking to a donkey friend who told me about a nearby frozen pond on which geese were skating. I could hardly believe it so I went to the pond to see for myself. It was true. Look at the picture I took of the geese on the ice. I am including a gallery of some snow and ice scenes near where I live. Amazing. Keep warm. My dear friend Anna helped me with the pictures. Please scroll down.
Here is how to make this delicious lock down meal. Thanks to two great lock down cooks in freezing London, February 2021.
Scroll down. Very short videos and pictures. Just looking at the pictures makes my mouth water!
