The Wind Upon Your Window

Oppressive governments around the world...keep making their own citizens who disagree
with them...even peacefully...disappear. On the television news last night...it was
being reported...that recently...an estimated 200 citizens of Iran...had disappeared.
May the day come...when this practice...that leaves so many dark questions...hanging
in the air...cease for all time.....................Quester.

Solola

This song was written...on the shores of Lake Atitlan in Guatemala...a beautiful
country...with the powerful cultures of different Maya People. Once you've spent a
bit of time there...it's an experience that's hard to forget. This song celebrates
the people and the land there................Quester.

Dawn On My Mountains

This is a spontaneous video made because..."the state of the skies at the time made me do it". I feel fortunate to have had a camcorder to record what was happening in the
skies that morning. This video...as it speaks of the beauty and power in Creation...
has become one of my favourites...among the videos I've made.........Quester.

Caribbean Days Festival

Yesterday and today...I went to the Caribbean Days Festival...in North Vancouver.
I took a lot of video clips...at yesterday's parade...down Lonsdale Avenue...of
dancers...and other representatives...of various cultural groups. Parading...were
very expressive dancers...doing the samba...or hula...or other dances...a steel band
playing...from a large truck...and many other interesting sights aad sounds.
I enjoyed that day of the festival...more than today's. Perhaps the heat coming down
from unclouded skies today...contributed to the way I felt...as I returned home
...after a short stay there. However...my video of yesterday's parade..."Caribbean
Festival Parade-N. Vancouver-09"...is now on YouTube. I like the way it turned out...
.........................Quester.

Re: Rain

I am disappointed tonight. After brilliant sunshine for days...and the weather people predicting a sunny evening...I was on my way out to the Illuminares Festival...a most
human and creative festival...that had missed last year...due to lack of funds...but was due to be back tonight. I was looking forward to attending...and taking some video too. When I left my home...I felt a few prickles...another half a block and there was no denying it...it was raining. That wasn't all though...I saw the flash in the sky...
followed by the roar. Thunder...of course...which is still going on...even as I type this. I sent my good wishes to the organizers of this great festival...as I turned homewards...hoping that they might salvage something from this evening. All this...gave me the idea...to put my song..."Rain"...on my Blog tonight. The song..."Thunder"...coming up soon. [Actually...I do have a song called "Thunder and Lightning"...but that one is about Love"...not..."Weather"].......................Quester.

Rain

Re: The Trout

You can call me Don Quixote if you like...but I don't embrace the notion...that...
"things have always been that way so let's let sleeping dogs lie". It is true that
some of us human beings...tend to behave in the same way...we did hundreds or
thousands of years ago...but I'm more of the persuasion that says..."whatever way things have been in the past...one of the challenges for us human beings...is to keep
reaching...to make things better". In my own imperfect life...issues have come up...
that on taking inventory...I could see...I wasn't handling in the best possible way...
and I've found myself...with such situations...doing some deep and long reflection...to
see how I could improve my response...to each particular life challenge. Years ago...
it came to me...that I had to work on myself...so that I didn't jump to the bait I was
offered from time to time...when something was said or done...and start
quarelling. It's not a stretch to see how knee jerk reactions to what comes up in life
...can be a large factor...in how we get into full blown wars. As I often do to help
me clarify for myself some aspect of life...I wanted to write a song...about not
jumping to baits offered. I asked an avid fisherman...which fish...jumps most quickly
at baits offered. Without hesitation...he said..."the trout". With the verification of
that...the song bloomed...giving me a beacon to look to...when I needed reminders...
not to jump at baits offered. Since that time...I would say...my life has been...
relatively argument free. Hallelujah!....................Quester.

The Trout

An Especially Creative Period

The last two and a half weeks or so...has been an especially creative period for me.
Many videos have been made...new video concepts keep coming...and in between...there
has been some "effortless creating". I feel very thankful when that happens...knowing
what a slog it can be...sometimes...trying to bring something new into the world.
At these times...I know...that I'm doing the artist's work I was meant to do...and that
gives me a good feeling...chasing away...any blues that might be hovering. Yes...right
now...I am very thankful...for all that has come my way..............Quester.

Re: My Picto Paintings

This was a labour of love video of mine. You always take a chance when you take the
pains to focus in and make one of those. For a long time some people who look at my YouTube videos had been saying..."come on...make a video with your paintings in it".
Well...I finally did...and shall we say...the response has not been overwhelming. I
did take some creative liberties...using a few effects on the paintings utilized...in
this video...but I don't think that accounts for whatever lethargy this video has
encountered out in the world. My training of myself over many years has been to not
get "addicted to numbers"...but always...to try to make your work as an artist better.
A video like this one tests my training...and ultimately...I accept...the lottery
aspect of putting videos on YouTube. Sometimes you are pleasantly surprised by how
many people...embrace a video you upload. I'm happy to report...I've had some of those
...but whenever I upload a video...that's not one with a song in it...I know I am
taking a bit of a chance. Having said that...I anticipate...continuing from time to time...uploading videos...not with song content...because that's what a creative artist
does...at least this one...continues to create in whatever idioms offer themselves.
Besides...my YouTube adventure...has been a most encouraging...and inspiring one...
..................Quester.

My Picto Paintings

Summer Evening By English Bay

Just returned from a musical gathering on the shores of English Bay. I sang three songs there...and took alot of video and stills. Chatted with a few people I know from
previous times there. It was a gorgeous summer evening. Glad I went.......Quester.

Re Slow Movers

Fifth time lucky...and just before midnight. This fascinating group...was one of the highlights at the recent Commercial Drive Festival...a car free street festival...in
Vancouver. There's something about what they do...that connects with you...in a place in you beyond the place that seeks entertainment. There Is something about them...that's appealing...in a timeless...human way. Glad I finally got them on my Blog......................Quester.

Slow Movers

Slow Movers

Re: Waitress In The Sky

Weeks ago...I embedded my first YouTube video on this Blog. I tried a few times after
that...to put other videos on here...but found that the mojo I need to plumb these
kinds of...to me...complex manoevers...had deserted me. Tonight...with this special
song of mine...recently uploaded to YouTube...I decided to try to get it on to my Blog.
To my pleasant surprise...it worked this time!. This song is special to me...not only
because it relates to...my First Love Of The North...but because...for me...in the
recording of this song...voice...melody...and guitar...combined to make a unity...that
can otherwise...be elusive. So to those dear people who read my Blog...although I...so
far...seldom seem to tell any one about its existence...here's a bonus...and a Thank
You. Maybe...now...I'll begin to get more of my YouTube videos on to my Blog...
.....................Quester.

Waitress In The Sky

Warm And Getting Warmer

[Today's picture: detail from mural on Commercial Drive...Vancouver].
It felt very warm on my walk this evening...and tomorrow...apparently...it's forecast
o be even warmer. That's my excuse for a short entry tonight. My hope is...when it
gets cooler...I'll be able to go longer with my entries. Having said that...today I
did get my twelfth video in twelve days done. Hallelujah!..............Quester.

Eleven Days...Eleven Videos

This has been a challenging day. I did several takes of a video involving one of my songs. I felt I'd done the best version of it I could do. When I played it back...I
found that a technical glitch had botched it up. I had reached my point of..."enough
for now"...so I left it...and went on to work on some editing of another video. The
original song video I turned away from...would have been my eleventh song video in eleven days. I was sure that the lovely run of videos made was done. This evening...
although I was very tired...I got it up...to tackle it again. I used another machine...to do an end run around the one that had given trouble. After several takes and feeling at the end of my rope...I finally got a version that sustained from start to finish. With this...I had just about miraculously managed...to pull off...eleven videos...in eleven days. Hallelujah......................Quester.

The Friendly Spammers Of The World

There is someone who has been sending me a reminder to look at his Blog...every day...
for over three years now. I confess to not being crazy about this piece of persistent
friendly spam. My response usually...is to say..."good luck"...and click "delete". I've never attempted to block this particular piece of spam...because...knowing how hard it is to keep up a daily Blog...I don't want to send rejection this person's way. My hope is that one day...he will realize...that whether he had wished to do so...or not...he has become...one more spammer...in a world already overloaded...with unsolicited messages...and stop sending daily notices about his Blog. The thing is...I...of course ...don't need to be reminded of his entry for the day. I knew from the first notice he sent me...where to find his Blog...and would have preferred to have been given the freedom and space...to go there...if I felt the need to read his Blog. What he doesn't seem to realize...is that his never ending notices...have become a nuisance...rather than an encouragement to read what he has to say. Wish me patience...in dealing with the friendly spammers of the world................Quester.

The Courage To Begin

[Words from my song: "The Courage To Begin"-Copyright-SOCAN]/
"When you catch a glimpse
of rhe road you must walk...
And you say to yourself
I can't begin...
Know that if you're meant
to find what's meant for you...
It's the courage to begin
You must win...
The trail looks so long
and so forbidden...
You're tempted to remain
Just where you are...
Remember...you must find
what has been hidden...
If you're to become
your shining star".....
...............Quester.

Season Of The Fruit

The time of apples reddening...is nigh...go figure...it's not even quite mid-July.
Guess the heavy dose of sunny...warm days...today...of course...being the exception...
has quickened the pace...of the time of fruiting. I've always gotten a special feeling
of satisfaction...from seeing..."fruit on the vine...or tree". It helps me to get over
the battering of the leaves and flowers...once the first flush of spring is over.
Here's to the season of the fruit...................Quester.

Totem Pole Of Kitsilano

"Above the museum roof you stand...
Your faces turned towards the land...
I want to see you face the sea...
That's where you'll rest your eyes I know...
Beyond the city sands"....
..................Quester.

Exhilerating Day On The Water

Just returned home from an afternoon/evening...out on the waters of English Bay...with
a nephew of mine...his partner...and a friend. It was a glorious sunny day to be out
there...but with the movement of the boat...nice and cool and refreshing. The bashing
of the boat on the waves...made it tricky to get video without a lot of up and down
movement...but I'm hoping I'll be able to salvage some of the video clips. I did get
some stills...including tonight's picture. I've received my ration of sun to last me
for quite a few days...and it was lovely to see the city I love...from many new vantage
points. An exhilerating day....................Quester.

Twilight Rambler

[Words from my song: Twilight Rambler-Copyright-SOCAN. Video recorded just today].
"From the jungle jade
to the wide winter white...
North...and East...and West...
A-searching I've gone...
Trying to piece together
some of the splinters...
Of my People's tree
struck down in the storm...
Brothers of the North-land
is your circle...
The place where a searching
man can rest?...
Or will I be a twilight
rambler always?...
Who waits to see the sun
rise in the West?"......
................Quester.

Snows Of Canada

[Words from my song: "Snows of Canada"-Copyright-SOCAN].
"Through the shadows
of the midnight...
Gliding through
the ghostly sky...
Over dark and dappled waters...
Northwards from the sun we fly...
White plane in the midnight sky...
High above the southern sea...
We're bound for the snows of Canada...
To where a new life waits for me"...
............................Quester.

Keeping Momentum vs. Overdoing Things

It rained again today...and I made another video today. Looks like the rain was the
helper I needed to return to video making. Hopefully...I should be able to keep a good
momentum going from this restart...in the event the sun should return soon. I am a
creature of momentum...but I also try not to overdo what I do...knowing that doing too
much for too long...can lead to revulsion with what you're doing. Here too...it's a
question of maintaining a good balance in what I do. Wish me well as I steer myself
onwards between keeping momentum...and overdoing things................Quester.

A Break Through Day

Two days ago...was the day I went on a picnic with friends...on one of many flawless
days in a row. Some time yesterday...the weather began to change...and today...the
rain was back. I really appreciated the beauty of previous days...but I found myself
having an elusive time...doing any thing about videos I have in mind...where I sing
songs. For me...sometimes...brilliant weather...can make it hard on focusing in...on
things to be done. Today's rains and grey skies...turned out to be a blessing in
disguise...as earlier this afternoon...I broke through my lethargy...did the necessary
preparation...and rehearsal...and ended up completing a video...with me singing and
playing guitar. Given what I do...that may not seem to be a large thing...but for me
it actually was...as with the hot fine days...I had begun to wonder...if I'd ever do
one of those...ever again. So...today...for me...was a break through day. Hope
there will be many more...................Quester.

An Interlude To Remember

Went on a picnic...yesterday afternoon-evening with two friends. We feasted on a nice
assortment of goodies...and conversed about subjects wide and deep. It was the beauty
of the place where we were...the lightness of the air...the beauty of the painter's light for that time of the day and place...and the water and mountain scene before us
...along with the company...that helped to make this...an interlude to remember.
As I remarked when we turned homewards...we had not just attended some dramatic event
...but we all had the feeling that we had experienced...one of those "fabric of life"
times...you remember...long after it's gone...............Quester.

Poems Can Wait

Last evening...I walked across the West End...had supper there...then sat on a bench by
English Bay...on a perfect summer evening...with the sun pouring in on me...reflected
off the water. I had my journal with me...and for a moment...thought I might write a
poem in it...triggered by what I was looking at...along with the many other people
sitting on the grass...or walking lazily by. This time round...however...I let that
agenda go. Sometimes...writing about something you're in...can block the way to
actually experiencing it. So...I sat there...taking it all in...and mesmerized by the
beauty of the evening...and the place I was at. I'm glad I did that...poems can wait
...until the next rainy day....................Quester.

A Worthwhile Evening

Just returned from a poetry reading. Was asked to read there but didn't...deliberately
hadn't taken any poems with me. I am scheduled to be one of the two main poets at this
venue...next month...anyway. I am glad that I have arrived at the point in my artist's
life...when I can go to something like that...and not feel compelled to strut my stuff.
The thing I enjoyed most about this outing...was having some deep and wide ranging
conversations...with some good people. That made the evening worthwhile......Quester.

A Quiet Canada Day

Canada Day...last year...I spent with some friends...at a celebration...on Granville
Island...in Vancouver. I even made a video of it which is on YouTube. So far today...I'm spending it very quietly...while leaving the door open to going out later
to where there are people celebrating. Whether I do that or not...my main thought today
...is thankfulness...for having chosen Canada as my new home...a long time ago...rather
than anywhere else. So...my best wishes to all...on Canada Day...2009......Quester.