Very cool video of Poncho Sanchez at the Montreux Jazz Festival (circa 2004) performing Watermelon Man…

Click here to view the embedded video.

Poncho is a phenomenal conguero. He used to play occassionally at this little Brazilian restaurant on Ventura Blvd. in Studio City, CA., I was lucky enough to sit at a table right next to the band one night… Lot’s of fun! I love Latin Jazz…

Enjoy…

A little something to break up the day… This is visually astounding to watch…

The timelapse imagery was captured by the gang over at Sunchaser Pictures, who took these photos while visiting this past weekend.

Joshua Tree Journey: Part 2 from Sunchaser Pictures on Vimeo.

Enjoy… I had the opportunity while living in Los Angeles to drive through part of Joshua Tree with my daughter one time while we spending a few days in Palm Springs vacationing. It’s an amazing National Park, one I would love to visit again, although I no longer live in California.

Having your right foot in a cast is truly a pain in the a**. I’m not sure what is most annoying about it all, but not being able to drive is a big one. It’s tough being stuck in house and dependent on family and friends for supplies, etc…

I also sorely miss my hiking at Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, Maudsley State Park and along Point Shore in Amesbury. Before I started hiking a few weeks ago, a good drive along the river to Plum Island always served to clear my head.

Thankfully, my hiking partner came by to rescue me on Monday and we took a wonderful drive along the Merrimack River, from Amesbury, through Merrimack and Rock’s Village and then over the Rock’s Village Bridge and back along River Road in West Newbury (my early childhood stomping grounds).

We were looking for Bald Eagles which have been here in smaller numbers this season. The Bald Eagle proved to be elusive on Monday, but we treated to a sighting of 4 – 6 Eastern Bluebirds… Yes, that’s right, the Blue Bird Of Happiness.

Sadly, the afternoon light was not in my favor as I tried to take some photos of these delightful creatures of the Great Mother Goddess, as the photo above attests.

As we headed back to Newburyport along Rte 113, we decided to veer off and take a drive by the Upper Artichoke River Reservoir before heading home. As we drove along the reservoir we spotted a few Mute Swans gliding along the reservoir with their wings up.

What a glorious sight. I’ve had a great deal of contact with the Mute Swans in recent weeks while on my hikes on the Parker River Path.  Their grace and beauty are simply astounding and watching them fills my soul with a powerful awe.

The nearly two decades that I lived in the Los Angeles area I longed to be closer to nature. Aspects of my life have opened up and changed to provide me the time, at least for now, to enjoy this place, this glorious span of nature’s bounty, that I call home, here on the river.

I just had to share this video from NBC Evening News about the pod of blue whales that have been delighting whale watchers in the Los Angeles area.

The blue whales were once almost extinct but they have mande a huge comeback and NBC News reports that a blue whale was also “spotted by whale watchers just off the coast of Maine last Sunday.”

Maybe we’ll hear of sighting by one of the more local whale watching boats here on the North Shore sometime soon.

A little more Eric Clapton tonight, Badge, from One More Car, One More Rider, with the late great Billy Preston on the Hammond B3, David Sancious on keys and Steve Gadd on drums:

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I always drift back in time when I listen to Badge.

I’ve had great success this summer with my first perennial garden as I mentioned in a post below. Yesterday I spent time weeding, dead heading and watering in preparation for the heat wave heading our way. I’m so happy to live in apartment with a lovely yard that I can garden in…

During my 19 years living in Los Angeles I was limited to potted plants outside of my apartment door on the walkway. Although they were all beautiful, it just wasn’t the same as creating a little garden paradise that is lush with the beauty of summer…

(Photo: Blackeyed Susans ~~ © Pamela J. Leavey 2011)

I couldn’t resist posting another video from Eric Clapton’s One More Car, One More Rider Tour, Goin’ Down Slow:

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I was at one of the shows that One More Car, One More Rider was filmed, on August 18, 2001 at the Staples Center in L.A., it was truly one of the most memorable concerts ever…

I had the pleasure of seeing Loreena McKennitt live during her “An Ancient Muse” tour, when I lived in Los Angeles. It was an amazing show. Enjoy…

Click here to view the embedded video.

It’s going to be another Stormy Monday here in Massachusetts…

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Albert King: Stormy Monday (1981)

Home is Massachusetts… It always has been, even during the almost 19 years that I lived in Los Angeles, and the 7 lovely months I just spent in Maine, home is and always has been… Massachusetts. And… It’s good to be home.

Home is a drive along Main Street in Amesbury, looking across the Merrimack River to Newburyport… A walk along the waterfront park in downtown Newburyport, admiring all the beautiful boats in the river.

Home is a short drive to Plum Island…

There really is no place like home.