Vibrations

Camping in the beautiful Oregon Cascades brought many memories for me to cherish. Sitting by a campfire after a warm summer day of hiking, swimming, fishing and exploring the surrounding area; we enjoyed stimulated conversations, song fests, and tons of laughter.

Also, the clear night sky displayed beautiful views of the moon, planets, and constellations. Even a galaxy or two could be seen with the naked eye. Sometimes we would make up our own 'constellations' of the stars connecting the dots in our minds relating what we see to each other. This became like a game conveying the different shapes we see. Yes, and sometimes these shapes would be so hilarious that we would laugh hard making us weak, almost falling down, not being able to stand up. (of course, part of that may have been the refreshments we were consuming) Inevitably, tears would come to our eyes.

Then sometimes, we would just stare taking in the vast universe above us, feeling the pulse, connecting with the harmony of the stars and planets. It would be as if we were feeling the vibrations of this orchestrated universal harmonic display.

During the day we would travel around the area looking for waterfalls, of course, many of the trails leading to the falls were near the campsites we stayed at. However, some waterfalls were far enough away. we would have to hike several miles to get to them. There was the fun though, the adventure of the trip, so rewarding, so awe-inspiring that we needed to keep exploring. Unfortunately, I did not scan some of the photos we took of these falls, so I am posting a few from some other photographers and I do give credit and copyright recognition to these people. The first waterfall picture is Clearwater Falls at Toketee, Oregon.

One really needs to see Clearwater Falls in the summer and right at dusk. The mossy rocks appear to illuminate a florescent green. Along with the colors, the fresh smell of mountain air and the sounds of the water was totally awesome.

The second waterfalls photo is that of Toketee Falls at Toketee, Oregon. The photographer really did a professional job in capturing the beauty of this waterfall by taking advantage of the natural lighting at a certain time of day. Both of these falls can be easily reached off from the North Umpqua River State Highway 138.

Toketee Falls provided other benefits as well. We visited it quite often, especially on very hot days. In the late afternoon and evening, we would hike to it and jump in the pool at the bottom. This was so refreshing, escaping from the heat. Its hard to believe that the area could have temperatures in the 90 deg. to 100 deg mark in mid-summer but it can. The source of this waterfall comes from Toketee Reservoir. This reservoir is very cold all year round averaging around 42 deg. F. The reservoir serves as water storage for a power generating facility. A penstock pipeline takes water on down below these falls to that facility at Soda Springs. The water level is controlled by the power company. Along with several other creek and stream inputs coming down from the higher mountain elevations and flowing clear water provides for the constant cool temperature. It can be very exhilarating and one tends not to swim very long!

One evening back at camp, after hiking, visiting waterfalls, swimming, and eating, playing guitars, and star-gazing; I felt compelled to write the following song and I share it with you now:

Vibrations...

Click here to listen to this song

The Universe sends vibrations
Babe, to the center of my Heart
For the brightness gives
Off the love I feel from the Stars

Sleep with me 'til the morning, Babe
And I'll wake you when I rise
And I'll love you with the
Passion from my Soul

Now the time has come to live
With me and love me 'til I die
And I'll give you all the Colours
In a Rainbow

For loving you means more to me
Than my basic needs I know
And the happiness shines in
My front door

Look into my Eyes I know
That you will realize
The Love I have for you
And the Feeling that is true

**********

Music of the Wind

The Columbia River Gorge highway from Sandy river east of Portland to about Arlington gives one of the most beautiful and inspiring view of the Columbia River as it makes its way to the Pacific Ocean. Photo was taken by professional photographer Ron Niebrugge.

I lived for a while in North Eastern Oregon and traveled this highway (Interstate I-84) quite often.

The Gorge has many waterfalls that can be viewed best from the old highway or scenic bi-way, however the one most famous of them all is Multnomah Falls. The Falls can be seen and accessed from the Interstate. It has a nice rest stop, souvenir shop and lodge. Here is the link to Multnomah Falls Lodge. The Falls is the second tallest year-round waterfalls in the nation. The water from the Falls drops 620 feet from its origin on Larch Mountain.

I share these photos with you to give you an idea of some of the beauty that can be found through out the Oregon Cascade mountains. It was Nature's beauty like this that inspired me to write most of my songs, either sitting by a campfire strumming on my guitar camping in these mountains, or driving through them. Sometimes it would be the lyrics that would just come out of me and at other times it was a melody. In either case the song did not take long to complete.

When I wrote the lyrics to the following song, I was awakened from a dream. Needless to say the dream was impressive. Some dream girl out there combined with Nature just lifted me into writing it. So I would like to post it here now to share with you:





Looking like a River...

Click here if you care to listen to this song

Lie in bed and dream of
me, my Darlin'
Awake not from your Dreams
Of old
For visions of our memories and
Words that say I love you, mean
More to me than all the gifts
Of gold

Looking like a River
Overflowing
My Love is pouring from
My Soul
Visions of Lovers just
Caressing
A smile upon your lips
Just seems to glow

Memories of the Mountain Streams
And the Music of the Wind, whispering of a Love
That'll never die
And the Waterfalls that fall between the
Walls of Mossy Green, portraying Nature's
Naked Skin

*********

Friendship

I mentioned before that one of my camping adventures in the past took me to Diamond Lake and Crater Lake area of Central Oregon. On one such adventure, a buddy of mine and a couple other friends decided to hike up Mt. Thielson. It was in the summer season and we chose the south slope because it was, for the most part, an easy walk until you got to the 'lightning rod' peak. However, we did not intend to scale the peak, just wanted to get to a view point where we could look out east and west to the horizon. For we had chosen a late afternoon hike to be able to be up there by sunset. At this particular time we knew that as the sun was going to set in the west, the moon was to rise in the east, simultaneously! We wanted to see this event from a very clear sky advantage point with no obstructions and we thought this place would be ideal. It rocked!! I mean to say that for the first time in my life I actually felt and saw the *EARTH ROTATE* and not just objects moving in the sky. It was like the moon and sun were still (as they should be!) and you were actually rotating on planet Earth! Everyone felt it and it was quite an emotional and spiritual event. With that we then hiked to a camping spot, partied, laughed and talked about it. This event also inspired me to write a song about my close friend that accompanied me on this hike. He had a very cheerful attitude and was also quite a comedian. He could cheer anyone up that was feeling down. I loved his sense of humor and how he brightened everyone's day. I share this song with you now. 

  

 Friendship 

 Well I feel like I'm kind of a brother 

And knowing its like no other 

Feelings that I've had 

And I know it makes me glad 

That I'm alive and feeling Well 

 Now tell me what's troublin' you 

And I'll try not to make you feel blue

 For gladness is the high 

That makes you want to cry 

And makes you so loving 

And happiness is from giving 

The laughter of your being 

The one who knows for sure 

That he has found the cure 

Of your sadness and your sorrows. 

 And its the laughter that drys your tears 

And washes away the years 

That you could lose control 

For he enters your very Soul 

And makes you feel like laughing

 *********

Being Free....

If you ever have a chance to come to Oregon, visit our beautiful Cascade Mountains, especially Crater Lake National Park. This lake is so awesome. It is a very deep blue and the seventh deepest lake in the world at a depth of 1932 feet.
One summer, a group of us camped in the mountains near Crater Lake. We met some forest service employees, ended up having an outdoor party at this lake. I may tell more of these adventures in future blogs but for now I want to share with you a vision of seeing this gorgeous lake on a clear summer night under the full moon. It inspired me to write part of the lyrics to one of my songs.

Being Free...

The Moon appears over the
Crater's edge
Shining Moonbeams on the Lake
Dancing and Prancing upon
The Water
Like a Ballerina
On a Stage, Being Free

The Swallows are soaring in
the Air
Flying Circles Around the Sun
Playing an ancient game
Of Love
And knowing that they
Are the One, Being Free

For I'm gonna Love You
And don't give a damn whose to blame
I'm gonna want you
and you can even bear my Name
Being Free, Being Free,
Being Me

*********

How can we change the world?

We all have our "ups and downs" in life. We go through many experiences while we live our life cycle. I admit that I am a dreamer and my imagination runs wild at times. I truly believe that I do put my left "logical" side of my brain on idle and allow some right side brain to 'govern' my thoughts at times. So, again, I awoke one morning with this urge to grab my guitar , sit down to pluck out the licks to this song. Of which I now give you the lyrics that followed. I hope you will like.

How can we change the World?

When I wake up in the morning
Just to find that you are lying there
Is to share in a kind of magic
That only lovers like us could ever share.

For I'm looking through the Magic Mirror
Into the dimensions of Space and of Time
Finding all the Happiness and knowing
That this lovin' is not hard to find.

But how can we change the World?
Change the society of our time?
How can we change the World?
And leave all its emptiness so far behind?

And I know that you are a part of me
Part of my Philosophy and my Reality
So why don't we open up the door
To Love one Another and be Free?

*******

For I'm a Man .....

I woke up one morning with this melody going through my head, made some coffee, then **had** to sit down and pound it out on my guitar.
The words just seemed to flow so easily.. so I share these lyrics with you:

For I'm A Man ...

Time has been running
Along by the Days
When soon we'll be living
A New Life
Changing our Lives,
But not by our Ways
In Love and Freedom

For I'm a Man
Who's loving you
You're a Woman
Who's loving me, too
and I'm a Man
Who's needing you
For my Companion

Where we are going
We don't really know
But Friends will be there,
I'm sure of it
And we must remember
The Friends we have now
For Friendship with me
Is held Sacred

For I'm a Man
Who's loving you
You're a Woman
Who's loving me, too
and I'm a Man
Who's needing you
For my Companion

******

Invisibility cloaks creep closer

This article is intriguing. Taken out of the IEEE Spectrum online magazine.
"Using nanometer-scale metamaterials, scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, have bent visible light the wrong way for the first time around a three-dimensional surface. Previously, they were able only to cloak very thin two-dimensional objects. It's a big step toward the science-fiction-like goal of making things invisible."

For the full article click here: http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/aug08/6564

Memories are made to grow......

While I was going to College, I played as a rhythm guitarist in a band. In between studies, we jammed most nights. It was easy because the lead guitarist and I had several classes together so we'd study then jam. During this period of my life I wrote around 50 songs.

I ran into a bit of bad luck with some of my songs because I never did get a copyright on them. I should have, I know. Some guys who would 'drop in', played and learned the music taking my songs with them to other bands. I found out about it and needless to say felt crushed. Because of composition/arrangements and me not having them copyrighted, these songs were no longer mine.

Well, that kind of put a damper on my desire to try to become a successful musician, so I just played more infrequently diving deeper into my studies.

What I have today are the lyrics to several of my songs I wrote. I occasionally play the music/melodies and sing them, but very rarely.

What I have to offer this blog and for those who wander in, or take the time to visit, are the lyrics to some of these songs.

I consider the songs these lyrics were written for in the classification of EASY LISTENING. I have been called a Romantic, so truly these songs will be about LOVE or FRIENDSHIP. I hope you will enjoy.

To start off, I will offer the first song I wrote:
Click here if you care to listen to Memories

MEMORIES

My Mind Is Like An Open Book
For Anyone To Read
The Grinding Wheels Are Turning
To Fulfill Someone's Needs

On A Winter Day In The Morning
I Touched Her With My Mind
Showing Her My Happiness
And Anything Else To Find

She Understood My Feelings
On That Happy Day
Knew How Much I love Life
And For Others To Find The Way

What Can I Say, What Can I Do
To Keep Her Justified?
Lock This Feeling In My Mind
For Cupid Has Never Lied

Memories Are Made To Grow
Like Flowers In The Sun
Always Lasting and Never Wilting
Til' The End Of Time Is Done

Starman

Goodbye love
Didnt know what time it was the lights were low oh how
I leaned back on my radio oh oh
Some cat was layin down some rock n roll lotta soul, he said
Then the loud sound did seem to fade a ade
Came back like a slow voice on a wave of phase ha hase
That werent no d.j. that was hazy cosmic jive

Theres a starman waiting in the sky
Hed like to come and meet us
But he thinks hed blow our minds
Theres a starman waiting in the sky
Hes told us not to blow it
Cause he knows its all worthwhile
He told me:
Let the children lose it
Let the children use it
Let all the children boogie

I had to phone someone so I picked on you ho ho
Hey, thats far out so you heard him too! o o
Switch on the tv we may pick him up on channel two
Look out your window I can see his light a ight
If we can sparkle he may land tonight a ight
Dont tell your poppa or hell get us locked up in fright

Theres a starman waiting in the sky
Hed like to come and meet us
But he thinks hed blow our minds
Theres a starman waiting in the sky
Hes told us not to blow it
Cause he knows its all worthwhile
He told me:
Let the children lose it
Let the children use it
Let all the children boogie

Starman waiting in the sky
Hed like to come and meet us
But he thinks hed blow our minds
Theres a starman waiting in the sky
Hes told us not to blow it
Cause he knows its all worthwhile
He told me:
Let the children lose it
Let the children use it
Let all the children boogie

La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

Is there Life out there?

"Who are we? We find that we live on an insignificant planet of a humdrum star lost in a galaxy tucked away in some forgotten corner of a universe in which there are far more galaxies than people." Carl Sagan

It seems to me that it is illogical to entertain the notion the planet Earth bears the only life in our Universe.
We humans have advanced in knowledge to provide an evolving stream of technology that answers questions about the Universe. However, in doing so, many more questions have been found.
Take for instance the concept of the "Known Universe". At one time this consisted of what astronomers now call the "local galaxy cluster'. With advancement in telescopic technology looking deeper into space, we were able to see galaxies farther and farther out. Now we see other galaxy clusters similar to our own and some very different. The characteristics of the physics behind what we find became inexplicable at the time. This created more questions.
To me this is truly a wonder. For it does parallel many ideologies and theologies involving the concept that the more one learns, the more the answers are needed to be found.
In the view of what we know of the Universe today, it is statistically probable that with billions and billions and billions of galaxies, with billions and billions and billions of stars, life exists somewhere, somehow, and in some form.

Peaceful Easy Feeling

One of my most favorite songs and lyrics is this one from The Eagles:
From the Album: The Eagles (1972)

I like the way your sparkling earrings lay,
against your skin, it's so brown
and I wanna sleep with you
in the desert tonight
with a billion stars all around
'cause I gotta peaceful easy feeling
and I know you won't let me down
'cause I'm already standing on the
ground
And I found out a long time ago
what a woman can do to your soul
Ah, but she can't take you anyway
You don't already know how to go
and I gotta peaceful, easy feeling
and I know you won't let me down
'cause I'm already standing on the ground
I get this feeling I may know you
as a lover and a friend
but this voice keeps whispering
in my other ear, tells me
I may never see you again
'cause I get a peaceful, easy feeling
and I know you won't let me down
'cause I'm already standing on the ground
'cause I'm already standing...
on the ground
oooo, oooo

In the Beginning......

I've often thought about having a Blog, but for the life of me could never figure out what topics I may have that possibly strikes the interest of readers through-out the online community.

In thinking about this I realized that the community itself can be a vast universe of individuals with enormous differences in opinions to similarities beyond comprehension.

Indeed, with the online community that includes the entire planet, one can see statistically any topic one may choose will eventually spark an interest from someone.

Therefore, the subject matter became a task for me to define the scope of interesting topic areas that I could relate to, sharing my interests to those that may also have the same interests or just hopefully enjoy being "entertained".

Welcome to my Universe!