Tag Archives: progress

Orlando, in song

Right now, in the present moment, I am sitting on the porch steps in front of my apartment.

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Orlando

I just re-read my last three posts, the story of my Orlando trip, and it’s time for one more, part four.

Part I – Orlando, in words and pictures
Part II – Orlando, in words, pictures, and art
Part III – Orlando, in words, pictures, art, and numbers

Part IV is Orlando, in song.

It’s all part of the story – the process and the progress, the love and the hope, and the bits in between where I fail, learn, and grow, and have the courage to share it for myself and others, to tell, turn, and show.

I’m doing my best, and I’m proud of the storytelling, and the story-living.

The truth is also that Part IV is the first one I wrote. It was the guide for the rest, and when you go back and read Parts I, II, and III, for the full artist’s statement, I have a feeling you’ll be able to see it. 🙂

I went for a run in my hometown this weekend, on streets I’d never been before, and found myself making up the route as I went and trusting that I’d make it back alright to my friends’ house. And I did make it back, and at the same time made it forward, with good thoughts including the one that All roads lead home. We all have it all within us.

With peace, self-love, hope, letting go, and faith, I share with you the next part: Orlando, in song.

Come Home Orlando (mp3 a cappella)

Walking in the park
And singing to the stars,
I feel them right
There within me,
Reflecting
A beating heart,
The trees above
And sand below,
A fire burning
A noble spark,
The path it comes
And on it goes,
And I’m there,
I’m there with you

Come home Orlando,
Where you been
Where you going,
It’s been a long time
Without you,
I’ve been waiting
And a knowing,
That the days they
Come and go and
Everyday you’re
Ever flowing
And I feel more
Where I’m going
And I’m there,
I’m there with you

Drawing in a bar,
All the lines
And the parts,
I see them right
There before me,
The model near
The model far,
And fast it comes
And also stalls,
The graph it grows
And homeward calls,
And on we play
Our growing roles,
And I’m there,
I’m there with you.

Come home Orlando,
Where you been
Where you going,
It’s been a long time
Without you,
I’ve been waiting
And a knowing,
That the days they
Come and go and
Everyday you’re
Ever flowing,
And I see more
Where I’m going,
And I’m there,
I’m there with you

Running in the streets,
And listening
To the beat,
The loop it grows
Fast under feet,
And continues
When I see
The Dinky Line
An orange Einstein
And the avenue
With the Shine,
And yes it’s time
A thrift store find,
To go and see
A show and be.

Come home Orlando,
Where you been
Where you going,
It’s been a long time
Without you,
I’ve been waiting
And a knowing,
That the days they
Come and go and
Everyday you’re
Ever flowing,
And I know more
Where I’m going,
And I’m there,
I’m there with you.

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Princeton

Friday Flowers and Pedal Progress

Two weeks ago, the sunflowers in my garden, that the garden planted for me, were just beginning to bloom. Friday, June 26 saw a couple of these:

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and a few of these

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Also present were some of the following:

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Readers of past posts and those who grow gardens will probably recognize these vegetable varieties. For others, who might need a helpful hint or who like a little challenge, here are clues as to what the three plants above are: the names of the plants, provided in the same order as the pictures above, in newspaper comics-page jumble form.

    • AHIRDS
    • MOTTOA
  • MURMES SSUAHQ

(*Unjumbled answers below)

Two days ago, on Friday, July 10, my morning trip to the garden included a show of similar, and greater, color.

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Yellow, red, orange, reddish-orange, and more, the full blooms have begun, and the bees are buzzing, about they go.

In the garden, I took a tour, and like walking through an outside room full of sun, the leaves and I are loving, all that grows.

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Along with the sunflowers, the three plants above (*radishes, tomatoes, and summer squash) continued on as well. Not pictured are some of the fruits and vegetables already harvested from these plants. The garden also planted some more of the following for me this year (July 10 portraits as well):

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Morning glories

and I transplanted in some of these

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Cucumbers

The flowers are from my garden back home, but the words come from the road. The petal progess is something to behold, and I’m happy to share it with everyone who loves flowers, color, and life.

Meanwhile, I’m also pursuing some pedal progress, about which I’ll share a bit too.

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Today I went for a 74 mile bike ride, from Oswego to Geneva, NY. Tomorrow will be another 60 miles, and then it’ll be about the same in the 70 to 80 mile range each day after that, until on the seventh day I arrive back at our final destination in New Jersey.

Along with 175 other riders and a crew in support, I’m participating in the annual Anchor House Ride for Runaways, which helps raise money for the Anchor House, a nonprofit in Trenton, NJ that supports runaway, abused, and at-risk children.

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The Anchor House provides temporary housing, counseling, and other important services for kids in need.

If you’re in a giving mood and would like to join in the support, here’s a link you can visit. Your generosity, whether expressed at home in your corner of the world, or expressed and felt also in Trenton, is always appreciated. If you like, you can also follow the events of the Anchor House Ride through the articles posted this week at Planet Princeton.

Hope you and everyone are having a great and bright week 🙂

-Dave

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