A year ago I came to Houston for the December concert at the Bayou Bend cistern.
I was determined to return this December.
Intent to be first
We entered a cool and darkish space
Ars Lyrica presented Ring in the Peace, a musical journey from the ninth century onward.
The cistern experience was curated by Mexican-born mezzo-soprano Cecilia Duarte and a percussionist.
It’s so moving to hear voice and percussion as you stand silent and gaze downward, watching the colors change.
One could hear the soloist slowly coming toward us. Then passing by.
Continuing along the path, her reflection seen below.
Just like the Taize music from the evening before, it was memorizing.
I had a chance to speak with Cecilia as we exited. A beautiful young woman, with the gift of beauty of voice.
The season of Advent is a time for us to silence ourselves to allow us to prepare for the coming of Jesus. For me this means times of quiet. Both the service of Taize and the cistern sights and sounds, gave me the needed quiet.
Today I take another seat in my chair in the sky. This will be my 16th trip in 2025. Wow!
I’m headed to Houston. A year ago my best friend and I attended a concert in the old cistern in downtown Houston. The cistern had been restored to a level where tours could be given. And concerts featuring a small group of singers. With awesome lighting to accompany the voices. We vowed to return.
Cistern Illumnated
“Take a luminous journey through light and sound this holiday season with Cistern Illuminated. This multi-sensory art experience transforms the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern into a transcendent spectacle of color, echo, and optical illusion.”
Ah, a luminous journey….I’m in!
Since the cistern was planned, other opportunities have presented themselves. It’s going to be Advent season-related experiences the next few days; art, music, worship, meals, and the cistern. Such riches!
I am mid-air as I fly home after a short three-day visit to Texas. It was short, but it was filled with joy.
I loved being with my son and his wife for a couple of days.. Talking, gabbling, laughing, story-telling. Watching comedian Leanne Morgan on Netflix. Enjoyable days.
Then I had my day with my grandchildren, Georgia and Jack.
It began with Starbucks. We always begin with Starbucks.
They each have new jobs. Jobs they like. Listening to them talk about what each job entails and how they navigate their responsibilities, made me so proud of them. It was so interesting and I was filled with gladness. For them. And for me for them.
We were on a quest for books. I give books to my family every Christmas, and I wanted Georgia and Jack to chose their books.
We ended up at Folklore Grove.
Here’s the gist: “Folklore Grove is a unique, independent bookstore in Arlington, Texas. Known for its fantasy and folklore titles, local authors, and disability representation, it is located behind a bookshelf inside the Smash Toast sandwich shop. It offers a curated selection of books, including hidden gems, and aims to create a cozy, magical space for the book community.”
It’s definitely a unique bookstore. And we departed with books for my Texas family.
We left the bookstore hungry. We knew just where to go; our favorite. Cane Rossa for pizza!
We ate and talked with equal gusto!
Eventually it was time to go home to spend time with parents and dogs. And to watch Navy beat Army. By one point. My son spent thirty years with the Navy, so we were thrilled with the win,
We celebrated with Texas BBQ!
Georgia’s partner joined us, bringing more joy as we sat around the table. We told family stories as we devoured the BBQ.
On this mid-December day, I am 4 and done. I have enjoyed lunch with each grandchild this Fall. Imagine! I’m struck by how much they want to have lunch with me. I certainly love lunching with each of them. What a gift we give each other!
I took the detour route home from Seattle. The weather forecast for Denver had no mention of snow, unlike a year ago.
That was my cue, so I revised my route home from Seattle and flew to Denver.
Friday morning I grabbed a Flat White and soon I was on my way north to Colorado State University in Fort Collins.
Driving north I could see the Rocky Mountains in the distance, running south to north. The further north I drove, the closer the mountains were.
At last! My reunion with Nathan! Great hugs. We hung out in his apartment for a good while, just chatting. We are good chatters.
Lunch time. Nathan recommended Dave’s Hot Chicken. Oh my, the chicken sliders were delicious. One can choose a leval of sauce heat. I went for Lite Spice, Nathan chose Reaper. Yikes!
Next up was board game shopping. Nathan found a nearby second hand shop. It was really fun to check out the significant offerings. We were diligent in evaluating. Of course I had little clue at first, and not a whole lot more by the time a purchase was made. He chose Brass.
I departed soon after. As I drove south, Nathan got the game all set up.
Patti Smith and her Band in concert. Seattle, November 2025, the 50th year anniversary of her book, Horses.
The concert was held at the Paramount Theater. As the theater is 97 years old, it has no elevators. As our seats were two rows from the very top, it necessitated our climbing many steps. Eighty-seven steps to be exact. A passing gentleman told me I was his hero.
The real hero was Patti Smith.
For two hours she sang, read her poetry, sang her poetry. It was powerful!
“Looking around, every fan was dancing as though they were completely alone and embodying the most carefree version of themselves.” Audrey Vann.
“The show connected with a wide range of generations, and Smith’s message of rebellion, poetry, and power to the people resonated strongly.”
“Waving goodbye to the crowd as she finished singing Because the Night, Smith and company returned for the encore, dedicating Elegies to Jimi Hendrix, as well as the 29 crew members killed on the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, which sank on the same day that Horses was released in 1975.”
“People Have the Power closed the show, leaving the audience all riled up and ready to make change in the world—or so Patti and her late husband Fred had hoped when they wrote it. ‘He hoped that it would excite and incite people to march and to use their voice.’”
I’m on tour once again, soon to take my seat in my chair in the sky for the fifth music concert in 2025.
Fog ruled the drive from home as we turned onto Highway 441 south.
Descending to Tallulah Falls Dam as the sun rose was glorious.
I’m headed to Seattle to see Patti Smith in concert.
“Patti is known to many as the queen of punk rock. She excelled in the genre, in many ways, before it even was one.” American Songwriter.
Traveling in the midst of the government shutdown brought a lot of angst to me. In the last several days prior to my flight, I was not at peace about flying. Flight may be cancelled? Security masses? I changed my flight a few times. At 1am this morning, I made the final change.
Callie kept me company
A short four hours of sleep later, my alarm went off. That was a short night. I quickly dressed and packed. From our turn on Highway 441, travel to Hartsfield-Jackson was just over two hours. That’s quick in my experience.
Pulling up to the terminal, I didn’t know what to expect. I’d seen videos of crowds backed up in airports across the US, and in particular, mine… waiting to go ever-so-slowly through security. I took a deep breath as I walked through the doors, and stepped into …. Chaos? Well, not quite.
Just imagine my, and other travelers, surprise. The extra time gave me a lovely three hours in the Delta lounge. When it was time for me to leave the lounge to board my flight, I hailed a wheelchair for the rather long trek from terminal T to terminal A to terminal B to terminal C to terminal D. Planes, trains, elevators, and a long ride to my gate.
On our way!
“If you feel good about who you are inside, it will radiate.” Patti Smith. I felt great about myself. I had fretted yet did not let myself freeze in place. I felt very good about who I am inside.
It was a beautiful day to fly for five and one-half hours.
Mount Rainer was out as we descended. It’s always a thrill to see!
As I wait for my traveling friend to arrive, I’m seated in the fancyDelta One lounge. Normally one can only access an airline lounge prior to one’s flight. And normally only Delta fliers who fly first class and have a high-end credit card AND are departing, can access the DELTA ONE lounge. Yet, here I am, seated as I await.
Both Delta lounges had a barrier to me entering. Yet, I was invited to enter each.
“Make your interactions with people transformational, not just transactional.” Patti Smith.
Cometsgirl 