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Thursday, May 4, 2023

I Like Thursdays 5-4-23

Last Thursday after surgery on my nose, nurse kitty Toby was on duty.
Not pictured - Jack the ginger kitty sniffed my nose then jumped down from the sofa

It is Thursday, and time to list our likes for the week. Be sure to check out other positive posts on the blog of our creative host, LeeAnna of Not Afraid of Color!

Screen shot of radar image taken in May 2022. We are at the blue circle with the red dot.
I like May, because that usually signals the start of the active storm season here in far north Texas. Although we don't get many true storms in our particular location, I can see thunderheads and lightning and hear thunder, and that makes me happy! Many of our storms meander down from Oklahoma - seven miles to our north - such as the one in the above photo taken last May.

LeeAnna's suggested prompt for this week:
Do you like to sing for yourself, or others? Do people recognize your ability or has anyone said you're not a singer? Do you judge yourself or sing for yourself? Do you make up songs during the day, sing to babies?  Are you more comfortable singing high or low?

Let's put it this way: I can read music and carry a tune, but I do NOT sing for others - lol! When I was in fifth grade, I could hardly wait to try out for the "chorus" - elementary school choir. I could hear them singing from down the hall during class, and those songs stayed in my head all day. I went home and sang to my chickens and to the fruit trees in our orchard. I made up songs, just to sing and get practice for tryouts. When the time came, I confidently stood up and began singing "Sing, sing together, merrily merrily sing". And suddenly I got nervous and could barely get the breath out of my mouth, singing in a whisper. At the end of it, Mrs. Decker took a chance on me and generously allowed me to join. Although my soft voice did not make a difference in the sound of the choir, being in the choir certainly made a difference for me.

I am grateful for Mrs. Decker, who taught us how to sing, and to Mr. Earsom, our band leader. The two of them gave me a solid education in reading music. Although I was no longer a member of a school choir after elementary school, I was a member of the band from fifth grade through my senior year. I also sang in our church choir during high school as well as other church choirs as an adult. I am a solid alto who can barely reach "G", but I always enjoy singing with the sound of voices around me.

When my kids were young, I made up nonsensical songs for them and also for my kitties. I am pleased that they both did the same thing for their children and kitties!

How about you - are you an outright singer or a closet singer?

16 comments :

  1. Now that I’m elderly, my voice is awful. I love music though and will sing along in my head. Maybe hum along! It makes me kind of sad! My momma always said, “ After 40, it’s just patch, patch, patch! Guess that was true about my voice too! Hope you are healing and feeling like your “old” ( former not aged) self!

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  2. I love to watch a good storm too!

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  3. I miss the storms we had growing up in MN. Terrifying sometimes, but they were awesome. Closet singer I suspect is a lot like a car-singer. :-) I sing at my guinea pigs.

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  4. Are you storm chasing, now that you've had training (right?)? I hope you are healing and those kitties are keeping up with their nursing duties! Toby is looking a wee bit alarmed in that photo!

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  5. We drove across Colorado from the far northeastern corner back to our city by the foothills today, and watched a storm get closer and closer. It was kind of wild to do that - and interesting! Singing in the choir as a kid was so much fun - I don't think it mattered how our voices were - they all blended together!

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  6. I’ve been following your surgeries on Instagram! I hope you are soon finished and back to your daily routines! How sweet that your kiddos keep the tradition of nonsensical songs going!

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  7. I love this sentence... "Although my soft voice did not make a difference in the sound of the choir, being in the choir certainly made a difference for me."

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  8. Storm season can be impressive in Oklahoma, though I can't claim it's my favorite. Though it certainly beats hurricane season in south Texas! I can't carry a tune to save my life, I admire anyone who can sing.

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  9. I can't sing and I would never sing at front of people. The only time I sing is in church when everyone else is singing. I love hymns and love to sing even though I can't carry a tune! :-))

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  10. what a legacy for you to raise people who grew up to nurture their kids and pets with the joy of singing to them. We parallel in many ways although I was firmly in the band not chorus. I admired the chorus. What instrument did you play? I was clarinet changing to alto clarinet in high school, which gave me more of a workout in marching band as it turned out!
    you were so brave as a child to try out, and I love your teacher who knows true teaching encourages a child's growth through learning. Love, LeeAnna

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  11. Those storms look pretty awful and I'm glad they don't usually get to your area. I was in the chorus too! I like singing but keep it to myself most of the time!

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  12. My high school teacher Mrs. Williams took the same chance on me. Don't you just love those teachers?! I love playing music more than singing, so later on, I moved on to doing just that as an adult. I loved reading your story, Linda! I hope you recovering well. With Toby on nurse duty, how can you not?! You are one of the very few people I know who loves storms just as much as I do. Have fun!

    -Soma

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  13. Loved reading about your singing and then losing your breath, so young and sweet and nervous and and how you teach the kids fun little songs. I'm sure the kids liked your songs but the kitties must love them, lolol. Wow good to know you're not usually in the middle of all that crazy weather. I can't read music but my mom could play by ear on the piano and I got a little bit of that from her. My brain just won't comprehend musical notes, lol.

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    1. Oh I forgot about playing by "ear"! Yes that is a real talent. Thanks for stopping by Sandy. :)

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  14. Aaaw, Linda you made me smile when you said you made up nonsensicle songs for your kids when they were young. My grandmother did the same . You brought back some fond memories.

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  15. It won't let me use my google, so Chrisknits here, I am a singer but have let my singing lapse. I have sung at weddings, in musicals, choirs, and just for my family. Moving 7 years ago left me without a church that I felt comfortable in. And thus my choir singing came to an end. Plus the aging process has lowered my 1st Soprano range, so that I struggle to reach a high G. So often I wished I could have an Alto range, so many moody songs are sung there. And I love minor!!! Have you ever heard of Chase Holfelder? https://tinyurl.com/5fe3enn4

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