Weekly bird in the hand

Here is this week's list of the things I am grateful for:

Four newly hatched bluebirds in our bluebird box.  We have a camera and sound in the box, so we can watch their progress!

• Our friend John Randall whose memorial service it was yesterday.  He was a lovely man who devoted so much of his time and energy to others, especially youth. He was one of the first people I sang with when I moved to CA, so it was fitting that I could sing for him yesterday.  He leaves many big holes.... but also many wonderful memories.
• Caroline and Jamie who's first wedding anniversary it is tomorrow. They married here at Birdland on 3rd July 2010, on what was an amazing and touching day.   So many lovely memories of that day....and also their visits here beforehand to arrange everything.
• Finding a new acupuncturist to work with.  I have my second appointment today.
• Finding John Dowland's music to sing. I am working on some of his solos and just loving them. They tend towards melancholy and sadness, but are still gorgeous.
• Having dinner and lunch with friends. This week seemed a week full of catching up with friends with two lunches and three dinners each with different friends.  What a great way to spend time.
• All the baby birds we see in our vineyard - including the bluebirds and also Quentin with his flock of little ones!

Four funerals and a wedding.

This past year - from July 3rd 2010 to July 2nd 2011 has been a year of "four funerals and a wedding".  It started on a high note with my cousin Caroline getting married here at our home on July 3rd 2010.  What a wonderful day that was. Unfortunately, since then we've had 4 funerals, which culminated in a memorial service today for a dear friend of ours, which I was honored to sing at.

It would have been much more preferable if the year had been like the wonderful movie "four weddings and a funeral"...but alas, that didn't happen.

However, I have high hopes for this coming year beginning July 4th....let's start again and see some happy times with maybe weddings, new births, some big anniversaries, some fun birthday celebrations  and many other happy occasions. Fingers crossed....... We've had enough funerals!

The photo I share with you is one of my favorites that I took at Caroline and Jamie's wedding, where they released white doves in the vineyard.  Here's to more happy days like that and "Happy Anniversary" to both of them.