Saturday, June 7, 2014

He was born with a gift of laughter

Well, maybe .... maybe not .... you tell me ....
[My apologies, Rafael, I could not resist ....]


19 comments:

Anita said...

I dont understand this post!Whos Rafael and why the laugh about the bald eagle?It s a beautiful bird..i have never seen it in my life..but wish too..sometimes there are a lonesome eagle flying over my house to catch a bird..but very very seldom..and Lynnard Skynnard!!Ohh boy thats a loong time since i have listened too..i think i have a record of them too....Love your latest post btw..nature and birds and barns and good music!About the other post..Do you have land in Michigan??Ohh boy!!!!and Minnesota?Right now i long for a little house of my own.With a dog and a cat!and nature around and of course a short way to city hah haha..

Nice to see you back in town FRam :)As always..wish you all well :)

Boris Estebitan said...

Gran cancion y la foto del ave es muy buena.

Fram Actual said...

Well, for the time being I will leave you wondering about Rafael and the laughter, Anita, but I will say the allusion is literary in nature to accompany the photograph which, obviously, is wild in Nature.

When I lived at my Sanctuary/Refuge, bald eagles -- and even golden eagles -- were a frequent sight. In fact, one once sat on a branch twenty feet from the house looking in through a picture window. It did not even occur to me to take a photograph of him because such sights were so common there.

"Free Bird" is one of three or four songs for which I recall where I was, who I was with and what I was doing the first time I heard it, and I will tell you about this one: It was about 2:30 or 3:00 a.m. in a restaurant. I was with a beautiful French-Canadian girl named Michelle who had long, raven-black hair. I saw the song title on a jukebox and asked her if it was worth playing. She said yes. After I had heard it, I played it twice more. She and I broke up after a couple of weeks, but I will never forget her because she was with me when I first heard this magical song.

Yes, Anita, a bit of land still in Michigan near (but not on) Lake Superior, a bit still in South Dakota and a bit in Minnesota. A photograph or two or three of each has appeared in a post or two or three over the years.

Nice to see you again, and thank you, for your kind words.

Fram Actual said...

The song is a classic, Boris, for sure, and an anthem for a generation.

The bald eagle seemed pleased to have his photograph taken, but was eager to continue looking for his dinner -- I think -- and, I was a bit too large for him to tackle.

It is nice to see you here again, Boris. Thank you.

Kaya said...

Fram, you were so lucky to capture this moment. An eagle is very impressive and powerful. Sitting proudly and looking for prey.

Nice looking bird, nice song and a great photo!

I never ever was able to take a picture of an eagle. I always missed a moment.

...I am as free as a bird right now... Great song!

I wonder can we be free as this eagle? Even just for a moment?


Fram Actual said...

My encounters with bald eagles have included two very close ones, Kaya, but as I mentioned to Anita, one had the glass of a picture window between us. In the other, I walked out of a ditch onto a dirt road and barely ten feet away was an eagle eating a dead rabbit. The eagle flew; I kept on walking. Later, I returned and the rabbit carcass was gone. I assumed the eagle had returned to claim his meal after I had continued on my merry way.

I actually have had some encounters which I think to be more interesting with "big" owls, including being struck in the back of my head by a great gray owl while walking through woodlands on a snowy, frigid winter night on my return from a hunting excursion. I was wearing a stocking cap and a hooded parka, so there was no damage other than scaring me nearly to death. I returned the favor by scaring the great gray back a few days later.

As for freedom, that is an abstract thing measured by degrees, I think. Each step closer to actual freedom carries its own price tag, and few people are willing to pay the full price for complete freedom because, undoubtedly, it would mean complete loneliness.

Thank you, Kaya, for your visit and your words.

Kelly said...

That bird looks fake :-) Hmmmmmm....
I wonder?

Fram Actual said...

Strike one .... you had best clean the lenses on your binoculars, Kelly .... but, thanks for the visit and for the guess ....

Il est né avec un don de rire ....

Kelly said...

Scaramouche... et oui, le monde est devenu fou! :-)

Kelly said...

The American eagle is a very appropriate symbol for the madness we are experiencing in America at this time in our history.

Quant à Black-Hearted Fram, ta folie est un goût acquis; oui?

A Cuban In London said...

That guitar riff at the outset is majestic. It's the only word for it. Classic. Song and classic Lynyrd Skynyrd, too. The solo three minutes makes the hairs on the back on my neck stand on end. Thanks, pal. I enjoyed this clip immensely.

Greetings from London.

Smareis said...

Fram,

Passei para ler suas postagens que perdi durante esse tempo sem postar.
A imagem é linda demais, a natureza é muito especial, obra divina. Um foto bem especial.
Esse vídeo é muito bom, adoro guitarra, hoje coloquei uma musica que tem um som de guitarra que gosto muito. Esse som é muito bom.
Envio o meu sorriso com a luz do sol!
Se cuida Fram!
Ótima semana!



Fram Actual said...

I guess you hit a home run with your second swing, Kelly.

Yes, among my many alter egos, there is one who identifies with Scaramouche, but his heart was far from black. I once read a translation which, instead of "born with a gift of laughter," read "born with a smile on his lips." Actually, that is the version I prefer, and I should have used it.

It always has been a mad world and always will be, I think, and the U.S. is suffering from its own unique brand of madness which, hopefully, will lessen a degree in another three years.

Thank you, Kelly, for staying in the batter's box for another inning.

Fram Actual said...

Yes, as I wrote earlier, CiL, the classic qualities of this song make it one of just a very few for which I remember the who, what, where, when, why and how of its introduction into my life.

At this stage, the song and the eagle also represent my life more and more. I am as free as a bird in just about every way imaginable. My body is warm, my cash is cold and the only way time could serve me better would be if H.G. Wells could loan me his machine for a while:

'Cause I'm as free as a bird now
And this bird, you can not change ....

Thank you, CiL, for your appearance and your words.

Fram Actual said...

The beauty of Nature is unparalleled, at least to my eyes, Smareis. There is no structure created by the hands of mankind -- no work of art even -- which can match the magnificence of Nature.

The guitar work in this song is phenomenal. I much favor the sound of string instruments to that of brass or wood, and I think the guitar deserves more respect in the realm of symphonic orchestration. I love movements of the piano here, as well.

Thank you, Smareis, for visiting all my recent posts and leaving comments at them. That was a time-consuming project. Thank you, especially, for sending me your smile with sunshine. It warms my heart and my spirit.

Kelly said...

Yes, I would say Scaramouche was a realist. He called it as he saw it, no pretense. That characteristic is admirable and I wish more people today had a little more Scaramouche in them. Regarding the heart, perhaps melancholic is a better term to use than black...I think all romantics lean this way and there is something very comforting in that. To be real, to feel life's greatest highs and greatest lows and survive them is what makes us human and links us to one another. It is all good.
Best Always,
Kelly :-)

Fram Actual said...

Did you know the opening line from "Scaramouche" is on the tombstone of Rafael Sabatini and that there is a sequel to the novel entitled, "Scaramouche the Kingmaker," Kelly? I am going to try to find a copy of the sequel. I have read "Scaramouche" three times, the first when I was a boy fencing with wooden swords, and I think I owe Rafael at least one reading of his sequel.

You were becoming philosophical yesterday; my mind had become foggy debating the pros and cons of leisure time with Albert, so I could not respond to your comment then.

Today, there is rain, rain, rain and my mind has gone from foggy to soggy, so the situation is not improved. With that, I will thank you for your perseverance and bid you a good afternoon.

Kelly said...

Sounds like you need to put on your fuzzy slippers, Sir Fram :-)

I did not know those great lines were on his tombstone! I love that!

I'm currently reading Mistress Wilding by Rafael Sabatini...suspense, romance, beautiful prose, adventure and intrigue. Wonderful!

I love being cozy and reading on a rainy day :-) Have a good one!

Fram Actual said...

Rafael was prolific, if nothing .... if anything .... whichever ....

Thank you, Kelly.

I want the last word ....

Something special ....