The polar vortex has been unleashed onto the Midwest once again, in July! I have been swimming through it. It was 51 degrees this morning, the steam rising from the surface of the pool, its water 30+ degrees warmer! And suddenly one of the lifeguards began to play the French
horn. I love my life. Every day is a Random Coinciday!
Wikipedia tells us the French horn is not really French. Here is a (perhaps) Viennese horn. In my youth, I passed up a chance to pick up the French horn. Playing the piano for pleasure and to sing by was enough for me. Today I sing the praises of
The Unleashable Dog, by Charles Rafferty, a book of funny, beautiful, and accessible yet startling poems. You can read the review
here at Escape Into Life, where we are celebrating the Dog Days of July in spite of the return of the Polar Vortex.
And here is a natural horn. Is that like a horn
au naturel? It comes down to us from the hunting horn, so probably dogs are OK with it. Sometimes I like to blow my own horn. Don't we all? It's only natural, right?
My nephew plays the French horn and so last summer I was treated to an entire French horn concert at the Disney Music Center in downtown L.A.
ReplyDeleteOne of the best musicians in my high school band played French horn, and interestingly enough, he was deaf.
Charles Rafferty's short fiction which can be found in Saturday Nights at the Magellan (as you know but others won't) is also very good.
Tally ho!
Great review at EIL. Will have to get Rafferty's work.
ReplyDeleteThe Polar Vortex is here, too. Exquisite day--no D.C. humidity!
Thanks, Seana! I linked to your review at my review!
ReplyDeleteI saw, because I read your review, which was very good!
ReplyDeleteThanks! And thanks for YOUR review!
ReplyDeleteAnd I just think all lifeguards should sit up on their tower chairs playing brass and wind instruments in their Speedos.
ReplyDeleteYes! Or, in this case, in their jackets and sweat pants!!
ReplyDeleteOne of my brothers is a professional French horn player. Whenever photographers come around, they always want a picture of the horn section. Horns and horn players are very photogenic (except when they're emptying their spit valves.)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on keeping up your swimming, even in the cold!
Thanks, Cathy. Hey, your spit valve comment nearly made me do a spit take with my morning coffee.
ReplyDeleteIt's about to turn very, very hot here, we hear!