I slowed down for the two-way stop at Railroad and Portland Street. There was a Mack Truck in front of me with a billboard size sign on the back exhorting me to Slow Down for Decadence along with the image of a butter cookie. It was not just any butter cookie. It had the image of a chocolate soldier. In our family, we call these cookies Delichose. It made me smile and then laugh. It made me think about my family and our silly rituals and favorite foods. I Googled the ad and was not able to find it. Is it possible that it only exists in my imagination? I watched The Secret Life of Walter Mitty this weekend and perhaps, the idea of imagining adventures influenced this vision. It was a chocolate colored truck. I promise you, it was a delight. A Delichose delight.

On another note, I have been practicing Carina Barana. It was written by Carl Orff in the late 1930’s. He was inspired by Medieval poems which promote the gritty side of life. You know Game of Thrones style. Your basic nightmare involving sex, violence and annihilation. Clearly, the brown shirts of the 30’s in Germany had a profound influence on this musician.

I sit at our electric piano with my computer and sing along with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Symphony. It helps to pound out the notes in my second soprano part. It’s stirring music. Better not to think about the meaning of the lyrics.  I imagine the music accompanying the spring thaw that is coming soon to our area. Water will pool in deep mud grooves. The trees will green up. People and animals will emerge from their winter habitats. O Fortuna!