A trip to the grocery story had an added benefit: more tulips. I bought two bunches because they were on sale. The other vase is in the living room on the stereo. Don has declared that we must always have flowers on the island. Happily, I always want to buy flowers, so now I don’t have to feel guilty.
We had dinner with Rick and Doug last night at a favorite restaurant. We haven’t been there in a long time. It’s a local German restaurant that is always packed. There isn’t a whole lot on a standard German restaurant menu that I can eat, as it’s usually meat, meat, and more meat. But this place is special; they always have at least two or three vegan/vegetarian options and those options are not boring. They’re like nothing I’ve ever eaten. So, so good! It’s a smart business decision because we’re near a college town, there are lots of young rock climbers that come up for the weekend throughout the year, and many of them are vegetarians. Last night we had Spaetzle Primavera: Homemade German egg noodles tossed with fresh vegetables, grana padano cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, basil pesto & cream. Oh my heavens, it was delicious! And I brought my leftovers back home and will have them for lunch today.
One interesting thing that happened when I was reading Year of the Monkey by Patti Smith this morning. I read this passage, written when she was in Lisbon:
“On a twilight walk a strain of music drifts through the old city, evoking the low, sonorous voice of my father. Yes, Lisbon Antigua, a favorite of his. I recall as a child asking him what the title meant. He smiled and said it was a secret.”
I have my own father-memory of that song. Years ago, when I was visiting my parent in their first retirement home in Rogers City, MI (way up at the top of the Lower Peninsula, on Lake Huron) the three of us were playing a game at the kitchen table. We often did that in the evening. Mom always had the radio on, tuned into an Easy Listening station. (That accounts for my vast knowledge of singers and song titles from the 30s, 40s, and 50s. I grew up listening to that kind of music.) Anyway, a piece of music came on that I had heard before, many times. I didn’t know the title, so I asked my parents if they knew. Dad immediately responded: Lisbon Antigua. This particular, and most famous version of the popular Portuguese song, was by Nelson Riddle.
That has always been a strong sense memory for me; the room we were in which was a little nook off the kitchen, the sound of the radio, the fun we had together playing games, the happiness that my parents finally had living in a small town in Northern Michigan which had always been their dream, the luxury and, I realize now, great gift of being able to stay with them for a several weeks while I was off for the summer from my teaching duties at Boston University. I think about it often and have shared that memory with Don in the past. So coming upon this passage about Patti, her father, and Lisbon Antigua was a marvelous sort of synchronicity. (Is that the right word for it?) Both Don and I have felt that synchronicity at times while reading her books.
It sort of made my day.
Happy Friday.
Well, I had to google it. I too, recognize the melody, but had never heard of Lisbon Antigua. Memory is a wonderful thing. (Love the tulips!)
Also, the spaetzel sounds delicious.
Oh my goodness. It was! Thanks, Shanna.
Hi Claudia – I’m from Michigan. Isn’t is Lake Huron?
Your house always looks so beautiful with the sun shining in.
Yes it is! I didn’t even know I’d typed Erie instead of Huron. It’s been changed. Thank you, Lynda!
I have fresh flowers in my house most of the time, too! I don’t feel guilty because I get the $3.99 bundles from Trader Joe’s. I didn’t get tulips the last time I was there though. I wanted something longer lasting, as we’re going to be gone all next week. Otherwise, tulips have been my go-to flowers for a couple of weeks now.
It’s funny, my mom was always big on pushing me and my sister to appreciate music, though she rarely had any music playing in our house. There was never music in the car either. We rode in the car as a family most of the time, and my dad always had the radio tuned into sports, which I hated. Anyway, I grew up playing the piano and flute and neither were my passion. I just did both because it was what my mother pushed me into. As a pre-teen, I always had a transistor radio glued to my ear or in my bike basket and with my allowance, I was always buying records. I listened to music constantly all through my teen years, but it was always rock and roll. When Brian and I started dating, I was amused at the time to find out he liked “old” music…Frank Sinatra, swing, etc. He said he grew up listening to that type of music because his dad had that playing in the house. I used to make fun of him for liking “old people” music. Fast-forward to now…my tastes have certainly changed! I still love my rock and roll, especially from the 70’s. But I also like jazz, instrumental, folk, Bluegrass, and yes, even Frank Sinatra and others from that era.
Your vegetarian dish sounded wonderful. I’m not a total vegetarian (I call myself a part-time one), but even I don’t like German food because it’s so heavy on the meat…and the sauces and gravy.
Unfortunately, Trader Joe’s is an hour away from us.
Yes, the meal was delicious! Thanks, Melanie.
I’m always willing to splurge on flowers. They make every day better.
I love what you shared about being with your parents up north. (Up north is north of Clare!) You’re so right about songs providing sense memory. More than one does that to me. Video, too. I can’t watch the producers — any version — without thinking of the first time I saw the original movie, my cousins and I sprawled on the living room floor of my aunt’s cottage, because she had a tv! And when you see something as you saw in the book, or hear or see something — that memory takes us back and isn’t it the best?
It is, indeed. Thank you, Jeanie!
Both music and scent can evoke emotionally charged memories. I am so touched and amazed when this occurs with individuals with brain injuries or Alzheimer’s disease – our brains work in such mysterious and wondrous ways.
I agree. Thank you, Anne.
Music can soothe the soul. tI can be relaxing and bring back loving memories. The Tulips are beautiful.
Marilyn
Thank you, Marilyn!
I LOVE seeing the cottage through the flowers. and tulips are a favorite of mine.
but oh! I also relate much more to songs of the eras you speak of. it was my Mother’s and Daddy’s music. they were so in love. and Mother always had music playing. so I grew up listening to songs from those years. Lisbon Antiqua takes me to Virginia and breakfast in the morning! LOL. sometimes they would dance together on the screened in porch that opened onto to the kitchen. to my young eyes… and ears… it was all just MAGIC!
thank you for this wonderful post. xo
Music can transport us right back to an earlier part of our lives. It’s so powerful. Love that image of your parents dancing together. How precious that is, Tammy.
truly! xo
xo
that you were drawn to buy and read the one book (out of thousands of books in that store) with a passage from a daughter connecting her father and “lisbon antigua” that then brought up a similar and treasured memory for you … that is a beautiful gift. love when that happens! :)
hope you are having a nice night.
kathy in iowa
I know. It’s rare, but so beautiful when it does happen. Thank you, Kathy!
We were traveling yesterday…so I just read your post. It was my birthday…and it’s my friends birthday on Sunday, so with our husbands we are traveling the state for the weekend.
Dinner sounded wonderful….if it’s German, it’s just got to be good. I love that memory of your parents. My parents always had the radio on, on the weekends…mostly oldies from the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s. Plus my dad played in a big band in his younger years before he met my mom. Every once in a while, when my mind is quiet, a toon from that era will pop into my head, and suddenly I find myself singing or humming out loud. Where it comes from, or why is a mystery…but it keeps those memories alive, so I am grateful.
Hope the weekend is bright and sunny for you! ;)
Happy Belated Birthday, Donna! I hope you had a great celebration!
Thank goodness for the power of music. Thank you, Donna!
This is so personal I can hardly believe I am sharing ……truly a compliment that this appears a safe space. I apologize that this is rather roundabout but it does come down to fathers and music.
I was legitimately born to a successful man, but he only desired sons. No doubt you recognize this as extreme old world thinking ( in fact Shakespeare wrote of my heritage). Consequently while my birth father did not want me he also had the ego not to want anyone else to claim his offspring. But God had a much better life planned for me.
Through a daring process directed by a
Harvard attorney, I was eventually adopted by the kindest most brilliant man. He was a man who could choose anything and he did have a fascinating life, but his heart told him to take care of a little girl above all else.
I started piano at age five, and it was always pure joy for me. One day in my teens my father handed me a piece of sheet music that he’d ordered and asked me to play. It was “I Remember You” and the words at the end
are something to the effect of “when my days are through and the Angels ask me to recall the
thrill of it all, then I will tell them I remember you”.
He died when he was 42 years old and even though our years together were so very few I know that I have been blessed beyond measure.
Thank you Claudia for the space to recall.
R, you leave such thought-provoking posts. Wonderful that you finally had such a loving father. Mine has been gone from Planet Earth for more than 25 years. I cherish the memories I have with him as well. When he drove I tried to sit in the front (shotgun), where we sang along with the radio. He harmonized, I was just learning.
Thank you to you, Claudia, for sharing your beautiful memory.
Martha, you are most kind to comment. I can readily envision a girl riding along with her
father, enjoying the companionship of harmonizing in song. It’s quite a lovely image.
It is my sincere hope that such memories always bring joy into your heart. Those precious
moments are gifts we are granted for a lifetime. Thank you for sharing.
xoxo
R – this is beautiful. That this lovely man would adopt you and give you what you needed – love – is so moving. And you’re right about that lyric, it’s one of my favorite songs and those are indeed the words. I’m sorry you lost him at such a young age, but thank heavens you had each other. He sounds like a very, very special man.
And thank you for sharing this beautiful memory with us. xo
Claudia – Thank you for allowing me to share and for your thoughtful reply.
xoxo