A Walk through Life ©Isadora DeLaVega
Spend your brief moment according to nature’s law,
and serenely greet the journey’s end as an olive falls when it is ripe,
blessing the branch that bare it and giving thanks to the tree that gave it life.
©Marcus Aurelius [philosophers/resources]
~~~~~
Weekly Photo Challenge – Silence
to join in click here
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Carlos Santana
The first time I fell in LOVE with Carlos Santana was when I heard him play ….. Maria Maria
I felt we were connected in some way. Okay, so he was born in Autlan de Novarra, Mexico and I in Brooklyn, New York. But, his sound is so powerful and you feel transported to unimagined heights.
His newest video is a collaboration with Jaunes called ‘La Flaca’.
Santana – La Flaca ft. Juanes
![carlossantana[1]](https://insidethemindofisadora.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/carlossantana1.jpg)
Influenced by his Latin roots, Carlos Santana is an award winning Hall of Fame guitarist and rock bandleader. H’s been active in the blues and pop song culture for over 40 years.
He first recorded with his band Santana in 1969, combining electrified blues guitar and Afro-Cuban rhythms into a groovy, danceable blend. Santana was a big part of the San Francisco music scene, and their hit 1970 album Abraxas has been a reliable seller for three decades. It features some of Santana’s best known songs, including “Black Magic Woman” and “Oye Como Va.” The personnel in the band Santana has changed many times over the years, and Carlos has worked with several other popular artists, including Buddy Miles, Herbie Hancock, Willie Nelson and Dave Matthews. In 1999 Santana again made a major splash on the charts with the album Supernatural, which featured the hit single “Smooth.” Santana took home eight Grammy Awards for the album, including record of the year, album of the year, best rock album, and five other awards. It tied Santana with Michael Jackson (and his 1984 album Thriller) for the most Grammy Awards won in one night.
Maria Maria is a song by Santana featuring The Product G&B. It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on April 8, 2000, and stayed there for ten weeks. At the 2000 Grammy Awards, the song won the Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. Despite other lead singers from the album receiving awards, The Product G&B were, for some reason, not honored with a Grammy. Marc Anthony also sang on a version of the song. info wikipedia
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Each week Frizz is walking us through the A – Z alphabet challenge. This week is the Letter S – to join in – click here
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La Flaca Lyrics
En la vida conoci mujer igual a la flaca
Coral negro de La Habana
tremendisima mulata
Cien libras de piel y hueso
40 kilos de salsa
y en la cara los soles
que sin palabras hablan.
que sin palabras hablan.
La flaca duerme de dia
dice que asi el hambre engana
cuando cae la noche
baja a bailar a la tasca
Y bailar y bailar
y tomar y tomar
una cerveza tras otra
pero ella nunca engorda,
pero ella nunca engorda.
Por un beso de la flaca
daria lo que fuera
por un beso de ella
aunque solo uno fuera.
Por un beso de la flaca
daria lo que fuera
por un beso de ella
aunque solo uno fuera.
Aunque solo uno fuera.
Coge mis sabanas blancas
como dice la cancion
recordando las caricias
que me brindo el primer dia y
Enloquezco de ganas de dormir a su ladito
porque Dios que esta flaca a
mi me tiene loquito.
A mi me tiene loquito.
Por un beso de la flaca
yo daria lo que fuera
por un beso de ella
aunque solo uno fuera.
Por un beso de la flaca
yo daria lo que fuera
por un beso de ella
aunque solo uno fuera.
Aunque solo uno fuera.
Aunque solo uno fuera.
Aunque solo uno fuera.
Aunque solo uno fuera.
Aunque solo uno fuera.
Aunque solo uno fuera.
Aunque solo uno fuera.
Aunque solo uno fuera.
copyright <a href=”http://elyrics.net”>http://elyrics.net</a>
The 3 Tenors O Sole Mia 1994
Luciano Pavarotti – José Carreras – Plácido Domingo
The Three Tenors … three of operas maestros.
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Luciano Pavarotti was born on October 12, 1935, on the outskirts of Modena in north-central Italy. The son of an amateur tenor he gave up a career in teaching in the mid-1950s and, after years of study, began his professional singing career in 1961. Italian tenor, Luciano Pavarotti, made his operatic debut at the Teatro Reggio Emilia in 1961, performing as “Rodolfo” in La Boheme. He then made his international debut at the Royal Opera House in London in 1963, and, two years later, made his American debut in the Miami production of Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor. Pavarotti went on to become a hugely popular and internationally known opera star, achieving a large following due to his recordings and television appearances, and ultimately helping expand the popularity of opera worldwide. He died in Modena in 2007, at the age of 71. He was the most well-known opera singer of his lifetime.
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Josep Maria Carreras i Coll was born in Barcelona, Spain on the 5th of December 1946, He began singing as a child. By the mid-1970s, he was a leading tenor who had performed in operas around the world. Diagnosed with leukemia in 1987, he was successfully treated, and soon created a foundation to fight the disease. He is particularly known for his performances in the operas of Verdi and Puccini. Born in Barcelona, he made his debut on the opera stage at 11 as Trujamán in Manuel de Falla’s El retablo de Maese Pedro and went on to a career that encompassed over 60 roles on the stages of the world’s leading opera houses and in the recording studio.
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Jose Plácido Domingo Embil is a Spanish-Mexican born on the 21st of January 1941, popularly known as Plácido Domingo. He is a tenor and conductor best known for his powerful and versatile voice while possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range. Both of Domingo’s parents were singers in Spain. Domingo began his study of music on the piano but when the power of his voice was revealed he became a singer. He made his debut at the New York City Opera in 1965 and has since won 11 Grammy Awards, performed around the world.
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Andrea Bocelli – O Sole Mia
Andrea Angel Bocelli was born on the 22nd of September 1958 in Lajatico, Tuscany, Italy. He is an Italian tenor and singer-songwriter. Visually impaired from birth, Bocelli became blind at the age of 12 following a football (soccer) accident. As a child, he learned to play the piano, flute and saxophone. His 1995 album Bocelli did well in Europe and 1999’s Sogno became an international hit. He remains one of the world’s most popular singers today.
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Il Volo – O Solo Mia
IL Volo (English: The Flight) is an Italian operatic pop trio, consisting of singers: tenors Piero Barone and Ignazio Boschetto, and baritone Gianluca Ginoble.
Youth taking the reins of the maestros.
Don’t let the baby faces throw you off they are wonderful singers.
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Each Tuesday, Frizz, is walking us through the alphabet A – Z. This week is the Letter O – to join the challenge click on the image or Letter O
Louis Armstrong – Basin Street Blues
Jazz historian Al Rose defined jazz as “two or more musical voices improvising collectively in two-four or four-four time on any known melody and ‘syncopating.’ ” Though this definition does not include soloists like Louis Armstrong, it describes the creative freedom of this style that centered and flourished on the streets of New Orleans.
Tuba Skinny New Orleans Hot Jazz Band perform at Barbes Bro
New Orleans Jazz has a swinging, stomping, syncopated beat that makes you want to dance! It also has a simple melodic quality.
Congo Street – [The Nevile Brothers]
Congo Square In 1764, when the Spanish took over New Orleans, the Creoles needed work, which led to many of them becoming traveling musicians. These musicians were the inventors of early jazz, through their expression of African dancing and music. On Sundays, they would gather on a grassy plain on the northwestern edge of the city, where slaves were allowed to dance. This area became known as the Congo Square because of the use of African cultural elements and dances.
For more information on New Orleans Jazz Styles
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Each Tuesday, Frizz, is walking us through the alphabet A – Z. This week is the Letter N
While wandering through Selby Orchid Gardens in Sarasota, Florida on Mother’s Day, I came across a small path. One of the nice things about Selby Gardens is that you can wander aimlessly through many of the garden paths and still discover something you’ve missed on another visit.
This ‘Hugging Tree’ is a good example of that. I’ve been to these orchids gardens more times than I can count on my fingers and toes. It has peaceful benches under trees where one can sit and quietly contemplate. Strolling through one of these paths, I came across this very big tree with this sign on it. I stopped and read what the sign was saying about it’s meaning.
It read:
Have you ever loved something so much that you gave it a big hug? Well, there are certain plants who love trees so much they hug them.
Epiphytes LOVE trees.
Sometimes they are called ‘air plants’ because they grow above the ground. Their roots help them hug the love of their lives (often trees).
Give this tree a hug just like an epiphyte.
Ep-i-phyte (ep-uh-fahyt)
Now trying saying it all together: Epiphyte
Note the small feathery plants just above the sign – air plants or epiphytes.
This video was an experiment in various countries and in the US. It captures the reaction of people who are being offered a ‘Free Hug’ . They seem suspicious and are hesitant to accept one. Yet, notice the faces of exuberance on the ones who do accept the free hug … pure JOY!!!! 😃
As someone who loves to give hugs to everyone I meet – despite their being taken back a little by it – I am forever in their memories because I dared to expose my heart to them and share my gentle spirit.
HUGS TO YOU TODAY !!!!! 😍
Each week, Frizz, at Flickr Comments is walking us through the A – Z alphabet. This week is the ‘Letter H’ – to join in the fun ….
Gone Too Soon – Robin Williams – 1951 – 2014
Upon rising in the morning, after meditating and listening to the birds on my patio, I bring my morning coffee and newspaper out with me for an update on what’s been happened in the world while I was sleeping.
The news this morning was about the apparent suicide, causing the death, of comedian and actor Robin Williams. A long time sufferer of alcoholism and severe depression he succumbed to this terrible burden.
Robin Williams was best known for his starring roles in classic comedies like “Mrs. Doubtfire,” “Good Morning, Vietnam” and “Jumanji,” but also for his acclaimed dramas such as “Dead Poets Society.” He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Dr. Sean Maguire in “Good Will Hunting.” He rose to fame while playing Mork the alien in the TV show “Mork & Mindy,” a “Happy Days” spinoff. In “Dead Poets Society,” Williams plays John Keating, an electric English teacher at an elite all-boys high school. 2014©Huff post
His wife, Susan Sneider, released the following “This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings. I am utterly heartbroken. On behalf of Robin’s family, we are asking for privacy during our time of profound grief. As he is remembered, it is our hope that the focus will not be on Robin’s death but on the countless moments of joy and laughter he gave to millions.”
I couldn’t agree more with her words. He was a brilliant actor and comedian. He was a genius at his craft and in his unique way of bringing us to places of laughter. His body of work should be his epitaph not his tragic ending. He’s left a huge whole in the hearts of many.
DEPRESSION
one word to describe
a mountain of pain
one word to steal the light
from a person’s soul
and leave them cold
gray landscape alone
and searching for something
they couldn’t even name
Every Tuesday we are being walked through Frizz’s Alphabet Challenge – this week is the ‘Letter F” – join in
![Year_of_EggCream-2[1]](https://insidethemindofisadora.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/year_of_eggcream-21.jpg)
When I was growing up in Brooklyn many soda fountain shops made a delicious tasting chocolate soda called egg cream soda. As a child, I didn’t like or eat eggs. When I first heard the name of this fountain drink my nose wrinkled into a smelly twist.
It was my friend, Rivka, who talked about going to the soda fountain shop to get an egg cream soda all the time. I remember how she described the chocolaty taste of it each time she had one but she couldn’t tell me how it was made. Because she had an allowance every week, it was her favorite soda to buy. I told her that the next time I made money from doing errands I was going to get one too.
One night, I laid out all of my coins on my bed and counted out 15 cents. I knew I had enough money to finally get that egg cream soda. When I saw Rivka the following morning, I told her I had enough money to go to the fountain shop to get one that afternoon. We did.
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Mr. Stein was the soda shop owner. He had a long scruffy curly beard. He wore a fisherman’s cap on his head, a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and suspenders. He was always at the door. He made sure that kids had money before they walked into his shop. Up until that day, I had only purchased candy sticks or gum. Today was different. I was going to try an egg cream soda.
What is an egg cream soda?
It’s milk, seltzer, and chocolate syrup. It contains no eggs or cream. Much later, some ice cream shops started adding vanilla syrup. The authentic version doesn’t contain vanilla and U-Bet chocolate syrup is what should be used. Egg Cream soda is traditionally associated with Brooklyn.
![farm-post-3[1]](https://insidethemindofisadora.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/farm-post-31.jpg)
The egg cream is almost exclusively a soda fountain drink. Although there have been several attempts to bottle it, none have been wholly successful, as its fresh taste and characteristic frothy head requires mixing of the ingredients just before drinking.
![egg-cream-top[1]](https://insidethemindofisadora.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/egg-cream-top1.jpg)
Soon after my first tasty egg cream soda, my parents decided to have bottled milk and seltzer delivered to our front door. The milkman placed them in a metal canister at 4:00 a.m. I could hear the bottles rattle as they were placed inside. The milk was very cold on wintery days. Egg creams became a tasty treat for my sisters and me to make after dinner. Eventually, the egg cream soda was replaced by my next favorite childhood drink – the Ice Cream Soda.
2014©written by Isadora
According to wikipedia, the origin of the name “egg cream” is a subject of debate. One theory is that grade “A” milk was used in its creation, leading to the name “a chocolate A cream”, thus sounding like ‘egg’ cream. Stanley Auster, the grandson of the beverage’s alleged inventor, has been quoted as saying that the origins of the name are lost in time. One commonly accepted origin is that “Egg” is a corruption of the German (also found in Yiddish) word echt (“genuine” or “real”) and this was a “good cream”. It may also have been called an “Egg Cream” because in the late 19th century, there were already many chocolate fountain/dessert drinks using actual eggs (e.g. ‘Egg Brin’) and Auster wanted to capitalize on the name.
![Eggcreamparts[1]](https://i0.wp.com/insidethemindofisadora.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/eggcreamparts1.jpg?w=301&h=301&crop=1&ssl=1 "Eggcreamparts[1]")
Memoir Madness – Krista challenges us to write about a memory – click Memoir Madness to join in –
Memory… is the diary that we all carry about with us.
–Oscar Wilde
Every Tuesday, Frizz, offers the ‘A to Z’ challenge. He’s walking us step by step through the alphabet. This week is the Letter E – click on Frizz Alphabet Challenge
Do you see the mark of a slice cut in the cheesecake?
Here’s the reason …. my family was sitting in the living room waiting, with bated breath, while I set the table for them to come and have dessert. I left the room to get my camera for a quick photo snap of the finished cheesecake when someone – no one will fess up to the crime – started to cut the cake. Obviously, they didn’t want to wait any longer.
You won’t either once you bake one of these delicious cheesecakes and have a slice. It is extremely rich and thick. A small slice will be very satisfying. But, you’ll still want to have a 2nd helping. Enjoy … !!!!
if you’re gluten intolerant this is the recipe for you. There’s no flour in the recipe. The graham crackers crumb at the bottom of the pan can be eliminated. 😍
Nanny’s Italian Cheesecake
Ingredients:
4 – 8 oz. pkgs. of cream cheese
1/1/2 cups sugar
1 stick of butter
1 – 16 oz. container of sour cream
2 tablespoons of cornstarch
1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon of vanilla
5 eggs
Spring baking pan
Preheat oven to 375 F ****** 190.6 C
Keep cheese, sour cream and butter at room temperature for 1 hour.
Mix all ingredients together – except eggs – beat well.
Add eggs in one at a time. Do not add the next egg into the mix until it’s throughly mixed. To avoid egg shells in your mix break the egg in a small bowl then add to the mix.
Pour into a well greased spring pan (melted butter or spray butter).
Place spring pan into a roaster pan and place on your oven rack. Now, your roaster pan to 1/2 the level so that the spring pan is sitting in the water.
Bake for 1 hour.
Rremove from oven … let cool thoroughly … refrigerate overnight before serving.
Enjoy … !!!!
Options:
You can add fresh vanilla beans instead of bottled vanilla.
You can add lime juice or vanilla instead of lemon juice.
You can add stevia instead of sugar.
You can add melted chocolate or swirl the chocolate in the mix.
Decorate your cheesecake with fresh strawberries, blueberries, sprinkle confectioners sugar or leave it plain.
Graham Cracker Mix:
1 1/2 cups of graham crackers
5 teaspoons butter
2 tablespoons of sugar
Melt butter, add pre-mixed graham cracker / sugar that you’ve mixed together. (The graham crackers can be place in a small lunch bag and hammered into crumbs or use a small electric chopper)
Blend well … spread on the bottom of the spring pan. To create an even level use your close fist to tap down mixture down.
Refrigerate 1 hour – now, add the cream cheesecake mixture.
Option:
To have a truly gluten free cheesecake do not add graham crackers to your pan.
Option 2:
You can use ginger snap cookies instead of graham crackers if you want to change a different taste.
*****A friend gifted me this recipe in a lovely card, 20 years ago, along with the cheesecake when she came to a over dinner party I was having. I have been baking it for years and have never had a disappointed comment upon tasting. It’s a family recipe from her aunt. With her permission, I have posted it here. Enjoy !!!
Every Tuesday, Frizz, offers the ‘A to Z challenge’. He’s walking us step by step through the alphabet. This week is the Letter C – to join in
Button : a Mundane Sensory Poem
Buttons
what are buttons?
So lifeless.
They sit looping our lives together.
Buttons are small
and unimportant,
but sometimes
we need them
during our tangled hours.
Buttons roll around the nation
seeing sights,
astounding
but also forgotten points in life.
Even seeing those vista’s,
the most important sight
happens at night.
When the button jumps
and clamps
its slick,
glossy round edge,
to the loop
who sits alone.
Waiting for someone
to join them.
2014©isadora
Frizz has been challenging us every Tuesday, step by step, since 2011, through the alphabet – A to Z – last week we had letter “A”
This week we have the letter B …. to join in click here
Inside the Mind of Isadora 