Today I visited one of my favorite urban yards (near the intersection of Dana and Centre streets in Cambridge, MA) as I was biking home from a visit with my beloved acupuncturist.
The people who live there have planted an astonishing number of bulbs under a huge beech tree in front of their home.
Right now hundreds of snowdrops and crocii are blooming, as well as one tiny Siberian iris.
And even though the temperature was near 32 degrees Fahrenheit, I saw two little bees diligently visiting each crocus flower to gather tiny bits of pollen.
Amazing!
The crocii have inspired me to share two different versions of a song I wrote a couple of years ago, “The Beauty All Around.”
Here’s a version I recorded last week with pianist/composer Doug Hammer.
I think this song originally sprang out of an excited realization that some of my favorite pop songs — such as “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay — were based on only four chords.
I am not sure when I came up with this particular four-chord progression — but I remember sitting at a picnic table next to a lake near Worcester, MA, when I started recording it.
It was a warm autumn afternoon, and I was attending one of my favorite congregations of human beings on planet earth, the Massachusetts Men’s Gathering.
Although I was not having the best time at my day job (as the lyrics attest…), I was happy and grateful to be sitting by the water, surrounded by trees and birds and sky and clouds.
Here is my original version, recorded using my trusty Apple laptop running GarageBand plus my small, blue ukulele.
If you are able to take the time to listen to both versions, you will notice how the lyrics have evolved a bit.
ps: If you are ever feeling down in the dumps and have access to the internet, just do a search for “crocus images.” So many colors! So much beauty! What a planet…