Sunday 7 June 2009

Song for a Summer Sunday Morning (Le Ballet by Celine Dion)

So summer is finally here. Or so they say. We have had scorching temperatures in London the last few weeks. Climate change or rebellious weather? I don't know, but yours truly is not a happy Bunny.

Now, I have nothing against summer but after living twenty six years in a country where there's sun almost 24/7, a thermometer shooting up to 30 degrees Celsius ceases to be an out-of-this-world experience and becomes routine instead. That's the main reason why I like the weather in Britain. Note, I am not saying I prefer the British weather to the Cuban one, I'm just stating that having four distinct seasons as we have here in GB, makes a big difference. Plus, unfortunately for the last seven or eight years I have become another victim of hay fever, a condition of which I was unaware when I lived in Cuba (and here's a tip for you fellow summer-allergies sufferers: someone said to me that in order to lessen the effects of hay fever I should drink geranium tea, starting as early as February. I thought, what the heck, having geranium tea cannot be that bad, can it? So, I went to my local Holland and Barrett but they'd never heard of it. What they did have was geranium oil and would you believe it? The woman behind the counter had heard the same advice being given in relation to the oil. So I bought some a couple of years ago and I'm happy to report that although geranium oil does not rid you of hay fever it does alleviate your suffering, you know, the itchy eyes and throat, the constant sneezing, Why is that? I've no idea, but put a couple of drops in the bath, no more than a couple of drops, please, and voilà, come summer there's still hay fever, but less sneezing, less itchiness... Oopsie daisy, I just realised that I'm still in brackets, puts right foot out and then the left one). Sorry about that, I got carried away. Where was I? Oh, yes, summer. That's why when it comes to my least favourite seasons, it is winter and summer I think of, the former gives me dry skin and no snow (except for this year when there was some) whereas the latter shakes all that pollen off like a dog that's just come out of the water. And where do these powdery, yellowish spores finish? Up my nostril. Nein, give me the crunchy sound of dry, auburn leaves in October and November or green shoots in April and May anytime and I'm happy in the same way one of the Jonas brothers will be on his wedding night.

But it's summer and we can't ignore it, so from today until September I'll be uploading tracks that are, in my humble opinion, summerish. As usual, there'll be a wide selection. Some of the performers are recent, pleasant discoveries and obviously there'll be a few oldies to balance things off. There will be salsa with a social conscience, salsa with no social conscience and salsa with not even a salsa conscience. There will be rock'n'roll, pop, R'n'B, jazz, classical music and gipsy punk.

And also, I take advantage of this first post of the 'Song for a Summer Sunday Morning' to let you know that as the warmest season of the year fast approaches I will be absent from the blogosphere quite often. Between family commitments and trips to other parts of the British Isles, I will have less time to be online. So, I hope you enjoy this musical selection that kicks off with an amazing singer and a song from her pre-Titanic and pre-weight issues era. Enjoy.

Next Post: 'Killer Opening Songs' to be published on Tuesday 9th June at 11:59pm (GMT)

Copyright 2009

24 comments:

  1. I am sorry to hear of the allergy! The summer song was splendid! Thanks a lot.

    Kindest greetings from Islamabad,
    Kacper

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  2. Hi Mr C

    That was a refreshingly vital summer song thank you.

    I send you best wishes and lots of happy days with family and activities over summer.

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  3. Superb opening, but then it cut out on me. I'll try again later.

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  4. Oh Hay Fever!!! I have it myself at times and it is miserable. I truly hope you feel much, much better soon.
    Love the Summer Sunday Song this morning Cuban.
    Take good care and.........

    Steady On
    Reggie Girl

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  5. Love it! I love the way Celine stalks pantherish like across the stage - kind of reminds me of Freddie Mercury in his Rio concert. Did you see it? Or as we Parsis like to call him, Fardoon Bulsara, which was the name he was born with. He was such a fascinating character.
    I am home again from hosp, after my second monoclonal infusion, still have the raging fevers and a mean ol' rash. But hey, here I am listening to Le Cuban's Sunday choice so can't be all bad right?!

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  6. Thanks for the tip on the geranium oil. I must try it. Since we moved to Atlanta from NYC, I've developed serious allergies.

    Lovely Celine Dion to get us going today.

    Merci beaucoup, asante sana.

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  7. Oopsie daisy! I love that.

    Summer is the season I like the very least. It's sweltering hot and humid in the midwest. I enjoy spring, except for that hay fever. As soon as July hits, I'm looking forward to the cool breezes and glorious colors of October!

    Love the Celine Dion pick. Happy Sunday.

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  8. no summery allergy issues for me, but i really do feel for all those who suffer. thank goodness for helpers like geranium. funny how nature can bring about the cause and the cure (or the assistant)

    nice song.

    all the best on your summer travels!

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  9. Many thanks to you for your kind comments. Shaista, I always knew him as Farook Bulsara :-). Glad to know that you're out of hospital.

    Greetings from London.

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  10. Cuban, con la llegada del verano la vieja nos cambiaba la bola y en lugar de hacernos TE negro con galleticas dulces, nos sorprendía con TE helado y leche condensada. Ufffff! Me erizo y no llego al piso con aquel recuerdo. GrAcIas!

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  11. Summer my best and worst enemy. I'm happy that we can sleep in and take off our chauffeur's hat for awhile and enjoy days without schedules, packing lunches and sports meets. Yay, summer! Then by the end of July I'm pulling my hair out to get the kids into school!

    Happy trails to you!

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  12. did i tell u i love your banner? once again! give me your expert impression of dounia & phil music via my mast post???

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  13. She does have an amazing voice, whatever people say about her personality. Plus singing in French is always better than singing in any other language.

    You know I also never had problems with weather in the UK. Not that I'm particularly fond of rain but I don't like it when it's too hot so the coolness of British aura suits me well.

    Thanks!

    Polly

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  14. Very nice music, CiL, for a summer evening in my case.

    My only visit to London Town was in late June, and I am glad it was then rather than during the foggy, soggy colder months. I think I am about "wintered out" for a while.

    Good luck, in your travels during the weeks ahead.

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  15. You and your family have a wonderful fantastic summer and stay away from all hay. (I know that does not cause hayfever.)

    Thanks for the songs you always pick them.

    By the way have you ever seen Celine in an interview. I think she sings beautifully but if she opens her mouth to do anything else but sing she shows what a complete mental case she is.

    xoxoxo

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  16. Only good dreams for you dear friend.

    xoxox

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  17. Love the music, and Celine is extremely dramatic as always:)

    I agree, the heat and humidity does NOT make me happy. Soon I will be moving to the hottest and most humid part of the country:(

    But, I'll be helping my aging father, and trying to ignore my discomfort.

    Have a great summer, and there's plenty of ways to keep cool.

    Greetings from New York

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  18. Your time away from Blogging will be missed. Hope that when you sneeze someone will say God Bless You!
    I love the changing seasons, having clothes to snuggle into, clothes that float around me in a breeze. Sizzling sidewalks, icy streets...

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  19. I loved loved loved that Celine clip. I had no idea she had such showmanship and heart. Now I regret that I never made the effort to go see her while she was in Las Vegas all those years.

    I have found that eating two tablespoons of local honey per day greatly reduces my hay fever. I think it has something to do with the local pollens that honey is from (a dangling participle just for you :-D)

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  20. Many thanks to you all for your lovely comments. It's funny that sometimes I realise that a post that I have written weeks in advance loses its relevance on the day it's published.

    It has been bucketing down in London since the weekend, so when I entered my blog last Sunday I could not help laughing at the opening sentence. Scorching temperatures? I've got two jumpers on! And one with a hood.

    Dutchbaby, I will follow your advice to the letter. I don't think that there're many reasons to talk me into having two tablespoons of local honey per day. I love the stuff. As for those dangling little beauties, let 'em hang free :-)!

    Lyn, I'm not going yet. I was pre-emptying my eventual withdrawal. I have finished my posts all the way up to the end of June, so that's one goal achieved. After that I will be hibernating.

    Every photo, wish you father better for me, please. And I hope you can withstand the humidity.

    Fram, June is misleading. Sometimes it's very. very hot and sometimes you have to put two layers of clothes on.

    Polly, believe you me when I say that I love the British weather, I really do. But dry skin and hay fever are not what I signed up for (oops, dutchbaby, I hope you didn't read that sentence!:-D)

    Renee, i think I saw an interview with Celine some years ago and I was slightly disappointed. However, it seems to me that she has been hoodwinked into being someone she is not. I think this 'Girl Just Wants To Have Fun'.

    Greetings from London.

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  21. Oh, you need to see another interview of her dear friend.

    She is a total kook. Like serious big time kook. Like you will almost think that she is an alien kind of kook.

    Love you. Renee xoxo

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  22. Ta for that, Renee (smiling silently at seeing the word 'kook'). Many thanks :-).

    Greetings from London.

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  23. As for ridding yourself of allergy symptoms, during a body cleanse early this spring I used half a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in 10 oz of water with a teaspoon of honey, taken every morning, cleared mine up this spring. Nothing bothered me: the fresh grassing cutting, the flowers, dust, even second hand cigarette smoke. No wheezing. Now I take my tonic every day to be allergy free.

    When I lived in London I loved it when spring came in February and winter only started in November with a nasty dampness. I recall my two winters as being mild (barely snowed in London if you count a couple of flakes). Then on returning to Toronto I nearly froze the first winter back and I was raised on the Canadian prairies.

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  24. I can just imagine the contrast between the damp London winter and the snowy Toronto one. Thanks for your piece of advice.

    Greetings from London.

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