Zappa / Solstice
a harmonic convergence
Happy Winter solstice and Happy Birthday to Frank Zappa.
Today I spoke to the trees, rain, squirrels, and crows. I scattered apples for the deer and plotted where I will plant my tulip bulbs in the meadow. Today I greeted the mushrooms and photographed the raindrops on Buckeye limbs
After talking to a familiar crow, I remembered it is also Frank Zappa’s birthday. Growing up in the Baltimore area in the 1970s provided me with plenty of satirical narratives during my adolescent growth; with a soundtrack of Frank Zappa music. Introduced to me as a 14 year old hanging out with an older crowd- doing bong hits and creating art. I always knew Zappa was musically and intellectually beyond my teen sized brain but I knew there was something to be learned so I opened myself up to all of it. And so I revisit his music often. It’s part nostalgia and part still having my mind blown. But most of all, there was a man, who I believe was a genius, who taught me like many others to never accept the “norm” and to always strive for your personal perfection in art and to never let those in power ever try and take that away- from anyone.
So today we honor Frank Zappa as well as the Winter solstice: stillness, the winter light, the rain, the snow, the cold, the rest.
Meadow photos:
“The illusion of freedom will continue as long as it's profitable to continue the illusion. At the point where the illusion becomes too expensive to maintain, they will just take down the scenery, they will pull back the curtains, they will move the tables and chairs out of the way and you will see the brick wall at the back of the theater.”
Frank Zappa
