Rain. Rain. More rain. After the frustration of having my hair colored and blown out yesterday, which was an incredibly monsoonesque day, Bonaparte insisted we go food shopping…together!
There was no way I was going to ruin this color and blow out that Bonaparte paid for! Hooded jacket and an umbrella for extra protection we ventured out.
My apologies for no makeup but this is how I woke up. I am NOT ruining this blow out –not even today. It is STILL raining!
But you know how one thing leads to another….
While in the car, I was mesmerized. Almost hypnotized by the rhythmic sound of the wipers flushing the rain away from the car’s windshield. I love that sound. It gives me a certain comfort and brings me back to those days of being able to ride in the front passenger seat with my dad. Rainy days have that effect on me.
Thank God I wasn’t driving. I would have fallen asleep from the soothing sounds of the windshield wipers swishing the rain away! I’m not kidding. That sound puts me to sleep. Note to anyone reading this. Stay off the road when I’m driving in the rain!
Then I started thinking about the other sounds that I love. For instance,
I love the sound of plastic jewelry clicking against each other.
Huffington Post has this great pics of Apfel and her clickety-clackity costume jewelry. I wouldn’t wear these myself, but I love the way they look on her and I love the sound!!
Did you see the documentary about Iris Apfel, the cool 94-year old fashion stylist? It’s on Netflix—and entitled “Iris”. I kept repeating the very beginning of the movie because I could not get enough of the sound of her jewelry clicking together!
At the very beginning of the trailer, you can hear a mega-second of clacking jewelry!
I am extremely comforted by the sounds of the sirens when I’m in France—they have a better rhythm and cadence than the sound of the sirens here in the States:
My friend Becky and I always replicate this sound whenever we talk about Paris! People stop and stare at us–and not in a good way!
Yes. I love the sound of the little sirens from these cars!
Oh…and I’m one of those people who are incredibly fond of the sound of cracking and popping gum.
Oops! I AM that person who chews gum like a cow. Just ask Oona–she HATES being near me when I chew gum!
Weird—but so very true. I’m so jealous of the women who can crack gum. Lord knows I’ve tried, but I’m an epic fail at it. I’m lucky I can blow and pop bubbles with my Bazooka!
Best. Gum. Ever!
The sound of the rhythm of the water gently hitting the shore is another sound I find incredibly calming.
L’Aiguille beach in Theoule. When it’s early morning and nobody has arrived yet, the only sound you can hear are the sounds of the tiny little waves hitting the shore and the rocking of the boats. It’s a great rhythmic sound!
The sounds of long fingernails against a keyboard are also nice to me. I think that’s because growing up, one of my BFF’s, Pam, played piano. And she had long nails and the sound they made against the piano keys was very pleasant to me.
Well, it may not be a piano, but the sound of fingernails against ANY key board is pleasant!
I miss the rhythmic sounds of Oona’s hard shoes hitting the floor whenever she did a heavy jig, hornpipe or one of her sets.
I still have Oona’s hard shoes–and looking at the shape of these worn-in hard shoes are an indication of how much she used these!
I could listen to her perfect timing all day—and sometimes I did when we were at competitions!
I don’t have any videos of Oona, but here’s a really, really old (you can tell by the dress) video of Riverdance’s Bernadette Flynn with Tony Lunden doing a treble reel. I cannot get enough of that heavy shoe sound. You can close your eyes and still hear the rhythm!
I could go on and on about sounds and rhythm—but I’ll spare you.
That’s maybe why I like cooking so much. The sounds of food cooking is such a sensual thing. Last night I threw together what I deemed an Alsatian dish for Bonaparte. Raining. Damp. He wanted something comforting. So I took red onions, peeled and caramelized them. I love the sound of the onions hitting the heat.
I love the sound of the onions hitting that heat!
Then I cooked up a few slices of bacon. The sound of bacon sizzling is music to my ears—and that smokey scent is just wonderful.
Can you just hear that sizzle? Oh..and I used the bacon grease to cook up the rest of the mix! Bacon grease rules!
I peeled and cut apples to add to the mix. And I love the sound of crunchy apples!
Cutting into the apples produces that great first crunch!
Listened to the symphony they played as they blended together.
Added sauerkraut and some store bought kielbasa. Bonaparte was happy! Plenty left over for him to enjoy during the week.
It isn’t the prettiest dish, but the flavors of the sausage, the tartness of the sauerkraut and the sweetness of the apples and caramelized onions, along with the smokey bacon gives off a great and flavorful meal!
Sounds good to me! How about you?
Since I’m talking sounds and rhythm. Here are some great, great rhythmic sounds. Stomp Out Loud!!!!
I’m going to make a feeble attempt to classify some travel pics today. While it’s raining, I can be productive! Enjoy the weekend!
XOXOXOXOX!!
The only thing on your list I am not fond of is the gum. I actually wrote a post on it a long time ago. Everything else I love! Stomp is one of my favorites, as are the finger nails. I naturally have nice nails and find when I am daydreaming or thinking, I rhythmically tap them. I think my fascination with the sounds of nails is bc my mother always made me keep my nails so short.
Hi Lula. I’m going to take a safe bet that most people despise the sound of gum..but like you, my nails were extremely short growing up. It has been a lifelong struggle to keep them long as they are always breaking–but I love the sounds they make! Isn’t Stomp the greatest???? XOXOXOXO!!
Lol! I’m a notorious gum cracker, so much so that I never chew gum in public because it’s so loud. I wish I could chew quietly!
OMG. If you lived next door to me, I would invite you over to spend time with me as long as you DID have gum to crack. I could take gum-cracking lessons! XOXO!
Haha! You’re the only one who would like it! Crack-Crack-Pop 🙂
LOL. I’m a regular “crack pot”! BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!
Lol!
Haha, on a day when I’ve talked about stereotypes related to ‘sounds’ and music, could you be anymore ‘Noo Yawk’? (Forgive my feeble attempt at the accent!). Gum ‘clackers’ as I call them are always associated with my notion of a typical New Yorker 🙂
Would so love to see Stomp live, although I’m not sure my pots and pans would thank me for it when I returned!! P.s. Hope you got some Werther’s!
Haylee. I’m impressed. You have that “Noo Yawk” accent down pat! And it’s true. Gum clackers ARE definitely one of the greatest things about NYC!! Esepcially borough girls (that what the women from Queens, Bronx, and Brooklyn are called). Yes I did. And the sound I make when I suck then bite down on the Werther’s is annoying to my Bonaparte! XOXOXO
Haha, glad you got some, even if not everyone is as happy about it! 🙂 x
Great Post! I must think of sounds I like! Such inspiration! I’m trying my hand at some humour too!
Cathy! I’m glad that you are trying your hand at humor. You are clumsy–therefore you are funny! XOXOXO!!
True.
PS The trick to cracking gum is to blow tiny bubbles with it in your mouth then bite down.
Thanks. I’m reaching for some gum right now! XOXOXO!
I like almost all of “your sounds” with the waves softly lapping on the beach being my nbr.1 , and I would also add tennis balls hitting the raquette in a good tennis game (minus the grunts and shouts some players favor) 😉
Hi Turtle. YES!! The sounds of tennis balls hitting the racquet. VERY good one. And I agree the grunts really bother me so much. Ugh! XOXOXO!
Oona dances! Awesome! I saw Riverdance on their farewell tour here in the states. Third row, middle seats. Lordy! Those feet were pert near tactile when the sound reached your ears! My bff and I spent a night in a lighthouse on Chesapeake Bay in 2000. I think that’s the best night’s sleep I ever had listening to the waves caress the shore below us. You may think this is strange, but I find Taiko drumming to be very relaxing…
But then after listening to the Stomp video I guess the drums are just louder!
Oona is a retired Irish dancer, but she danced from the time she was 7 years old through college. Her last major competition was bittersweet–she hadn’t danced in a few years and went back her Sr. year of college to compete. Minimal practice and she still managed to be on the stage for the awards. Being judged at competitions has given her poise and confidence–and she even admitted that it helped her be successful in business! Quite a few of her friends have danced in both Riverdance and Lord of the Dance. It’s intense practice!XOXOXO!
Ooh, the sound of bacon sizzling! It’s second only to sound of bacon being greedily munched up by me.
Bun. I’ll toast my BLT to that! XOXOXO!