Climbing
Volume 3 Book 5 Part 4 of
Living in the Bonus Round
(The Big Voice Chronicles)

A perfect lilac blossom with clusters of lavendar.

[ Book 3-4 ] -- [ Pt 1 ] [ Pt 2 ] [ Pt 3 ] [ Pt 4 ] [ Pt 5 ]
[ Pt 6 ] [ Pt 7 ] [ Pt 8 ] [ Pt 9 ] [ Pt 10 ]

[ 11 ] [ 12 ] [ 13 ]

May 20-28, 2003.
The Lilacs Are in Bloom Again.
 

I can show you the pictures of the beautiful lilacs that Rochester is famous for -- people come from all over the country and the world to look at them -- but what I can't "show" you is incredibly fragrant the garden is. Lilacs grow on bushes that get as large as trees.

They smell heavenly, and just walking through them, fills you with such a beautiful assault on the sense, you never want to stop walking.

Lesli and Bud the Stud took me down to Highland Park
where the Lilac Festival is held each year.

The lilac bushes are on a sloping field just below a reservoir. We elected to park at the bottom and then walk up the hill. Marking the entrance to the lilac fields was a colorful flowerbed. (Note: All the pictures displayed on this diary are edited down in size, of course. If anyone sees an image they'd like to have as a desktop, in all its full glory, please write me and I'll send it you ya.)

At the entrance there was also a bed of colorful flowers.

At the far end of this display I took two close-ups. I loved the way these sat side by side.

The lilac field began just beyond the flowerbed. I don't know if they are considered a bush or a tree, but I loved seeing them in various stages of growth. Here's a younger one one with dark purple blossoms.

The field sloped up allowing a rich view of the older plants behind.
Notice the various colors of the blooms. Ranging from purple to white.

The colors in this blossom just knocked me out.
I think the darker ones have just opened, thus the difference in color.

A perfect beauty.

This grand majestic cannot be appreciated in a small file,
so I've linked to the original. I wish I had taken it at at even higher resolution.

We dubbed this little fella "Lilac Monster."

This picture shows white lilacs against dark lavendar plant.

The brilliant sun illuminates a blossom nestled genttly in the leaves.

Lesli found her true happiness when she spied a tree she could climb.

Me and Bud in The Poet's Garden.
Ain't we sweet?

Bud has come to nearly every single Rochester performance of "The Big Voice." He is why I'm singing in Spiritus Christi this next Sunday. From the first day he saw our show, he made it his personal crusade. Spiritus Christi is a break-away Catholic Church in Rochester. I spoke of them the last time I was here. I was so impressed with their service and their message of community outreach -- and with the fact that they had the courage to stand up for what they believe -- that I joined their YahooGroup. I'll speak more of them after Sunday.

I have a lot more lilac pictures, of course. But for the sake of those with 56K modems, I'll stop here.

Show stuff:
We had a healthy weekend, audiencewise, so it's following a similar trajectory from the last time. As word spreads, the people start to come in. Word of mouth, though, as we've learned time and time again, is not a fast process if there is no big media coverage in support. Flyers and ads help but if you're not on TV, you don't exist. (Not in THIS world).

So, right now it's still a white knuckle flight going into the weekend.

And speaking of THAT, we have been working on The Big Voice. Yes, we're making our first real changes since L.A. This weekend will be where we'll test it to see how it works in the overall thrust of the piece. I don't want to say anything more here about it.

Healthwise, I've been concentrating on fiber and my diet. So far, it seems to be going well. A little blood now and then but mostly I've had no problems.

Creatively, again, we've been writing a new song for the show based on one of the finger exercises I wrote for myself. I also have been testing out a new program to create shockwave animation. It's appropriately called "SWish." Using it I designed a new opening page for The Big Voice. Again, for 56K users, it might be a slower load-in, but I think it's really professional looking.

Oh, and I guess one other thing happened over the weekend. Nothing big. Happens every year. Jimmy and I celebrated our 18th year together. Not being very sentimental about holidays -- either everyday is a holiday or I'm just a typical "guy" -- I didn't realize it until we were on the stage after the Saturday performance and Jimmy mentioned it at the curtain call.

I looked over at him as he continued to speak. I looked down at the happy audience, still on its feet, still glowing with radiant smiles and I thought how happy I am to be right here, right now.

[ Book 3-4 ] -- [ Pt 1 ] [ Pt 2 ] [ Pt 3 ] [ Pt 4 ] [ Pt 5 ]
[ Pt 6 ] [ Pt 7 ] [ Pt 8 ] [ Pt 9 ] [ Pt 10 ]

© 1996-2003 by Steve Schalchlin. You have permission to print from this diary and distribute for use in support groups, schools, or to just give to a friend. You do not have permission to sell it.