Light/Breezes

Light/Breezes
SUNRISE AT DEATH VALLEY-Photo by Tom Cochrun

Monday, June 15, 2015

DEPARTURES AND ASPIRATIONS

ARTISTIC DEPARTURE
  Jude Johnstone has been breaking hearts as she prepares her departure from Cambria to Nashville. She just wrapped her emotional "Farewell Concerts" on the central coast. 
  I've posted previously about this extraordinary woman whose songs have been recorded by Bonnie Raitt, Trisha Yearwood, Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, Bette Midler, Stevie Knicks and Laura Branigan. She's a powerful performer in her own right.
   Above, her youngest daughter Ra (Rachel) shares the spotlight. Jude has been a coffee shop and village friend and we remember when Ra would come with mom or elder sister Emma to Lily's coffee deck with a teddy bear in tow.
She's become a powerful singer and writer with huge potential.  Big sis Emma is in theatre in New York now. The family is a creative and talented dynamo and the matriarch will be missed.
     The West coast music profession tilts differently now and the lure of Nashville is right for a writer of such depth, intelligence and life. So long Jude, thanks for the rich legacy.  More about Jude including in her own words here.  A photo tribute to Aspirations can be seen below.

A CURIOUS DEPARTURE
     I can't tell you why exactly, but I feel sad for Rachel Dolezal, the now retired head of the Spokane Washington NAACP. I feel bad for the NAACP since their advocate and one who has filed discrimination complaints, is not who she has claimed to be. Dolezal is not an African American, though she has been posing as one.  Probably more than anything else I'm curious about why. Why indeed?  
     Discrimination exists and there is a need for advocates who work to establish fairness and harmony. While her intentions may have been noble, though we don't really know that, her credibility is damaged. I hope the people of Washington and Spokane specifically will not hold her indiscretions against the NAACP.

FURTHER ASPIRATION









   See you down the trail.

3 comments:

  1. Sorry you're losing Ms. Johnstone. I know you were a big fan.

    Lana's flowers are simply stunning.

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  2. Love the flower shots. As for Rachel, I have no problem with her being white, but I do have a problem with people who lie about their background to get a job.

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  3. Your garden/yard is lovely. In one picture the countryside can be seen, it looks like August, quite brown.
    As to the woman from Spokane, I do wish some wouldn't make a connection between transgender and her claiming to be black. I don't feel it's a reasonable comparison.

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