The Selby Gardens
Spanish Point purple orchids and the moon
Hello everyone,
Last night I returned from Sarasota Florida where Tony Shanahan and I gave our annual performance for the Selby Botanical Gardens. We celebrated an exhibition of 12 large images from A Book of Days, in Spanish Point, a beautiful thirty acre archaeological, historical, and environmental outdoor interpretive museum located on Little Sarasota. It is meticulously attended to and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The photographs can be viewed integrated with the environment as one follows a winding path through the land. It was a wonderful way to see the relatable images nestled between palms, rocks and a variety of vines and trees.
We walked along the beach and later took a long drive noting the damage from the recent hurricane. Blessedly, though trees were lost, most of the Botanical Gardens remained intact. And we did a small tour to see the exquisite display of Selby’s several rare species of purple orchids. Violet, lavender, magenta, every form of orchid in all shades of purple to the imagined sounds of Purple Rain….
It has been quite an adventurous week and today Lenny Kaye, Jesse, Tony and I will drive to Woodstock and perform words and music in Ulster. Then I have a long sabbatical to finish my book. I also was very fortunate to receive the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis medal alongside Yoko Ono and Sandra Bloodworth, but I will write of that tomorrow. Michael Stipe gave a beautiful and moving speech on my behalf and mentioned my Substack. Since then I have had many new Subscribers, so welcome everyone and thank you for the support.
I am going to read this message for those who are sight impaired. The full moon was huge and radiant last night, and will be so tonight, so look up…..
Be back soon.
I woke up this morning feeling unsettled, both from personal matters and by the troubled state of the world. I put on some music (Gould's Goldberg Variations followed by Radiohead - I don't know. It seemed to flow.). And then your post arrived. The photos of your work from the always inspiring Book of Days surrounded by the beauty of the Gardens reminded me that the world shares wonder as well as woe and that, in fact, the two can flow together like my music did.
I look forward to hearing about the awards ceremony. Safe travels to your concert this evening. And welcome new subscribers. I think you'll find this community to be a blessing and a solace.
You’re carrying us with you and I thank you, every time.