Y’all, I’m so excited I can’t sit still. I’m poppin’ around like corn kernels in a frying pan!

The Denton Arts and Jazz Festival is just around the corner, and I just found out who will be playing!

I’ve told you I adore Delbert, and even got to meet him once. It’s on a guest post at Life is Rantastic. If you don’t know him, go read that real quick (there is some music embedded in the page) and come right back.

But that’s not all! Guess who else will be there.

Oh, Lordy! Somebody pinch me because I must be dreaming.

Excuse me, let me wipe up the drool, here.

The Denton Arts and Jazz Festival is always held on the last full weekend of April. It’s two and a half days of FREE MUSIC with the additional attraction of artists and craftsmen selling wares (you can find the coolest stuff!), games for the kids, FOOD! Where is it? Why, it’s in the heart of our fair city in the Quakertown Park.

Did I hear you say you don’t know how to get to Denton? Well, here’s a map:

Get your lawn chairs and y’all come. E-mail to tell me you are on our way. I don’t have a guest room to offer because it’s filled with afghans for Share A Square. But, we can picnic in the park.

Don’t expect me to talk to you, though. When Delbert sings, I listen.

So I didn’t grow up to play music with the Vienna Vegetable Orchestra. That’s what I said, “vegetable.”

This video starts slowly, as the musicians choose their “instruments” at the market and then prepare them for playing. A carrot becomes a recorder, eggplants become clappers, a leek is a violin, and squash become percussion instruments. It’s funny to see how creative they were.

Go with it to the end as the group plays in concert. Some of it is kind of catchy, some of the “music” sounds like our bedroom at night after a meal of beans!

Is that a fresh sound, or what?

I wonder if they started this playing music with vegetables in an attempt to save money on musical instruments? With the price of fresh vegetables these days, those aren’t bargain priced instruments.

My husband, Eric, said he heard they were going to start a Vienna Seafood Orchestra until they found out that you can’t tune a fish.

Ba dump bump.

As I stood in line to get that pierced parcel post package the other day, I couldn’t help noticing some promotion the post office was doing. There was a huge poster right next to me with this picture. I’m talking about a gigantic and overpowering image!

I found that quite distracting! Whoot! Until I realized that it was Paul Giamatti. I don’t remember Paul Giamatti as being much of a looker, but this picture makes him look handsome! It’s amazing what the right camera angle and some makeup will do. Don’t look at the images of him on-line, especially not this one, or you will be disappointed.

You went and looked, didn’t you!!?? When are you going to learn to listen to me?

Giamatti is playing John Adams in an HBO miniseries that USPS is sponsoring, but I don’t think he looks anything at all like John Adams in that photo. If you follow the link to the promotion page, there are other photos from the movie. Some of those shots show Giamatti looking much more like the real deal.

That miniseries The Power Of The Letter premiers on Sunday, March 16th, and it looks like it will be enthralling. As one of America’s Founding Fathers, John Adams (October 30, 1735 - July 4, 1826) was George Washington’s Vice President, before being elected the second President of the United States. Without question, his was one of the most powerful voices of American Independence.

The man was a prolific letter writer. He wrote loving letters to his wife, Abigail, as well as letters to his contemporaries (particularly his friend, and rival, Thomas Jefferson) chronicling the birth of our Nation. Many of these precious missives have survived the years. Fortunately, he didn’t have e-mail, or it might have all gotten deleted or sent to the spam box!

This miniseries looks at American History through the story of John Adams. It should be quite interesting, because John Adams was a truly admirable man. What’s not to admire about a man who was a devoted husband, a learned scholar, and who risked everything in the cause of independence? His efforts ensured that you and I have freedom two hundred years later.

Now, I realize that USPS is using this series as self-promotion. Of course, they want to glorify letter writing. They want us to send letters and buy stamps. Yet, I still think it’s admirable that they would sponsor this Tom Hanks produced series. The postal service doesn’t have to work hard to convince me to send letters. I much prefer a handwritten letter over e-mail, as long as I don’t have to stand in line to send it.

Yes, an e-mail can provide instant gratification; just as it demands urgent action! An e-mail also isn’t much of a “keepsake.” A hand written letter is almost a visceral connection to the past; a treasure to cherish. It’s hard to cherish an e-mail.

The Power Of The Letter, based on John Adams’ written correspondence, has potential. I hope it lives up to its hype. I wish I got HBO on my television! Y’all will have to just tell me about it.

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