Bob is such a gift to me - brings so much into my life I wouldn't otherwise pursue actively. This morning I'm thinking about classical music, but wildness in nature, political activism, birding, reading Cormac McCarthy, seeing a wide range of plays and films all fit. This summer Bob is adding many pieces to his classical music collection through an inexpensive online service that utilizes his Zoon music player. It's fun to watch him all excited about the pieces he is finding and listening to for the first time. He has also gotten me involved in a study of the music of Aaron Copland. I remember loving Copland's works from childhood (thank you Daddy), but I'm learning so much more this summer about the politics (liberal, populist, hopeful) behind his works and about the works themselves. This morning we listened to the whole Appalachian Spring ballet instead of just the suite as is usually played. I love the suite, but the ballet is even stronger because more tension is written into it - a tension between heel fire and damnation fundamentalism and the beautiful, hopeful theology of "Ti's a Gift To Be Simple, Ti's a Gift To Be Free." The tension makes the triumph of the hopeful theme at the end overpoweringly sweet. Thank you Bob.