“The grand pause . . . a brief, silent pause, during which time is not counted.” (courtesy of Music Terms at artoplum.com)
In music, this symbol, a fermata over a rest, indicates the “grand pause” – a break in the forward motion of music. The beginning of this semester has created an unexpected backlog of work, so I am inserting a “grand pause” in my blog for a brief pause. Once I have “caught my breath” in that quiet time, I will return with some new music and images to share.
In the hiatus, I offer links to a few favorite posts from when I first began this blog, a reprise of past reflections on music and gardening.
Autumn Minimalism: the Constancy of Change has a video of life and movement in my garden set to orchestral music that I composed a few years ago (Sketches of America).
Anatomy of a Thunderstorm is a first person experience of recording the sound of a thunderstorm. This is close to my heart, as I continue working on a piece, August in Penn’s Woods, in which recordings of the sounds of nature lie at the core of the music. An edited soundtrack of the thunderstorm recorded that day is included in this post, a recording that will become part of the new piece in progress. May rain come to all who need it.
Reprise ~ in music . . . the repetition or reiteration of the opening material later in a composition (Wikipedia)
composerinthegarden 
It is good to take a break. I think I have one in my near future as well. Looking forward to your return.
Thanks, Paul. It has been good to take a break, though I must say I miss it and look forward to returning 🙂
I’m sitting here listening to your thunderstorm. What a lovely way to pause. I hope you get caught up soon. 🙂
Thank you, Robin – glad you enjoyed the “storm” 🙂 I look forward to coming back by the end of the month.
Hope your semester gets off to a great start! Fall is always a welcome time for me to return to some much-needed routines and focus.
Thanks, Paula – I feel the same once the early bumps of getting started on a new academic year are past 🙂
Good luck with the start of a new semester. Meanwhile, we’ll return … and thanks for the rain. 🙂 BTW …. hope you have a chance to visit me this weekend for a celebration.
Thanks, Frank; I will definitely check out your weekend celebration! And you are welcome for the rain 🙂
Bravo!
What better way to pause us than with the sound of a departing thunderstorm rolling off into the distance. Rest up. You are already missed 🙂
Sounds a bit dramatic, doesn’t it? Thanks for your kind words, Ogee, and for taking the time to visit the other posts 🙂
Enjoy the new semester with all the highs and lows.
Thanks, Hudson; its a bit like surfing the waves at the beginning of the school year 🙂
Get a good, revitalizing rest, my friend. You will be missed. See you soon.
Thank you, Eleanor; I look forward to catching up on my work so I can enjoy my blogging friends once again.
So elegantly expressed – a pause
Thank you, Claire.
Gentle peace in catching up with your backlog…
Thank you, Kitty; I look forward to returning asap
Lynn I was inspired by your comment “deep breath” on my RAIN post last week for my blog today. The idea of the pause and spaciousness must be all important just now. Thanks once more for your presence. Carol
Thank you, Carol; we often seem to be on the same “wavelength” 🙂