Joni Mitchell released an article back in the 1970s entitled, “The Hissing of Summer Lawns.” I once heard an interview with Mitchell in which she said she was influenced by the sound of suburban lawns being watered. She blends in jazz elements that highlight her lyrical critique of the blandness of suburbs, especially the lives of suburban housewives (Remember, it was 1975).
This morning, I had a decadent moment. It was my first morning in our AirBnB in Kissimmee close to the theme parks in Orlando. Kate and Mike and the girls had taken off early to go to Hollywood Studios for the day.
I decided to get in the pool and do my stretches. It’s not often that I can swim outside at 9:30 in the morning in the middle of February. The pool is covered by a large screened structure that is connected to the back of the patio. As I floated on the surface, I watched a few clouds scudding across the sunny sky. All I could hear was the droning of air conditioners—and that reminded me of her album. I knew that a big snow and sleet storm was hitting the middle of the country and New England.
One of the things I love about being retired is the ability to have these quiet moments of introspection. I had the time to think back on what I was doing back in 1975, and it brought back some great memories. So, the sound of air conditioners running constantly served as a bridge from the present to the past. It was a great visit.!
Thanks for tuning in. Hope to see you next time.
Margaret
PS: You can listen to some of the tracks of Mitchell’s 7th studio album at https://open.spotify.com/album/3gUlFM3azK6ZIkKz1zK7Nj?si=URyetj2CS2quprlWP8qVnQ
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