For the next four days I am going on a getaway to Barona Resort and Casino. Of course, everybody thinks anytime anyone goes to a resort that has a casino that the casino is the place to spend one's time. Not me. I may not even set foot in the casino, unless it's on my way to one of their restaurants that I particularily like (I always sit in its portico facing the golf course whenever I dine there). No, I am going for rest and relaxation. This resort has a truly tranquil setting. Their hotel rooms are expansive. The golf course is a championship caliber golf course, with five tees ranging for players of all skill levels, from "regular" players to professionals. Golfweek rates it in the top five of all golf courses in California, in company with Pebble Beach and Spyglass. Golf Digest ranks the course in the top 5 in the country (resort courses). Now, it would be a challenge for me to play their course due to my ACL limitation but I might just noodle around on the putting range and perhaps reserve a round just to drive the cart and enjoy the natural scenery (can't get lost as all their carts have GPS systems).
The resort meticulously maintains and manicures the grounds and there is a variety of nature just ready and waiting for exploration - I'm going to go to their Chekwaa Gardens nursery for a walking map so I can explore said nature and grounds. I'm also going to visit their Rose Garden, selected as one of only 10 evaluation sites in the country for the world-renowned David Austin Roses. While the resort is at the forefront of conservation, and operates an award-winning on-site water treatment facility and innovative water recovery program I doubt I'll visit the treatment facility. I will, however, visit the waterfalls and koi pond (it also has rosy reds). It goes without saying that I'll make at least one visit to the Spa for massages and pampering.
Today, I heard some news that truly saddened me - Kenny Rankin died at age 69 from advanced lung cancer. Perhaps many of you have never heard of him but he was quite infuential and played with everyone from the Beatles to Bob Dylan. In fact, he collaborated with and played on Dylan's landmark 1965 "Bringing It All Back Home" album. Paul McCartney was so blown away by Rankin that when he (McCartney) and John Lennon were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Hall Paul McCartney asked Rankin to perform "Blackbird", among other McCartney-Lennon pieces. He sang jazz, he sang acoustic, he sang everything. A respected guitarist, it's been said that his career almost defied categorization as he made music from one end of the spectrum to the other. Born in New York City, Rankin said that Laura Nyro was one of his major influences, stating in 2007, "She profoundly changed my musical life and affected it to this day, more than anyone or anything else. She was deep, dark and light, the spectrum of passion." His voice was golden, a salve for troubled times and a joyfulness during good times. Now, you may be wondering why this blog took a turn from me talking about my resort getaway to talking about the death of this musician. Whenever I think of Kenny Rankin certain songs just automatically pop into my heard, "What Matters Most","Like a Seed", "Blackbird" (although he didn't write this one), "Lost Up in Loving You" (especially "Lost Up in Loving You") and, most of all, "Peaceful".
The lyrics for "Peaceful" are as follows:
In the morning fun when no one will be drinking any more wine
I'll wake the sun up by givin' him a fresh air full of the wind cup
And I won't be found in the shadows hiding sorrow
And I can wait for fate to bring around to me any part of my tomorrow,
tomorrow
'cause it's oh, so peaceful here
There's no one bending over my shoulder
Nobody breathing in my ear
Oh, so peaceful here
In the evening shadows are callin' me and the dew settles in my mind
And I think of friends in the yesterday when my plans were giggled in rhyme
I had a son while on the run and his love brought a tear to my eye
And maybe some day he'll up and say "We had a pretty nice time", oh, oh,
oh, my
'cause it's oh, so peaceful here
There's no one bending over my shoulder
Nobody breathing in my ear
Oh, so peaceful here
Of course you "get" the song more when you listen to him sing it ( could include a link here but I'm too tired to do so) and it would be more impactful if you bought one of the CDs that includes it (perhaps "The Best of Kenny Rankin - Peaceful" if it's still available) but that song got me through many a dark time. And that's why I'm going out to the resort - because it's "oh so peaceful [there]."
