Southbound Train « Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

Southbound Train

Stuff

In yesterday’s It Doesn’t Matter … It Does Matter blog post here, comments were inadvertently closed for much of the day. If you would like to take a shot at the Why Sit? questions, please re-visit. There is lots to learn as always.

Huge Price Drop

Canon EF 200-400 f/4L IS USM Lens with Internal 1.4x Extender (with extras!)

Price dropped $1,000 on 8 OCT, 2018!

Mike Diersing is offering a Canon EF 200-400 f/4L IS USM lens with Internal 1.4x Extender in very good-plus condition (the glass is immaculate) for the crazy insane, BAA record-low-by-far price of $6,199.00. The sale includes a Really Right Stuff LCF-53 lens foot, a Realtree Max-5 LensCoat, the front and rear lens caps, the original tripod and monopod mounts, the lens trunk with keys, the lens strap, the lens manual, and insured ground shipping via FedEx to US addresses only.

Your item will not ship until your check clears unless other arrangements are made.

Please contact Mike via e-mail.

This is the world’s best lens for a trip to Africa. If you use Canon gear and head to the Dark Continent without this lens in your Think Tank Rolling bag you are making a huge mistake. It kills also in the Galapagos and in South Georgia, the Falklands, and Antarctica. And I used mine a lot at Bosque and other dusty places where the built-in TC helps to keep your sensor clean. And I loved it in the Palouse for its versatility. On my last bear boat trip, I often found myself wishing that I had taken the 200-400 rather than my 500 II on the IPT … Many nature photographers use it as their workhorse telephoto lens as it offers 784mm at f/8 with an external 1.4X TC added. The lens sells new at B&H right now for $10,999.00. You can save an amazing $4,800 by grabbing Mike’s lens right now. artie

Gear Questions and Advice

Too many folks attending BAA IPTs and dozens of photographers whom I see in the field and on BPN, are–out of ignorance–using the wrong gear especially when it comes to tripods and more especially, tripod heads… Please know that I am always glad to answer your gear questions via e-mail. Those questions might deal with systems, camera bodies, accessories, and/or lens choices and decisions.

Music

My younger daughter, Alissa, often shares music with me. Years ago she introduced me to Brandi Carlile and Nancy Griffith. I listen to them both often along with Billy Joel, Harry Chapin, Dylan, Meat Loaf, Motown (especially the Four Tops), Les Mis, A Chorus Line, and They’re Playing Our Song.

Southbound Train

My very favorite Nancy Griffith song is Southbound Train. It may very well touch your heart. The lyrics, below, read like poetry. To hear her amazing voice, click here and hit the red Play arrow.

I’m sitting on a southbound train
Staring at the sky
I’m thinking of my childhood
And I’m trying not to cry
While a stranger sleeps against me
And it feels like I’m his wife
The towns and cities flutter past
Like the pages of my life

My heart is on the baggage rack
It’s heavy as can be
I wish that I could find someone
Who would carry it for me
Just to pay it some attention
And to handle it with care
Because it has been dropped and
Is in need of some repair

Some things I know
Some things I guess
Some things I wish I could learn
To express
Like the way that I feel
As I stare at the sky
And I remember your voice
And the sound of goodbye

Or maybe it’s the autumn… Chill
Maybe it’s the rain
Maybe I should wake the stranger
And ask him his name
But, my eyes they would betray me
And my words could not defend
No, I must learn to wait my turn
Before I love again

Some things I know
Some things I guess
Some things I wish that I could learn
To express
Like the way that I feel
As I stare at the sky
And I remember your voice
And the sound of goodbye

Your Favorite Musical Artists

If you’d like to share your musical interests with the folks here on the blog, please leave a comment below.

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Typos

In all blog posts and Bulletins, feel free to e-mail or to leave a comment regarding any typos or errors. Just be right :).

19 comments to Southbound Train

  • David Policansky

    Wow, they just keep coming. Jim Croce Bad Bad LeRoy Brown, Bobby Gentry Ode to Billy Joe, Janis Joplin’s amazing version of Me and Bobby McGee, Don Mclean American Pie, Dusty Springfield Son of a Preacher Man (did you know she’s a Brit?), now I can’t stop. Thanks again, Artie.

    • Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

      I know all of those and like most of them, especially Me and Bobby McGee.

      with love, artie

      ps: did not know.

  • Hey Artie, if you feel like rockin’ out a little, my favorite band has always been Pearl Jam. A few songs I would recommend are Unthought Known, Just Breathe, Given to Fly, Present Tense. If you like it, they have 10 albums. I’ve seen them 8 times and their shows at Wrigley Field are some of the best days of my life.

    And I really like Heart of Gold by Neil Young.

    • Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

      It funny, PJ flew completely under my radar. For the first time yesterday I listened to lots of their music on Youtube yesterday and loved lots of it. So thanks.

      with love, artie

  • David Policansky

    Artie: Those are beautiful lyrics; thanks for sharing. Steve Goodman’s City of New Orleans brings tears, especially as sung by Arlo Guthrie. I heard him sing it earlier this year in Santa Fe; as good as ever. I actually was in Chicago shortly after that song came out, and an Illinois Central train had a fatal crash, and for a while the song wasn’t played on Chicago radio stations. Dylan’s Blowin’ in the Wind is hard to beat as well. The late great Don Williams’s song Listen to the Radio is another (Fred Knipe wrote the song but I’ve only heard Williams singing it). I’ve Been Everywhere by Australian Geoff Mack, who later adapted it to North America for Canadian Hank Snow, who made it a great hit……So many. What a great question. Thank you.

  • Ted Willcox

    Brandi Carlile’s “Live At Benaroya Hall” with the Seattle symphony is a “must” to listen to, if your are a Brandi Carlile fan!

    • Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

      Many thanks. There is great coverage on Youtube.

      Was listening all afternoon on Monday.

      with love, artie

  • Barry Ekstrand

    My musical tastes are pretty wide, but as far as songwriters and lyrics go one I like a lot is “Dreadful Selfish Crime” by Robert Earl Keen. Robert Earl is a well known singer-songwriter of country roots / americana music here in Texas, many of his songs tell stories that most of us can relate to. He can also infuse some great humor – “Don’t Turn Out The Lights” always raises a smile when I hear it. Other more-than-you-asked-for trivia: Keen was Lyle Lovett’s college room mate and they co-wrote a song about Keen’s front porch back then.
    Each has recorded the song (under 2 different titles) and is usually the encore performed together when they appear at the same concert.

    • Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

      Thanks. I had never heard of REK. I listened to the song several times; it is great.

      with love, artie

  • John

    Better reflection and smaller shadow of shooter.

  • Kevin Gallagher In CT

    And Finally, Summer Wages by Ian Tyson.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaTrBrSESxs

    • Arthur Morris/BIRDS AS ART

      Thanks for all. He has quite a classic country-cowboy voice. Listening again now.
      with love, artie

  • Kevin Gallagher In CT

    You guys might enjoy this as well, “Canadian Whiskey” Nancy Griffith & Ian Tyson

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79CfMATEWn0

  • Kevin Gallagher In CT

    I like the Nanci Griffith song but I thought you meant this one. Same Title, different song by David Crosby & Graham Nash.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJutb63gC38

  • Nancy Griffith is awesome! My favorite songwriters are the late Guy Clark and the late Townes Van Zandt, both were very big influences on Nancy Griffith.

  • Maggi Fuller

    Wonderful lyrics…. obviously mean a lot to you.