"And the rains came..."

Summer is ending at last, possibly the hottest summer I can remember in South Carolina. Part of that feeling is the fact I did not go to Switzerland this September, the first time in 13 years. Certainly many changes have come about in this country which straddles the Alps for most of its course. Prosperity is booming, and thanks to the Japanese, the tourist trade is as active as possible. The Japanese have it all down to a system. I had a charming Japanese student who shared with me his travel book, published in Japan for the benefit of its citizens heading to the wonders of Europe. It was timed to the minute, including rail, bus and plane schedules. For instance, he was only in Milan for one morning, long enough to see "The Last Supper" and have a quick meal at the rail station. The "Leaning Tower of Pisa" was also fitted into a half day slot, but a full day was allowed in Firenze, and two days in Rome. He saw everything listed for Italy at breathtaking speed. Zermatt is the end of the Glacier Express that takes tourists from San Moritz to Zermatt at a snail's pace, so Japanese usually stay at least two nights in Zermatt. I use to wake up very early and step onto my balcony. I would time the interval before I saw a Japanese tourist come around the corner by the church. It was always less that a minute.

SO, no Switzerland this year, but lots of home and hearth. The garden looks beauriful, and the house is spotless. It doesn't stay that way long, but its nice to admire one's efforts. The leaves will fall early this year, a month with no rain will assure that. The nut crop was meager, and the squirrels are still digging up last years crop. Perhaps they will have to migrate towards more food.

The best part of the summer was being able to work undisturbed on a wide variety of repertoire. Certainly I learn more slowly now, but far more carefully. Everything is about economy...economy of energy, gesture, and even emotion. I was once told as a young man that I should learn to practice unemotionally. I thought the professor was mad. Now I realize he was right. Nadia Boulanger, that great teacher of so many of our best composers of the last century, said it the right way. "You have no right to appeal to the emotions until the intellect has been throughly satisfied." Think of the one million applications one could find for this gem.

So now it is finally raining, lots of gentle rain that soaks into the soil. In just a day everything is transformed. Looking at the woods this afternoon I relaxed 100 degrees, knowing I would not have to worry about fire dangers for a while, and thankful all the trees were having a big drink. Hopefully it will be a kind winter season.