Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Rhapsody, early birds and kissing the phone

Spaghetti Junction from the ground - from Google images

Spaghetti Junction from the air - from Google images

- This is the Tom Moreland Interchange in Atlanta (known colloquially as Spaghetti Junction.) I take it in the morning to go from I-285 to I-85 South on the way to work. On Tuesday morning, my late father's favorite music came on just as I was pulling out of my driveway, "Rhapsody in Blue" by George Gershwin. And the most soaring part of the piece was playing as I went over the top of this interchange.

- On the same trip, there were about 20 pigeons lined up in a row on the guardrail at the top of it, having a look at oncoming traffic below.

- My wee niece is staying with her grandparents while her parents are moving their belongings to a new home in another city. She asks to call her parents and then doesn't say anything - just smiles and listens. At the end of the last call, she still doesn't say anything, but starts kissing the phone when she hears their voices.

22 comments:

Ileana said...

Those are two cool images of the highway and yes, it does look spaghetti-ish! :)

Your niece sounds adorable. My daughter used to do the same thing when her dad would call from work...smile and listen. Miss those days.

Granny Annie said...

There was a time that scene of highways would frighten me but my phobia is cured and I can see how you would enjoy tackling the road with Rhapsody in Blue playing.

Our 9 year old granddaughter still will not talk on the phone. She hates it and we can't imagine why.

Louvregirl said...

How cute about your niece. Love that comment! That is a PILE of spaghetti Lynn!

LL Cool Joe said...

We have a Spaghetti Junction in the UK too! I've never driven on it though.

How cute that your niece was kissing the phone at their voices. I hate talking on the phone too!

Maude Lynn said...

Looking at that interchange almost makes me dizzy!

Jannie Funster said...

The part about your Dad made me cry. But happy tears I think. :) He was singing to you from heaven at that moment, and I'm sure he does daily.

Wonder what those pigeons were saying to each other as they surveyed the traffic below? :)

xoxoxo

And sorry I'm "late" coming over today. BB has been running me around town searching for Red Hatter fare for the party he's been invited to!

Sara said...

AWWWWW:~) I loved the story about your "wee" niece!

I must admit, I drive in big cities with my hands clinched to the steering wheel and my foot near the brake. It terrifies me.

I liked Jannie comment about the pigeons. It does make me want to imagine their conversation.

Thanks for sharing these "3s."

Lynn said...

Scarlet -

I figured it wouldn't be prudent to try to snap a photo while driving, so went that route. :)

Thank you - she IS adorable. My sister took her to her new home yesterday and she said she was so excited that she trashed her new bedroom in less than a minute.

Granny Annie -

I'm so used to it, but I do get a bit weary of traffic. It took me over an hour to get home last night.

lg -

A definite pile of spaghetti. :) I used to commute through that when it was under construction. Not a good memory.

Joe -

That's interesting that the name migrated across the pond...

Thank you - I thought that was pretty cute, too. :)

Mama Zen -

I like driving over it - at the top you get a panoramic view of the city.

Lynn said...

Jannie -

You are sweet to cry on my behalf, but like you, I think of that as him being with me a little. I sure miss him.

How fun - you and BB on Red Hat errands!

xoxoxo

Sara -

I know - that was like a little pigeon line up. I thought the same thing - wonder what the communication is there?

And I guess that's why my south Georgia / north Florida folks like for me to drive when they visit. :)

happygirl said...

Sweet story of phone kissing and smiling. We love our parents' voices, don't we. We have a "mixing bowl" on the beltway in DC. scary. :)

Fireblossom said...

Your dad was saying hello!

G. B. Miller said...

Wow, and I thought that the interchanges in Waterbury and Hartford were really bad.

I aggree with FB, your dad was saying "good morning!" to you.

My daughter used to be like that with the phone when she was about that age.

sage said...

Love Rhapsody in Blue and glad I don't have to make that drive every day!

Riot Kitty said...

That is so cute about your niece!

Shionge said...

Highways can be very intimidating for me but having said that...cruising along the Monument Valley is awesome :D

So cute to hear about your niece...muack muack muack :D

Snaggle Tooth said...

Easy to see how that spot got named! Looks like some directions can be confusing there- The birds pick the best traffic views sometimes. Must make a roomy perch zone!
Music in synchronicity so so neat- Happens to me sometimes, tho I seldom listen anymore. Sounds like a spiritual experience!
Little girl so cute! Awww she misses her parents...
I got my grandson to talk to me today, but I can't make out anything he's chattering!

Lynn said...

happygirl -

I've been through that mixing bowl on the beltway. Traffic up there is crazier than here.

FB -

I would love to think so.

G -

Your daughter is adorable. I'll bet she was a delight when she was wee, too.

I sure miss my dad - I loved hearing "his" music.

Sage -

My sister keeps wanting me to move to the more rural area that she lives in, but I would kind of miss urban life (except the long commutes.)

Lynn said...

Riot Kitty -

Thank you. Loved your "Blake and grandfather" post today.

Shionge -

Muack! :) I like that. And I'll bet the Monument Valley is gorgeous.

Snaggle -

Aw - that is cute about your grandson chattering. I'll bet he's a cutie!

Sparkling Red said...

The pigeons remind me of something I saw on the weekend, on the way to a friend's birthday party. It was just after sunset, with the sky all pale and glowy and everything else mostly turning into shadowy silhouettes. There was a large construction crane with a murmuration of starlings swarming around it. They swooped and rose and I stopped in the middle of the sidewalk to watch. Then they all settled onto the crane - packed wing-to wing in silhouette on every horizontal beam of it. It was amazing.

Lynn said...

Sparkling Red -

That was amazing! The thing I like best is the phrase a "murmuration of starlings!"

Jannie Funster said...

'Cause I know how much you love him! Your posts about him were always so beautiful and touching.

You are sweet.

xoxo

A said...

Funny it looks so orderly from above... and so confusing from the car :-)