Discovering Eva: The etheric voice of singer Eva Cassidy

Music has long been such a gift in my life, offering beauty, play, empathy, nourishment, and so much more. One of my personal pleasures is the feeling of singing, and I was even a DJ at my college radio station! 

I won’t be discussing music much on this blog – that’s a whole ‘nother conversation. But I had to make sure you knew about the amazing etheric voice of Eva Cassidy. 

When she passed away in 1996, at the too-young age of 33, she had a following in her native Washington DC. But it wasn’t until four years later that she was discovered more broadly, when a British DJ played her signature song "(Somewhere) Over the Rainbow." 

People’s overwhelming and positive response to that song rippled around the globe, making her an unexpected sensation, just because of the quality of her singing. Her songs have gone on to sell millions of copies and top the charts in various countries. Her friends say that she was actually quite shy, so they feel that perhaps it's OK that this outpouring happened after she passed.

I just recently discovered her, when I heard her version of "(Somewhere) Over the Rainbow" on the radio, and (like so many other folks) was stopped in my tracks. Something amazing was going on there. I had to find out who she was! 

Reconnecting to photography in the digital age

As long as I remember, I've had a camera and delighted in taking and sharing pictures of friends, nature scenes, and more. So I was heartbroken five years ago, when a repair person told me that my long-time favorite (Nikon) camera could not be resurrected. Nikon no longer had that category of camera any more, so I sighed and bought another brand. But I never liked the quality of its pictures much, so I felt like I'd just been hobbling with it for years.

Thus it was a true thrill for me a few months ago when I finally bought a digital point-and-shoot camera! I'd been wanting to buy a digital until we were past the high-priced first generation, but hadn't been sure what to buy. There were so many options. And how good was the quality? I'd been taking digital pics with my iPod Touch for about a year, and had gotten some decent shots, but it just whet my appetite for a better quality option.

My breakthrough in this process came when I found a wonderful salesperson at a local store (Best Buy) who walked me through my decision-making process, to figure out the best option for my needs and priorities. What a blessing! And finally a shiny new (Canon) camera was in my hands!

Since then, I confess I've been a little bit of a picture-taking demon. Giddy just to pull out my camera. Sometimes taking hundreds of pictures in a couple hours. Thrilled to share them with people. Bouncy inside like a little kid. And, wow, it's amazing the quality one can get nowadays in a reasonably-priced digital camera!

Writing as a blood sport

After the excitement of finally getting my blog setup and posting my introductory entries, I turned my attention back to the other tasks that I'd put aside. 

Still, in the back of my mind I wondered what exactly my posts here would start to look like. I knew that I'd have a tendency to write pieces similar to what I already do in my articles, newsletters, and Facebook page. But I started this blog to create a new type of venue for myself. I wanted to explore NEW things! So what was that going to look like?

How I got started on my eco-writing path

Growing up, I never expected to be doing what I am now, writing about eco-issues and seeking to help nurture positive change in my culture. I'm as surprised as anyone! But I'm also thrilled that somehow, though the path has certainly been rocky, I've been able to carve out a way to contribute to a better world.

I say that my eco-writing path officially began in 1992. At that point, I'd been a professional writer and trainer for about 10 years, and had recently moved into a wonderful cottage in the country, nestled on the edge of a valley. Just breath-taking! But then one day, I had a horrifying headache, unlike any I had ever experienced. I looked out the window and saw a huge machine pumping toxic chemicals into the air, running back and forth along the apple trees, as the toxics drifted towards my porch. Eek! 

The toxics made me sick, so I researched what they were, and found out that the impacts were indeed serious — for me, the local critters and eco-systems — even the farmers! But when I looked at how to stop it, I found out that there was little real recourse, that this was just normal and accepted. Really?!