Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay

Anyone remember that
old Otis Redding song?
Sitting On The Dock
Of The Bay..

I think it is interesting that
long before I ever knew
that I would be living in WI..
that is where this song
came into being.




                                           I remember the first time
I heard this song.
I was in my Uncle's barn
in Pennsylvania.
My cousins and I
were prepping the barn
for the whitewashing truck
to come..
Putting feedbags over the windows,
covering the water bowls
that stood between the
cows' stanchions.
A big job.

When I heard the song..
I stopped and thought about
someone, somewhere,
that might actually
BE
sitting by the dock of the bay.
(where it was cool and lovely)

I had never seen a bay.
There aren't any bays in
the mountains where
I lived...
But Oh!  I wanted to
see
BIG WATER!
Even back then.
I guess I was a dreamer.

Eventually,
I married a man from WI..
and we bought our first tiny
little house on
Green Bay.
We didn't stay there long,
kids and jobs took us away
from that place.
Thirty years later,
we returned..
less than a mile
from our first little house..
which is long gone.

And, now, when I look
out my window..
this is what I see...

and I walk down to this..


and watch this..

become this..

And, when the sun is
gone and the skies have
turned from
pink-blue to this...

It is time to walk back to
the house..
So... tonight..
just tonight..
I am not going to work
anymore...because
I have a tendency to work
instead of enjoy.
Tonight, instead,
I am living just a little
part of the dream that
I had when I was a
 young teenager.
And I am blessed.
God is Good!

For those of you that don't
know the lyrics...

Sitting in the mornin' sun
I'll be sitting when the evenin' come
Watching the ships roll in
And then I watch 'em roll away again.

I'm sitting on the dock of the bay
Watching the tide roll away
I'm sitting on the dock of the bay
Wastin' time.

Sittin' here resting my bones
And this lonliness won't leave me alone
It's two thousand miles I roamed
Just to make this dock my home.

Now, I'm just gonna sit on the dock
of the bay,
Watchin' the tide roll away
Sittin' on the dock of the bay
Wasting time..

Yeah...gonna go waste a
little time.
Later, guys!

your photo name

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

That is such a great connection between a song from long ago and an experience. It's funny, two songs which had that effect on me were both about water. One was Blue Bayou -(I think it's Linda Ronstadt, and the other was Missipi (Pussycats). I have always loved the lyrics to both of them. Interesting that I'm an Aussie and both of these songs really relate to a region - the same one at that - overseas.

I love that you can show personal photo's that bring real meaning to a song from your past - and beautiful peaceful photo's at that.

x

Gina said...

Beautiful photos! With a view like that, I'd say go ahead & waste some time sittin' on the dock of the bay. Enjoy!

Kim @ Savvy Southern Style said...

One of the best songs ever produced. We always turn it up when it comes on. Such a classic. Love your sunset pics and am so jealous. I would love to sit there with you to take that in.

Kathy said...

I love that old song, it's one of my all-time faves. Yeah, I'd be sitting there watching that beautiful sunset, too...I'm jealous :)

Rebecca Nelson said...

Love that song. I grew up in LA and there were probably docks and bays but I never saw any. Getting to the beach was in and of itself a monumental task. Even when gas was .40 a gallon my preacher-man daddy could not afford many trips to the seashore.

Now I live in Oklahoma and whenever we passover water I have to stop and look. Have to stop and breathe it in and glory in it's presence.

God is good. I love him so much.

You, too! :)

Sweet Post!

xoRebecca

Unknown said...

Love the song, and wow what a view, who could ask for anything more... BEAUTIFUL....

Pattie

Anonymous said...

you truly are blessed,, and we are also to have found a blogging friend in you.Go and enjoy you're little piece of heaven,

Sharon @ Elizabeth & Co. said...

Love that song and your lovely little spot to watch the tide roll away!

Anonymous said...

The photos are beautiful, that one with the sun almost down is a winner. And yes, I remember that song, when I saw the title of your post, I started singing it, even though I didn't know the subject.

Long long ago, in a far away time, I lived in an upstairs apartment, over a bakery, and across the street from the Pacific Ocean, in Crescent City California, and our living room windows overlooked the beach. I can still remember our neighbors, and the daughter and I used to go walk in the sand and play footsy with the waves.
Jettie, who can't sign in today.........

jules said...

I love that song! I don't live on a bay here in Wisconsin but I can change the lyrics to Sittin' on the Porch of my House....

Debbiedoos said...

That is so beautiful Diana. Of course I love that song. It is a song you never tire of, you know all the words and you just kick back and enjoy it. Thanks for sharing your memory!

At The Picket Fence said...

That is one of my most favorite songs ever! It truly makes you feel relaxed the moment you hear it and is the perfect summer song in my book. :-)
Love your gorgeous pics my friend!
Vanessa

Blondie's Journal said...

You really have the best memories of growing up on a farm. I love hearing about it. I love that song, too and the views you have, your connection with the water, are wonderful. I sing this song to myself every time I sit on my dock. Life is good!

XO,
Jane

ShabbyESP said...

Diana,
Your pictures are wonderful!! The sunset it so pretty!!! When I was 18 I lived in a apartment that overlooked Grand Traverse Bay and I worked at a photo store so I used to take pictures of sunsets all of the time, some of them got displayed at the photo store. I was only using a kodak I think it was a 125 which gave you square pictures. Thanks for the great pictures and the post brought back lots of memories.
Suzann ~xoxo~

Blessed Serendipity said...

You are so blessed! I was singing along as I read the lyrics. Enjoy the sunset tonight.

Danielle

Kathy said...

What a sweet connection for you... & Yes.. LOVE the song.. We just bought a new lake front/weekend place & have fingers crossed that we can get in before summer is over.
Then we will be playing that song, with feet dangling in the water..
Thanks for sharing your little slice of Heaven : )

Patty said...

Taking time to relax and reflect is not wasting time. It's investing it. You have to refresh yourself from time to time so that you can continue to pour yourself into others.... and that's just what grandmothers do. We pour ourselves into those grandbabies.

Jan said...

How nice:-)

Tete said...

My sweet friend, you need to spend more time on the dock. Work has to be done, but you are only one person and you can only do so much. You need more breathers. I love your view. I so remember the song. Hope you are having a good day and you head for the dock right after supper.
Hugs- Tete

Cindy (Applestone Cottage) said...

LOVE, love, love this Diana!
I thought you were a native Wisconsinite!
Aha, your a transplant too!
Actually I have been here a long time, my parents moved me here from Central, Illinois.
Anyhoo, you have a great view there!
Hugs,
Cindy

Anonymous said...

You're a lucky lady Diana! :)

Leo said...

That is a classic song. Love that song and love the view in front of your house. That is amazing. What a nice way to enjoy your evening watching the sun set. I need to take more time to enjoy these kinds of things in life. Thanks for posting this - it puts things in perspective!! XOXO Have a great rest of your week!!

Donna, The Decorated House said...

Oh yes, lucky lady. It's a beautiful sight.
I always thought about "me" sitting on the dock and always wanting water nearby.

Pamela said...

OH i remember that song!!
Great photos Diana...and i am glad you took a well deserved break!!

Pamela xo

Cindy Adkins said...

Oh wow, that is SO gorgeous--and amazing about the song too!!! I am a musician and I learned to play piano at 4 and later guitar at age 11...The first song I learned to play on the guitar was "House of the Rising Sun." It was my favorite song...Well, fast forward to 40 years later and I was living in the French Quarter in New Orleans, so far away from Calif. where I am from, and a singer sang it every day (or hour!) in the French Quarter for his audiences...I was 2 doors away...Little did I realize that the song was about New Orleans! I never thought about it...and how unreal that it was the first song I learned to play on my guitar so long ago...It's like you and the beautiful bay.

Hmmm....maybe I should have had a favorite song about winning the lottery! lol
XO
Cindy

Holly said...

That song is going on in my mind tonight. What beautiful pictures and what a gift from God! He loves to shower us! Thanks for sharing!

Sandi~A Cottage Muse said...

You are a lucky girl Diana!
Thank you for sharing these beautiful photos, I am going to borrow one for my laptop wallpaper!

Something Nice and Pretty said...

Beautiful pictures Diana...funny how life is, I now live in a town where I wanted to live for over thirty years and it happened six years ago:) Yep, God is good!

Janet said...

What an amazing view you have! How nice to be able to relax by the water in your own backyard!
Blessings,
Janet

deila taylor said...

Oh, I do remember that song, and now to see the photos, thanks for sharing -- that song has an image now.

Pam Kessler said...

Such a pretty view. I would kick you if you were on your computer instead of out there enjoying it!