...and then someone mentioned inchies. So I did some. And I loved them. And now I've cooled off a bit.
Each of these is 1 inch square or the larger ones are 1.5 inches square.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Sunday, July 6, 2008
John Lennon Unplugged about Peace
My uber plugged in cuz Josh Lewis put me on to this video. Fascinating on several levels.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Words of Hope on a Dark Day
If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land" (Isaiah 1:19).
A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves." So Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?" And she said, "Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil." Then he said, "go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors--empty vessels; do not gather just a few. And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones." So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out. Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, "Bring me another vessel." And he said to her, "there is not another vessel." So the oil ceased. Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest." 2 Kings 4:1-7
A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves." So Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?" And she said, "Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil." Then he said, "go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors--empty vessels; do not gather just a few. And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones." So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out. Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, "Bring me another vessel." And he said to her, "there is not another vessel." So the oil ceased. Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest." 2 Kings 4:1-7
Jason Graduates from Basic!
Thanks to my ex, I have lovely pictures from Jason's graduation from Basic even though I couldn't attend. Look how manly my big boy looks!
The smoke was a series of colored smoke bombs they let off at the edge of the forest that rimmed the parade grounds. Then the men came marching out of the smoke in formation. Sounds amazing.
A happy moment with photos on a less than stellar day.
Gustav Mahler
"The content of my entire life is poured into my symphonies. In them I have expressed all my experiences and suffering. It is truth and poetry set to music. If someone knew how to read it well my whole life would be transparent to him. So closely entwined are creating and living, for me, that it seems to me if henceforth my life were to flow as peaceably as a brook in a meadow I could no longer make anything of value." Gustav Mahler
"Art should be an ax for the frozen ocean in us." Franz Kaftka
"As a conductor and a composer I am sure of everything. But as a human being I am riddled with doubt. To be human is to be uncertain." Gustav Mahler
"Strange; when I hear music, even while I am conducting, I hear quite specific answers to all my questions, and am completely clear and certain, or rathr I feel quite distinctly that they are not questions at all." Gustav Mahler
"Creation is a mystical process. The residue of mystery always remains, even for the creator. I find in the end that one does not compose, one is being composed." Gustav Mahler
"I believe in the end art's purpose is deliverence and uplift from suffering." Gustav Mahler
"In order to express yourself in a piece of art you need to be secure in yourself, know yourself, have confidence in yourself, finally, love yourself." Gustav Mahler
Monday, June 30, 2008
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8 posts from June 2008
June 21, 2008
Been thinkin' on victims and "good enough"
heavy thoughts going on over here today. I have noticed we all have a healthy dose of why me. For the most part, what happens to us in life is a result of choices we have made...unless you are filled with the Holy Spirit, and then you have a big ole dose of grace hitting you and tipping the balances in your favor.
One thing most of my online friends don't know about me as I have an unhealthy delight in scandal. I obsessively put my head together with one friend or another and talk excitedly over the bad choices I see people making daily. Its pretty transparent that somehow I feel like a better person when I can point out the foibles of my fellow man. In reality although I keep coming back to it like picking an ugly scab, it really makes me sick when I do it.
Bad behavior aside on my part, I sure do have alot of fodder for that bad habit. Instead of spending so much time seeking "poor me" status from those who will listen, it would be time better spent to think a bit about how we got where we are, and weighing the benefits of a do over. We all seem pretty good at pointing the finger at the thing or person or circumstance that is making our lives hell, and not so good at seeing how we play a part in it, past, present and future.
When I look at the irritants in my life; because honestly I don't feel like I have anything in my life that ranks any higher than a mild irritant, praise be to God, it doesn't take long for me to see the part I play in each situation. I am not a victim in any of the situations, I just have hard choices to make and I'd rather not make them out of a misguided belief that where I'm at is better than where I would be after making those choices.
We all have real "tragedies" in our lives. Some seem more "legitimate" than others. One acquaintance had a stroke which left her without use of part of her body, I mean certainly that gives her a right to our sympathy, right? And yet is that really what she wants? Is the role of victim what she seeks? Is that label how she wants to be known?
When some people find out I'm a homeschool mom I get to hear a wide variety of victim speak. They could never do that. They can hardly stand their children during the summer break. They would never survive on one income. They were never really trained on how to be a part-time parent much less a full-time one. In one swift moment they declare themselves a victim of stupidity, children they dislike and under the slave trade of money. I'm guessing that isn't really what they mean. I'm always curious why they feel the need to justify that they have chosen not to homeschool. I mean its not like I look at them funny or ask them to explain. I respect their choice as much as my own.
Which leads me to the second thing I've been contemplating this week. A good friend, one who often divines and speak the truth, walked with me this week and we were talking about guilt. We have several joint friends who approach issues in their past with a deep seated feeling of guilt, wishing that they had handled things already over in a different manner. I commented on how that is really not my approach and that when I find a hurt from my past I rush to give it to God and seek healing from it. She offhandedly commented, "yeah, you instead operate out of bitterness" OUCH! And yet, YEP. Nail on the head and all of that. Of course I think I know what bitterness means, but I looked up the definition anyway---one definition is "marked by resentment or cynicism." Resentment means "indignation or ill will felt as a result of a real or imagined grievance." Pretty much a template for the attitude of a victim. Sigh.
While we were walking and talking, I started thinking about "good enough". God sees us through "rose colored" glasses. He's not duped into believing something that isn't true, He's just powerful enough to see what is true, that we cannot conceive of. He sees past the victim mentality, the bitterness, to the full potential we have. I gotta be honest and say sometimes I wish He couldn't do that. There are many areas in my life that need major renovation. I know it, and even know a little bit about how to get from here to there. But I'm comfortable. Sure these falling down parts of my life irritate me from time to time, when I can't button my pants or I speak sarcastically to my husband or I look the other way when we are having money troubles, but hey, if I look around at others long enough I'll find enough evidence that I'm at least in the middle of the pack, so why reach higher?
Now would be a great place to insert a rah rah statement about how I'm gonna change and I'm gonna fight to be better, but this is my blog and I refuse to lie to you. At this point I see the problem, I'm ashamed of it, but I still can't seem to see that I have what it takes to move on. Not because I'm a victim of anything other than my own laziness. As I was praying about this the other day a thought came to me - "You don't have much time left to drift along half done. Pretty soon events are going to require more of you." How sad that I seem content to wait until it seems necessary.
Posted at 12:17 PM Permalink Comments (5) TrackBack (0)
June 19, 2008
Where I have been
Reading this:
with something so deliciously quotable on every page I feellike I need to keep a notebook nearby:
"It wasn't possible; it wasn't possible anymore. What else? Was this what came from thoughts of time running out and death; that all of a sudden you didn't know anymore what you wanted? That you didn't know your own will anymore? That you lost the obvious familiarity with your own wishes? And in this way became strange and a problem to yourself?"
"He had never thought of a doctorate; if anyone asked him about it, he only laughed. Such things didn't matter. What did matter was something quite simple: to know the ancient texts down to the last detail, to recognize every grammatical and stylistic detail and to know the history of every one of those expressions. In other words: to be good. That wasn't modesty--his demands on himself were utterly immodest. Nor was it eccentricity or a warped kind of vanity. It had been, he sometimes thought later, a silent rage aimed at a pompous world, an unbending defiance agains tthe world of show-offs who made his father suffer all his life because he has been only a museum guard. Others, who knew much less than he--ridiculously less, to tell the truth--had gotten degrees and solid positions: they seemed to belong to another, unbearably superficial world with standards he despised."
"Of the thousand experiences we have, we find language for one at most and even this one merely by chance and without the care it deserves. Buried under all the mute experiences are those unseen ones that give our life its form, its color, and its melody. Then, when we turn to these treasures, as archaeologist of the soul, we discover how confusing they are. The object of contemplation refuses to stand still, the words bounce off the experience and in the end, pure contradictions stand on the paper."
So, sorry about the limited updating, but dang, life is moving fast these days.
Posted at 06:15 PM Permalink Comments (2) TrackBack (0)
June 12, 2008
Deanna P. and Reality
So, not everything I post on my blog shows my best side, not every entry is designed to make my parents proud. This is MY blog, and on it, I try to leave a record of the REAL me. Sometimes the real me is pretty cool. She reads high literature, writes poetry, does the right thing by her man and loves God.
And sometimes the real me is just a big goof ball. I have three crushes: fortunately, the biggest one is on my husband. There is not a day that goes by that I dont' realize just how entirely lucky I am to have him in my life. His qualities are first and foremost what every girl dreams of, and I feel like I won the lottery most of the time. (but dont' get me wrong, there are still times I inevitably want to bop him on the head, and I'm sure there are far more times he'd like to do likewise!)
My second crush is Dancing with the Stars. I love the elegance, the underdog-rises-to-the-top and the good clean fun of this show. I'm in serious miss-it mode right now.
My third crush is on the TV version of this little lady:
I know, huh! Deanna Pappas, as portrayed on The Bachelorette rules. She is honest. She is willing to put her heart on the line. She has crazy romantic ideas and she carries them out. She can't hide her true feelings (Robert: so, can I kiss you? Deanna: Uh, maybe right here (cheek offered grudgingly)) She is a better racer than all the guys. I mean she is just off the hook. Of course I realize that the REAL Deanna Pappas may be a totally different chick. I understand editing and support staff and retouching. I do. But dang, TV Deanna is my ideal woman...model...for my own behavior I mean. Sheesh, what were you thinking?!?!
I even watched this weeks episode twice, I'm that afflicted! But seriously, my REAL LIFE take away from this show is her honesty. I always strive to be honest with people, but she inspires me to try harder. Plus, she really inspires my romantic side, which my practical side often has for dinner.
So honey if you are reading...big brownie points for fulfilling this dream...
(oh and NOT the taxi ride, blue and white taxi, been there, done that.)
Anyway, so there, now you know something less than regal about me...more to come...I'M SURE OF IT!
Posted at 06:00 PM Permalink Comments (0) TrackBack (0)
June 08, 2008
Mood for a Shoot
I've been itching to go do a shoot at this place I found last year:
Here are some photos of the grungy backgrounds that just make my camera fingers itchy!
So come on! Who wants to get shot? Maybe I can talk my niece who just graduated from high school this weekend to come on down there with me. She'd be fabulous!
Posted at 10:36 PM in Create Permalink Comments (4) TrackBack (0)
June 06, 2008
Mi'kmaq, Acadien, Scots, freemen and Evangeline
You may remember me speaking briefly of our encounter last weekend with a show at the Ordway called DRUM! which was an intricately woven carpet of music from a region I know little about. NorthEastern Canada, primarily New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and a little further to the east, Newfoundland are locations that are described in the few ficition books I've read about them, as harsh and unyielding. In E. Annie Proulx's The Shipping News and Anne-Marie MacDonald's Fall on Your Knees, the people are painted as divisive and wordless. I admit not pursuing much knowledge of the area.
Then I saw DRUM!
The tale DRUM! weaves is entirely different. And it piqued my interest. So I started doing a little research today. In addition to studying maps to learn a little more about the area, and ordering the very few books I could find on the subject from the library, I learned some interesting literary facts:
Henry Wordsworth Longfellow's Poem Evangeline was written as a ficitonalized account of the french acadien expulsion in 1755 from the area by neighboring Brits. Longfellow learned of this event through his friend Hawthorne, who did not wish to take up the cause of writing a fiction based on it.
Here is the lyric and compelling opening to that poem, published by Wordsworth in 1895.
Evangeline.A Tale of Acadie.by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
THIS is the forest primeval. The murmuring pines and the hemlocks,Bearded with moss, and in garments green, indistinct in the twilight,Stand like Druids of eld, with voices sad and prophetic,Stand like harpers hoar, with beards that rest on their bosoms.Loud from its rocky caverns, the deep-voiced neighboring oceanSpeaks, and in accents disconsolate answers the wail of the forest.
This is the forest primeval; but where are the hearts that beneath itLeaped like the roe, when he hears in the woodland the voice of the huntsman?Where is the thatch-roofed village, the home of Acadian farmers,--Men whose lives glided on like rivers that water the woodlands,Darkened by shadows of earth, but reflecting an image of heaven?Waste are those pleasant farms, and the farmers forever departed!Scattered like dust and leaves, when the mighty blasts of OctoberSeize them, and whirl them aloft, and sprinkle them far o'er the ocean.Naught but tradition remains of the beautiful village of Grand-Pré.
Ye who believe in affection that hopes, and endures, and is patient,Ye who believe in the beauty and strength of woman's devotion,List to the mournful tradition still sung by the pines of the forest;List to a Tale of Love in Acadie, home of the happy.
I am going to print off this whole poem, which is available for free at Project Gutenberg, and study it with Andrew along with our geography and history research on the area.
The second interesting fact I discovered was the Anne of Green Gables is set on Prince Edward Island, which although I have read several of the books and even seen a play version of it, I had forgotten. I ordered part one of the Anne of Avonlea BBC series from the library, should be fun to watch together.
The Mi'kmaq indians were the native inhabitants of the area known today as New Brunswick, Newfoundland, labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Maine. Before outsiders arrived, they were part of an alliance with four Algonquian nations. Once the colonists began to arrive in the middle of the 17th century, they became allies with the french and intermarriage was common. One of the more famous Mi'kmaq indians was Rita Joe, who passed away last year at the age of 75. She grew up an orphan, went on to obtain doctorates in three subjects and wrote many books of poetry beginning in her 30's, so her eight children would not only see the natives portrayed in the harsh ways that were then in vogue.
Here is a lovely montage paying tribute to her and her poetry. Parts of this poem were used in the DRUM! production:
Posted at 10:48 PM in Homeschooling Permalink Comments (1) TrackBack (0)
June 05, 2008
House of Wax
Lightning hits the house of wax
Poets spill out on the street
To set alight the incomplete
Remainders of the future
Hidden in the yard. Hidden in the yard.
Thunder drowns the trumpet blast
Poets scatter through the night
But they can only dream of flight
Away from their confusion
Hidden in the yard. Underneath the wall.
Buried deep beneath a thousand layers lay
the answer to it all.
Lightning hits the house of wax
Women scream and run around
To dance upon the battleground
Like wild demented horses
Hidden in the yard. Underneath the wall.
Buried deep beneath a thousand layers lay
The answer to it all.
Posted at 01:20 AM Permalink Comments (1) TrackBack (0)
If I lived in Texas I would drive them to their children.
The clear bias in this video, the words used, and the accents given, make me sick.
As much as we would like to believe otherwise, we will never know the truth.
Thank God that the courts ruled as they did.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/06/02/texas.polygamists/index.html?eref=rss_topstories#cnnSTCVideo
Posted at 12:38 AM Permalink Comments (0) TrackBack (0)
"It’s easy to photograph light reflecting from a surface, the truly hard part is capturing the light in the air."
Walker Evans
(1903 - 1975)
provided by FocalPower
« May 2008 Main July 2008 »
8 posts from June 2008
June 21, 2008
Been thinkin' on victims and "good enough"
heavy thoughts going on over here today. I have noticed we all have a healthy dose of why me. For the most part, what happens to us in life is a result of choices we have made...unless you are filled with the Holy Spirit, and then you have a big ole dose of grace hitting you and tipping the balances in your favor.
One thing most of my online friends don't know about me as I have an unhealthy delight in scandal. I obsessively put my head together with one friend or another and talk excitedly over the bad choices I see people making daily. Its pretty transparent that somehow I feel like a better person when I can point out the foibles of my fellow man. In reality although I keep coming back to it like picking an ugly scab, it really makes me sick when I do it.
Bad behavior aside on my part, I sure do have alot of fodder for that bad habit. Instead of spending so much time seeking "poor me" status from those who will listen, it would be time better spent to think a bit about how we got where we are, and weighing the benefits of a do over. We all seem pretty good at pointing the finger at the thing or person or circumstance that is making our lives hell, and not so good at seeing how we play a part in it, past, present and future.
When I look at the irritants in my life; because honestly I don't feel like I have anything in my life that ranks any higher than a mild irritant, praise be to God, it doesn't take long for me to see the part I play in each situation. I am not a victim in any of the situations, I just have hard choices to make and I'd rather not make them out of a misguided belief that where I'm at is better than where I would be after making those choices.
We all have real "tragedies" in our lives. Some seem more "legitimate" than others. One acquaintance had a stroke which left her without use of part of her body, I mean certainly that gives her a right to our sympathy, right? And yet is that really what she wants? Is the role of victim what she seeks? Is that label how she wants to be known?
When some people find out I'm a homeschool mom I get to hear a wide variety of victim speak. They could never do that. They can hardly stand their children during the summer break. They would never survive on one income. They were never really trained on how to be a part-time parent much less a full-time one. In one swift moment they declare themselves a victim of stupidity, children they dislike and under the slave trade of money. I'm guessing that isn't really what they mean. I'm always curious why they feel the need to justify that they have chosen not to homeschool. I mean its not like I look at them funny or ask them to explain. I respect their choice as much as my own.
Which leads me to the second thing I've been contemplating this week. A good friend, one who often divines and speak the truth, walked with me this week and we were talking about guilt. We have several joint friends who approach issues in their past with a deep seated feeling of guilt, wishing that they had handled things already over in a different manner. I commented on how that is really not my approach and that when I find a hurt from my past I rush to give it to God and seek healing from it. She offhandedly commented, "yeah, you instead operate out of bitterness" OUCH! And yet, YEP. Nail on the head and all of that. Of course I think I know what bitterness means, but I looked up the definition anyway---one definition is "marked by resentment or cynicism." Resentment means "indignation or ill will felt as a result of a real or imagined grievance." Pretty much a template for the attitude of a victim. Sigh.
While we were walking and talking, I started thinking about "good enough". God sees us through "rose colored" glasses. He's not duped into believing something that isn't true, He's just powerful enough to see what is true, that we cannot conceive of. He sees past the victim mentality, the bitterness, to the full potential we have. I gotta be honest and say sometimes I wish He couldn't do that. There are many areas in my life that need major renovation. I know it, and even know a little bit about how to get from here to there. But I'm comfortable. Sure these falling down parts of my life irritate me from time to time, when I can't button my pants or I speak sarcastically to my husband or I look the other way when we are having money troubles, but hey, if I look around at others long enough I'll find enough evidence that I'm at least in the middle of the pack, so why reach higher?
Now would be a great place to insert a rah rah statement about how I'm gonna change and I'm gonna fight to be better, but this is my blog and I refuse to lie to you. At this point I see the problem, I'm ashamed of it, but I still can't seem to see that I have what it takes to move on. Not because I'm a victim of anything other than my own laziness. As I was praying about this the other day a thought came to me - "You don't have much time left to drift along half done. Pretty soon events are going to require more of you." How sad that I seem content to wait until it seems necessary.
Posted at 12:17 PM Permalink Comments (5) TrackBack (0)
June 19, 2008
Where I have been
Reading this:
with something so deliciously quotable on every page I feellike I need to keep a notebook nearby:
"It wasn't possible; it wasn't possible anymore. What else? Was this what came from thoughts of time running out and death; that all of a sudden you didn't know anymore what you wanted? That you didn't know your own will anymore? That you lost the obvious familiarity with your own wishes? And in this way became strange and a problem to yourself?"
"He had never thought of a doctorate; if anyone asked him about it, he only laughed. Such things didn't matter. What did matter was something quite simple: to know the ancient texts down to the last detail, to recognize every grammatical and stylistic detail and to know the history of every one of those expressions. In other words: to be good. That wasn't modesty--his demands on himself were utterly immodest. Nor was it eccentricity or a warped kind of vanity. It had been, he sometimes thought later, a silent rage aimed at a pompous world, an unbending defiance agains tthe world of show-offs who made his father suffer all his life because he has been only a museum guard. Others, who knew much less than he--ridiculously less, to tell the truth--had gotten degrees and solid positions: they seemed to belong to another, unbearably superficial world with standards he despised."
"Of the thousand experiences we have, we find language for one at most and even this one merely by chance and without the care it deserves. Buried under all the mute experiences are those unseen ones that give our life its form, its color, and its melody. Then, when we turn to these treasures, as archaeologist of the soul, we discover how confusing they are. The object of contemplation refuses to stand still, the words bounce off the experience and in the end, pure contradictions stand on the paper."
So, sorry about the limited updating, but dang, life is moving fast these days.
Posted at 06:15 PM Permalink Comments (2) TrackBack (0)
June 12, 2008
Deanna P. and Reality
So, not everything I post on my blog shows my best side, not every entry is designed to make my parents proud. This is MY blog, and on it, I try to leave a record of the REAL me. Sometimes the real me is pretty cool. She reads high literature, writes poetry, does the right thing by her man and loves God.
And sometimes the real me is just a big goof ball. I have three crushes: fortunately, the biggest one is on my husband. There is not a day that goes by that I dont' realize just how entirely lucky I am to have him in my life. His qualities are first and foremost what every girl dreams of, and I feel like I won the lottery most of the time. (but dont' get me wrong, there are still times I inevitably want to bop him on the head, and I'm sure there are far more times he'd like to do likewise!)
My second crush is Dancing with the Stars. I love the elegance, the underdog-rises-to-the-top and the good clean fun of this show. I'm in serious miss-it mode right now.
My third crush is on the TV version of this little lady:
I know, huh! Deanna Pappas, as portrayed on The Bachelorette rules. She is honest. She is willing to put her heart on the line. She has crazy romantic ideas and she carries them out. She can't hide her true feelings (Robert: so, can I kiss you? Deanna: Uh, maybe right here (cheek offered grudgingly)) She is a better racer than all the guys. I mean she is just off the hook. Of course I realize that the REAL Deanna Pappas may be a totally different chick. I understand editing and support staff and retouching. I do. But dang, TV Deanna is my ideal woman...model...for my own behavior I mean. Sheesh, what were you thinking?!?!
I even watched this weeks episode twice, I'm that afflicted! But seriously, my REAL LIFE take away from this show is her honesty. I always strive to be honest with people, but she inspires me to try harder. Plus, she really inspires my romantic side, which my practical side often has for dinner.
So honey if you are reading...big brownie points for fulfilling this dream...
(oh and NOT the taxi ride, blue and white taxi, been there, done that.)
Anyway, so there, now you know something less than regal about me...more to come...I'M SURE OF IT!
Posted at 06:00 PM Permalink Comments (0) TrackBack (0)
June 08, 2008
Mood for a Shoot
I've been itching to go do a shoot at this place I found last year:
Here are some photos of the grungy backgrounds that just make my camera fingers itchy!
So come on! Who wants to get shot? Maybe I can talk my niece who just graduated from high school this weekend to come on down there with me. She'd be fabulous!
Posted at 10:36 PM in Create Permalink Comments (4) TrackBack (0)
June 06, 2008
Mi'kmaq, Acadien, Scots, freemen and Evangeline
You may remember me speaking briefly of our encounter last weekend with a show at the Ordway called DRUM! which was an intricately woven carpet of music from a region I know little about. NorthEastern Canada, primarily New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and a little further to the east, Newfoundland are locations that are described in the few ficition books I've read about them, as harsh and unyielding. In E. Annie Proulx's The Shipping News and Anne-Marie MacDonald's Fall on Your Knees, the people are painted as divisive and wordless. I admit not pursuing much knowledge of the area.
Then I saw DRUM!
The tale DRUM! weaves is entirely different. And it piqued my interest. So I started doing a little research today. In addition to studying maps to learn a little more about the area, and ordering the very few books I could find on the subject from the library, I learned some interesting literary facts:
Henry Wordsworth Longfellow's Poem Evangeline was written as a ficitonalized account of the french acadien expulsion in 1755 from the area by neighboring Brits. Longfellow learned of this event through his friend Hawthorne, who did not wish to take up the cause of writing a fiction based on it.
Here is the lyric and compelling opening to that poem, published by Wordsworth in 1895.
Evangeline.A Tale of Acadie.by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
THIS is the forest primeval. The murmuring pines and the hemlocks,Bearded with moss, and in garments green, indistinct in the twilight,Stand like Druids of eld, with voices sad and prophetic,Stand like harpers hoar, with beards that rest on their bosoms.Loud from its rocky caverns, the deep-voiced neighboring oceanSpeaks, and in accents disconsolate answers the wail of the forest.
This is the forest primeval; but where are the hearts that beneath itLeaped like the roe, when he hears in the woodland the voice of the huntsman?Where is the thatch-roofed village, the home of Acadian farmers,--Men whose lives glided on like rivers that water the woodlands,Darkened by shadows of earth, but reflecting an image of heaven?Waste are those pleasant farms, and the farmers forever departed!Scattered like dust and leaves, when the mighty blasts of OctoberSeize them, and whirl them aloft, and sprinkle them far o'er the ocean.Naught but tradition remains of the beautiful village of Grand-Pré.
Ye who believe in affection that hopes, and endures, and is patient,Ye who believe in the beauty and strength of woman's devotion,List to the mournful tradition still sung by the pines of the forest;List to a Tale of Love in Acadie, home of the happy.
I am going to print off this whole poem, which is available for free at Project Gutenberg, and study it with Andrew along with our geography and history research on the area.
The second interesting fact I discovered was the Anne of Green Gables is set on Prince Edward Island, which although I have read several of the books and even seen a play version of it, I had forgotten. I ordered part one of the Anne of Avonlea BBC series from the library, should be fun to watch together.
The Mi'kmaq indians were the native inhabitants of the area known today as New Brunswick, Newfoundland, labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Maine. Before outsiders arrived, they were part of an alliance with four Algonquian nations. Once the colonists began to arrive in the middle of the 17th century, they became allies with the french and intermarriage was common. One of the more famous Mi'kmaq indians was Rita Joe, who passed away last year at the age of 75. She grew up an orphan, went on to obtain doctorates in three subjects and wrote many books of poetry beginning in her 30's, so her eight children would not only see the natives portrayed in the harsh ways that were then in vogue.
Here is a lovely montage paying tribute to her and her poetry. Parts of this poem were used in the DRUM! production:
Posted at 10:48 PM in Homeschooling Permalink Comments (1) TrackBack (0)
June 05, 2008
House of Wax
Lightning hits the house of wax
Poets spill out on the street
To set alight the incomplete
Remainders of the future
Hidden in the yard. Hidden in the yard.
Thunder drowns the trumpet blast
Poets scatter through the night
But they can only dream of flight
Away from their confusion
Hidden in the yard. Underneath the wall.
Buried deep beneath a thousand layers lay
the answer to it all.
Lightning hits the house of wax
Women scream and run around
To dance upon the battleground
Like wild demented horses
Hidden in the yard. Underneath the wall.
Buried deep beneath a thousand layers lay
The answer to it all.
Posted at 01:20 AM Permalink Comments (1) TrackBack (0)
If I lived in Texas I would drive them to their children.
The clear bias in this video, the words used, and the accents given, make me sick.
As much as we would like to believe otherwise, we will never know the truth.
Thank God that the courts ruled as they did.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/06/02/texas.polygamists/index.html?eref=rss_topstories#cnnSTCVideo
Posted at 12:38 AM Permalink Comments (0) TrackBack (0)
"It’s easy to photograph light reflecting from a surface, the truly hard part is capturing the light in the air."
Walker Evans
(1903 - 1975)
provided by FocalPower
Saturday, May 31, 2008
May Posts
May 26, 2008
Another six
Another 6 mile bike ride last night as I rode to and from our picnic in the park. I was quite surprised to see it was that far, it felt more like 4!
No pictures from yesterday, I recently had a photo disaster (Hey Jackie, can you come back from England for another photo shoot?) so my camera is in a time out (It was totally my fault, but I don't like to take the blame)
Here is the only photo that turned out from that day:
Here is what the majority look like out of the camera:
such a lovely BLUE mess, eh?
After working it to death I still get this mess:
This one looks better because I added a super cool frame that I was put on to by SDAFUSE. Thanks girl!
sad thing is, my mom was counting on my camera because hers was out of battery life.
Posted at 11:31 AM Permalink Comments (5) TrackBack (0)
May 24, 2008
A Week on the Grand Round
It's beautiful here. The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are known as the metropolitan area with the most per capita bike commuters. Who knew? But after spending three days on various parts of our bike system I can certainly see why it is worth the effort in our, shall we say "variable" weather?
This sign was something I passed several dozen times this weekend. It signifies a 50.1 mile bike only trail that runs around a pretty decent sized chunk of the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. I've always thought it foolish to pack up your bikes and drive to a bike route when I have perfectly good sidewalks and streets in my own neighborhood. But this week I wanted to see what I was missing, and now its all clear. In my neighborhood there are some pretty decent, quiet streets to bike. But almost none of them are flat. In fact, you can't leave my apartment in any direction without encountering a hill within the first mile. They are everywhere. And in terms of having a nice LONG bike ride, it is easier for me to maintain a more steady effort, rather then pumping up hills and cruising down the other side.
On Tuesday, I decided to see how far I could run. I have a dear friend out in New Hampshire that is trying to get out here to see me, and she is a RUNNER! She has now run countless 5 and 10ks, and 3 half marathons. If she comes out here I know she's gonna want to run with me, and I wondered, just how far can I go if pushed? Well, I can't say I ran the whole time, but I did go 7 miles on Tuesday. Here is my lovely route:
I really pushed myself too far, and by the end of Lake Harriet I could barely ambulate, much less run, but it felt good to push my limits. It was a perfect day and there were plenty of colorful sailboarders out on Calhoun and such beautiful little waves on Lake Harriet. The gardens are starting to bloom, and as I made my way past the amphitheatre the musicians were warming up for a concert. At Lake Calhoun I passed the lakeside restaurant and nearly keeled over from the lovely smells of food cooking. It was such a wonderful, if painful and LONG run (I don't even want to tell you how long it took me to go 7 miles...a LONG time!)
Wednesday was left for recovery, and I was pleasantly surprised that I felt really good.
On Thursday, Andrew and I met up at my friend Martha's house in St. Louis Park, a suburb directly north of us about 8 miles, and left from her house to catch another piece of the great dedicated bike trails that run through the heart of Minneapolis.
Minneapolis has smartly repurposed old railroad routes, which are already set up to bypass most traffic routes, and turn them in to dedicated biking "freeways". There are few exits and entrances and the trails are smooth as silk and well marked. Most importantly? They are FLAT. Going Andrew's speed, I hardly had to pedal at all! We met up with the Lake of the Isles trail, a lovely paved path that circles the circuitous Isles, surrounded by multimillion dollar estates. We took a short detour half way around the lake to reward the hard working Andrew with an ice cream cone. I think Martha was less than thrilled with the speed the little 8 year old generated, but I was pleased as punch with how well he held up on this 10.5 mile ride! Getting to and from the ice cream parlor involved a treacherous hill, but we were soon back on the pleasant, flat paved path around the lake and back to the dedicated trail to St. Louis Park. The weather again was just stunning, sunny and beautiful, a slight breeze to keep us cool, the temps hovering right at 70.
Friday we took another rest break and just played at the park with friends.
Today we all three headed to Lake Nokomis, the closest in the chain of lakes to our home. Scott and Andrew wished me a nice ride and headed over to the dock to do some fishing. This was my final route although my original plans were a bit different:
I wanted to try out more of the eastern portion of the beltway, so although my original plan was to circle Harriet, Calhoun and Isles and then head back on the eastern side of these lakes, I instead headed straight east from Calhoun, then cut down on Portland for a faster shot to the starting point. (As the boys had called and fishing was a bust.) What is so wonderful about these rides is the scenery. Each part of the trail is set up so that biking involves a minimum of interaction with traffic (must trails are off street and either go over or under cross streets to minimize intersections) and a maximum interaction with the natural beauty of our fair cities. I wound around lakes studded with flowering trees, coasted alongside creeks with gardens and statues and lovely bridges being passed under by families in canoes and kayaks, and on the bigger lakes watched the sailboarders dance across the surface and the dogs catch frisbee's and the families cooking mouthwatering steaks and playing volleyball. I also always enjoy looking for couples on first dates: this is what Scott and I did on our first date and I love seeing the awkwardness mixed with possibilities and remembering back.
A lovely week with 40 miles overall of running, biking and walking. Can't wait for what next week will bring!
Posted at 10:20 PM Permalink Comments (2) TrackBack (0)
May 23, 2008
Bike Riding Fools!
Yesterday Andrew, Martha and I rode our bikes from her house, which is conveniently located right by a lovely bike trail, around Lake of the Isles, into Kenwood for an ice cream cone and back to her home again.
Total mileage? check it out here
I'm so proud of that little man.
Later that same day I met up with mom and her friend Jackie from England, and we walked around Lake Harriet and through the Peace Garden there.
I thought I'd be crippled today but I feel great. Ready for another bike ride tomorrow!
Posted at 10:12 PM Permalink Comments (0) TrackBack (0)
May 22, 2008
Tagged!
Vinny tagged me, and although I don't usually play tag, Vinny is new to blogging and I want to encourage her to keep it up, so I'm playing along this time!
Here are the rules:1. Link your tagger and list these rules on your blog.2. Share 4 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.see jagged edge here as if part has been torn off thus eliminating my need to tag others...
Here are my four random facts:
I despise television, but still sneak episodes of Dancing with the Stars and The Bachelor on the internet
I am not fond of PDC, or Public Displays of Celebration...weddings, parties, graduations...ugh!
I've recently discovered I don't really need any friends...its even nicer to just enjoy them for fun!
Sometimes when I wake up in the middle of the night I play neopets games and feed my sons pet so it won't die.
There you go Gina!
Posted at 04:31 AM Permalink Comments (4) TrackBack (0)
May 21, 2008
We are a wee bit more Scottish here these days...
Betcha didn't know that Scotland doesn't have a national anthem. Nope. Here is a song song since the 60's by The Corries that is proposed as the national anthem.
Flower of Scotland
O Flower of Scotland,When will we see,Your like again,That fought and died for,Your wee bit Hill and Glen,And stood against him,Proud Edward's Army,And sent him homeward,Tae think again.
The hills are bare now,And autum leaves lie thick and still,O'er land that is lost now,Which those so dearly held,And stood against him,Proud Edward's Army,And sent him homeward,Tae think again.
Those days are past now,And in the pastThey must remain,But we can still rise now,And be the nation again,That stood against him,Proud Edward's Army,And sent him homeward,Tae think again.
Yes, Saturday last we FINALLY got to the Scottish Fair and Highland Games that we have wanted to attend for about 10 years! Now you may be asking, why would an Irish/Swedish/Romanian woman and a SMITH man want to attend a Scottish event. Scott and I have been fond of Scotland for many years, and we both wish to travel there some day. We have enjoyed all five seasons of Monarch of the Glen and Braveheart is one of Scott's all time favorite movies. Little did we know how the third member of the family was going to affect our interest!
Andrew and I headed out with Ronan, Park and Julie. Park and Ronan are Armstrongs, one of about 20 recognized official clans of Scotland. Ronan has a closet of kilts, so he lent one to Andrew, and we were on our way. Scott joined us later in the day after some sleep. We had an absolutely delightful time. The Highland games mainly consist of big men in kilts throwing really heavy things either far or high. Imagine trying to single handedly throw a 20 foot tall, 20 inch wide telephone pole so hard that it would flip end over end. Imagine throwing up to 60 pounds over 20 feet in the air. These are TOUGH guys. In skirts,if you will.
I was in heaven.
Then there were bagpipes.
And sheep herding dogs. The calling of the clans was so awesome!
We stayed until we were all so tired and sick we could hardly stand...and I havent' been able to get Andrew out of the kilt ever since. He dresses before I get up at 7am. He LOVES his kilt and sporran. So we bought him another and bought a new one to replace the one from Ronan that I can't get off of him.
So please remember when you see him, its not a skirt, its a kilt. He's very proud of it.
He was quite certain he had to have Scottish blood in him, so I set about trying to find a possible link. For the time being, we are assuming we have some link with Clan Cameron. So if you see him, don't argue that point please! He wanted to be linked to Clan Gunn, thought they were the coolest one, but I had no luck!
Posted at 11:32 PM Permalink Comments (4) TrackBack (0)
So much is passing me by...
I keep wanting to do a big post so as not to forget anything that has happened, but seriously, I never have time!
Last Wednesday we went to the Bass Ponds on the river for our final Minnesota Valley Preserve class. Mara and the other naturalist there are so awesome with the kids. We spent some time scooping up all kinds of tiny critters in the ponds, the boys had things that even Mara was excited to see, and Andrew got to lead an example of how to "key out" specimens because he had done such a good job on his own findings.
Then we spent the second hour with the binoculars, looking for the larger wildlife that hangs out at the ponds. We saw a blue heron, a muskrat and plenty of turtles, geese and ducks.
Later that day Andrew and Scott went back for some fishing. No bites, but they had a good time.
On Thursday we had our final class at Westwood Nature center. It was on Decomposers, and the day was perfect. Greg , the naturalist there is great about knowing what the kids need, so we spent alot of time running around, lifting heavy logs, digging with sticks and the like. We found many cool mushrooms and little bugs and worms, and as we were leaving, two doe and their fawns were feeding right beside the trail and really weren't spooked by us much.
Its hard to believe it, I know, but Friday was ANOTHER nature center class, this one at Woodlake. We did some resource management, and after taking a pledge to rid the woods of harmful invasive plants, we set out to KILL THE BUCKTHORN!
The kids LOVED this and it was very easy to tell the buckthorn from other plants and trees. A little boy just doesn't have more fun than being told its okay to pull out a 10 foot tall tree! Because they have fairly shallow roots buckthorn is easy to pull up. I had to drag him away at the end, he really didn't want the class to end!
But we had to leave so we could get ready for our concert downtown in Minneapolis! We had free tickets to the Orchestra Hall concert friday night and we headed to Brits first for a true english meal. It was hopping so we sat inside right by the door! So fun to watch the wide variety of people coming in and out. We love downtown. Then we walked around downtown and let Andrew play on the plaza while we drank coffee. Finally it was time for the concert, Schuberts 4th symphony, and we all thought it was over too soon!
here we are at Brits, the waiter didn't bother to wait until I was looking...oh well!
Now Saturday, that was a lifechanging event...more on that later!
Posted at 11:11 PM Permalink Comments (0) TrackBack (0)
May 19, 2008
Blues in the Night
Scott took me on the dreamiest date yesterday, here is a little YouTube video about it, doesn't do it justice at ALL, but you get a peek!
Posted at 06:25 PM Permalink Comments (3) TrackBack (0)
Post 600 and its a doozie!
So this is it! Finally! My 600th post!
Here is my first post:
August 06, 2005
Bandwagon Jumper
Me, two months ago: Blogs are so stupid! Who would ever read those? Weird!
Me, one month ago: So, did you see what was on Cathy's blog last night? And if you click over to Tara's, you learn all about the next event. I can't believe Karen feels that way about dogs, that is just what I was thinking! Man, I love reading blogs, but I sure as heck would never have one! That's just weird to post your innermost thoughts on the web!
Me, yesterday: Honey, I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna start my own blog. I think it will be so fun!
So as you can see, I didn't originally think I'd like blogging, but nearly three years and 600 posts later I guess I can say I'm hooked!
The last two weeks have been INSANE and FUN like you can't believe!
We celebrated Minnesota's 150th birthday by going to the history center and viewing the Minnesota150 exhibit with our homeschool group. Its a wild and wooly group but we love 'em. Here is a few of the boys waiting for the tour to start.
They were all so wiggly, its definately spring in their little bodies!
We had a special treat the following Friday. Mom reminded me of the Wagon Train that was heading from Eastern Minnesota to downtown St. Paul over the course of the week leading up to the big celebration of the MN150 at the capitol. Between the two of us we tracked down their route and then Lisa joined us and we set out to find them. We hooked up with them in Hastings and got some great shots, then followed them for about an hour (at a top speed of 5mp) and got some more photos at a rest stop they took. It was exciting to be in the horse world again for a little while, to talk to the owners, to see the different types of wagon's and hear stories. It was really telling to see how slowly the train moved...and this on good roads and a set course. Back at the forming of the country there were no street signs and well maintained roads to take, imagine the streams they had to cross and the other perils they encountered...very interesting!
Erin encouraged us to meet her at the Festival of Nations, and I'm so glad she did! We have been wanting to try it for years, and just kept missing it. We had a great day there and were surprised to find Andrew's circus coach inside a Ghir (Yurt) talking about her native country Mongolia. She is such a wonderful person. Andrew loved the festival so much and can't wait to go again next year. We tried all kinds of interesting food, enjoyed the music and dancing and visiting dozens of booths from all over the world.
Next up was the Twins Game, Andrew's first. Lisa had gotten the tickets through work, and Dave, Lisa, Andrew, Scott and I all went. Andrew fell in love with baseball. He said outside the game while we were playing around out on the plaza that he thought he would find the outside pregame more fun than the actual game, but once we were inside he was loving it. He asked many questions about the game itself and was very excited. I hope we have an opportunity to go again.
It used to be you could take the family for a reasonable amount of money, but in
the ten years since I've been at the games the prices have skyrocketed. We'll watch for some deals!
We are starting to enjoy our favorite local park, Moyer. It has a creek and a wide walking path and is just so lovely. The creek is high right now because of all the melting snow, and the men challenged themselves to a walk across a log before we had a picnic lunch. Then we built little fairy houses and biked back home. Such a fun place to be a kid!
Okay, that was just two weeks ago! I haven't even hit the past week yet, but I think that is enough for one post. We love spring and I am enjoying the lack of allergies that usually knock me out for several weeks each spring. More to come soon!
Posted at 04:18 PM in Current Affairs Permalink Comments (2) TrackBack (0)
May 06, 2008
Will Return after these messages
Turns out that with God inspiring, friends calling, weather stunning, family seeking, scrap happening, work beckoning that blogging loses its place in line.
Hopefully inclement weather will return soon, and I'll be able to post something meaningful for my 600th post!
Another six
Another 6 mile bike ride last night as I rode to and from our picnic in the park. I was quite surprised to see it was that far, it felt more like 4!
No pictures from yesterday, I recently had a photo disaster (Hey Jackie, can you come back from England for another photo shoot?) so my camera is in a time out (It was totally my fault, but I don't like to take the blame)
Here is the only photo that turned out from that day:
Here is what the majority look like out of the camera:
such a lovely BLUE mess, eh?
After working it to death I still get this mess:
This one looks better because I added a super cool frame that I was put on to by SDAFUSE. Thanks girl!
sad thing is, my mom was counting on my camera because hers was out of battery life.
Posted at 11:31 AM Permalink Comments (5) TrackBack (0)
May 24, 2008
A Week on the Grand Round
It's beautiful here. The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are known as the metropolitan area with the most per capita bike commuters. Who knew? But after spending three days on various parts of our bike system I can certainly see why it is worth the effort in our, shall we say "variable" weather?
This sign was something I passed several dozen times this weekend. It signifies a 50.1 mile bike only trail that runs around a pretty decent sized chunk of the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. I've always thought it foolish to pack up your bikes and drive to a bike route when I have perfectly good sidewalks and streets in my own neighborhood. But this week I wanted to see what I was missing, and now its all clear. In my neighborhood there are some pretty decent, quiet streets to bike. But almost none of them are flat. In fact, you can't leave my apartment in any direction without encountering a hill within the first mile. They are everywhere. And in terms of having a nice LONG bike ride, it is easier for me to maintain a more steady effort, rather then pumping up hills and cruising down the other side.
On Tuesday, I decided to see how far I could run. I have a dear friend out in New Hampshire that is trying to get out here to see me, and she is a RUNNER! She has now run countless 5 and 10ks, and 3 half marathons. If she comes out here I know she's gonna want to run with me, and I wondered, just how far can I go if pushed? Well, I can't say I ran the whole time, but I did go 7 miles on Tuesday. Here is my lovely route:
I really pushed myself too far, and by the end of Lake Harriet I could barely ambulate, much less run, but it felt good to push my limits. It was a perfect day and there were plenty of colorful sailboarders out on Calhoun and such beautiful little waves on Lake Harriet. The gardens are starting to bloom, and as I made my way past the amphitheatre the musicians were warming up for a concert. At Lake Calhoun I passed the lakeside restaurant and nearly keeled over from the lovely smells of food cooking. It was such a wonderful, if painful and LONG run (I don't even want to tell you how long it took me to go 7 miles...a LONG time!)
Wednesday was left for recovery, and I was pleasantly surprised that I felt really good.
On Thursday, Andrew and I met up at my friend Martha's house in St. Louis Park, a suburb directly north of us about 8 miles, and left from her house to catch another piece of the great dedicated bike trails that run through the heart of Minneapolis.
Minneapolis has smartly repurposed old railroad routes, which are already set up to bypass most traffic routes, and turn them in to dedicated biking "freeways". There are few exits and entrances and the trails are smooth as silk and well marked. Most importantly? They are FLAT. Going Andrew's speed, I hardly had to pedal at all! We met up with the Lake of the Isles trail, a lovely paved path that circles the circuitous Isles, surrounded by multimillion dollar estates. We took a short detour half way around the lake to reward the hard working Andrew with an ice cream cone. I think Martha was less than thrilled with the speed the little 8 year old generated, but I was pleased as punch with how well he held up on this 10.5 mile ride! Getting to and from the ice cream parlor involved a treacherous hill, but we were soon back on the pleasant, flat paved path around the lake and back to the dedicated trail to St. Louis Park. The weather again was just stunning, sunny and beautiful, a slight breeze to keep us cool, the temps hovering right at 70.
Friday we took another rest break and just played at the park with friends.
Today we all three headed to Lake Nokomis, the closest in the chain of lakes to our home. Scott and Andrew wished me a nice ride and headed over to the dock to do some fishing. This was my final route although my original plans were a bit different:
I wanted to try out more of the eastern portion of the beltway, so although my original plan was to circle Harriet, Calhoun and Isles and then head back on the eastern side of these lakes, I instead headed straight east from Calhoun, then cut down on Portland for a faster shot to the starting point. (As the boys had called and fishing was a bust.) What is so wonderful about these rides is the scenery. Each part of the trail is set up so that biking involves a minimum of interaction with traffic (must trails are off street and either go over or under cross streets to minimize intersections) and a maximum interaction with the natural beauty of our fair cities. I wound around lakes studded with flowering trees, coasted alongside creeks with gardens and statues and lovely bridges being passed under by families in canoes and kayaks, and on the bigger lakes watched the sailboarders dance across the surface and the dogs catch frisbee's and the families cooking mouthwatering steaks and playing volleyball. I also always enjoy looking for couples on first dates: this is what Scott and I did on our first date and I love seeing the awkwardness mixed with possibilities and remembering back.
A lovely week with 40 miles overall of running, biking and walking. Can't wait for what next week will bring!
Posted at 10:20 PM Permalink Comments (2) TrackBack (0)
May 23, 2008
Bike Riding Fools!
Yesterday Andrew, Martha and I rode our bikes from her house, which is conveniently located right by a lovely bike trail, around Lake of the Isles, into Kenwood for an ice cream cone and back to her home again.
Total mileage? check it out here
I'm so proud of that little man.
Later that same day I met up with mom and her friend Jackie from England, and we walked around Lake Harriet and through the Peace Garden there.
I thought I'd be crippled today but I feel great. Ready for another bike ride tomorrow!
Posted at 10:12 PM Permalink Comments (0) TrackBack (0)
May 22, 2008
Tagged!
Vinny tagged me, and although I don't usually play tag, Vinny is new to blogging and I want to encourage her to keep it up, so I'm playing along this time!
Here are the rules:1. Link your tagger and list these rules on your blog.2. Share 4 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.see jagged edge here as if part has been torn off thus eliminating my need to tag others...
Here are my four random facts:
I despise television, but still sneak episodes of Dancing with the Stars and The Bachelor on the internet
I am not fond of PDC, or Public Displays of Celebration...weddings, parties, graduations...ugh!
I've recently discovered I don't really need any friends...its even nicer to just enjoy them for fun!
Sometimes when I wake up in the middle of the night I play neopets games and feed my sons pet so it won't die.
There you go Gina!
Posted at 04:31 AM Permalink Comments (4) TrackBack (0)
May 21, 2008
We are a wee bit more Scottish here these days...
Betcha didn't know that Scotland doesn't have a national anthem. Nope. Here is a song song since the 60's by The Corries that is proposed as the national anthem.
Flower of Scotland
O Flower of Scotland,When will we see,Your like again,That fought and died for,Your wee bit Hill and Glen,And stood against him,Proud Edward's Army,And sent him homeward,Tae think again.
The hills are bare now,And autum leaves lie thick and still,O'er land that is lost now,Which those so dearly held,And stood against him,Proud Edward's Army,And sent him homeward,Tae think again.
Those days are past now,And in the pastThey must remain,But we can still rise now,And be the nation again,That stood against him,Proud Edward's Army,And sent him homeward,Tae think again.
Yes, Saturday last we FINALLY got to the Scottish Fair and Highland Games that we have wanted to attend for about 10 years! Now you may be asking, why would an Irish/Swedish/Romanian woman and a SMITH man want to attend a Scottish event. Scott and I have been fond of Scotland for many years, and we both wish to travel there some day. We have enjoyed all five seasons of Monarch of the Glen and Braveheart is one of Scott's all time favorite movies. Little did we know how the third member of the family was going to affect our interest!
Andrew and I headed out with Ronan, Park and Julie. Park and Ronan are Armstrongs, one of about 20 recognized official clans of Scotland. Ronan has a closet of kilts, so he lent one to Andrew, and we were on our way. Scott joined us later in the day after some sleep. We had an absolutely delightful time. The Highland games mainly consist of big men in kilts throwing really heavy things either far or high. Imagine trying to single handedly throw a 20 foot tall, 20 inch wide telephone pole so hard that it would flip end over end. Imagine throwing up to 60 pounds over 20 feet in the air. These are TOUGH guys. In skirts,if you will.
I was in heaven.
Then there were bagpipes.
And sheep herding dogs. The calling of the clans was so awesome!
We stayed until we were all so tired and sick we could hardly stand...and I havent' been able to get Andrew out of the kilt ever since. He dresses before I get up at 7am. He LOVES his kilt and sporran. So we bought him another and bought a new one to replace the one from Ronan that I can't get off of him.
So please remember when you see him, its not a skirt, its a kilt. He's very proud of it.
He was quite certain he had to have Scottish blood in him, so I set about trying to find a possible link. For the time being, we are assuming we have some link with Clan Cameron. So if you see him, don't argue that point please! He wanted to be linked to Clan Gunn, thought they were the coolest one, but I had no luck!
Posted at 11:32 PM Permalink Comments (4) TrackBack (0)
So much is passing me by...
I keep wanting to do a big post so as not to forget anything that has happened, but seriously, I never have time!
Last Wednesday we went to the Bass Ponds on the river for our final Minnesota Valley Preserve class. Mara and the other naturalist there are so awesome with the kids. We spent some time scooping up all kinds of tiny critters in the ponds, the boys had things that even Mara was excited to see, and Andrew got to lead an example of how to "key out" specimens because he had done such a good job on his own findings.
Then we spent the second hour with the binoculars, looking for the larger wildlife that hangs out at the ponds. We saw a blue heron, a muskrat and plenty of turtles, geese and ducks.
Later that day Andrew and Scott went back for some fishing. No bites, but they had a good time.
On Thursday we had our final class at Westwood Nature center. It was on Decomposers, and the day was perfect. Greg , the naturalist there is great about knowing what the kids need, so we spent alot of time running around, lifting heavy logs, digging with sticks and the like. We found many cool mushrooms and little bugs and worms, and as we were leaving, two doe and their fawns were feeding right beside the trail and really weren't spooked by us much.
Its hard to believe it, I know, but Friday was ANOTHER nature center class, this one at Woodlake. We did some resource management, and after taking a pledge to rid the woods of harmful invasive plants, we set out to KILL THE BUCKTHORN!
The kids LOVED this and it was very easy to tell the buckthorn from other plants and trees. A little boy just doesn't have more fun than being told its okay to pull out a 10 foot tall tree! Because they have fairly shallow roots buckthorn is easy to pull up. I had to drag him away at the end, he really didn't want the class to end!
But we had to leave so we could get ready for our concert downtown in Minneapolis! We had free tickets to the Orchestra Hall concert friday night and we headed to Brits first for a true english meal. It was hopping so we sat inside right by the door! So fun to watch the wide variety of people coming in and out. We love downtown. Then we walked around downtown and let Andrew play on the plaza while we drank coffee. Finally it was time for the concert, Schuberts 4th symphony, and we all thought it was over too soon!
here we are at Brits, the waiter didn't bother to wait until I was looking...oh well!
Now Saturday, that was a lifechanging event...more on that later!
Posted at 11:11 PM Permalink Comments (0) TrackBack (0)
May 19, 2008
Blues in the Night
Scott took me on the dreamiest date yesterday, here is a little YouTube video about it, doesn't do it justice at ALL, but you get a peek!
Posted at 06:25 PM Permalink Comments (3) TrackBack (0)
Post 600 and its a doozie!
So this is it! Finally! My 600th post!
Here is my first post:
August 06, 2005
Bandwagon Jumper
Me, two months ago: Blogs are so stupid! Who would ever read those? Weird!
Me, one month ago: So, did you see what was on Cathy's blog last night? And if you click over to Tara's, you learn all about the next event. I can't believe Karen feels that way about dogs, that is just what I was thinking! Man, I love reading blogs, but I sure as heck would never have one! That's just weird to post your innermost thoughts on the web!
Me, yesterday: Honey, I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna start my own blog. I think it will be so fun!
So as you can see, I didn't originally think I'd like blogging, but nearly three years and 600 posts later I guess I can say I'm hooked!
The last two weeks have been INSANE and FUN like you can't believe!
We celebrated Minnesota's 150th birthday by going to the history center and viewing the Minnesota150 exhibit with our homeschool group. Its a wild and wooly group but we love 'em. Here is a few of the boys waiting for the tour to start.
They were all so wiggly, its definately spring in their little bodies!
We had a special treat the following Friday. Mom reminded me of the Wagon Train that was heading from Eastern Minnesota to downtown St. Paul over the course of the week leading up to the big celebration of the MN150 at the capitol. Between the two of us we tracked down their route and then Lisa joined us and we set out to find them. We hooked up with them in Hastings and got some great shots, then followed them for about an hour (at a top speed of 5mp) and got some more photos at a rest stop they took. It was exciting to be in the horse world again for a little while, to talk to the owners, to see the different types of wagon's and hear stories. It was really telling to see how slowly the train moved...and this on good roads and a set course. Back at the forming of the country there were no street signs and well maintained roads to take, imagine the streams they had to cross and the other perils they encountered...very interesting!
Erin encouraged us to meet her at the Festival of Nations, and I'm so glad she did! We have been wanting to try it for years, and just kept missing it. We had a great day there and were surprised to find Andrew's circus coach inside a Ghir (Yurt) talking about her native country Mongolia. She is such a wonderful person. Andrew loved the festival so much and can't wait to go again next year. We tried all kinds of interesting food, enjoyed the music and dancing and visiting dozens of booths from all over the world.
Next up was the Twins Game, Andrew's first. Lisa had gotten the tickets through work, and Dave, Lisa, Andrew, Scott and I all went. Andrew fell in love with baseball. He said outside the game while we were playing around out on the plaza that he thought he would find the outside pregame more fun than the actual game, but once we were inside he was loving it. He asked many questions about the game itself and was very excited. I hope we have an opportunity to go again.
It used to be you could take the family for a reasonable amount of money, but in
the ten years since I've been at the games the prices have skyrocketed. We'll watch for some deals!
We are starting to enjoy our favorite local park, Moyer. It has a creek and a wide walking path and is just so lovely. The creek is high right now because of all the melting snow, and the men challenged themselves to a walk across a log before we had a picnic lunch. Then we built little fairy houses and biked back home. Such a fun place to be a kid!
Okay, that was just two weeks ago! I haven't even hit the past week yet, but I think that is enough for one post. We love spring and I am enjoying the lack of allergies that usually knock me out for several weeks each spring. More to come soon!
Posted at 04:18 PM in Current Affairs Permalink Comments (2) TrackBack (0)
May 06, 2008
Will Return after these messages
Turns out that with God inspiring, friends calling, weather stunning, family seeking, scrap happening, work beckoning that blogging loses its place in line.
Hopefully inclement weather will return soon, and I'll be able to post something meaningful for my 600th post!
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