Honeycomb Hideout

Did I ever tell you about the time

2011-08-27T11:26:00.003-06:00

Sugarbear saved the damselfly? Well, earlier this summer, we were hiking at Nymph Lake and just sort of lazing about, lakeside. She happened to notice a spider's web close to the shore. There was a brilliant blue damselfly caught in the web. We assumed the damselfly was dead, but then Sugarbear saw it moving. So she leapt into action.

She gingerly extracted the damselfly and removed all of the sticky webby threads from the fly's body and wings.

In just a few minutes, the damselfly had recovered enough to fly away. Mission accomplished. This must be how Jennifer feels every day!

and eating peaches

2011-07-27T11:56:00.000-06:00

can't talk. busy hiking.

2011-07-25T19:57:00.002-06:00

Oh, and working some, too. Anyhoo, carry on.

P7234663.jpg, originally uploaded by peevish me.

Dear Lego corporation

2011-07-07T19:46:00.001-06:00

Cheers to you for inventing the Harry Potter lego sets. Not only does it help to bring girls into the lego cult, but it provides (so far) endless hours of acting out various Potter-related hijinks. Never have we, the parents, received so many thank-yous from our Junebug for a birthday gift. She thanks us almost every day for these sets. We bought these two: the Burrow & Hagrid's hut. Bonus: the Burrow set came with Bellatrix Lestrange AND Molly Weasley! Could there be more opposite characters in one set? When Junebug opened the set with Hagrid's hut, Sugarbear clapped her hands together and gleefully shouted "Look, it even has tiny evil baby spiders!".

Hey, look who came to visit!

2011-07-06T08:53:00.000-06:00

This sorry state of affairs is appalling

2011-06-29T10:09:00.001-06:00

We already grow our own tomatoes and pine for them during the interminable non-tomato seasons.
But shrimp? We can't grow our own shrimp. This story is mostly about tomatoes but, toward the end, he speaks of the disgusting shrimp trade practices in Asia, where about 90% of shrimp are now raised. The idea of giving up shrimp makes me so sad. I was practically weaned on shrimp harvested from the Gulf of Mexico.

Not birds

2011-06-10T17:28:00.000-06:00

Now we believe maybe a raccoon or squirrel is living in our attic.

Advice?

Interestingly, the dog seems unconcerned.

Roots

2011-06-09T08:42:00.001-06:00

Well hello, old blog! How's it hangin'?

I realized today that we have put down roots here in this place we still think of as new. What opened my eyes to this state of affairs? In the space of about 90 minutes yesterday afternoon, I had three different drive-by visits.

1. A friend drove over to give us cold beer leftover from a party last weekend. He's a beer Santa.
2. My boss came by to give me some salad greens from her garden. (plus some work, the good with the bad.)
3. A neighbor drove up with some hand-me-downs from her daughter to mine.

Unrelated but on my mind: noisy critters keeping me awake. Last night I woke at 3:30 am and couldn't get back to sleep. I got up for awhile and did some work. When I went back to bed I couldn't get to sleep. I kept hearing strange noises. I finally traced it to just outside the house along the north and east walls. I think some damned birds have nested in our gutters. Double-damn.

Looks like blogger is back.

2011-05-14T20:17:00.003-06:00

Blogger is starting to remind of Liz Lemon's ex-boyfriend Dennis.

In other news, I got a haircut today. I'm stoked to have short hair again. I've missed it so much.

p.s. See my refrigerator behind my head? My head is hiding the booze, which lives on top of the fridge.

And then Sugarbear shoe-horned herself in to the booze picture. God!

Um...

2011-05-13T11:05:00.002-06:00

Blogger apparently deleted my last post.
Hey Blogger, that sucks.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH YOU GUYS!!!! >>IKEA

2011-05-11T17:06:00.000-06:00

IKEA to open Denver-Area location July 27 - Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation

It's gonna open earlier than promised.

See, there is a God. Who answers prayers. Prayers like "Fucking Hell, why doesn't this Sweden-forsaken state have even one fucking IKEA???"

SO very happy, even though I'll have to drive across hell and half of Georgia to get there, metaphorically speaking. Actually it'll be south of Denver. Still though, so happy. I once, on a whim, drove from Austin to Houston in driving rain with a toddler in the car just to get some IKEA crap. So Centennial will be easy in comparison. Right now the nearest IKEA is in Draper, Utah (393 miles away).

I know. I need to calm down.

Happy Mother's Day, all you Mothers.

2011-05-07T14:26:00.001-06:00

Absenteeism

2011-05-04T17:50:00.002-06:00

Blogging seems so 2005, right? Yet some people still do it beautifully.
I am not one of them.

Two guys names Solomon and Bill are replacing all the windows in our house. They are a little more than halfway done. They started Monday morning. I'm knackered from it. The noise, the intrusion, the disruption to our routine, the re-arranging of everything we own. Which is too much, really. We need to reduce by a third (at least) the crap in this house. At least these guys listen to a decent radio station while they work. A radio station which, it pains me to say, is an "oldies" station, playing all the songs from my high school & early college years. Goddammit.

The windows are wonderful and we are gonna save a crapload of money on heating bills in the winter but I'm sore all over from the stress of it. And I haven't gotten to work out since Saturday. I'm going to try to get a workout done tomorrow.

In other news, do you ever think, as you hear a guy say the same thing over and over again while he's working (ahem...Bill) that this is probably what he says during sex?

Bill: "That's nice. That's really nice. Oh yeah, that's niiiiiiice".

current obsession

2011-04-21T06:53:00.001-06:00

I saw this film on PBS a few years ago.

I would LOVE to see it again. I wish Netflix had it for rental.

I keep returning to youtube to watch clips from the Merrie Monarch competitions. My favorites are always the fierce warrior-like competitors, men or women. They make me want to be Hawaiian, to learn the language and to learn these dances. Below you can watch one of my favorites, a procreation chant and hula. One of the comments I saw regarding this dance: "I think I just got pregnant watching it!".

The video clip below is bad quality. Most distressing is that the sound goes out of sync midway thru. Somehow, to me anyway, it doesn't even matter. This performer gives me the goosebumps anyway. I can't tear my eyes from her. She sings for awhile, then starts dancing. The story is told through a combination of chanting and dance.

One of my favorite parts of these performances is the audiences. They alternate between silent rapt attention and raucous praise. I regret my ignorance of the meanings of these dances and chants but it doesn't keep me from smiling all the way through in awe and delight.

Independent Lens . NA KAMALEI: The Men of Hula . The Film | PBS

2011-04-14T09:24:00.000-06:00

Oh, hello soft and slushy springtime snow!

In the photo directly above, you can see yellow snow where Turnip peed on the deck. He was too busy eating birdseed to go downstairs. Mmm, wet birdseed.

lately

2011-04-12T11:21:00.000-06:00

Hm, I haven't been here much, have I? Spring is always busy for me, as I'm sure it is for many of you. I start my part-time job again, I finish up the yearbook for my kids' school, I continue my other volunteer gigs, etc. This year, I'm also making more time for working out. Consequently, my house gets messier and stays that way. But since I'm the only occupant who is bothered by this sorry state of affairs, all is fine, I guess.

The Springtime weather here continues to amuse. The weekend before last (April 2) we went on our first hike of hiking season. The forecast for Saturday was warm and sunny. I started the day by cooking oatmeal pancakes before hitting my bike for a brisk and glorious hour. After I got home I started flogging the troops to get us ready for a hike before it was too late in the day. I really, really, REALLY wanted to hike Caribou Ranch. Here is a previous post about it. Despite a high wind warning, I was so eager to get there. I love that place, and the hike is perfect. It is long enough to tire you out in the best way, without any difficult terrain or quick altitude gains. It is pastoral and gorgeous. It has picnic tables but no mosquitoes, even in high summer.

Something was nagging at me, though. I vaguely remembered reading something about the place being closed for a portion of spring, so I checked online. Sure enough, it is a breeding ground for elk and some migratory birds. Consequently, it is closed from April 1 until July 1. I was disappointed. I pine for that place. But we switched gears and went to NCAR instead. The Mesa trail there is narrow, rocky, uneven, with lots of ups and downs. Those parts are not nearly as hazardous as the asshole-ish trail runners who whizz by carrying massive packs on their backs. I think we'll be avoiding this trail on the weekends from now on. It was way too crowded to be relaxing, though we did manage to make the best of it.

The very rocky terrain there had me worried for the state of my still-recovering calf. The hike caused no problems, though. I had new hiking boots on and they offered all the stability I needed. The following day, our warm temperatures and sunny skies were gone, replaced by clouds and threats of rain and snow. I went out to buy groceries. All was fine until I left the store with my full grocery cart. I walked out into a rain/snow mix which turned to hail before I was even close to my car. Without thinking about my calf, I broke into a run, pushing off with my left foot. Pop went my calf. Ouch! I slowly and carefully limped to the car through the pea-sized hail. Let this be a warning to you all: shopping is more hazardous than hiking.

I'm better now, thanks. My calf hasn't popped again for a whole week! I'm trying to be very careful with it while still getting workouts in. I just hope the weather starts cooperating so I can ride my bike more often. Indoor workouts are getting boring.

creepy

2011-04-11T10:32:00.000-06:00

I saw this ad on amazon today and it creeped me out. Ick, there is so much wrong about it.

Mmm, bearclaws

2011-04-05T12:46:00.002-06:00

Pam (♥) is my favorite character on Archer. If you haven't seen Archer, stop what you're doing and go get caught up.

Thanks for asking!

2011-03-30T10:08:00.000-06:00

My leg is getting better fast, thanks. I took it easy yesterday and I think that paid off.

In other news, in no particular order:

1. Mr. Man has turned my kids into Marx Brothers fanatics thanks to Netflix instant streaming.

2. We went to see Rango yesterday. It was way better than I expected, and maybe more fun for adults than for kids.

3. This morning I listened to this Freakonomics podcast about "transpoosions" and I am now obsessed with my gut. Gut, what do you need from me? Just say the word. I'll give it.

4. We bought a digital piano last week. Mr. Man has ordered the same teaching booklets he used as a kid so he can use them to teach our kids how to play. All you people out there with kids and pianos, do you have suggestions for either instruction materials or simple songs?

Now I'm off to stretch this leg. I'll leave you with the design from a Threadless tee I recently ordered for my kids.

re: my workout this morning

2011-03-28T11:24:00.001-06:00

The area between my calf and my heel isn't supposed to pop, right? Owie, something popped in there. It wasn't my Achilles tendon, it is just above it. Foot elevated, calf iced as I type.

temporary treasures

2011-03-28T09:14:00.000-06:00

A peek into the brains of my children via dry-erase board.

Ssh, don't jinx it.

2011-03-22T09:42:00.000-06:00

Spring is here. There are green things growing. Green buds on the trees, green grass and clover sprouting the yard. There are even chives coming back in the garden. Those are great! There are also robins in trees very close to the windows who awake before dawn and START SINGING. A LOT.

Unfortunately, spring is also a season of wind for us. Summer and winter are usually pretty calm, but spring and autumn are often windy. This complicates a nice bike ride, which I try to work in as often as I can. A couple of weeks ago, the sun was shining and the warmth drew me out and onto my bike for a ride on the greenway. There was a light breeze which seemed just perfect. But about the time I reached my turn around point, the breeze turned into wind. On the way back I was in my low gear (my bike only has 3 gears) and I was pedaling as hard as I could. I felt like I wasn't even moving. The wind was right in my face. Several times I considered just locking my bike up to a fence and walking home. It felt like that would be faster. I was actually envious of the runners I saw, and I HATE RUNNING. But I kept going, told myself I wouldn't die and promised myself a Skinny Cow ice cream sandwich when I made it home. My ride took 25 minutes out, and 45 minutes back. That's how hard the wind was blowing. My legs were vapor by the time they got me home.

Besides the ice cream sandwich, I also thought about how we have three micro-breweries with tasting rooms within walking/cycling distance of my house. Next time I need to pack some money.

2011-03-09T09:02:00.000-07:00

Casteller from Mike Randolph on Vimeo.

This video evoked an unexpectedly emotional response in me, much like a flash mob dance video. I think part of my reaction was caused by seeing these little children at the top. Can you imagine sending your child up there? The video is also powerful, I think, because of how primal this exercise seems, a demonstration of what we can do when we all work together.

Side note: In a comment on vimeo, he says the helmets you see on the kids are soft on the outside, so when the kids fall, their helmets don't hurt the people below them.

More of Mike Randolph's photography work here.

i wish i could favorite this

2011-03-07T08:49:00.000-07:00

i LOVE this

2011-03-04T10:05:00.002-07:00

If you don't subscribe to the VSL daily e-mail, you should. Every now and then, my inbox yields pure gold via VSL. Today I got this, and I'm quoting:

Irina Werning’s “Back to the Future” takes old snapshots and re-creates them—painstakingly, with stunning fidelity—in the present day.

You’ll see the same people, wearing the same clothes and striking the same poses, in each set of paired photos. (One set, of “Lulu & G in Buenos Aires, in 1980 and 2010,” is ever-so-slightly NSFW.) Most of the shots are separated by at least a few decades: Scroll down to see what Werning’s parents look like at either end of a 40-year divide. (In one case, there’s a gap of 54 years.) Some of these folks changed more than others. But in every instance, we were struck by how much of their younger selves they’d managed to retain.

One of my favorite examples below.

I so much admire a photographer who will ask people to go this far to achieve an artistic goal. I'm just not pushy enough (or self-confident enough) to try it, a fact which may shock anyone who knows me in real life.

Shackleton’s Antarctica in colour, 1915

2011-03-03T13:11:00.000-07:00

The story of Shackleton's expedition is fascinating anyway. I had no idea there were color photographs documenting it. Follow the link to find them.

Shackleton’s Antarctica in colour, 1915

quick strange question

2011-02-26T12:40:00.000-07:00

Do any of you often notice the same time on a working clock day after day? I mean, as you glance at a clock to check the time, you routinely see the same time over and over on different days. I ask because I see the time 12:34pm several times a week. I saw it just now, and I saw it yesterday. What does it mean, if anything? Sometimes it feels as if the clock is willing me to look during that minute.

Cue the Twilight Zone music.

crazy-assed Spring

2011-02-26T11:14:00.000-07:00

Today: bright, warm sunshine and torrents of melting snow. Go figure.

(The sound of running water coming from our roof is so loud that Mr. Man thought we had a water leak. That is some furious melting.)

(Apparently, this is now a weather blog. I'm so sorry but this occupies an amazing amount of conversation around here.)

snow this morning

2011-02-25T07:16:00.000-07:00

The poor early robins are hunkered down in the bare branches, dreaming of Mexico.

aaand

2011-02-24T07:37:00.003-07:00

now it's snowing. With the sun shining. Go figure.

I can wait. See me waiting?

2011-02-23T19:53:00.000-07:00

The days are getting longer and sunnier. In fact, this morning the sun was shining through my kitchen window so aggressively I thought I might go blind. (This is mostly due to the trees' reluctance to take a chance on growing leaves at present.)

Also, the robins are back. Hello, robins! We've missed you guys!

I can almost taste Spring: asparagus and peas.

Can't wait to taste Summer: peaches and tomatoes. My favorite.

"That's the Winter talking"

2011-02-06T10:39:00.004-07:00

This has been a Wintery weekend. Yesterday was cloudy and cold. Not a bitter, below-zero cold, just not exactly beckoning, if you know what I mean. One of those "Let's stay in" kind of days. I should have taken the opportunity to clean my house. Instead, I cooked. I cooked my all-time favorite chicken, David Lebovitz's roast chicken with caramelized shallots. Let me take a moment here to urge you all to follow that link and cook that goddamned chicken. It has been in heavy rotation here for months and no one is complaining. When you make the chicken, be sure to have some bread or potatoes or something to sop up the gorgeous gunge at the bottom of the pan because that, I swear, is the whole point of this dish. Full disclosure: I don't always add the parsley. I like to use chicken thighs and drumsticks instead of the whole chicken. It doesn't matter, it's delicious either way. I also love that this dish takes maybe 15 minutes to put together, yet it will blow away the minds and taste buds of your guests.

Moving on...
The chicken would be served with some leftover mushroom and farro soup and a salad. I've been reading this and loving it, so I wanted to make Jacques Pepin's mother's recipe for cheese souffle to serve as well, but Mr. Man said that would be a bridge too far. He said that was the Winter talking, and he was right. Too much warm, caloric comfort is not recommended, especially when we are both trying hard to be slimmer people.

I have a new cookbook, Peter Reinhart's "Artisan Breads Every Day". I put together a couple of loaves of rustic hearth breads which are slowly rising in the fridge. I made Chocolate Cinnamon Babka. This, along with some soft-scrambled buttery eggs and grapefruit juice, was our Sunday breakfast. Yes, this is also the Winter talking, but a small serving goes a long way toward warm comfort.

2011-02-04T16:09:00.000-07:00

Testify, testily!

p.s. I so agree.

2011-02-02T20:02:00.001-07:00

Sugarbear just told me (in a very sad voice) that's it's too bad I don't have any eggs left for Daddy's tadpoles to taste. I hated to tell her that there are a few eggs left, I just refuse to use them. And they probably wouldn't hatch anyway. Or taste very good.

not that I'm complaining...

2011-02-02T15:54:00.003-07:00

The kids and I just ventured out to get some groceries. I had left my half-full stainless steel water bottle in the car. The water inside was frozen solid. I wouldn't have been surprised, except that the car has been parked IN THE GARAGE since Monday.

On the up side, at least we don't have rolling blackouts. That would be so annoying.

and another one

2011-02-02T07:30:00.001-07:00

Day two for winter weather keeping the kids at home. Yes, it is cold (-15.1 degrees F. as I type) but it is going to warm up a bit more than yesterday. Maybe we'll get up to positive 7! Day two = not as much fun for me as day one. I feel a little sheepish even complaining when places like Chicago are getting slammed with snow, ice and wind.

Also as I type, I'm watching a house finch and a junco fill up their bellies at the feeder. Stayin' alive! Tomorrow we should be back up to 36 degrees or so. That's great news for the birds.

Wintery Weather

2011-02-01T11:02:00.001-07:00

Here at the Honeycomb Hideout we are having ourselves a little snow day. It seems strange considering there is very little snow on the ground here at the moment. In some places one can see maybe two inches, mostly less. School was cancelled today due to the cold. That's right, it is so cold they cancelled school. I think the district may have been concerned about kids walking to school in sub-zero temperatures. Yikes.
I keep expecting the ground to be littered with frozen songbirds, dropped from the trees. How do their wee toes not just shatter or snap off? The bird feeders are stocked with seeds and suet but I haven't seen much action out there so far today. Juncos, where are you? Tucked away somewhere a bit less cold, I hope.

So here we are, nice and toasty indoors. Earlier this morning, Mr. Man pointed out a veeery light snow floating softly through the sunshiny air toward the ground. I called it disco snow because it looked like tiny glittery light particles, as tiny as dust. The were only visible because they were so sparkly. I didn't get any photos of the snow falling, it was far too subtle for me to capture. I did get some macro photos of the frost on our dirty window.

The girls are downstairs playing Kirby's Epic Yarn on the Wii (most beautiful Wii game ever. I love it, and so do they.) while I clean the kitchen after making oatmeal pancakes. Later in the day, we will bake some cookies and and watch the third ~~Happy~~ (oops!) Harry Potter movie. Tonight we may set a new record for low temperature. The forecast says it will reach 20 degrees below zero, or colder. I'm so grateful for shelter, heat, Mr. Man (who makes sure the snow is cleared from the steps and sidewalks), down comforters, hot chocolate, and a Turnip warming my feet.

A Very Special Weather Statement

2011-01-30T08:05:00.001-07:00

The last few days have been gorgeous, sunny and warm. On Friday we stripped down to t-shirts and felt the sunshine on our arms. In January!

I'd heard there would be cold weather moving in on Monday, so I looked up the forecast. Here is a Special Weather Statement issued for our county. I love the first sentence. It almost feels like comeuppance.

Issued by The National Weather Service
Denver/Boulder, CO
4:43 am MST, Sun., Jan. 30, 2011

... YES IT IS STILL WINTER...

BITTERLY COLD AIR WILL DROP ACROSS NORTHEAST COLORADO MONDAY... BRINGING THE COLDEST TEMPERATURES WE HAVE SEEN THIS WINTER. TUESDAY WILL BE THE COLDEST DAY OF THE WEEK... WITH TEMPERATURES STRUGGLING TO GET ABOVE ZERO. TUESDAY NIGHT MOST LOCATIONS IN EASTERN COLORADO WILL HAVE LOWS BETWEEN 10 BELOW TO 20 BELOW ZERO. SNOW WILL ALSO DEVELOP BEHIND THE FRONT... WITH THE HEAVIEST PERIOD OF SNOW OCCURRING MONDAY AFTERNOON AND MONDAY NIGHT. SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE... ESPECIALLY ALONG THE FRONT RANGE FOOTHILLS AND PALMER DIVIDE. THE RUSH HOUR COMMUTES FOR MONDAY AFTERNOON AND TUESDAY MORNING MAY BE SEVERELY IMPACTED.

Polar bears smash the spy cams - Polar Bear: Spy On The Ice - BBC One

2011-01-25T15:43:00.001-07:00

Resolute

2011-01-23T07:21:00.022-07:00

I've been making a concerted effort lately to exercise regularly and often. It isn't a New Year's resolution which are too often temporary. It is more a gnawing realization that, here in my middle age, something must be done and I'm the only person who can do it. I don't want to pay for a gym membership, and I really prefer to work out alone. Part of the attraction for me, in exercise, is doing it on my own. It is a sort of meditation for me. Winter in Colorado complicates things. The cold and snow and ice keep me off of my bike, which is how I would prefer to work up a sweat. I love to be outdoors and notice all the critters, the seasonal changes, etc. But riding even just 10 miles per hour means a 10 degree wind chill, and when it is only 40 degrees outside (or colder) my desire for it dies.

Consequently, I've been cooped up and sluggish and fat and ooooolllldddd. Which is wearing me down. BUT!
I have found some fun, challenging, and free (!) workout videos to stream from Netflix through my Roku and I can now say that my groove is in sight. Thanks to these yoga and pilates-inspired workouts, I'm pleasantly sore all over my body, suddenly really aware of my inner thighs, hamstrings, triceps and neck muscles. When I sneeze, my abdominals hurt. But the strangest place to be sore has to be the muscles between my shoulder blades. These workouts really do work EVERYTHING.

p.s. Ellen Barrett, if you're out there, {{crush!}}.

Nightmare Revisited Overture (DeVotchKa)

2011-01-20T15:49:00.002-07:00

I love love love this. The Nightmare Before Christmas turned 15 years old back in 2008 (wow. let's just take a moment to let that sink in.) and someone put together a tribute album to the Danny Elfman score. It is a tribute to how uncool I am that I'm just now finding out about it.

Junebug & I are totally going to do this for Science Fair.

2011-01-16T17:15:00.001-07:00

And by that I mean she will do it and I will document it, of course. Because it is her experiment and not mine, her grade and not mine. Even though I already decided this will be the project, without any input from her. But once I described it to her, she was stoked. Luckily for me.

new post in which we win Parenting!

2011-01-10T09:35:00.000-07:00

This morning, as Junebug made her bleary-eyed way into the kitchen, I pointed to her and said "Hey, you."
She correctly replied, "I know you, I know you!". See video, at about 1 minute, 29 seconds in.

arrangements

2011-01-08T10:58:00.001-07:00

We re-arranged the furniture in our living room to accommodate the Christmas tree. Now the tree has been taken down (I've left up a string of lights, though. They cheer me so.) and the room is more or less back to the new normal.

Sorry I don't have a proper "before" photo. The one above was shot long before we had the red and gold cushioned bench, which used to be on the wall below the large canvas but is now by the window.

We really like the new arrangements so much, it uses the light from the windows to much greater effect.

I wonder if we will ever have curtains. Turnip prefers the windows bare, the better to perch on the loveseat and growl at cars, people, birds, squirrels, etc., down below. During the holiday rush, a nice UPS delivery man left Turnip a little gift. Isn't that so sweet?

Happy Birthday anyway.

2011-01-06T09:05:00.004-07:00

How the hell can A. R. Rahman be one year younger than I am? He has been successfully composing music for what seems like most of my adult life. Jeez, some people are such annoying over-achievers.

budding photographers

2011-01-04T08:46:00.003-07:00

The new food pornographers? Both girls got real grown-up cameras from Santa. After I made my birthday cake (yes, I was born on New Year's Day. No, it isn't that much fun.) and I brought out my camera to snap the cake, the girls ran to grab their cameras. What has Santa wrought?

it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

2010-12-30T10:07:00.001-07:00

Better late than never. We are finally getting some snow. It is so beautiful I could sit and drink tea and watch it falling for the whole day. I'll have to settle for an hour. There are too many chores to do, including (later today) shoveling this snow so I can take one kid to a play date and then pick up another kid to come to our house for the same. In the meantime, before I start sorting laundry, I will listen to Joshua Bell play Tchaikovsky's Meditation in D Major number 1.

After taking a break to go scold the kids for wrecking my bliss, that is. They are downstairs playing Kirby's Epic Yarn on the Wii (AGAIN) and one of them (ahem, the youngest) is not such a good team player. That's okay, I will now turn again to the window and let the view do its work. Ah, so lovely. You know, I think one of my favorite things about snow is its cushiony silence. A rare treat around here.

pms?

2010-12-29T16:21:00.001-07:00

I've been a bit verklempt today. Sugarbear brought me to the edge of tears with her superlative praise of the flapjacks I cooked for brunch. She called them "Outstandingly goody-awesome ".

Then I read an excerpt from Jacques Pepin's memoir. (Scroll down that page to get to the excerpt.) His nostalgic descriptions of childhood moments, some difficult and some sweet, caught me off guard. His affection for his still-living! mother ("beautiful, effervescent"), father and brothers is so apparent. France during a world war? Wonderful food? Iconic and adorable chef? This book seems right up my alley.

Finally this afternoon, while I was cooking Bolognese sauce, I heard this wonderful story on PRI's The World. Soul Call is downloading now. Apparently I needed to answer that call.

my uke!

2010-12-25T09:20:00.000-07:00

I also got a music book to go with it. Jumpin' Jim's '60's uke-in: 25 really groovy songs arranged for ukulele. Awesomeness!

Looking forward to looking back

2010-12-23T06:40:00.000-07:00

Wake up call this morning was at about 5:45am. I was up late wrapping packages and because the mr. Man has a cold and was up & down a lot. Thus I had been looking forward to sleeping until a civilized 6:30 or so. Didn't happen. One coughing, over-excited child + the excitement of visiting in-laws + a hacking cough = "Why is everyone still asleep?". When the child exits her room to get a drink of water or visit the lav, the dog wakes up. That is my signal to hurry him outdoors before he can run downstairs and 1. wake my brother-in-law and 2. evacuate his bowels (which happens every morning IMMEDIATELY NO COFFEE REQUIRED)

Today means cooking (pot roast, chocolate gingerbread cookies, normal, people-shaped gingerbread people), more gift-wrapping, and maybe even a nap, provided I can get them all out of the house.

Fingers crossed.

Mumford and Sons - Roll Away Your Stone

2010-12-20T10:21:00.001-07:00

These lads look like fun. I wish I could see them live.

Hey, weather gods of Colorado's front range:

2010-12-15T11:17:00.000-07:00

If you are determined to inflict cloudy skies upon us daily, could you at least throw some snow our way?
Please?

Jimmy Fallon - Born to Run - Emmys Opening Sketch - 2010 - Glee - Emmy Awards

2010-12-10T11:27:00.001-07:00

Nellie McKay: "Mother of Pearl" and "If I Had You"

2010-12-08T09:22:00.000-07:00

I just love her. AND...I really, really want a ukulele for christmas.

makeover

2010-12-05T11:18:00.002-07:00

Yesterday, in an effort to make space for the x-mas tree, we completely re-arranged the living room furniture. The new layout has caused me to fall in love with my house all over again. Funny how that can happen, just by moving the same old things around. It's like a haircut for your house.

The bonus/punitive part of this exercise is getting to/being forced to vacuum and dust in places we haven't seen in 3 years. I found a piece of cat food. So yeah, it's been awhile.

deep thoughts

2010-12-02T08:54:00.001-07:00

Sugarbear asked what it feels like to die. I said I don't know. No one can tell you. Then she said "When you are dying, you should stop dying for a second, tell me how it feels, then finish dying".

Glory Hallelujah. Last day of November.

2010-11-30T08:50:00.000-07:00

I'm not the kind of Mom who is in the habit of feeding chocolate chips to my kids for breakfast. I have too much respect and affection for their teachers to subject them to sugar-fried children. But this morning was an exceptional one. A couple of days ago, I made pumpkin muffins with chocolate chips. The pumpkin was roasted in my oven, then pureed. Half of the flour is whole wheat. So they could be worse, right? Sugarbear staggered out of bed this morning and asked for a pumpkin muffin for breakfast. I replied that might be okay if she had something else with it. I was thinking an egg. She suggested ANOTHER MUFFIN. I caved. She slays me. I am slain.

I almost missed it

2010-11-29T20:40:00.000-07:00

Today is our one year anniversary of Turnip's homecoming.

(smile)

2010-11-29T15:14:00.003-07:00

PB273587, originally uploaded by peevish me.

On Saturday, while walking around a local pond, we made a discovery. The ice sheet floating on the pond had turned the whole pond into a musical instrument. When a stone was thrown onto the ice, especially if the stone skidded and slid for a long time before stopping, it made a crazy sound. Listen for these sounds in the 2 videos I posted to flickr. The other one is there if you really need to see it. Mr. Man got so good at varying the sounds, making the stones coast for a long time so the sound seemed to go on forever.

Sorry about the glare. The sunset created some lighting challenges.

2010-11-28T19:56:00.002-07:00

G.P., originally uploaded by peevish me.

We've had a very special houseguest since school let out Friday before last. This is Junebug's class pet, G.P. She is so incredibly sweet and charming. She squeaks and whistles when she wants salad, which she will eat very gently right from your hand. I will return her to school tomorrow. While I can't say I want her to stay forever, I may have to sneak her some salad from time to time, just to hear her go crazy for it.

Strangely, Turnip pays her no mind whatsoever.

too much?

2010-11-27T12:28:00.000-07:00

I'd like my whole life upholstered in this, please.

I've reached the point where I'm ready to scrape NaBloPoMo off my shoe.

2010-11-26T19:46:00.000-07:00

eating thanks

2010-11-25T11:30:00.000-07:00

Cinnamon rolls long gone.
Dinner rolls in oven. I'll re-warm them later.
Pecan pie cooling.
Soon, chicken will be roasting, along with sweet potatoes, parsnips & carrots.
There will also be cornbread dressing (natch) and brussels sprouts.
Who needs turkey? Not me.

Also, I always enjoy the extra pumpkin pie filling cooked separately SO MUCH that I decide to forgo the crust for it altogether. Pumpkin custard!

holiday slam

2010-11-25T07:39:00.000-07:00

Cinnamon rolls in oven.
Bread dough for rolls rising.
Second latte almost ready to drink.

to-do list

2010-11-24T09:06:00.006-07:00

Food prep for tomorrow, etc.

1. ~~Roast pumpkins for pie, muffins.~~
2. ~~Make pie crusts.~~
3. ~~Make cornbread for dressing.~~
4. ~~Make~~ ~~cinnamon rolls~~ ~~as promised to the children.~~ I had forgotten I'd mentioned these but was reminded first thing this morning. Shit.
5. (not gonna happen) Bathe the dog.
6. ~~Don't forget to take the girls to try out~~ ~~To-Shin Do~~ ~~class this afternoon.~~

(for tomorrow) Just in time, Christopher Kimball & NPR give me the (hopefully, fingers crossed) recipe I've been looking for: Old-Fashioned Pecan Pie. Look Ma, no Karo!

epic, finale (Rocky Mountain High)

2010-11-23T11:02:00.001-07:00

We now have two hiking traditions which the children will not let pass. One is a long-standing apres-hike tradition of driving straight to Glacier's Ice Cream for a cold reward. The other, fairly new tradition is so geeky I hesitate to mention it. Junebug demands I bring Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything in the car and read from it. This means I read a couple of sentences and then stop to define terms and explain concepts. Some of the concepts are ones I barely understand myself, so Mr. Man & I confer about them before we answer. I love how curious the kids are. That book never fails to astound us all.

Right. Back to the hike.

Dream Lake

Mr. Man befriends a chipmunk

We did indeed make it all the way up to Emerald Lake and back again. This was a huge accomplishment for us, as we managed to do it happily and without any bickering at all. So this was our highest climb in terms of altitude AND attitude.

Looking for fishes at Emerald Lake.

The above photo captures the exact moment when Sugarbear realized she really, REALLY needed to pee. Of course, there are no facilities up there. We made our way off the trail to a secluded spot behind some giant boulders and fallen trees. Judging by the smell of the place, many others before us had chosen this spot to heed nature's call.

Above, Mr. Man is pointing to a small waterfall at the far end of the lake. It looks tiny from our vantage point, yet we can hear it clearly. It was so amazingly quiet and peaceful there. We would have loved to stay longer, but we didn't want to get caught on the trail after dark. We relaxed for a little less than an hour before heading back down.

On the way down, Sugarbear asked me if I'd shot many photos. I answered in the affirmative. She then told me I wasn't allowed to delete ANY OF THEM unless I cleared it with her first. When I asked why, she replied "Because I want to remember every minute. This was the best day ever!".

And we all agreed.

National Geographic's Photography Contest 2010 - The Big Picture - Boston.com

2010-11-22T11:15:00.000-07:00

These photos are from National Geographic's The Big Picture contest. It was difficult to choose just two, but these are the ones which grabbed me. Following the link below, you will find not just portraits but landscapes, wildlife shots, macros and more.

Unsafe Journey. A woman is riding between the railway carriages of a local train heading north from Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. Her luggage is tucked under the carriage in front of her. It is the month of Ramadan, a fast which culminates in Eid-ul-Fitr, a three-day celebration. Tens of thousands of people leave the city to go to their home village and celebrate with their families. Trains are packed and many who fail to get tickets before they sell out or can't afford buying them at the black market ride on the roof of the train or, like this woman, finds a quiet spot between the carriages. (Photo and caption by Amy Helene Johansson) #

National Geographic's Photography Contest 2010 - The Big Picture - Boston.com

After the Crash. My dear friend, Laura, fell from the sky. The helicopter she was traveling in crashed into an open, dry field and burst info flames, killing three of the six passengers on board, including the pilot. Laura survived, but barely. She was burned, crushed, and near death. She broke 45 bones. She was pulled from the burning wreckage by her hair. To this day, she still cannot walk. While there wasn't a part of her body that was unharmed, her spirit and determination to live a full, happy life remains stronger than ever. This image taken in a lush, green field is meant to signify her rebirth. (Photo and caption by Judy Starkman) #

minor cruelty

2010-11-21T14:30:00.002-07:00

Mr. Man just convinced Turnip to taste the spicy end of a 9-volt battery. It wasn't hard. He held it out and the dog licked. When he offered it a second time, Turnip jumped to his feet and looked ready to bolt. I wonder if he was remembering that time his long ear hair got sucked into the vacuum cleaner.

I'm listening to Into the Woods while typing, and Red Riding Hood's lyrics seem apropos.
"Isn't it nice to know a lot? And a little bit not."

Super Mamika!

2010-11-20T17:31:00.000-07:00

From kottke.org. "Photographer Sacha Goldberger has his depressed grandmother pose for a series of outlandish superhero photos. The result was very theraputic for the 91-year-old woman." Click through to Sasha's post to read more, both about his super Grandma and about his photos. Super story!

and then there were none

2010-11-19T17:17:00.001-07:00

It is official. Now every human member of our family has vision correction.
Yippee! Soft polishing cloths all around! When the eye clinic employee brought out her "Disney True Love Princess" glasses in a pink purse-shaped case, Sugarbear nearly gagged. She opted instead for a blue case. Yes, it has hearts on it, but they are yellow and burgundy and navy. That's my girl.

confession

2010-11-18T11:37:00.001-07:00

About a month ago at the farmers' market, I bought two heads of the most gorgeous broccoli I had ever seen in my whole damned life. I was actually excited to cook broccoli. Talk about a food geek. Anyway, the next day, I took out one of these heads, cut it into florets and rinsed it in a colander. In said colander, I found a green caterpillar which had been perfectly camouflaged. I pulled the caterpillar out, showed it around to the family, and put it outside to die. I then steamed the broccoli until tender but still gorgeous bright green. I turned the florets into a bowl. That is when I noticed a multitude of brown, dead caterpillar pieces. Apparently there had been many of them in there which got cut into pieces when I separated the florets. You guys, they had been tucked into the florets, hanging on!

Mr. Man picked out the worm pieces and ate the broccoli. I couldn't touch it. I didn't even want to look at it. I don't think of myself as a squeamish person. I have fished, impaled worms on hooks, taken live fish off of hooks, cooked live crabs & lobsters, etc. But there is still one more head of that previously perfect broccoli in my vegetable bin and I am content to ignore it until it is undeniably rotten enough to discard. Because: ICK.

Perfect Catch.mp4

2010-11-17T09:07:00.000-07:00

To make up for posting three shamefully similar photos of trout in my last post, I give you this. Forgive me. I shot about a hundred, so be grateful.

epic, part 4

2010-11-16T10:26:00.000-07:00

Okay, back to business. We made it to Dream Lake with no problems at all. This day was so perfect, so warm and sunny and gorgeous, that we were completely energized, even after hiking for three hours or so.

This hike is one of those long ones where you keep seeing the same people on the trail as you take turns passing each other. On this particular day, we kept seeing an older couple. The woman was using a walking stick and seemed to be struggling a bit. But she was very game and just kept at it. Right after we cooled our feet in the creek, we arrived at Dream Lake. Here (above) we saw the woman with the stick sitting and resting. Her husband was nowhere around. While my kids climbed all over the giant boulders, I struck up a conversation with her. She said she and her husband were visiting her son and his family. She lives in Florida, her son lives in Boulder. She said she was really enjoying the scenery. After we rested and recharged with a snack, we packed up to continue on to Emerald Lake, our destination. The woman (Barbara, I think), asked us to look our for her son's family and specifically, her little granddaughter. I asked "How will we know her?" She said "She's the most beautiful baby in the world!" When I saw her family farther up the trail, I noticed this baby tucked into a backpack carried by her dad. She truly was gorgeous, with loads of dark, curly hair. I told the dad where his mom was waiting. He said he'd gotten word from other hikers. His mom had made lots of friends on the trail.

In the photo above, you can see that the lake extends into the distance. As we headed up the trail, we traveled in that direction, alongside the back part of the lake.

It was there we started spotting trout and where we met this fisherman. I'm sure he was annoyed by the attention he got from the girls. He was nice about it, though, and patiently answered their questions.

I like how Sugarbear and her dad are pointing out two different trouts to each other.

They were so easy to spot!

The trout were so plentiful and the water so clear you could have used a small net to catch them.

Next stop: Emerald Lake and the final installment.

Saskia Hamilton (Music Video)

2010-11-15T09:47:00.000-07:00

From the Ben Folds/Nick Hornby album. This song gets stuck on replay in my brain.

2010-11-14T16:29:00.002-07:00

My whole house smells like Irish Stew. Yum.

gotta love that Junie B.

2010-11-13T10:57:00.001-07:00

Sugarbear woke up early this morning to pull a loose tooth. She was very excited and, as you see, proud to have pulled it herself. She recently read Junie B. Jones, Toothless Wonder, which provides this handy page for cutting out to give to the tooth fairy. She referenced yesterday's traumatic events in this note. As always, the photos embiggen for easier viewing.

She also added her own notes, in which she circled the mis-spelled words.

I never knew she was so good at drawing a loaded toothbrush.

2010-11-12T19:05:00.003-07:00

It's hard to come up with a decent post for today when all I can think about is how, at school today, a kid chased, knocked down and head-butted Sugarbear. This is the same neighborhood shithead who punched Junebug in the stomach shortly after we moved here. That happened AT THE LIBRARY. A year later he held her under the water at our neighborhood swimming pool.

We try to teach our kids about compassion and giving people second chances. Obviously this was the wrong approach. I don't plan on raising doormats or punching bags.

Liam should think about guarding his throat and groin.

epic, part three

2010-11-11T09:32:00.000-07:00

Where was I? Oh yeah, we were headed for Nymph Lake. Here it is.

Sugarbear re-creates her famous pose, only pretending at obstruction this time. This was her idea. She asked "Is this where I was standing?"

For some reason, my family always wants to strike yogic poses.

Up we go!

Just before we reached Dream Lake, we stopped to cool our feet in this stream.

Next up: Dream Lake. Honestly? It is kind of comforting to think probably no one is reading these.

Nothing to see here, just going through the motions until December.

epic, part 2B

2010-11-11T09:21:00.001-07:00

tell it to the Hand, originally uploaded by peevish me.

This was from our first trip to Nymph Lake, when Sugarbear and I butted heads in a mutually destructive manner. So much has changed, in such delightful ways.

epic, part two

2010-11-10T09:55:00.000-07:00

I. Before I begin, I'd like to share a bit of excitement from last night. Around 6pm, as I was preparing supper, our power went out. The entire street was dark, so I knew it wasn't a fuse. A couple of minutes later, Mr. Man arrived home from work. He said he had seen a big flash from the highway as he was driving. We found our lanterns and loaded them up with batteries. The kids embraced the experience completely. They got to take a bath by lantern light, which they loved! The lights came back on after about 90 minutes and all was returned to (boring) normal.

II. We are only one third of the way through NaBloPoMo. One Third. sigh.

III. Okay, back to the story. Our biggest, most epically successful family hike saga began at the Bear Lake trail head. Well, technically, it started at home with packing up the car for a day-long hike. The weather forecast was for lots of sun and warm temps. Still, we were surprised by how hot it was in the mountains. We took our hoodies just in case, as one never knows what will happens up there. Surprise rain storms and high winds are common. As we entered RMNP we saw the status sign for the Bear Lake parking lot (FULL) and briefly discussed whether we should park and ride the shuttle instead of driving up. But Mr. Man had faith in the luck of the lucky dragon (me) and we took a chance. What do you know? We got a great parking place right at the trail head. Yippee!
We ate a power lunch in the van before visiting the outhouses in preparation for a long hike. For lunch we had: leftover sausages, boiled eggs, peaches, homegrown little yellow pear tomatoes, crackers & cheese. We set off from Bear Lake headed toward Nymph Lake, the first lake on our trip.

You may remember our other trips to Nymph Lake. The first time we came here, Nymph Lake was as far as we got. Last summer, we made it up to Dream Lake and were so proud of ourselves we did a big family cheer afterwards. This year, would we make it all the way to the top? Stay tuned to find out!

Ancient Bones Uncovered in Snowmass

2010-11-09T10:24:00.002-07:00

Ancient Bones Uncovered in Snowmass: "Scientists have identified the bones of several Ice Age species, including a Columbian mammoth, mastodons and bison. "

Each day brings new surprises for scientists who are digging at the bottom of Ziegler Reservoir in Snowmass. Monday they uncovered a second mammoth. And over the weekend, they pulled the skull and horns of a gigantic Ice Age bison from the muddy silt. This unfolding discovery started in mid-October when a construction worker uncovered the bones of the first Columbian mammoth. Since then, researchers have found bones from what they believe are five mastodons and several other mammals. Kirk Johnson is the chief curator at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. (Photo by Heather Russo)

This story is so exciting! And our favorite Denver destination (Museum of Nature and Science) is the official repository for all the dino bones found in Colorado. So once the scientists are done drying and identifying these bones, they will be on display there.

epic, part one

2010-11-08T19:54:00.000-07:00

Well, I've put off today's post so long I'll have to make it a quickie. This is a teaser for a multi-part post about my family's most epic hike ever, from this past August. It was long, high, and glorious. Above is the first photo from the story. I love how Sugarbear looks so creeped out by this uber-nice park ranger. He knew we weren't tourists because we had all the right gear: sun hats, layers, good hiking shoes, lots of water. He asked us where we lived, and when we said Longmont, he said "Oh, so this is your backyard!". He meant Rocky Mountain National Park is our backyard, which is a pretty cool concept. Yes, Sir, it is.

another cheat post

2010-11-07T09:12:00.001-07:00

I am seven days into BloMo and I'm posting another photo/link. It almost certainly won't be the last. At least this one comes with naked people.

Outraged villagers protest over open-air sex at naturist beach

The comments under the article are not to be missed.

transitions

2010-11-06T14:59:00.000-06:00

Today is the first Saturday of no more farmers' markets until next May. Well, the Boulder market is still going on, but I can't be bothered to drive all the way to Boulder, find a parking space, and then fight the obnoxious, smelly Boulder crowds. My friend Tricia (who usually meets up with me at the market) and I decided we couldn't bear to give up our Saturday morning time away from the kids. So we have set up a semi-permanent knitting date to keep us busy for the next many months. She picked me up this morning and we drove to a local coffee shop downtown. There, we gossiped, drank tea, and fixed her wretched hat.

Here are two photos from one of my end-of-season hauls from the market. These were from the first half of October.

Look, I didn't even have time to snap a photo before the butternut squash had been transformed into a baby. Besides the baby, we have brussels sprouts, shallots, carrots, the world's best corn chips, poblano chilies, salad greens, broccoli, Yukon Gold potatoes, a Red Kuri squash, tomatillos and tomatoes.

I will especially miss these flowers. Aren't they happiness in a jar? The lovely women who grew them are offering a CSA for flowers next year. I'm close to jumping on it.

David Letterman - Chilean Miner, Edison Peña

2010-11-05T12:15:00.000-06:00

The best part is the ending. Don't miss it.

Happy Guy Fawkes Day!

2010-11-05T11:55:00.002-06:00

Apparently, this year brought a doubling of the fireworks, what with Diwali falling on the same night. I'm sorry to have missed that spectacle. It sounds phenomenal.

We recently celebrated a special occasion at our own house, and I'm not talking about Halloween. We had a whirlwind visit from some dear, exhausted friends. Though their stay was all too brief, we managed to snap some photos before they dashed away home. Hello, Karibou, Ulysses, and Mister Mose. We miss you already.

fancy

2010-11-04T09:16:00.004-06:00

Ah, yesteryear. The photos above are from the Halloween Hootenanny at the Junebug's school four years ago, back in Austin. She was in kindergarten and Sugarbear was a sassy preschooler. Those were wonderful Halcyon days, but these days are pretty great, too. I shot the photos (below) just before we headed out to the Fall Ball at the girls' current school.

This party is an annual Halloween celebration on the Friday before the holiday which features little beyond a cake walk and a disco. They darken the gym, hire a DJ, put up disco lights and the kids dance for 2 hours. It is a beloved event among the children, who get to wear costumes (sans blood, gore, or weapons) and try out their dance moves. If only they served alcohol, it would be perfect. There are also spooky stories being read aloud in the library (mostly for kids who aren't into dancing). Also, the teachers' lounge gets made up like a gypsy caravan, one which closely resembles a teachers' lounge. Inside, there are two teachers dressed as psychics telling outrageous fortunes to the kids who line up just outside. Junebug was Isis (or Cleopatra, depending upon when you asked her) and Sugarbear was a dragon ninja. She thought of herself as Isis' bodyguard, thus the action-ready protective stance up there.

As I was brushing out the Junebug's hair before applying her headdress, she said this to me.
"Wow, you are brushing the hair of a Goddess. What an honor." Cheeky monkey.

See? Clean CAN win.

2010-11-03T08:37:00.002-06:00

Though it certainly helps when the right wing eats itself by splitting their votes.

Whatever. Yay, Governor Hickenlooper!

Did I just talk myself into NaBloPoMo?? Did that just happen?

2010-11-02T09:43:00.002-06:00

things which are awesome

2010-11-01T15:18:00.002-06:00

This is AWESOME.

Okay, maybe you have to be my kind of freak to see the awesome here.

Pomplamoose with Allee Willis - Jungle Animal

2010-11-01T08:50:00.000-06:00

2010-10-27T08:52:00.003-06:00

I want to buy a couple things at Vitamin Cottage this morning so I went to their website to see when they open. Here is the answer on their website:

Hours: M-Sat 8:56-8:04 Sun 9:56-6:06

2010-10-26T09:28:00.003-06:00

just in time

2010-10-25T21:38:00.003-06:00

PA233279, originally uploaded by peevish me.

I did manage to make a concerted effort to grab some photos of the season's colors. Here is a photo of some banners hanging downtown. Tonight, as I type, a big storm is blowing in which will bring most of the remaining leaves down from the trees. I've posted a few to flickr, to comfort me in the months ahead.

Excuses

2010-10-13T12:56:00.008-06:00

Blimey, it has certainly been awhile since I've put up anything relating to my actual life, hasn't it? In my head, I've written many, many posts. I just haven't done the tedious typing and posting part. Why hasn't Steve Jobs had his minions develop some sort of psychic internet posting app? Hm? Actually, now that I think about it, that would be a pretty bad idea for a variety of reasons. (the future = UNPOST! UNPOST! UNPOST!)

To sum up all the time elapsed between way back then and the here and now, a list of what got in the way. I'm afraid it is a boring read.

1. Kids

2. Work

3. Volunteering at the kids' school

4. Cooking

5. Cleaning (not enough)

6. fun things (hiking, natch. having friends over, riding my bike, lounging about on the weekends)

7. Reading

8. Planning knitting projects. Cool, crisp weather and the sight of Malabrigo worsted merino inspires me to get started on more hats.

9. Not blogging. Not taking enough photos, especially of the absolute gorgeous perfection of the autumn colors. The maples are killing me with their showiness. They look like they are on fire, especially when the sun is behind them. Have I bothered to walk down the street with a camera? No.

But hey, back in October 2008, I made these:

2010-10-07T09:07:00.000-06:00

IT'S DECORATIVE
GOURD SEASON, MOTHERFUCKERS.

2010-10-01T14:01:00.000-06:00

toast and tea

2010-09-24T09:19:00.005-06:00

Yesterday I stayed home with a sick Sugarbear. She'd been up much of the night, and so had I. She was awake due to vomit and other flu-ish symptoms. She needed company. I'm company. She remained in remarkably good spirits throughout, super chatty and demanding I participate fully in her conversation. Me, I prefer silence at 2 am.

Today, she is back at school. She was chipper and excited to get back to the routine.

Now, I am sick. No vomiting, but sore throat and nausea instead. We'll see what develops.

I thought, while I'm sitting here sipping my Candy Cane Lane tea, I'd throw up (sorry) some photos.

My favorite food groups

If anything is better than fresh beans, slowly cooked with minced onion, carrot, and with some bacon (natch), I haven't tasted it yet. My Nanaw taught me to love beans, and they remain as much a comfort food for me as chicken soup.

Tomatoes from our garden. Purple Cherokee, Yellow Pear, Black Cherries and Pineapple. Gotta love those heirlooms, so colorful and the most delicious. Sadly, we are at the very end of the season. The nights are cool now, and the vines are looking half dead. It doesn't help that Turnip has carved out a nest right in the middle of the garden and has taken to rooting around in there and sleeping in the fragrant shade of the plants. He comes in smelling like a tomato plant. In other words, earthy and heavenly at once.

Apple pie made with apples from the farm where I work. These are perfect cooking apples. I don't know the variety, but they are super-firm and slightly tart. Look how well they held up in this pie! And the flavor is wonderful. When I make an apple pie, I often remember the time when I craved an apple pie during my seventh or eighth month of pregnancy with my first child. I had sciatica and was in pain as I stood at the kitchen counter, rolling out the pie crusts. When the pie came out of the oven, I realized it was the most beautiful pie I had ever made. Really, it was a Martha Stewart pie. GORGEOUS. Mr.Man and I impatiently waited for it to cool for, I don't know, a couple of hours? Finally, we cut into it with excitement. I took the first bite...and spit it out. It turned out the sugar I had purchased from the bulk bin at Central Market was really SALT. My gorgeous pie was full of salt. There were many tears. But I learned a valuable lesson that day. Always taste everything. I still never buy sugar from the bulk bin.

"I didn't know we could DO that!"

2010-09-14T09:03:00.006-06:00

I just heard Susan Stamberg interview Patti LuPone on NPR. I was so moved by the portion where Susan describes a friend's daughter's reaction to LuPone's performance in Gypsy.

"A friend of mine, radio producer Neva Grant, took her 12-year-old daughter to see LuPone. You know, at 12 or 13, you don't want to be anywhere near your own mother — don't want to touch your mother and don't want her to touch you. But then LuPone began to sing "Rose's Turn." At the absolute climax of the song, this happens: suddenly, just instinctively, my daughter reaches out and she just grabs my hand as if we're on a roller coaster," Grant says. "She's grabbing my wrist like, 'Oh, my God!' "She just said they were transported. Isn't that the goal?

"Yes. You hope that, as an actor, the job is to move, to change, to transport," LuPone says. And it doesn't always happen. And when it does, you're just grateful that you accomplished the task. And I — I thank you. I'm crying back here."

It reminded me of my drama jock days in high school, and of this scene from Sports Night, when Dana saw The Lion King on Broadway. In a later scene, Dana says she didn't know we could do that, meaning suspend reality in favor of storytelling. When it works, it is magic.

In other news, I miss Sports Night.

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2010-09-08T10:05:00.003-06:00

Check out Nikon's Small World photomicrography contest. Here are some of the micro-photographs being voted upon.

Algae fluorescence.

Soap film

Did you guess it is crystallized soy sauce? Well it is.

Rate the Top 2010 Small World Entries!