The Smile

Smile
Originally uploaded by jhhymas.

Thanksgiving is over. We had a great family visit, then came home to put the kitchen back together. It's almost completely done now and will surely be worth it, just because of the reorganization. It's been hard to keep up this blog; one day passes, and then another, and I cannot think of anything to write about.
I did go to the dentist today and now have TWO temporary crowns. One for the one that fell out on the way home and one for the one the dentist had been wanting to fix for two years. I was in the chair today for over two hours. I should feel grateful for being in a world where I can get dental care, but somehow, gratitude isn't the primary emotion. Here comes Christmas!

Afternoon light today

Afternoon light
Originally uploaded by jhhymas.

A lovely drive today through parts of Idaho, Oregon and Nevada. There was moisture and/or dust in the air most of the way, which made lovely effects with the bright sun. The dogs are sleeping quietly now in the motel.
Our daughter-in-law made us such generaous sandwiches for the drive that they served as both lunch and dinner. Good night.

Through Colorado

Dramatic sky
Originally uploaded by jhhymas.

The storm was over when we drove from Cheyenne to Evanston today. Snow and cloud traces lingered. I took some photos through the window along Highway 80. Midway, at the Lincoln monument, Lincoln looked out over the snow (and past some rail fences) very handsomely. We ae staying in a nice older motel that has large rooms, beautiful paneling on the walls, solid stained planks on the ceilings and terazzo floors in the bathroom. There was a storm in Colorado yesterday, and we waited a day in Cheyenne for it to pass. The roads were mostly dry, but in one snowy place, we saw four vehicles just off the road. Good night.

In the purple dusk

In the purple dusk
Originally uploaded by jhhymas.

For the first time, a whole blog entry refused to stick a couple of nights ago. But tonight, I need to get some momentum again. It is easy to let this slide if I miss even one day, the next one is easier to miss.
This election turned out better than I had hoped, except for some environmental protections for Santa Clara County. I don't know what the Democratic side will be able to do about Iraq, but at least the wholesale destruction of environmental protections will have to slow down. I'm hoping. But the White House's veto power will likely pevent any big changes in the status quo, or any sort of improvements for the lives of ordinary people. I am proud of Nancy Pelosi tonight. The first woman to hold that position.
Tonight my college grandsons are staying over. We plan to start the long trek back on Saturday morning.

Our View of Goatsbeard Farm

PICT0074 up2
Originally uploaded by jhhymas.

One of the things I like most about living here is the spectacular and ever-moving clouds. Tonight we listened to Gotterdammerung on Vox. It also is spectacular, perhaps almost TOO spectacular, and very long. It is nice to listen to the orchestral textures and the way the themes thread together.
The little dogs enjoyed the fire tonight, turning to toast the other side, when the first one got too warm. We have about a week now to batten down the hatches here and prepare for the trip.
I have been reading some books about Basquiat and looking at reproductions of his art. I think it makes me uncomfortable because of so much clear anger. I'm not comfortable around anger, since my family had a very controlled atmosphere and it seemed like there wasn't any need or room for the expression of anger. Perhaps anger is often the very most appropriate response. I guess it scares me.

You need a strong tail for this!

You need a strong tail for this!
Originally uploaded by jhhymas.

Or Suet Cake II. This little guy is a daily visitor. It is quite cold at night now, but I think the woodpeckers stay throughout the winter.

There was a beautiful Schubert program on the radio tonight. It was a rebroadcast of one of the George Jellinek shows. I hadn't listened to Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau for a long time. I hope I am spelling these names right. What a glorious voice for Schubert he had. Jellinek made quite a point of the information that so much of Schubert's work wasn't published until after his death at age 31. Jellinek also talked a lot about the poetry Schubert set his songs upon and the poets he responded to the most strongly. To me this program was very nourishing, like a nice suet cake. Good night.

Now November begins

Faux graveyard and conifers
Originally uploaded by jhhymas.

Happy Halloween! No one came down the long dirt drive. Not a single trick-or-treater. The world has changed so much. Now November begins. The winds were fierce today. The larches glow golden in the brief moments when the sun strikes them. Mostly the sun is obscured by heavy layers of cloud.
I have been reading Rumor Verified, a book of Robert Penn Warren's poems from 1980. They are quite strong and quite emotional, almost too much so for my present mood. But the the language, sound, structure and vocablulary are peerless. I have finished getting all the books here into Librarything, and feel quite virtuous, as if it were much of an accomplishment. I enjoy playing with the data. Did I tell you about Listsofbests.com? It is a great site, too, and lets you check off lists of books you have read and make comparisons. I've read a lot of Newberry Medal winners, but by no means all of them. I'm pretty poor on the Pulitzers, though. Better on the classics. I also found a list of great blogs and will look at a couple each day. I want to improve this one, but not with sound, video or things that jiggle. It's a work in progress, and still in search of a purpose.