Well, we got as far as one day out. Got a day's nice visit with our granddaughter. Then we had to turn back--after all that packing! And fussing, and mail forwarding, etc. We may be able to try again in a week or two. I have left my suitcases in the car, except for the night case I carry into motels.
The small dogs had a bath before they left the kennel. They can't visit the relatives with us because of allergies. But they still have a faint odor that I call Kennel Stench. It's a good kennel and I like the woman who runs it, but you can't help a smell in a kennel.
The leaves on the madrones and the red oaks in the Feather Canyon were pretty and very green this time of year. Wildflowers are over and most of the small waterfalls and seeps are dry. Still, it is a beautiful drive, until you get stopped waiting for roadwork (a crane on a bridge) for three-quarters of an hour.
The weather is still a little warm, just summery, really.
I got my computer back, the Norton protection made Windows unstable and then crashed. It wasn't rebootable even from the CD recue disk. I got the security the repair guy recommended: Kaspersky. So I'm back on the blog. It feels good.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Contrail
Tomorrow I pack, and freeze some cereal and other stuff that might get stale. Once again, I will try not to take too much stuff, and this time I might succeed.
I finished repotting and moving my cactus and succulents back onto the patio today. And there are only dribs and drabs, as S. would say, remaining of the kitchen to pack up. Last night I read an account by the military historian John Keegan about the battle of Agincourt. By any standards this is old news, but he makes it very fresh and fascinating. There were lots of things I never knew: about the low social status of archers, and how they each pounded a large sharpened stake into the ground where they took up a position before the battle. This stake could pierce the breast of a rapidly moving horse. Although, horses don't like to run into things and they particularly don't like to step on something living (or very recently dead) which factor was a problem in many battles, as soldiers fell wounded or dead. This the author makes very clear.
Apparently, at the time Keegan wrote the book, the countryside around Agincourt remained close to what it had been, with an irregularly-shaped plowed field separating two areas of woods. I am looking forward to the essays on Waterloo and the Somme, which complete the book, which begins with a fascinating essay on military history and historians. I found out about Keegan some time ago when he was interviewed on the C-Span program, In Depth, about all of his books. He was such an intelligent and articulate fellow that I ordered several of his titles. I have enjoyed and been impressed by all of them, but have not yet read the one on the Second World War.
Stay tuned, out there in blog-land, I will try to post updates during the drive across the middle of America.
I finished repotting and moving my cactus and succulents back onto the patio today. And there are only dribs and drabs, as S. would say, remaining of the kitchen to pack up. Last night I read an account by the military historian John Keegan about the battle of Agincourt. By any standards this is old news, but he makes it very fresh and fascinating. There were lots of things I never knew: about the low social status of archers, and how they each pounded a large sharpened stake into the ground where they took up a position before the battle. This stake could pierce the breast of a rapidly moving horse. Although, horses don't like to run into things and they particularly don't like to step on something living (or very recently dead) which factor was a problem in many battles, as soldiers fell wounded or dead. This the author makes very clear.
Apparently, at the time Keegan wrote the book, the countryside around Agincourt remained close to what it had been, with an irregularly-shaped plowed field separating two areas of woods. I am looking forward to the essays on Waterloo and the Somme, which complete the book, which begins with a fascinating essay on military history and historians. I found out about Keegan some time ago when he was interviewed on the C-Span program, In Depth, about all of his books. He was such an intelligent and articulate fellow that I ordered several of his titles. I have enjoyed and been impressed by all of them, but have not yet read the one on the Second World War.
Stay tuned, out there in blog-land, I will try to post updates during the drive across the middle of America.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Reaching for a star
Nice weather today. Grandchildren are fun to take to see things as this aquarium photo shows. Tonight, we've been listening to Verdi's Requiem, which always reminds me how my brother went out before Dad's funeral and came back with CDs of several requiems which he played while we were planning the services. The Verdi was especially beautiful.
Monday, August 21, 2006
Run for your life
Sometimes we feel like this! Art by granddaughter M.
Tonight we had our monthly poetry meeting. It is great to have a group like this to talk about writing with! It also means you work on your poems to get ready; it's a goof motivator.
Things are slowly coming together around here as we get ready to travel. I'm hoping to get Internet access along the way, so my readers, wherever you are, will know about the weather in the Dakotas. Good night.
Tonight we had our monthly poetry meeting. It is great to have a group like this to talk about writing with! It also means you work on your poems to get ready; it's a goof motivator.
Things are slowly coming together around here as we get ready to travel. I'm hoping to get Internet access along the way, so my readers, wherever you are, will know about the weather in the Dakotas. Good night.
Her delicate grace
She came from Indonesia. If I had seen one like her in Bali, I would have wanted to buy her and carry her home.
It's been a busy week. Every day I empty out a few shelves in the kitchen. I have found a crystal dish that was a wedding present 51 years ago and many other forgotten wonders.
Tonight we put together the anthology of haiku poems our Yuki Teikei Haiku Society publishes every year. We designed a black and white cover with purple end pages stamped with a copper spiral inside the front. It's very handsome. So that was fun.
I guess we will get to make our trip after all; we plan to leave on Saturday. It's after midnight and very quiet, a nice quiet, surprisingly, softly quiet.
It's been a busy week. Every day I empty out a few shelves in the kitchen. I have found a crystal dish that was a wedding present 51 years ago and many other forgotten wonders.
Tonight we put together the anthology of haiku poems our Yuki Teikei Haiku Society publishes every year. We designed a black and white cover with purple end pages stamped with a copper spiral inside the front. It's very handsome. So that was fun.
I guess we will get to make our trip after all; we plan to leave on Saturday. It's after midnight and very quiet, a nice quiet, surprisingly, softly quiet.
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
The red suspenders
In the badlands, a man and his new dog, Wolfram, look out over the palest sunbaked earth formations. I love the contrast in this picture. My brother sells these red suspenders, which have Shakespeare on them, at the Cedar City Shakespeare festival. I chose a red pair for my husband. Now he has three more of these little dogs. Barkers.
Monday, August 14, 2006
Brine shrimp
Colors of San Francisco Bay, seen from the air. It's been a quiet Sunday, with a long phone call from my daughter. On Book TV, an enthusiastic historian talking about Benedict Arnold's navy and the Battle of Ticonderoga. He is showing slides and pointing out the errors in the history paintings. He's quite funny. A bearded bear-like guy. I often wonder if I could have been precise and disciplined enough to study and write about history. I don't think I am still deciding what to do when I grow up, but maybe so.
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Strawberry square
A fellow stands out on the corner as we turn off the expressway and sells flats of these. Inside are berry baskets, with a layer of these larger and more beautiful streawberries on the top. I needed a wife to hold a gold reflector while I took this. In a book I was looking at today, a photographer gave his wife credit for her reflector-holding on a particular photograph. I have enjoyed these berries very much, but have to admit they are not the sweetest strawberries I have ever had even though some of the most beautiful.
Today I entered books on Librarything up to 1004, so I've passed a big milestone. If I finish the job, I'm estimating the total at about 4000 including the books I keep in Michigan. I need to downsize, but have a very strong attachment to many of them. What to do? Nothing sensible, I suppose.
Today I entered books on Librarything up to 1004, so I've passed a big milestone. If I finish the job, I'm estimating the total at about 4000 including the books I keep in Michigan. I need to downsize, but have a very strong attachment to many of them. What to do? Nothing sensible, I suppose.
Saturday, August 12, 2006
The lion sleeps tonight
Ah, weem o weh . . . I have no idea how they spelled that.
I've been playing with today's sun on hydrangea leaves. And that took me to the quiet jungle, where the lion sleeps.
Tonight we initiated the new press in the new Studio with a few monotypes. It's a beautiful press, a Whelan. Smooth and easy to print with. I'll be spending a lot of time there. I have to think about what I would like to work on and whether I want to print on whole or half sheets or continue to work on some of the partly finished monotypes I have left from the classes. I know I want to do some chine colle and work with Japanese papers. I'd also like to print some more copies of the small plates I made in the etching class. The weather is getting a little too warm again. How are you? I am fine. . .
I've been playing with today's sun on hydrangea leaves. And that took me to the quiet jungle, where the lion sleeps.
Tonight we initiated the new press in the new Studio with a few monotypes. It's a beautiful press, a Whelan. Smooth and easy to print with. I'll be spending a lot of time there. I have to think about what I would like to work on and whether I want to print on whole or half sheets or continue to work on some of the partly finished monotypes I have left from the classes. I know I want to do some chine colle and work with Japanese papers. I'd also like to print some more copies of the small plates I made in the etching class. The weather is getting a little too warm again. How are you? I am fine. . .
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Look!
It's trash night tonight, and we have wheeled big recycle can and small garbage can out to the curb. Where they'll be picked up by the giant tongs on huge noisy trucks in the morning,
Big news today is that you cannot fly with liquids, or gels, including contact lens fluid, prescriptions like insulin, or baby food. No cola bottles. Nada. My new blog name might be GladToDrive.
But this one blog is enough for me. That's my grandchild; she's a talker! She calls us both "Grandpa" which means, I guess, that she understands we visit together.
We start work on this year's haiku anthology in a week. It looks like we have some good poems. It's very quiet outside tonight. And so to sleep.
Big news today is that you cannot fly with liquids, or gels, including contact lens fluid, prescriptions like insulin, or baby food. No cola bottles. Nada. My new blog name might be GladToDrive.
But this one blog is enough for me. That's my grandchild; she's a talker! She calls us both "Grandpa" which means, I guess, that she understands we visit together.
We start work on this year's haiku anthology in a week. It looks like we have some good poems. It's very quiet outside tonight. And so to sleep.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Misty mountains of the sages
Another airplane photo, from a trip to Utah to visit Mom. I love taking these, but don't fly much now. If we gp anythere, we usually drive.
Kitchen update: the water is back on. There was a moment of terror when the disposal wouldn't fit, but our clever guy came over and cut a square hole in the hardboard next to the dishwasher and solved the problem, Eveyrthing works without leaking: dishwasher, disposal and refrigerator water. The stove is also in, but the installer didn't have the microwave yet and will come back. Once the cabinets are rebuilt, we still will have to put in new flooring and paint. Sometimes I wish we hadn't started, but I think it will be very nice. It seems too self-indulgent. The stove looks like it will be a genuine pleasure to cook on. Well-marked controls, and abilities far beyond anything we have ever used.
I have 945 books entered in Librarything now. And patterns are beginning to emerge, which is very ineresting. I found another duplicate today--that makes five in the living room alone, Sigh. But I also found a lot of forgotten books that I want to read or page through the illustrations again; that is a great pleasure.
Kitchen update: the water is back on. There was a moment of terror when the disposal wouldn't fit, but our clever guy came over and cut a square hole in the hardboard next to the dishwasher and solved the problem, Eveyrthing works without leaking: dishwasher, disposal and refrigerator water. The stove is also in, but the installer didn't have the microwave yet and will come back. Once the cabinets are rebuilt, we still will have to put in new flooring and paint. Sometimes I wish we hadn't started, but I think it will be very nice. It seems too self-indulgent. The stove looks like it will be a genuine pleasure to cook on. Well-marked controls, and abilities far beyond anything we have ever used.
I have 945 books entered in Librarything now. And patterns are beginning to emerge, which is very ineresting. I found another duplicate today--that makes five in the living room alone, Sigh. But I also found a lot of forgotten books that I want to read or page through the illustrations again; that is a great pleasure.
Sunday, August 06, 2006
The infinite variety of clouds
I'm still dreaming about travel; this is from that snowy trip through Donner Pass.
Went to the Main Gallery (it's in a yellow house) in Redwood City to see the encaustic collages and print work by a friend. They were small, delicate and very lovely. Then we had a Chinese meal, salad and chicken with orange and ginger. From the taste of it, quite a bit of sugar, too. Good.
This morning on Book TV, an In Depth with an author named Gallagher, a Civil War historian. The Civil War is fascinating, it's true, and there is plenty of documentation. It made me wonder if I would really want to spend my whole career studying one war. I don't think that I would.
Inspector Morse was resureected to solve a murder tonight. We are enjoying it. He's solved it now, and he is being quite wonderfully crabby.
Went to the Main Gallery (it's in a yellow house) in Redwood City to see the encaustic collages and print work by a friend. They were small, delicate and very lovely. Then we had a Chinese meal, salad and chicken with orange and ginger. From the taste of it, quite a bit of sugar, too. Good.
This morning on Book TV, an In Depth with an author named Gallagher, a Civil War historian. The Civil War is fascinating, it's true, and there is plenty of documentation. It made me wonder if I would really want to spend my whole career studying one war. I don't think that I would.
Inspector Morse was resureected to solve a murder tonight. We are enjoying it. He's solved it now, and he is being quite wonderfully crabby.
Another road trip coming up
We are still hoping to make one this summer. It's looking good for the end of this month. More repairs done today: dryer vent, mailbox and retainer board in the front yard.
I've been thinking about poetry and the writing process. Here is something that Brenda Hillman said after a reading at Black Oak Books several years ago.
"What starts a poem is a tension
a sort of generalized ganglion of wierdness . . ."
I wrote it down at once!
Mr. Van Vranken taught me about the ganglion in high school science class. I have often wished I had ever told him how much I learned in those classes. He was a very good teacher and I rarely encountered any better ones later on.
I've been thinking about poetry and the writing process. Here is something that Brenda Hillman said after a reading at Black Oak Books several years ago.
"What starts a poem is a tension
a sort of generalized ganglion of wierdness . . ."
I wrote it down at once!
Mr. Van Vranken taught me about the ganglion in high school science class. I have often wished I had ever told him how much I learned in those classes. He was a very good teacher and I rarely encountered any better ones later on.
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Looking for the color yellow
The Wild Thyme Unseen . . .
This is a philosophical cat. She lives on a farm in Michigan and enjoys springtime, as we all do. She is the music and doesn't think about it lasting. The lines below are from The Dry Salvages, No. 3 of Eliot's Four Quartets. This is poetry for grownups--sometimes I think I understand it--yet often parts seem very mysterious to me. Pat Shelley was very fond of the Four Quartets; she was the music for me--I still miss her.
"For most of us, there is only the unattended
Moment, the moment in and out of time,
The distraction fit, lost in a shaft of sunlight,
The wild thyme unseen, or the winter lightning
Or the waterfall, or music heard so deeply
That it is not heard at all, but you are the music
While the music lasts. "
T.S. Eliot
I don't wear yellow; I don't decorate with it. Still I notice that it is the brightest and lightest color, film loves it and yellow often makes paintings sing. Nature loves it too, as shown by the great numbers of yellow flowers. And many little birds are yellow, wholly or in part, flitting through the spring woods.
Now here we are in high midsummer. Tonight, crickets keep up a metronomic rhythm outdoors. We have the windows wide open to catch the summer air.
I found two books I have had nearly forever, one since I was three, a Mary had a Little Lamb which my parents bought as a souvenir of our trip to New England. I know about this trip only because of the photographs. I don't remember anything about it. I've had the other book, a laarge blue one, since I was ten or eleven. It is called No. 12 Joy Street and is an anthology of poems and stories. The ditty about the Five Tarakans has been running through my head ever since I found it again last night. Tomorrow maybe I will share it with you, weblog buddies. Good night.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Sea forms and Proust
Investigating my books to enter them on LIbrarything, I found the three volume Proust, which still stands as a reproach to me. I've always been such a serious reader, but this has stopped me cold several times. The last time (after a hip replacement) I marked this passage on page 20. (I did get some further, but not even halfway through the first volume.)
It is really very intelligent and has made me plan to try again.
* * * *
“Even the simple act which we describe as “seeing someone we know” is to some extent an intellectual process. We pack the physical outline of the person we see with all the notions we have already formed about him, and in the total picture of him which we compose in our minds those notions have certainly the principal place. In the end they come to fill out so completely the curve of his cheeks, to follow so exactly the line of his nose, they blend so harmoniously in the sound of his voice as if it were no more than a transparent envelope, that each time we see the face or hear the voice it is these notions which we recognize and to which we listen.”
Marcel Proust, Swann’s Way,
translated by C. K. Scott Moncrieff and Terence Kilmartin, p. 20
That last sentence is SOME sentence! But I think this is really a very acute perception.
This picture is of the Chihuly glass on exhibit at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Tomorrow, I have some T.S. Eliot for you . . .
No kidding!
It is really very intelligent and has made me plan to try again.
* * * *
“Even the simple act which we describe as “seeing someone we know” is to some extent an intellectual process. We pack the physical outline of the person we see with all the notions we have already formed about him, and in the total picture of him which we compose in our minds those notions have certainly the principal place. In the end they come to fill out so completely the curve of his cheeks, to follow so exactly the line of his nose, they blend so harmoniously in the sound of his voice as if it were no more than a transparent envelope, that each time we see the face or hear the voice it is these notions which we recognize and to which we listen.”
Marcel Proust, Swann’s Way,
translated by C. K. Scott Moncrieff and Terence Kilmartin, p. 20
That last sentence is SOME sentence! But I think this is really a very acute perception.
This picture is of the Chihuly glass on exhibit at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Tomorrow, I have some T.S. Eliot for you . . .
No kidding!
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
The sunstruck western land
I love the shapes and the colors in this--I didn't alter it in any way; I don't think I even cropped it. I hope to be traveling across these American expanses again in a few weeks. Tile Man began his work today and should be through on Thursday. Then only plumbing and stove installation. Wow . . .
Up to 702 books entered in Librarything now. I am finding some weird stuff that there is no point in keeping, some good old friends, two duplicates, and a bunch of stuff I haven't read yet. S. makes fun of this. A book came in the mail today. When he brought me the package, he said I should be sure to enter it quickly . . .
What would we do without those three little dots . . .
Up to 702 books entered in Librarything now. I am finding some weird stuff that there is no point in keeping, some good old friends, two duplicates, and a bunch of stuff I haven't read yet. S. makes fun of this. A book came in the mail today. When he brought me the package, he said I should be sure to enter it quickly . . .
What would we do without those three little dots . . .
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