Twice this week the dogs and I have encountered rather large turtles during the morning dog walk. Both times the turtles were red eared sliders and were roughly the size of a bike helmet. I'm pretty sure they were different turtles since Thursday's turtle had a scar on it's shell, most likely from a boat's propeller, and today's turtle had an unblemished shell.
Both times the dogs completely lost their collective biscuit. Once they caught sight of the turtles they were howling and lunging against their leashes. Thus I couldn't get very close for a proper turtle picture. The closer I would get the more obnoxious the dos would become, driving the turtle away far us as fast as it could.
Hopefully the two I saw will not return to the roads and stay low. It would be a pity to have them picked off by a car.
Friday, May 31, 2013
Thursday, May 30, 2013
The Kiss
Happy anniversary sweetie.
22 years ago you proposed and I accepted.
21 years ago we said I do.
Best decisions ever.
22 years ago you proposed and I accepted.
21 years ago we said I do.
Best decisions ever.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Artist of the Week: Engineering Brilliance
A few days ago I bumped into the story of a Chinese farmer building his own prosthetic arms. I am completely in awe of this man. He is a real life version of Tony Stark in a cave with a box of scraps.
Sun Jifa is completely self taught. Frustrated by the largely cosmetic arms he initially got after he lost his arms from an explosion, he tinkered with them until he created fully functional arms. If fact his prosthetic arms are so good others have been seeking him out for their own pair. He has created a successful business and is now able to support his family.
Below is a video of his story.
Sun Jifa is completely self taught. Frustrated by the largely cosmetic arms he initially got after he lost his arms from an explosion, he tinkered with them until he created fully functional arms. If fact his prosthetic arms are so good others have been seeking him out for their own pair. He has created a successful business and is now able to support his family.
Below is a video of his story.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Cheesecake with Strawberry and Rhubarb Compote
So yesterday this happened.
I asked Larry what he wanted for dessert yesterday and he said cheesecake. Initially I demurred, having just made a chocolate one on Thursday to bring to the Friday congregational potluck and it being a dessert that our guest, Meryl, did not care for. He then thought strawberry rhubarb pie would be good. That too was on Meryl's no fly list, so I said the heck with it all, I'll just make Larry happy and make the cheesecake. At that point, with the whole strawberry-rhubarb pie thing in my head, I had the idea of making a strawberry and rhubarb compote as a topping.
I have never made any sort of a compote before so it was off to the internets for research.
I hit upon this one by David Lebovitz.. It read well, was quick and easy to make, and (this is key) I had most of the ingredients. All I needed was rhubarb, which was a bit hard to find, but not impossible. The end result was sublime. It was fabulous straight out of the pot and on the cheesecake.
As for the cheesecake, Meryl tried a tiny crumb and discovered the magic of a really good homemade cheesecake. Now she can't wait for the next time I make a chocolate one.
I asked Larry what he wanted for dessert yesterday and he said cheesecake. Initially I demurred, having just made a chocolate one on Thursday to bring to the Friday congregational potluck and it being a dessert that our guest, Meryl, did not care for. He then thought strawberry rhubarb pie would be good. That too was on Meryl's no fly list, so I said the heck with it all, I'll just make Larry happy and make the cheesecake. At that point, with the whole strawberry-rhubarb pie thing in my head, I had the idea of making a strawberry and rhubarb compote as a topping.
I have never made any sort of a compote before so it was off to the internets for research.
I hit upon this one by David Lebovitz.. It read well, was quick and easy to make, and (this is key) I had most of the ingredients. All I needed was rhubarb, which was a bit hard to find, but not impossible. The end result was sublime. It was fabulous straight out of the pot and on the cheesecake.
As for the cheesecake, Meryl tried a tiny crumb and discovered the magic of a really good homemade cheesecake. Now she can't wait for the next time I make a chocolate one.
Monday, May 27, 2013
Mansions of the Lord
Amongst the barbecues, parades, and parties don't forget the the reason for this holiday. Remember all those who have fallen and made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Of Towels and Tournaments
Big doings this weekend. Saturday was both Towel day and the start of the soccer tourney that Rebecca's team was entered and Sunday was the conclusion of said tourney.
Now Towel Day is the celebration of Douglas Adams and his works and what better way to mark it than a reference to the Hitchhikers Guide to theGalaxy. To whit:
Now as far as soccer was concerned, it was a lovely weekend. Tempertures were low and it was not raining.The girls started with a bang and handily won their first game on Saturday. The second one far closer and we lost by two goals. However, this was good enough to secure a berth in the semi-finals as a second seed.
Sunday dawned clear and bright and the girls were keen to go. They were playing a team we had lost to twice during the regular season, the first time our team was crushed and the second time (a mere two weeks ago) I think we lost by just one goal. Our team had come a long way since last fall and wee ready to take the other team on.
It was an incredible game to watch as the two teams really picked up their level of play. They battled back and forth with both teams pulling out all the stops. The final score was 0 - 0, but it was far from boring. At the end of the game the players on the pitch were called to the center by the referee. He set them up for a penalty shootout to determine which team would go on to the finals. It was a real nail-biter and we ended up missing by one. Our girls were sad, but not crushed. They knew they had done an outstanding job.
Now Towel Day is the celebration of Douglas Adams and his works and what better way to mark it than a reference to the Hitchhikers Guide to theGalaxy. To whit:
As you can see both Dell and John are in the proper Towel Day spirit and have their towels at hand, or rather paw.Towel Day: A Tribute to Douglas Adams
Monday 14 May 2001 06:00am PDT
Douglas Adams will be missed by his fans worldwide. So that all his fans everywhere can pay tribute to this genius, I propose that two weeks after his passing (25 May 2001) be marked as "Towel Day". All Douglas Adams fans are encouraged to carry a towel with them for the day.
So long Douglas, and thanks for all the fish!
— D Clyde Williamson, 2001-05-14
Now as far as soccer was concerned, it was a lovely weekend. Tempertures were low and it was not raining.The girls started with a bang and handily won their first game on Saturday. The second one far closer and we lost by two goals. However, this was good enough to secure a berth in the semi-finals as a second seed.
Sunday dawned clear and bright and the girls were keen to go. They were playing a team we had lost to twice during the regular season, the first time our team was crushed and the second time (a mere two weeks ago) I think we lost by just one goal. Our team had come a long way since last fall and wee ready to take the other team on.
It was an incredible game to watch as the two teams really picked up their level of play. They battled back and forth with both teams pulling out all the stops. The final score was 0 - 0, but it was far from boring. At the end of the game the players on the pitch were called to the center by the referee. He set them up for a penalty shootout to determine which team would go on to the finals. It was a real nail-biter and we ended up missing by one. Our girls were sad, but not crushed. They knew they had done an outstanding job.
Friday, May 24, 2013
Inside Out
I took this picture a while ago up in Richmond. A garage off of one of the cobblestone alleys had been left open along with the door leading out. I loved the whole feel of the scene, the contrast of the shadowed dark wall with the light ceiling and floor, the starkness of the space, and the open doorway in the back leading out into the light.
I'm pleased how this image is straight out of the (phone) camera. No retouching of any sort was needed. Heck I didn't even need to do any cropping
I'm pleased how this image is straight out of the (phone) camera. No retouching of any sort was needed. Heck I didn't even need to do any cropping
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Silly Girls
 |
| Sky Blue Silliness |
Rebecca's team, Sky Blue, had their party a few hours after their last game. It was just enough time to get cleaned up and head on over to Extreme Laser Tag. The girls got to play a couple of rounds of laser tag, eat cupcakes and pizza, and have a good time goofing off with each other.
We got a few more traditional team type pictures, but this one, when they were told to be silly, is by far the best. The two grown-ups in the back were the coaches, a husband and wife duo, and they look a bit amused by the silliness that surrounds them. It was a lovely party.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Artist of the Week: Spring Band Concert
Last week was the 35th annual Spring Concert for Jacob's wind symphony. They did a great job on the four main pieces: Time Sift. Heartbeat Five, Sun Cycles, and Passages plus the traditional end of Spring concert set: Armed Forces Songs (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard) and The Stars and Stripes Forever. This year there was an added bonus in the audience, Jacob's grandparents were able to come down for the concert.
I selected Sun Cycles to post because of a rather odd connection we have with the song. It was composed by Brian Balmages as a commission by the Patrick Marsh Middle School in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, just outside of Madison. We had lived in Madison for oh about 7 years and still have friends in the area and in fact one family still lives in Sun Prairie.
Funny how you can find connections in the strangest places.
I selected Sun Cycles to post because of a rather odd connection we have with the song. It was composed by Brian Balmages as a commission by the Patrick Marsh Middle School in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, just outside of Madison. We had lived in Madison for oh about 7 years and still have friends in the area and in fact one family still lives in Sun Prairie.
Funny how you can find connections in the strangest places.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Baking With Julia- Savory Brioche Pockets
This week's challenge on Baking with Julia was Savory Brioche Pockets. For the full recipe and many pretty pictures head on over the the challenge's host, Loaves and Stitches.
I enjoyed making these little pockets full of yum, though they are a bit labor intensive with the brioche dough. I planned a head this time and decided very early on to tweak the recipe more to our liking. I love asparagus, but not everybody in my family can or will eat it. Therefor it was time for a bit of substitution.
Spinach came to mind, I could promote the pockets as a sort of spinach pie. So I blanched the spinach and used roughly a heaping tablespoon per pocket. The end result was quite good even with my forgetting to add the chives (and dang it I was looking forward to cutting back my seemingly immortal chives), all it needed was an extra bit of salt. I don't know if I'll make them again, the dough is a bit fussy, but they were a very tasty experiment.
I enjoyed making these little pockets full of yum, though they are a bit labor intensive with the brioche dough. I planned a head this time and decided very early on to tweak the recipe more to our liking. I love asparagus, but not everybody in my family can or will eat it. Therefor it was time for a bit of substitution.
Spinach came to mind, I could promote the pockets as a sort of spinach pie. So I blanched the spinach and used roughly a heaping tablespoon per pocket. The end result was quite good even with my forgetting to add the chives (and dang it I was looking forward to cutting back my seemingly immortal chives), all it needed was an extra bit of salt. I don't know if I'll make them again, the dough is a bit fussy, but they were a very tasty experiment.
Monday, May 20, 2013
West of the Moon
The following is an interesting little film partially based on the interviews of several hundred children about their dreams. I found the film over at Short film of the Week and you can learn more about the director Brent Bonacorso, over at his site.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
A Quiet Place
I think one of my favorite places on Friday was this quite little garden just to the side of the main entrance to then National Gallery.
It was cool and shady with comfortable benches facing the fountain. Max and I relaxed there after all the activity and walking in the Museum of Natural History. The National Sculpture Garden between the two was nice, but this spot was a better place to rest.
It was cool and shady with comfortable benches facing the fountain. Max and I relaxed there after all the activity and walking in the Museum of Natural History. The National Sculpture Garden between the two was nice, but this spot was a better place to rest.
Friday, May 17, 2013
A Capital Field Trip
Today was the big fifth grade field trip to Washington DC and I got to spend the day playing tourist with Max.
Our school does the big DC trip a little differently than most others. Instead of large groups of students being herded about on a set schedule we have as many parent chaperons willing to come allowing us to scatter to the for winds. Each chaperon has one, possibly two students, we are dropped off at the Museum of Natural History at roughly 10 and picked up at the Air and Space Museum precisely at 2:30 pm. DC traffic being what it is if we are just 5 minutes late on our departure another hour is added to the drive.
As a result the kids get to go to the museums they want.
Max chose the Museum of Natural History, the National Gallery, and the Air and Space Museum. The later was only the result of A) we had lunch there and B) that was our pick up point. He really wanted to go to the Lincoln Memorial, but with a half hour hike to and from he decided it wasn't worth the effort. The weather was perfect, not at all the scorcher that was originally forecast. I had a good time as did everybody else on the trip.
Our school does the big DC trip a little differently than most others. Instead of large groups of students being herded about on a set schedule we have as many parent chaperons willing to come allowing us to scatter to the for winds. Each chaperon has one, possibly two students, we are dropped off at the Museum of Natural History at roughly 10 and picked up at the Air and Space Museum precisely at 2:30 pm. DC traffic being what it is if we are just 5 minutes late on our departure another hour is added to the drive.
As a result the kids get to go to the museums they want.
Max chose the Museum of Natural History, the National Gallery, and the Air and Space Museum. The later was only the result of A) we had lunch there and B) that was our pick up point. He really wanted to go to the Lincoln Memorial, but with a half hour hike to and from he decided it wasn't worth the effort. The weather was perfect, not at all the scorcher that was originally forecast. I had a good time as did everybody else on the trip.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Special Delivery
Once again a pair of birds have taken residence in the newspaper/junk flier slot beneath our mailbox. this time around we have bluebirds instead of the usual wren that we have had the past few years.
Sadly one egg has been lost, we found it on the road, beneath the mailbox. Dell of course ate it, but it was clearly cracked before the dog gobbled it up. At least one egg is left, so we hope that the nest hasn't been abandoned.
It's a good thing we don't get a daily paper.
Sadly one egg has been lost, we found it on the road, beneath the mailbox. Dell of course ate it, but it was clearly cracked before the dog gobbled it up. At least one egg is left, so we hope that the nest hasn't been abandoned.
It's a good thing we don't get a daily paper.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Artist of the Week: Lemon Squares
It's my turn to be the artist of the week. Once in a while I like to toot my own horn.
First off the picture, it is the dreaded selfie. I took it after mowing the lawn for no other reason than I like my hat. I've had this hat for nigh on 17 years. I got it in a small shop in Westport Ontario. We had gone of vacation with friends that have access to a fishing cabin on Bob's Lake. The hat is pigskin suede and although I don't wear it very often, I am rather fond of the hat.
Maybe one of my goals should be to wear the hat more often. Another good one would be to allow other people to take my picture. As self portraits go it is not too bad. At least I am not making a duck face (Why to people do that? Nobody looks good with that expression.). Either way I should stop hogging the camera and allow for more photographic evidence that I exist.
Now on to the lemon squares.
I have quite a repertoire of baked goods and sometimes I lose track of the minor favorites. The lemon squares are a good example. I was trying to think of what to send my mom for Mother's Day when I remembered that she really likes my lemon squares. They are a breeze to make and would also work for the teacher luncheon. I ended up making three batches, one for my mom and a double for the school. Jacob bemoaned the fact that all he was getting were the trimmings and the rejects. I promised I would bake one more batch for the family.
The squares were a much bigger hit this time around. All the kids will eat them as opposed to just Jacob. I don't see these hanging around for any length of time.
First off the picture, it is the dreaded selfie. I took it after mowing the lawn for no other reason than I like my hat. I've had this hat for nigh on 17 years. I got it in a small shop in Westport Ontario. We had gone of vacation with friends that have access to a fishing cabin on Bob's Lake. The hat is pigskin suede and although I don't wear it very often, I am rather fond of the hat.
Maybe one of my goals should be to wear the hat more often. Another good one would be to allow other people to take my picture. As self portraits go it is not too bad. At least I am not making a duck face (Why to people do that? Nobody looks good with that expression.). Either way I should stop hogging the camera and allow for more photographic evidence that I exist.
Now on to the lemon squares.
I have quite a repertoire of baked goods and sometimes I lose track of the minor favorites. The lemon squares are a good example. I was trying to think of what to send my mom for Mother's Day when I remembered that she really likes my lemon squares. They are a breeze to make and would also work for the teacher luncheon. I ended up making three batches, one for my mom and a double for the school. Jacob bemoaned the fact that all he was getting were the trimmings and the rejects. I promised I would bake one more batch for the family.
The squares were a much bigger hit this time around. All the kids will eat them as opposed to just Jacob. I don't see these hanging around for any length of time.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Space Oddity
Odds are you have already seen this video, but if you haven't you are in for a treat. It is a brilliant reworking of David Bowie's Space Oddity being performed by Commander Chris Hadfield while on board the International Space Station.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Happy Mother's Day
I know I have posted this picture before, but it is one of my favorites. It's fitting for today since the picture has both my mother and the people that made me a mother.
I hope all the moms out there had a nice a day as I did, no deadlines or rushing off to be somewhere else. I got up when I wanted, went out for lunch when we were ready, and saw a movie when we arrived at the movie theater. It helps that we had a late lunch at our favorite Mexican restaurant which rarely has a line and saw Iron Man 3 which has eleventy billion show times, so again no line.
I hope all the moms out there had a nice a day as I did, no deadlines or rushing off to be somewhere else. I got up when I wanted, went out for lunch when we were ready, and saw a movie when we arrived at the movie theater. It helps that we had a late lunch at our favorite Mexican restaurant which rarely has a line and saw Iron Man 3 which has eleventy billion show times, so again no line.
Friday, May 10, 2013
Brothers and Best Friends
This is my favorite picture for this week.
Dell and John are very much bonded. They love to sleep near each other, so this is a common sight. They prefer to go outside together and have been know to wait at the top of the deck's staircase for each other begore venturing out to the yard.
As for the picture, I saw them sleeping in their dog bed and really noticed the play of light on the. It was one f the few breaks in the weathe5r this week and the sun was finally allowed to peek out of the grey skies. It was a bit tricky taking the picture and not have Dell pop up. As you can see I was successful in the end.
Dell and John are very much bonded. They love to sleep near each other, so this is a common sight. They prefer to go outside together and have been know to wait at the top of the deck's staircase for each other begore venturing out to the yard.
As for the picture, I saw them sleeping in their dog bed and really noticed the play of light on the. It was one f the few breaks in the weathe5r this week and the sun was finally allowed to peek out of the grey skies. It was a bit tricky taking the picture and not have Dell pop up. As you can see I was successful in the end.
Thursday, May 09, 2013
Rainy Day Chives
For the past week and a half the weather has been wet, wet, wet. Soccer practices have been relocated or out right canceled from either rain or unplayable fields. The lawn is soaked, the playing fields are soaked, and everything is growing like mad.
This is my more than a decade old chives. Every year they die back over the winter and every spring they come back. Once in a while I toss in a bit more soil into the pot and make sure it is watered. The moss growing on the soil around the plants seems to hold in the moisture fairly well, helping the chives survive when we go traveling in the summer. I trim it back all summer long whenever I want fresh chives in my cooking.
This is my level of gardening, minimal effort with a great return.
This is my more than a decade old chives. Every year they die back over the winter and every spring they come back. Once in a while I toss in a bit more soil into the pot and make sure it is watered. The moss growing on the soil around the plants seems to hold in the moisture fairly well, helping the chives survive when we go traveling in the summer. I trim it back all summer long whenever I want fresh chives in my cooking.
This is my level of gardening, minimal effort with a great return.
Wednesday, May 08, 2013
Artist of the Week: Clay
This week's artist is Miss Rebecca. I took this picture at a school event promoting science at the Science Museum of Virginia. Her team did quite well, coming in first in a couple of individual events. The students did games such as flipping a spoon into a cup using another spoon, bouncing a ball into a fish bowl, and constructing a floating tower. The various teams were from different elementary schools in the district with each participating school fielding two teams k-2nd and 3rd-5th. The program is STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering. Art, and Math) and the idea behind it is to make science fun, and it certainly was. A good time was had by all.
On the more artistic front Rebecca has that covered as well. Once again her artwork was selected for exhibit at the school district's festival of Arts and Sciences.
This year her grade was working with clay. Their primary assignment was to construct a house.Rebecca made a cute little cottage with a small pond in the front yard. It is a small sculpture, not even three inches across. It has a cheerful yellow roof that brings to mind thatching.
It is a cute little button of a house.
Rebecca also had a second clay sculpture on exhibit. It is an equally small dragon perched on a rock. I'm not sure how many students got to make a second sculpture. I do know there were far fewer of these when compared to all the houses.
Anyhoo, I really like the dragon, she put a lot of effort into capturing all the details of her creation. I particularly like the dragon's expression. I don't know why I do, just that I like it.
On the more artistic front Rebecca has that covered as well. Once again her artwork was selected for exhibit at the school district's festival of Arts and Sciences.
This year her grade was working with clay. Their primary assignment was to construct a house.Rebecca made a cute little cottage with a small pond in the front yard. It is a small sculpture, not even three inches across. It has a cheerful yellow roof that brings to mind thatching.
It is a cute little button of a house.
Rebecca also had a second clay sculpture on exhibit. It is an equally small dragon perched on a rock. I'm not sure how many students got to make a second sculpture. I do know there were far fewer of these when compared to all the houses.
Anyhoo, I really like the dragon, she put a lot of effort into capturing all the details of her creation. I particularly like the dragon's expression. I don't know why I do, just that I like it.
Tuesday, May 07, 2013
Baking With Julia- Fresh Rhubarb Upside-Down (not so) Baby Cake
This week's Baking with Julia challenge was Fresh Rhubarb Upside-Down Baby Cake with the host being Erin over at When in Doubt... Leave it at 350. Hopefully she'll post the full recipe and at that point I'll fix the link to go directly to the recipe. Yay link works!
As y'all probably guessed by the title I did not make Baby Cakes, I didn't feel like messing around with my four inch pans and decided to make a 12 inch cake alternative instead. And why yes I do have a 12 inch spring form cake pan, I'm hard core.
As y'all probably guessed by the title I did not make Baby Cakes, I didn't feel like messing around with my four inch pans and decided to make a 12 inch cake alternative instead. And why yes I do have a 12 inch spring form cake pan, I'm hard core.
The resultant cake was delicious. There is nothing like fresh rhubarb and loved the flavor it imparted. I couldn't find crème fraîche nor did I feel like making it so I used the third alternative listed in the recipe, sour cream. It worked out very well, though I would like to try making the cake sometime with crème fraîche. Also I think it was easier to make it in one pan than 8 (!) mini cake pans, it would be tricky dividing the caramel between all those pans.
Oh and my one modification, I lined the cake pan so I wouldn't mess up the rhubarb when I turned out the cake. It was very easy to peel off after I removed the spring form pan from the overturned cake.
This would make an excellent brunch or tea-time treat. Next time, and there will be a next time, I might just halve the recipe for a more manageable quantity of cake.
Monday, May 06, 2013
Sunday, May 05, 2013
Questions About Dog Food
I ended up reading an article over on The Slate today titled A Dog-Eat-Dog World, Does your pet’s food contain dead pets? The article itself was rather poorly written, but the comments are excellent.
I have been aware for some time, at least a decade or so, that commercial dog food runs the gamut from abysmal to excellent. The key thing is to read the label. Avoid foods with generic terms such as protein meal, if it doesn't specify the source then it could be anything. I like The Dog Food Advisor, it has a pretty comprehensive list of the foods available plus they post pet food recalls.
If you don't understand what the ingredients are then odds are you wouldn't want to feed it to your pet.
Thursday, May 02, 2013
Wisteria
Here's one more picture from my ramble about Richmond.
It"s the same plant from the previous post, just with a different take on the composition. I think I like this picture a little more, but the other one fit better in the context of the post. Either way I like both pictures.
Sadly the blooms are all starting to fade. I love the extravagant clusters that are formed with the delicate shades of purple with a hint of yellow in the throat. Every year I delight in their short lived abundance.
For me the blooms passing marks the end of spring. The trees are all fully leafed and the bare branches of winter are a dim memory. Soon it will be all too hot.
It"s the same plant from the previous post, just with a different take on the composition. I think I like this picture a little more, but the other one fit better in the context of the post. Either way I like both pictures.
Sadly the blooms are all starting to fade. I love the extravagant clusters that are formed with the delicate shades of purple with a hint of yellow in the throat. Every year I delight in their short lived abundance.
For me the blooms passing marks the end of spring. The trees are all fully leafed and the bare branches of winter are a dim memory. Soon it will be all too hot.
Wednesday, May 01, 2013
Artist of the Week: Surprise
The artist, or rather artists, of the week are Jacob's high school band, in particular the trumpet section.
Last Tuesday was the birthday of one of Jacob's band-mates. He is a fellow trumpet player and on a day he was out it was decided by the section that they would arrange for a surprise party. The asked the band director and she readily agreed. A request was made for cupcakes and I happily volunteered. The students planned the whole thing, the band director only got involved to help me coordinate the best time for the cupcake drop off.
The party was a big success. The birthday boy was completely surprised. He is not one of the popular crowd, just a socially awkward high school band kid who never would expect such a thing. Both the director and I thought it was a very sweet thing for the kids to do.
Before this I always thought band is a wonderful thing and now I definitely know it is. It like a big family and they all look out for each other.
Last Tuesday was the birthday of one of Jacob's band-mates. He is a fellow trumpet player and on a day he was out it was decided by the section that they would arrange for a surprise party. The asked the band director and she readily agreed. A request was made for cupcakes and I happily volunteered. The students planned the whole thing, the band director only got involved to help me coordinate the best time for the cupcake drop off.
The party was a big success. The birthday boy was completely surprised. He is not one of the popular crowd, just a socially awkward high school band kid who never would expect such a thing. Both the director and I thought it was a very sweet thing for the kids to do.
Before this I always thought band is a wonderful thing and now I definitely know it is. It like a big family and they all look out for each other.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Of Posters and Cats
I should have been baking today, instead I bummed around Richmond with Meryl and mounted three of posters on foam board.
Meryl has written a book, Darkness Rising (oh look the Kindle version is on sale), and it's a pretty darn good one. Head on over to her writing blog to get the full details, I can't do it justice and it is always better to get information directly from the source. Anyhoodle she has self published and had posters made up of the very striking cover. Her plan is use them as promotional materials and needed a few of them to be mounted.
This is where I come in.
I'm not an arts and crafts person. I usually dread those sort of activities. For the most part I find craft projects to be boring and pointless. That said I am good at doing them since I am good at seeing how things go together. So sticking posters on foam boards is my kind of project, I get to put something together that will ultimately be useful. I get set up in the garage with a card table, exacto knife, t-square, spray adhesive, foam board, and of course the poster.
Once I was all done we brought in the finished project and admired them for a while. Tig was intrigued by the whole thing and checked out the posters as well. He was not the most cooperative of models, but we were able to get a few good pictures of him with one of the posters.
Meryl has written a book, Darkness Rising (oh look the Kindle version is on sale), and it's a pretty darn good one. Head on over to her writing blog to get the full details, I can't do it justice and it is always better to get information directly from the source. Anyhoodle she has self published and had posters made up of the very striking cover. Her plan is use them as promotional materials and needed a few of them to be mounted.
This is where I come in.
I'm not an arts and crafts person. I usually dread those sort of activities. For the most part I find craft projects to be boring and pointless. That said I am good at doing them since I am good at seeing how things go together. So sticking posters on foam boards is my kind of project, I get to put something together that will ultimately be useful. I get set up in the garage with a card table, exacto knife, t-square, spray adhesive, foam board, and of course the poster.
Once I was all done we brought in the finished project and admired them for a while. Tig was intrigued by the whole thing and checked out the posters as well. He was not the most cooperative of models, but we were able to get a few good pictures of him with one of the posters.
Monday, April 29, 2013
Juggle & Cut
A short documentary by Caleb Slain about how one man keeps his creativity alive after a profoundly life altering accident. I found this over at Short of the Week.
Juggle & Cut from Caleb Slain on Vimeo.
Juggle & Cut from Caleb Slain on Vimeo.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Genius
Max has to take a boat load of medicines everyday. Most are daily , but there are exceptions. He really tries to be responsible for his meds and for the most part he is successful. It's the oddballs that throw him off, in particular the one he takes Monday, Wednesday, an Friday.
After one of our many, "I'm not sure if I have, or oops I took it" conversations I decided tit was high time do something to help him. Namely a pill organizer. We could load it up each week and he would be good to go.
I don't know why I hadn't thought of this before. My mother has had one for years and years, so it's not a new idea. It has been wonderful for Max. He knows exactly what to take and can see if he has. So far he only has to worry about his medicines at bedtime, but it would be easy enough to get one for both morning and night. This will also be helpful when we travel.
It is a great thing when you can find an easy and inexpensive solution to a big problem.
After one of our many, "I'm not sure if I have, or oops I took it" conversations I decided tit was high time do something to help him. Namely a pill organizer. We could load it up each week and he would be good to go.
I don't know why I hadn't thought of this before. My mother has had one for years and years, so it's not a new idea. It has been wonderful for Max. He knows exactly what to take and can see if he has. So far he only has to worry about his medicines at bedtime, but it would be easy enough to get one for both morning and night. This will also be helpful when we travel.
It is a great thing when you can find an easy and inexpensive solution to a big problem.
Friday, April 26, 2013
Busy Bee
The bees have been all over the wisteria blooms in our backyard. Bumbling from bloom to bloom they make quite a racket, a low buzz can be heard when you step outside and off the deck.
The bees are so intent on their task at hand, collecting nectar, they never really noticed me nor my camera. I was able to pretty much shove my camera in their direction and snap away.
Silly old bees.
The bees are so intent on their task at hand, collecting nectar, they never really noticed me nor my camera. I was able to pretty much shove my camera in their direction and snap away.
Silly old bees.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Lady Slipper
I found this little beauty while escorting Rebecca to her soccer practice on Tuesday. It was right the edge of the path worn down down by those of us in the know of the shortcut along the football field and the drainage ditch to the far field. I'm amazed that it hadn't been trampled or picked by some wayward toddler.
Rebecca never noticed it, she was focused on getting to the field. I, however, stopped to admire this rare sight and, obviously, take pictures. I hope to survives a bit longer, it would be nice to have more growing along the path and in the woods.
It goes to show that if you keep your eyes open there is almost always something new to see.
Rebecca never noticed it, she was focused on getting to the field. I, however, stopped to admire this rare sight and, obviously, take pictures. I hope to survives a bit longer, it would be nice to have more growing along the path and in the woods.
It goes to show that if you keep your eyes open there is almost always something new to see.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Artist of the Week: Helpful
It's that time of year again when I vacuum the crab apple tree and Nate by dint of his helpfulness is this week's artist.
Nate had been bugging me to clear out the tent caterpillars in my beloved crab apple tree. I've been putting it off until the flowers were past their prime and no longer attracting bees and yellow jackets. Tree vacuuming is not high precision work and I don't want to risk getting myself stung by an irate insect.
Sunday was the day and Nate wanted to help. I got him all set and let him have at it. He did a great job, by climbing the tree he was able to get to quite a few spots that I could not reach. He found the whole process very entertaining and is more than happy to tackle this job again. It looks like I have an eager assistant.
Nate had been bugging me to clear out the tent caterpillars in my beloved crab apple tree. I've been putting it off until the flowers were past their prime and no longer attracting bees and yellow jackets. Tree vacuuming is not high precision work and I don't want to risk getting myself stung by an irate insect.
Sunday was the day and Nate wanted to help. I got him all set and let him have at it. He did a great job, by climbing the tree he was able to get to quite a few spots that I could not reach. He found the whole process very entertaining and is more than happy to tackle this job again. It looks like I have an eager assistant.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Two Viewpoints
During my Richmond ramble on Sunday I found a rather interesting wall. My initial view was of the side facing the alley and opposite a local church's parking structure, The wall was notable for the wisteria tumbling over in mad confusion and the graffiti.
For the most part Richmond has a decided lack in imaginative graffiti, one of the few notable exceptions is super mouse (whom I'm happy to report is still there along with blue cat). This wall has an interesting picture along with the more run of the mil tagging. The wild abundance of wisteria provides a nice counterpoint to the rather battered urban setting.
Then I got to see the other side of the wall.
It is neatly painted white with numbers for each of the parking spaces that abut the wall. Even the wisteria seems more restrained, it is merely draped across the top of the wall. No wild profusion of plant life on this side.
It is the same wall, but with two differing sides. This was another good find along with the pink snow.
For the most part Richmond has a decided lack in imaginative graffiti, one of the few notable exceptions is super mouse (whom I'm happy to report is still there along with blue cat). This wall has an interesting picture along with the more run of the mil tagging. The wild abundance of wisteria provides a nice counterpoint to the rather battered urban setting.
Then I got to see the other side of the wall.
It is neatly painted white with numbers for each of the parking spaces that abut the wall. Even the wisteria seems more restrained, it is merely draped across the top of the wall. No wild profusion of plant life on this side.
It is the same wall, but with two differing sides. This was another good find along with the pink snow.
Monday, April 22, 2013
The Elaborate End of Robert Ebb
A prank that goes horribly wrong in a delightful b-movie style. I love the monster in this short.
The elaborate end of Robert Ebb from Robert Ebb on Vimeo.
The elaborate end of Robert Ebb from Robert Ebb on Vimeo.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Pink Snow
Today was my turn to drive the car pool to Richmond and I decided to bring my camera along and do a bit of a walk about. I'm so glad I did.
Being a sunny day I walked to a nearby market to pick up a few items. I then headed back to where the children were and continued on to do a bit of sight seeing. The fan is a lovely area in Richmond with a character all of its own. City living, but on a personal, more intimate scale.
As I turned the corner to go down one of my favorite residential streets my eyes were greeted with the sight of pink snow. For short stretches drifts of pink petals from the trees thickly covered the sidewalks. I was delighted by the sight and pleased that I had my camera with me.
I thought it was so beautiful I did a little detour with the kids as we walked back to the car, they were duly impressed by the masses of petals on the ground. Just as were we approaching the area where the petals were the thickest we noticed the owner was out on his stoop, the same one pictured here. I got this shot the first time I went by. The kids were a bit spooked by his presence, but I smiled and told him how beautiful his pink snow was. He smiled back and said we ere welcome to take some, in fact all of it if we want.
Once again it was very worth my while to bring my camera and have a look around.
Being a sunny day I walked to a nearby market to pick up a few items. I then headed back to where the children were and continued on to do a bit of sight seeing. The fan is a lovely area in Richmond with a character all of its own. City living, but on a personal, more intimate scale.
As I turned the corner to go down one of my favorite residential streets my eyes were greeted with the sight of pink snow. For short stretches drifts of pink petals from the trees thickly covered the sidewalks. I was delighted by the sight and pleased that I had my camera with me.
I thought it was so beautiful I did a little detour with the kids as we walked back to the car, they were duly impressed by the masses of petals on the ground. Just as were we approaching the area where the petals were the thickest we noticed the owner was out on his stoop, the same one pictured here. I got this shot the first time I went by. The kids were a bit spooked by his presence, but I smiled and told him how beautiful his pink snow was. He smiled back and said we ere welcome to take some, in fact all of it if we want.
Once again it was very worth my while to bring my camera and have a look around.
Friday, April 19, 2013
Spring Hath Sprung
I forget over the winter how pretty it is around here in the spring. I took this picture Tuesday and since then the trees and bushes have become even greener. I mowed the lawn for second time and we didn't seven make a week.
Winter is well and truly over.
The downside of all this renewed growth is pollen. It is horrible right now. Huge clouds of the stuff roll across the land like a yellow fog-bank. A few days I didn't realize I was driving through such a cloud and thought my windshield and/or glasses were in desperate need of cleaning. It was quite a shock when I broke through into clear air.
Winter is well and truly over.
The downside of all this renewed growth is pollen. It is horrible right now. Huge clouds of the stuff roll across the land like a yellow fog-bank. A few days I didn't realize I was driving through such a cloud and thought my windshield and/or glasses were in desperate need of cleaning. It was quite a shock when I broke through into clear air.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Looking For More
I'm a bit frustrated now. The picture group I had been a part of has changed to the point that I no longer want to participate. It is all facebook dependent and I end up missing posts. It was far better when it was Flickr group, I could easily find the challenges and the pictures. Now I have wade through many layers of pages to find anything out.
So for now I'll just pick out my favorite picture of the week and post it here.
I took this one of John on Tuesday. I dropped my camera in my pocket as I headed out the door for the morning walk. It was a pretty nice day and I felt like taking pictures. I did a short detour to the ponds edge, I wanted to see what the dogs' reactions would be. Both were not terribly interested in the water, but up on the dock John came to attention when he saw a duck paddling along. Fortunately the duck was swimming away otherwise I think John might have tried to catch it.
I think it is a fantastic shot of John. He is naturally stacked himself in a lovely show pose, I could never get him to look that good in the show ring. Apparently I needed to bring a duck along and have it waddle out at opportune moments. Somehow I don't think that would go over to well with the other exhibitors.
So for now I'll just pick out my favorite picture of the week and post it here.
I took this one of John on Tuesday. I dropped my camera in my pocket as I headed out the door for the morning walk. It was a pretty nice day and I felt like taking pictures. I did a short detour to the ponds edge, I wanted to see what the dogs' reactions would be. Both were not terribly interested in the water, but up on the dock John came to attention when he saw a duck paddling along. Fortunately the duck was swimming away otherwise I think John might have tried to catch it.
I think it is a fantastic shot of John. He is naturally stacked himself in a lovely show pose, I could never get him to look that good in the show ring. Apparently I needed to bring a duck along and have it waddle out at opportune moments. Somehow I don't think that would go over to well with the other exhibitors.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Artist of the Week: Fabulous Hats
This week's artist is a rather camera wary Rebecca.
She didn't want her picture taken and kept hiding under the blanket. I took a picture of her feet and at that point she decided it was better to cooperate. After I took the picture posted here Rebecca commandeered my camera and got some absurd pictures of her two middle brothers.
Nate and Max had no problem hamming it up for the camera. As for the art, well it doesn't have any opinion about photography, yea or nay.
Well maybe neigh, since it is a couple of hats for horses.
The cast iron coach and horses was one of my childhood toys. I had completely forgotten about it until I pulled it out of a box my mom had in storage. Much to Rebecca's delight I passed it on to her. There was a second human figure, the horses' driver, but I'm not sure where he is now.
Anyway Rebecca is rather fond of the set and this week she decided that the horses could use some head-wear.
Very fabulous head-wear.
Rebecca went all out, from brims to feathers. She even did the detailing on the feathers so that you would know exactly what you are looking at. I don't know what day she created the hats, just one day I saw them.
It's Rebecca's version of yarn bombing, but with clay and I love it.
She didn't want her picture taken and kept hiding under the blanket. I took a picture of her feet and at that point she decided it was better to cooperate. After I took the picture posted here Rebecca commandeered my camera and got some absurd pictures of her two middle brothers.
Nate and Max had no problem hamming it up for the camera. As for the art, well it doesn't have any opinion about photography, yea or nay.
Well maybe neigh, since it is a couple of hats for horses.
The cast iron coach and horses was one of my childhood toys. I had completely forgotten about it until I pulled it out of a box my mom had in storage. Much to Rebecca's delight I passed it on to her. There was a second human figure, the horses' driver, but I'm not sure where he is now.
Anyway Rebecca is rather fond of the set and this week she decided that the horses could use some head-wear.
Very fabulous head-wear.
Rebecca went all out, from brims to feathers. She even did the detailing on the feathers so that you would know exactly what you are looking at. I don't know what day she created the hats, just one day I saw them.
It's Rebecca's version of yarn bombing, but with clay and I love it.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Baking With Julia- Madeleines
Woo hoo! I'm back on schedule!
This week's baking challenge from "Baking with Julia" is madeleines. For the full recipe head on over to Counter Dog, Katie will give you the recipe with pictures.
Technically I made ladyfingers, not madeleines. I don't have the pan and I have no great need to buy one. Conversely my ladyfingers don't look like ladyfingers either. I didn't feel like making the tradition finger shaped cookie and decided to use a really big star tip and do a sort of free hand madeleine piping. The earlier cookies came out better, probably because the batter was beginning to break down in the bag from the pressure and the warmth of my hands on the piping bag.
Anyhoodle, the cookies came out quite well. They are a bit on the dry side, but this recipe seemed to be geared towards a dunkable creation. I liked it and it was a very quick treat to knock out, I got the whole thing done in under an hour. As for making them again, I don't know. Maybe if I make a trifle and want to use home made ladyfingers.
This week's baking challenge from "Baking with Julia" is madeleines. For the full recipe head on over to Counter Dog, Katie will give you the recipe with pictures.
Technically I made ladyfingers, not madeleines. I don't have the pan and I have no great need to buy one. Conversely my ladyfingers don't look like ladyfingers either. I didn't feel like making the tradition finger shaped cookie and decided to use a really big star tip and do a sort of free hand madeleine piping. The earlier cookies came out better, probably because the batter was beginning to break down in the bag from the pressure and the warmth of my hands on the piping bag.
Anyhoodle, the cookies came out quite well. They are a bit on the dry side, but this recipe seemed to be geared towards a dunkable creation. I liked it and it was a very quick treat to knock out, I got the whole thing done in under an hour. As for making them again, I don't know. Maybe if I make a trifle and want to use home made ladyfingers.
Monday, April 15, 2013
Sunday, April 14, 2013
It's A Dog's Life
Dell has such a hard life. Not counting the large dog bed in the den, he is limited to one piece of furniture. It's a wicker loveseat that we acquired from my father-in-law's house. The house had been sold and he had a fair amount of extraneous furniture that we were welcome to take.
The love seat is relatively low to the ground, just right for short legged dogs. The original cushions had been ruined by sun and cats, so we make due with cushions we can find in big box stores. The top cushion in the picture is supposed to be for the back, but the red boys prefer them stacked. Either way it's pretty comfortable.
Just ask Dell.
The love seat is relatively low to the ground, just right for short legged dogs. The original cushions had been ruined by sun and cats, so we make due with cushions we can find in big box stores. The top cushion in the picture is supposed to be for the back, but the red boys prefer them stacked. Either way it's pretty comfortable.
Just ask Dell.
Friday, April 12, 2013
Baking With Julia- Rustic Potato Loaves
The Rustic Potato Loaves were actually from last week over at Baking with Julia, however with it still (barely) being Passover I elected to give a miss until this week. For the full recipe head on over to Simply Sweet and see what Dawn cooked up.
It is an easy bread to make, though you really do need a stand mixer to do it. I'm sure the 11 (!) minutes of beating by hand or a hand mixer would get very old, very fast. Apart from being sticky and my apparent inability to make a torpedo shape loaf, it was one of the easiest breads to bake so far. It has a nice chewy crust and a pleasant tang from the potatoes.
We had this instead of challah tonight and the loaf was quickly devoured. Rebecca didn't care for it, but Jacob was ecstatic. He loves potato bread and is very happy boy. This is definitely a keeper.
It is an easy bread to make, though you really do need a stand mixer to do it. I'm sure the 11 (!) minutes of beating by hand or a hand mixer would get very old, very fast. Apart from being sticky and my apparent inability to make a torpedo shape loaf, it was one of the easiest breads to bake so far. It has a nice chewy crust and a pleasant tang from the potatoes.
We had this instead of challah tonight and the loaf was quickly devoured. Rebecca didn't care for it, but Jacob was ecstatic. He loves potato bread and is very happy boy. This is definitely a keeper.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Random Texts
Not quite a year ago I entered the modern era of cell phones. No longer do I have a simple phone to make calls and take rather bad pictures, now I have a smart phone plus an inexpensive data plan that gives me unlimited texts and streaming (go Virgin mobile and dump your contract).
I very rarely get wrong numbers, mostly they are from a little league coach from a neighboring county. He somehow mixed up a number and ended up with phone. Texts are also very rarely not for me, the one notable exception being the series featured here.
I tried to inform the sender that I wasn't her baby daddy and from there it got even funnier. The whole idea of me, a middle aged woman, being a baby daddy, is to me beyond hilarious.
I haven't heard from her since.
I very rarely get wrong numbers, mostly they are from a little league coach from a neighboring county. He somehow mixed up a number and ended up with phone. Texts are also very rarely not for me, the one notable exception being the series featured here.
I tried to inform the sender that I wasn't her baby daddy and from there it got even funnier. The whole idea of me, a middle aged woman, being a baby daddy, is to me beyond hilarious.
I haven't heard from her since.
Tuesday, April 09, 2013
Go Big
Or go home.
I spotted this car while out shopping today. The whole thing, from the mismatched door, the completely unaligned door molding, and to the "Big Sexy" on prominent display, was too good to not photograph.
So here I am sharing with the world the "Big Sexy."
Why this happened I'll never know and honestly I don't want to.
I spotted this car while out shopping today. The whole thing, from the mismatched door, the completely unaligned door molding, and to the "Big Sexy" on prominent display, was too good to not photograph.
So here I am sharing with the world the "Big Sexy."
Why this happened I'll never know and honestly I don't want to.
Monday, April 08, 2013
My Oh My
A wonderful song and video by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis that shows the passion that baseball can inspire.
Sunday, April 07, 2013
Soccer
It was a gorgeous day, temperatures in the low 70s and a brisk breeze. A good day to air out the house and play soccer.
Rebecca had one of her rare Sunday games. The girls did a great job, far better than the tie scored shows. Between endless rain flooding the fields and an intervening spring break, they hadn't practiced for weeks. Heck even their previous game was cancelled. They did look a bit slow, but few weeks of our normal training schedule should whip them into shape.
I have been enjoying our leisurely spring break. but it will be nice to get back into our regular routines.
Rebecca had one of her rare Sunday games. The girls did a great job, far better than the tie scored shows. Between endless rain flooding the fields and an intervening spring break, they hadn't practiced for weeks. Heck even their previous game was cancelled. They did look a bit slow, but few weeks of our normal training schedule should whip them into shape.
I have been enjoying our leisurely spring break. but it will be nice to get back into our regular routines.
Friday, April 05, 2013
My New Friend
This is my new friend. I met him at the gaming shop where Max plays Magic the Gathering.
Neither Larry or I play the game, it was something he learned from a friend. We found a gaming shop, FTW Games, that has Magic tourneys most Fridays and take turns driving Max and sitting around while he plays. It is not terribly close to home, but has a really nice crowd and the owners are very friendly.
The first time I went I met my new friend whom I christened Bob. Bob just quietly stands in the corner, probably looking for droids. Fortunately my droid based phone is not the one he is looking for and I can text friends and goof off to my heart's content. Along with a book, I am able to entertain myself for the four hours I'm there. Too bad Bob is just a shell of a man and as a result not one for conversation.
I just wish I had a better seat than the hard wooden stool that is in Bob's corner.
Neither Larry or I play the game, it was something he learned from a friend. We found a gaming shop, FTW Games, that has Magic tourneys most Fridays and take turns driving Max and sitting around while he plays. It is not terribly close to home, but has a really nice crowd and the owners are very friendly.
The first time I went I met my new friend whom I christened Bob. Bob just quietly stands in the corner, probably looking for droids. Fortunately my droid based phone is not the one he is looking for and I can text friends and goof off to my heart's content. Along with a book, I am able to entertain myself for the four hours I'm there. Too bad Bob is just a shell of a man and as a result not one for conversation.
I just wish I had a better seat than the hard wooden stool that is in Bob's corner.
Thursday, April 04, 2013
Spring Break
The kids are off on spring break this week and we haven't done much of anything apart from going to services. Well Jake has gone off to look at colleges with Larry, but the rest of us have been bumming around the house.
And you know it has been nice. We can stay up late, sleep in, and today I got to do a pajama day, something I only do if deathly ill.
I felt a wee twinge of guilt when a friend posted on Facebook the things she has done with her kids, but then again we are all happy to be doing nothing for a change. We have busy days and it's nice just to check out for a bit. It's called break for a reason.
And you know it has been nice. We can stay up late, sleep in, and today I got to do a pajama day, something I only do if deathly ill.
I felt a wee twinge of guilt when a friend posted on Facebook the things she has done with her kids, but then again we are all happy to be doing nothing for a change. We have busy days and it's nice just to check out for a bit. It's called break for a reason.
Wednesday, April 03, 2013
Artist of the Week: Golden City
First off, no we did not get more snow. The picture is from back in January and I just plain like it. The weather has been far more seasonally appropriate and I think it's pretty safe to say that winter is really and truly over. Although I was able to pull a minor prank on Rebecca Monday when a gust of wind blew white petals towards us as we ere driving along. As we drove through the swirl of white I said "What it's snowing again?!" and for a brief moment I had Rebecca thinking it was snowing.
Anyhoodle, snowy picture aside, this week's art by Max is not snow based.
A couple of weeks ago was the annual "do a craft with your parent/guardian" at Sunday school. The kids have fun and it's a way for the parents to meet each other. He have made things from illuminated manuscripts, challah covers, to candle stick holders. This time around we would be making "The Golden City" aka Jerusalem at sunset.
The blocks of stone used used to build the walls of Jerusalem have a golden glow when the light of the setting sun strikes them. Thus Jerusalem is nicknamed the Golden City.
We were given a blank sheet of paper with the instructions to color it like the sky at sunset. Then we were to cut out three layers of the city that were printed on various colored papers. Then he picture was to be decorated using glitter and glue.
Max was less than thrilled with the coloring, cutting, and pasting. He does not enjoy crafts. The highly structured aspect of crafting goes against his grain. He likes to do things his own way with full freedom of expression. So it was a slog getting through the first parts of the project. Max, however, perked right up when he got to the glue and glitter. It was strongly suggested that the layers be outlined with the glue and glitter, but thankfully not required. So Max went to town, filling the sky with glitter.
The end result was rather pleasing and Max was vry happy that he got to express himself.
Anyhoodle, snowy picture aside, this week's art by Max is not snow based.
A couple of weeks ago was the annual "do a craft with your parent/guardian" at Sunday school. The kids have fun and it's a way for the parents to meet each other. He have made things from illuminated manuscripts, challah covers, to candle stick holders. This time around we would be making "The Golden City" aka Jerusalem at sunset.
The blocks of stone used used to build the walls of Jerusalem have a golden glow when the light of the setting sun strikes them. Thus Jerusalem is nicknamed the Golden City.
We were given a blank sheet of paper with the instructions to color it like the sky at sunset. Then we were to cut out three layers of the city that were printed on various colored papers. Then he picture was to be decorated using glitter and glue.
Max was less than thrilled with the coloring, cutting, and pasting. He does not enjoy crafts. The highly structured aspect of crafting goes against his grain. He likes to do things his own way with full freedom of expression. So it was a slog getting through the first parts of the project. Max, however, perked right up when he got to the glue and glitter. It was strongly suggested that the layers be outlined with the glue and glitter, but thankfully not required. So Max went to town, filling the sky with glitter.
The end result was rather pleasing and Max was vry happy that he got to express himself.
Tuesday, April 02, 2013
John the Viking
Poor John, he puts up with all sorts of shenanigans.
We can dress him up with hats, paint his nails, and balance a pair of glasses on the big snoot of his. He calmly sits there as you mess around and then take a picture. Sometimes he even seems to enjoy it. On more than one occasion I have seen him happy to be wearing a cape.
He's such a silly dog.
We can dress him up with hats, paint his nails, and balance a pair of glasses on the big snoot of his. He calmly sits there as you mess around and then take a picture. Sometimes he even seems to enjoy it. On more than one occasion I have seen him happy to be wearing a cape.
He's such a silly dog.
Monday, April 01, 2013
Snail!
Love this song from ASHELLNATION via the Pet Collective.
Honestly, it's better than the original.
Honestly, it's better than the original.
Friday, March 29, 2013
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