Children of the Corn, or "He wants you, too, Malachai"

We went to a corn maze/crop circle recently. What fun! The city folks get into the country and can't tell a donkey from a mule. The kids in the image above are in a bin full of dried corn, people. What a hoot!

RADIOHEAD IN RAINBOWS

Radiohead's new release is now available. I downloaded it this morning and have been in it deep for a couple of hours. It is fantastic.
What's different about this release? It's only available via download at this time, and you pay whatever you want to for it. Of course I paid for it since I love the band, but I like that they leave it up to me.
Support the greatest band around and download it today!

Time to learn

I'm trying to learn a new software program so that I can arrange music easier than pencil and staves. Of course I want to hit the ground running but cannot. Must I really go through all those tutorials?
My husband is taking a chemistry class. Woe be unto him.
My daughter is having trouble spelling "into."
We all are learning and growing.

Homemade/Homegrown Goodness!

Earlier in the year, we planted seeds for pumpkin and watermelon, as well as planting a small tomato plant. Now we have a couple of small tomatoes!

During my most recent minivacation from work, I baked 2 loaves of homemade bread. Both of them looked this good, but the first one was inedible. The 2nd one was great!

Near the end of Summer Break

My daughter now has about 3 weeks before school starts. Most kids in today's society keep very busy during the summer with different "camps," swimming lessons, exciting trips and whatnot. As a child I remember melting in the hot sun during tennis camp. I vowed never to force my child into something physically gruelling just to pass the summer time. So last week she's been in strings camp. At first she was excited that she would be sleeping in a sleeping bag, collecting rocks and dirt, and using a combination sunscreen/bug repellent. But I explained to her that it's just a day camp, and that she would be playing the viola, the instrument she chose probably because I have a viola. After the 3rd day she was ready to stay home. I asked her why she didn't want to go. I eventually got out of her that, after her rhythm class, eurythmics class, and class piano, she has to stand up during most of master class.

So do I force her to endure the physical hardship of standing up, or does she switch to the cello, which ensures her seated position during class?

She has already told me that she doesn't want to go to strings camp next year. Perhaps I should have spent the money from camp on individual lessons for her.

I got a nasty blister on my thumb from tennis camp. All my daughter might get is falling arches, which I don't think is possible to get in the pediatric population.

Last Day of Kindergarten

It was my daughter's last day of kindergarten last Friday. There was no boo-hoo-ing this day, although we did cry on the first day of K. Or should I say sob. I held it together that morning, I was the mountain. The husband was gushing fountain. Very sweet--that means that he adores her. Just like he adores his dog, who he just recently started calling by MY term of endearment.

Anyways, recent images of life here in this hemisphere!

Recent Trip to Philadelphia

We recently visited Philly, my dh's birthplace. Here are some highlights!

Critical Acclaim for "Travels Down South"

Travelers everywhere will enjoy "Travels Down South" a short documentary about an island, Kyushu, in the South of Japan. Exploring cities such as the mountain and lake town Sasebo, the cinematographer and still photographer take sweeping vistas and explore every local delight. Against the backdrop of a million paper origami cranes, the city of Nagasaki rises as a monument of peace. If you can't make it to this unique section of Southern Japan, the movie will make you feel like you've been there. Available soon at Amazon.

In the yard

After finally getting a new battery for my camera, I took these wandering around the yard this morning.

The lake lay blue below the hill,

O'er it, as I looked,

there flew across the waters, cold and still,

a bird whose wings were palest blue.

The sky above was blue at last,

the sky beneath me

blue in blue.

A moment, ere the bird had passed,

It caught his image as he flew.

Mary Coleridge

Children of Men

What a fantastic movie. And I heard nothing about it anywhere until I read the small synopsis in the local newspaper. Edge of your seat time: 70%. Gasps: 23. Sinking feelings: 8. Squinting eyes shut: 2.
It defies explanation. It's a new twist on an old science fiction theory, and is also loosely adapted from the book of the same name by P. D. James (which I haven't read).
It has a 9 1/5 minute long shot (no breaks) during the most violent and brutal part of the film. That must have taken months to set up.
Even if you don't like the story, or the violence, or futuristic science fiction, you have to love this film for it's purity to the most ideal film. You could almost imagine hearing during production NOTHING that resembles, "We can't do that" be it sets, shots, acting, props, explosions, and raw emotion.
Cancel your Netflix subscription, if you have to, for the money to see this movie.

Do You Hookah?

When my brother in law visited for the holidays, we went to the local hookah den. After beers, kibbe and hummus were served, we passed around the apricot-flavored hookah. Not that any of us actually smoke in real life, what with all 3 of us in health care, we ought to know the dangers, right? But it's ok to indulge every once in a while. Remember, when the life insurance salesman asks you if you smoke, there's only 2 answers to that question. You don't want to get lumped in there with those 4-pack a day folks, so just say no! Hookahs don't count!

Time to catch up!

Wow! No post since 10/31? Sloth, you are a vile virtue! I'll start with some images from a mini vacation I took in November. Try to guess where we went...