A Galaxy Nearby

I was filling the bird feeder on our deck and the patterns on the weathered siding caught my eye.

I'm not sure why the knot holes show up so brilliantly, but they make arresting patterns.

I'm easily entertained.

Happy Valentine's Day, fellow earthlings!

 

An Existential Question

In attempting to deal with my ever over-flowing book shelves, I resolved to get rid of duplicates--mostly ancient paperbacks from the time when fifty cents was a high-end classic. Henry James's Washington Square and The Europeans, probably from my college days sixty years ago, appeared to be just such a candidate. The rubber band holding it together was a clue.

                                

Nope, can't even donate this one. What idiot reads Henry James these days, and especially in this condition?

Me, that's who. I couldn't let it go without one last perusal. (I actually like some of James's work.) And I really enjoyed The Europeans--in which a slightly predatory baroness with New England connections comes to visit her cousins and takes up residence in a nearby house. The culture clash is wittily presented and I loved the scene on the page below, with the existential question:

"What is life, indeed, without curtains?"

It should be embroidered on a pillow.  (Not t hat I agree--we have curtains only in our guest room and since Josie's coming, we have darkening curtains in The Room so she can nap. But there's something about that phrase that tickles me. Yes, I am easily entertained.)

                   

Random Notes

Amidst a tizzy of holiday prep -- wrapping gifts, cooking, bringing in greenery-- a few small items to share:

When I was struggling to get Josie buckled into her car seat for our Wednesday trip to the library, a chill wind was blowing on me and the straps and buckles were being especially recalcitrant. I was muttering under my breath and growing increasingly frustrated (while trying not to use bad language) when Josie reached out and grabbed my arm.

"You can do it!" she said. "I've got you and you can do it."

I did.

During the day while I'm busying around, it's been necessary to sit a bit and check Facebook to see what was going on with the impeachment and the increasingly deranged Orange Embarrassment. Of course, once there, I scroll through recent posts in my feed and that where I discovered these two goodies:

Someone felt that the charges against You-Know-Who were "blown way out of propulsion."

And someone else described their missing dog as "a little skiddish."

Finally, the radio was on and though I wasn't actively listening, I did catch, out of the corner of my increasingly deaf ear, a list of holiday treats including what seemed to be a reference to a peppermint candy cane dildo. 

Surely not. This was NPR.  

Simple pleasures.

Easily Entertained . . .

Spotted this sign on a SUV the other day and my imagination went wild.

Sensei Ninja Nanny-san will care for your little ones and teach them them meaning of respect and instant obedience. .

Nothing gets a toddler's attention quite like a throwing star just missing his ear when hurled by a black-clad attendant. 

Visit our dojo today and place little Liam or little Emma in the care of our superbly skilled instructors . . . attitude adjustment a specialty!

Okay, okay -- I'm sure it's not really like that . . . in fact, I expect a class in martial arts for young kids would be a lot better than video games or TV -- those electronic babysitters.

 But I do like the idea of a ninja turned nanny  . . . 

Easily Entertained --More Kitchen Magic

A new Teflon coated cookie sheet entertains me!

Crisco Joy

Sometimes it's the little things that make me smile -- the patches of light on the mountains as the clouds play peek-a-boo with the sun . . .

 

The unexpected pattern that appeared on the spoon as I scooped out some Crisco to make a pie crust . . . 

Sprinkling the pie crust scraps with cinnamon sugar and baking them for a treat -- just as my grandmother used to do for me. . . 

The mincemeat pie was nice too. 

 

Breakfast Dishes --For the 17,846th Time

. . .  and, in the end, 
has there ever been
any moment more beautiful than this --

Wrapt in the here and now of sunlight and steam,
and the silken slide of water
across the cobalt blue dish?