Wild Mountain Thyme

I know I've posted another version of this song before... but I want to share it again. I just love the beauty of the tune, the lyrics... and this group's presentation. Simply lovely.

Drinking Coffee- With a Conscience

Recently, in Mum's research to help us live more naturally, use less, and do more of the 'simple' life, we started composting and using coffee-grounds for nutrients to the soil in her garden.
Then Theophilus rented "Future of Food" for us, and so she started researching GMOs. That's a long subject I may cover in another post. Anyways, that led her to research FairTrade coffee. After reading about the circumstances that often prevail on non-FT coffee-plantations, we've switched over. I hope to get some more of those links for you here soon, but for now, I'll leave you with the link to a bit of information for FT coffee.
Understanding "Fair-Trade"

Coffee-Compost

I thought I'd share a few photos of all the coffee bags I've been getting for composting...
I'm becoming famous at Kaladi's for always leaving carrying the mysterious black bags. And trust me, I get lots of questions.

Theophilus, Eddie and I!

Theophilus... at Kaladi's. I have years of memories around this table. :)
Theophilus and Eddie! This is probably the only serious photo I have of the two of them together. Let's just say... loads of memories. Some involving lemons. Some not.

Everyone needs to remember to smile! Sometimes... you just need help. When I do, I turn to this photo.

So, I know that the titles says that I should be represented... but I was obviously the one with the camera and not in front of it at any point. So, you'll just have to take any glimpses of coffee-cups as the token me in the photo.

I Really Am Just Eighteen

Okay, the local librarians seem to have a running commentary on my tastes in books and music.
Imagine me, in my short time before going into work, stopping by the library to pick up a book, Animal Farm, for my brother, and three CDs I want to listen to. One is a Gordon Lightfoot (and only wanted because there is one track I haven't found anywhere else...) and the second is the Fiddler on the Roof soundtrack and the third a compilation of Simon and Garfunkel. No one who knows me would really be surprised at this mixture.
Librarian: So... with this mixture, what exactly do you like? I mean... there is no defining characteristic.
Me: Well, I just like them all.
Teenager getting checked out next to me: Simon and Garwhody? Who are they???
Me: Simon and Garfunkel. One of the best musical duos ever! They were really big... well, about fourty years ago.
Teen: I've never heard of them. They certainly aren't big now.
Me: Well, no. I guess not.
Librarian: Yeah, either you have really odd taste in things, namely, really old tastes... or... what age defying, youthful appearance medications are you on? 'Cause they're really working!

That's right folks. I'm actually my mother's age. Of course.
One day, perhaps, I'll meet someone my age (other than Jhaniel and Andromanche) who thinks that Simon and Garfunkel are amazing and actually know their music well. I can dream, can't I?
Or... will I just have to settle for explaining that I have amazing age-defying meds?

How the time flies

So... yesterday was Midsummer's Day. Yes, I thought quite a bit about Shakespearian plays, just for Jhaniel's sake. It's hard to think: summer is half gone, August will be here before I know it. I still feel like I haven't done anything to make memories- other than one beach campfire and one Kaladi's visit. I want the summer to slow just a little right now.
Maybe that's just a part of growing up- wanting time to hurry up and slow down. And never having it go the speed one wants. :) In other words, I'm preparing myself to get used to this feeling.
However, Saturday evening, Theophilus and I did get a chance to meet up with one of our old violin-playing friends at Kaladi's... and we had a blast discussing pretty much everything we could think of. I might post a few photos of that here soon. (Yes, I know, I say that and then a week goes by...)
Also on the good news front, my old violin teacher Ida moved back about a week or so ago, and I've got to see her a few times! My, but her twins have grown all up... but at any rate, I love being able to talk with her again!!!
Now, I'm going to go work on trying to meet up with a few people as I have a few days off... and we'll see if anyone else actually has the time, before summer flies away to autumn, and we all fly to school.

Raindance

All last summer, we barely saw the sun. It rained all the time, and almost everyone I knew was miserable. We were cheated of our summer...
This summer, we have had a lot of sun-sightings. And very little rain. This is dangerous, as we have a lot of dead trees on the peninsula which we are not allowed to cut down. Our fire warnings are high. However, because of memories of last summer, no one wants rain.
Yesterday, it was bright, beautiful, and sunny. Then in the late afternoon, it clouded over and we could hear thunder coming. I love thunder and rain and lightening. In a matter of minutes, the rain was pelting down... and I loved it.
I wanted to go dance in the rain, to whirl about with the thunder resounding in my ears.
Then Mum came in (she had been working in her garden) and asked if I'd remembered to bring in my clothes which I'd put outside to dry.

Ooops.
I got my raindance in while rushing my formerly dry (and now wet again) clothes into the bathroom.
Hey... the thunder is still amazing.

Happy Birthday Belle

I thought about you all day... and I hope that whatever is going on in your life, you had a lovely day. I will always be here for you.
I love you. I'm praying.
Giggle for me tonight, and dream of ponies who ride on the moon...

The One Word I Don't Like

... Is goodbye.

And I said that tonight to Halleymarie's family as they are moving to the East Coast. I've known them all my life. And I didn't want to have to say it.

If they are reading: God bless you all as you move and settle into your new life.

And When the Dust Had Cleared....

Theophilus shaved off his beard!!! NO!

Oh... and here's a clip for you. Danny Kaye is brilliant. And I love this movie.



The Court Jester!!!

Introducing Aramis

Okay, Jhaniel will be happy... Aramis has won. So, as I said, I will share a few photos.

Aramis is a Canon PowerShot, SD1200 IS ELPH. I bought him because he was one of the best rated for low-light non-flash shots, has 10.0 megapixels, 3x zoom (admittedly not the best, but it means less 'shake' and also better quality and less graininess) and has a long life. Plus, it requires no alkaline batteries, which is what made the demise of my last camera so expensive. Also, he is light, compact and was about $210 here in AK, and I know he can be cheaper elsewhere. (In Ithaca, Hannah-Jan saw the same camera for $190.) However, as I said, I found Aramis for $160.

It feels so good to be taking photos again. You'll be seeing a lot more, I hope.

Camera!!!

So... today, I went into Freddy's, and lo! and behold: the cameras were having a sale!
And the one I wanted was $50 dollars cheaper than normal... and I had finally decided to just break down and buy it 'cause my other one just isn't working.
So now I have a new camera, and was happily running around this evening snapping photos of my friend's graduation party. It's a simple little point-and-shoot, but it does what I want and is fast and good.
Here in a few days, I hope to start loading up some photos again, and by then, hopefully it will be named.

Currently, I'm bouncing back and forth with Heimdall and Aramis. Votes anyone?
Just remember- more votes could be for one and the wonderful mind of me might go with the other... :P
Then too... Yrse and Hygelac and Heafdene and Weodin and Gudrun and Sigurd and Beowulf and Scyld and Hrothgar and Heorot and Gareth are all still in consideration.
Just watch - I'll end up naming it Peter.

I'd cry too...

The other day, I was given the job of staking up some mallow plants at work. These are about a foot and a half tall, and were flopping all over the place.

Dr. Wallace, the local college's math teacher, happened to be shopping nearby. She is a very nice, friendly person who is an excellent teacher as well and I like her very much. Also nearby was a little boy, around six years old.

"What are you doing?" asked the little boy as he saw me staking the plants and tying them up.

Before I could answer, Dr. Wallace informed him that I was "correcting the planar existence of the plants which had been exponentially falling due to factors of pressure and water mass and weight-bearing crushing the numerical resistence of the stalks."

"What is all that?" he asked.

"Oh, math. Don't worry, you'll learn it when you go to school." She smiled at him.

The little boy looked at her, then at me, then turned and ran towards the door. "MOMMY! I don't wanna go to school this fall! You can't make me! I don't want to learn math! Can't I stay with coloring!!!"

I have to say, if anyone had told me when I was six all that stuff, I'd have cried too.