mouse medicine

float on

2012-01-27T17:00:00.001-05:00

may the sun bring you new energy by day,
may the moon softly restore you by night,
may the rain wash away your worries,
may the breeze blow new strength into your being,
may you walk gently through the world and know it's beauty all the days of your life.

Apache blessing

i thought i'd share a few images from a winter walk in a park near casa mouse. i love hiking in the winter - i find that there are many things made visible that go unnoticed other times of year. perhaps if more people got out and walked in the woods during winter, more people would appreciate winter.

the track of a mouse is so cute - it even looks like a mouse! hmmmm, makes me wonder, onomatopoeia is a kind of word from a sound associated with what is named - i wonder if there is a name for a track that looks like the animal which leaves it?

squirrel tracks - can't say they look like a squirrel!

i expect these are the tracks of an off lease dog - or maybe it is something more exciting like a coyote!

alas no snaps of the rabbit or deer tracks i crossed, but here's are a couple more pics i particularly like.

snow settling on a vine shows the spirit face of this tree - oh yeah

a icy waterfall runs down shale cliffs into an iced up river. when the water runs more openly one generally see lots of different types of water fowl in this part of the river- geese, grebes, mergansers, and ducks. this past weekend i saw none - i did see tracks of aforementioned birds - but alas didn't capture any snaps of the tracks - my mind and eye was elsewhere i suppose. i miss the birds.

our weather roller coaster continues - today started out nice and snowy, but the day progressed so did the temperatures - by noon we were above freezing. everything now is wet and drippy; the forecast calls for more of the same. the january thaw has been coming and going all month long. it will be interesting to see what february brings.

i'll probably skip the nature hike this weekend and try and catch up on movies. there are only a few weeks left before the academy awards. a few years ago i started a tradition of visiting my (fellow movie loving) mom for oscar weekend so can watch the academy award show together. the program a great deal more fun if i've seen the movies that are nominated - and i try and get in as many films nominated as possible, at least in the big categories like best picture, best actor, and best actress. my mom is doing really well this year, there are only two of the nine films nominated for best picture that she hasn't seen. i on the other hand, have only seen three of the nine - my goal this weekend is to try and get in two films. in case you are curious, the three i've seen are: the artist (which i loved, loved, loved - too bad there's not a category for best animal in a leadinhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifg role - uggie (who plays jack the dog) would have that award paws down! midnight in paris (again two enthusiastic thumbs up!) and moneyball (which i enjoyed).

i couldn't think (or find) a song about animal tracks, specifically mouse tracks - instead how about a song by modest mouse - float on from their 2004 album good news for people who love bad news

photos: rocky river reservation, cleveland january 2012

burns night

2012-01-25T19:00:00.003-05:00

Contented wi' little and cantie wi' mair,
Whene'er I forgather wi' Sorrow and Care,
I gie them a skelp, as they're creepin alang,
Wi' a cog o' guid swats and an auld Scottish sang.

standard english translation:
Contented with little and jolly with more,
Whenever I forgather with Sorrow and Care,
I gave them a slap, as they are creeping along,
With a dish of good new ale and an old Scottish song.

Robert Burns (25 january 1759-1796)
above 1st verse of Contented Wi' Little and Cantie Wi' Mair

tonight is burns night - a night of celebrating the life, poetry and songs of scottish bard robert burns, also known as robbie or rabbie burns. according to this reference, the first burns night was organized by burns' friends few years after he died - and the tradition has been fairly continuous ever since.

to celebrate burns night the mouse presents three vids of songs/poems which were presented during a 2007 bbc broadcast of an audience with burns hosted by gordon kennedy - thank goodness for youtube.

as an aside, speaking of youtube, last night on npr there was a story which reported that for every second of every day, an hour of video is uploaded onto youtube - according to a youtube spokesperson a century of video is posted every ten days! crazy!

okay back to rabbie - enjoy!!

eddi reader singing burns song the banks o doon

roddy woomble singing the lea rig

i was delighted to see the program included my favorite burns poem, to a mouse performed by actor dawn steele.

want more? here's burns ode to scotch performed by actor gary lewis and reader and friends singing burns best known song auld lang syne

photo: as it is wall wednesday and i didn't have anything in my photo files specific to robert burns or scotland (that i can think of) i thought this snap which shows a detail from reed thomason's mural gives a wee nod toward burns poem to a mouse, lakewood public library

cold haily rainy night

2012-01-23T20:00:00.000-05:00

Every day one should at least hear one little song, read one good poem, see one fine painting and -- if at all possible -- speak a few sensible words.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) writer & polymath

such wonderful mouse medicine from goethe! so far i think i'm three for four....

i absolutely adore the imagined village - as its currently a cold rainy night (with more than a promise of hail) here on the north coast, i offer as today's song the musical collective's version of the folk song cold haily rainy night - which i first heard many years back by the great martin carthy - who by the way is one of the ever revolving members of the imagined village!

photo: cleveland 22 january 2012

act naturally

2012-01-20T12:30:00.001-05:00

Experience is what you get while looking for something else.

Federico Fellini (20 january 1920 - 1993) filmmaker

act naturally - written by country singer-songwriter johnny russell and voni morrison was first recorded by buck owens and the buckaroos in 1963 and quickly made its way to the top of the country charts.

in 1965 the beatles covered the song, it has the unique feature that unlike most songs beatles songs, the lead singer for act naturally was ringo starr. according to the list in the portal, ringo is listed as lead vocals on 16 songs compared to john, 146; paul, 146, and george 52.

photo: view of lake erie, 20 january 2012

it's your thing

2012-01-17T19:00:00.002-05:00

Your sacred space is where you can find yourself again and again.

Joseph Campbell (1904 - 1987) mythologist, writer, lecturer

today's tattoo tuesday features a triptych of sorts where people create sacred space through their body art.

the top photo is a tat of the egyptian eye of horus - the eye is personified in the goddess wadjet and is used as a symbol of protection, power, and good health.

the second tat is a fairly intense image of a jesus wearing a crown of thorns framed with what looks like a rosary with a background of the cross - underneath is written god bless my family on an open book topped by an angel.

the third of the series a buddha sitting on a lotus - in buddhism the lotus represents the true nature of being.

here's a flash to the past! the isley brothers performing their hit song it's your thing on the sonny and cher comedy hour. the isley brothers recorded the song for buddha records in 1969.

photos: top - albuquerque new mexico, october 2011; middle - nyc, june 2010; bottom; bellingham, washington, april 2010

people of hope

2012-01-15T13:30:00.001-05:00

The hope of a secure and livable world lies with disciplined nonconformists who are dedicated to justice, peace and brotherhood.

Martin Luther King Jr. (15 january 1929-1968) minister & civil rights activist

tomorrow is the martin luther king national holiday, but today is reverend king's actual birthday. happy birthday martin - i wonder what you would say if you alive today about america and the world?

women of hope by morley - i can't believe i only just heard of this artist and this song - i don't think of myself as living under a rock! i am aware of the song now only because i subscribe to the e-newletters from ted.com.

i can't get this song out of my head. it is so beautiful and powerful - if you haven't heard the song, i recommend you take a few minutes and give the song a listen - if you aren't moved, well what can we say?

i include two versions - if you click on the ted link above, you can watch a video which was recorded a couple months ago at a 2011 ted conference; below is the music video morley made a few years ago -- i really enjoy this vid, it reminds me a bit of those clever videos of playing for change. this vid was directed by the gifted filmmaker damani baker.

morley's inspiration for the song:

This is a song that I wrote after watching a CNN program on Women and war... I quote Aung San Suu Kyi...when her people asked her for a message, saying how helpless they feel under military rule, she responded by saying, "If you're feeling helpless, help someone". This moved me because it is so brilliant of her to empower her people like that, I found so much inspiration and truth in her words that it got me thinking of all the countless women of hope..

photo: public art sculpture, artist and title unknown (but i'm working on it!) santa fe, new mexico october 2011

in hiding

2012-01-13T12:00:00.005-05:00

Whether animals admit it or not, they and I communicate.

Carolyn Heilbrun (13 january 1926 - 2003) academic and author

i love today's quote by carolyn heilbrun and totally identify with it!

mystery buffs may know carolyn by her pen name amanda cross - i used to really enjoy her kate fansler series - as the protagonist is an english professor the books are chock full of literary references. like all good series the books have a cast of recurring characters, but what i really love about the books is heilbrun/cross's ease at incorporating feminist ideas into the storyline. i just checked out the list of fansler books and i seemed to have stopped reading the series when we moved to cleveland - i haven't read the three novels that were published post 1997! well i will have to remedy this shortcoming.

speaking of mysteries it is time to head up to the studio and get to work on the jj project, when i quilt i enjoy listening to audiobooks - and mysteries are among my favorite genre to listen to - i am particularly drawn to series. i recently discovered thomas perry's jane whitefield series. in just a few weeks time i have listened to four of the six whitefield books published and am halfway through the fifth book. the library doesn't seem to have an audiobook of the second book in the series, i doubt i'll get around to reading a hard copy of the book as there are too many other books on my 'to read' list and i don't read-read as many mysteries as i used to.

when it comes to reading a book i more often choose other types of books. i generally have a couple real books going at any one time - one fiction, one non-fiction - right now i have four books underway: 1) priest by irish author gerard o'donovan (i'm almost done with it, i'm happy to say! it's been a long time finishing, halfway through the book f noticed it and he either didn't think i was reading it quickly enough or he was captivated by the blurb on the cover, he picked it up and read it in jig time - i've probably maxed out my renewals for the libary!) 2) the memory palace by mira bartok - a powerful and heartrending memoir about growing up with a mother with schizophrenia 3) from here to there: the staughton lynd reader a collection of essays and talks by lawyer, activist, and historian staughton lynd. next month f and i are going to an event in which staughton and alice lynd' will receive ohio citizen action's howard metzenbaum award for their lifetime commitment to working to promote positive social change. 4) ann patchett's latest novel state of wonder.

for christmas i received a kindle fire - right now i haven't gotten into reading books on it (so far i'm using it more to check email, play games - words with friends/scrabble and read periodicals and check things on the web) i do have access to lots of books; f has had a kindle for a couple years and has amassed a nice library. we often enjoy the same type of books - although our taste in non-fiction isn't very similar - he doesn't often read memoirs and i don't often read books about sports or wars.

okay, i went on much longer than i intended to! off to piece and find out how jane is going to get out of the current quagmire.....

today's song in hiding (1997) by pearl jam was inspired by the writings of the reclusive writer charles bukowski.

photo: casa mouse squirrel, 13 january 2011

habitat

2012-01-11T17:53:00.001-05:00

The last word in ignorance is the man who says of an animal or plant, "What good is it?" If the land mechanism as a whole is good, then every part is good, whether we understand it or not. If the biota, in the course of aeons, has built something we like but do not understand, then who but a fool would discard seemingly useless parts? To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent tinkering.

Aldo Leopold (11 january 1887 - 1948) ecologist, author, forester

the habitat song performed by amy carlson. amy's version differs slightly from the song's author bill oliver's original version (see read below). but that's the beautiful thing about music - especially folk music - one can adapt the lyrics to fit the circumstances. i couldn't find a vid of mr. habitat performing his own song.

bill oliver's the habitat song

Chorus

Habitat, Habitat, Have to Have a Habitat
Habitat, Habitat, Have to Have a Habitat
Habitat, Habitat, Have to Have a Habitat
You have to have a Habitat to carry on!

The ocean is a habitat, a very special habitat
It’s where the deepest water’s at
It’s where the biggest mammal’s at
It’s where out future food is at
It keeps the atmosphere intact
The ocean is a habitat we depend on! (Chorus)

The forest is a habitat, a very special habitat
It’s where the tallest trees are at
It’s where a bear can scratch her back
(ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch)
It keeps the ground from rolling back
Renews the oxygen, in fact
The forest is a habitat we depend on! (Chorus)

The river is a habitat, a very special habitat
It’s where the freshest water’s at
For people, fish, and muskrat
But when people dump their trash
Rivers take the biggest rap
The river is a habitat we depend on! (Chorus)

People are different than foxes and rabbits
Effect the whole world with their bad habits
Better to love it while we still have it
Or rat ta-tat-tat, our habitat’s gone! (Chorus)

photo: according to the fine print on the mural this piece of wall art was designed and directed by joe stephenson in july 1998. it is part of a community public art project and was sponsored by the city and a number of other associations, individuals and groups. albuquerque, new mexico october 2011

legs

2012-01-10T21:16:00.004-05:00

Is solace anywhere more comforting than in the arms of a sister.

Alice Walker (b. 1944) writer & political activist

tattoo tuesday returns - finally!

today's tats are sister tats which i snapped in november at the gathering which celebrated jeff's life. the sisters - and legs - belong to two of jeff's nieces.

i absolutely love the idea unique "sister tats"

sisterhood is a special relationship.

in my family of origin (e.g. = sibs) i have one sister, who i cherish so much - we are both siblings and sisters.

sisterhood and sister relationships are not limited to blood ties - from what i've observed not all female siblings are truly sisters, i see and agree with maya angelou's perspective, angelou states:

I don't believe an accident of birth makes people sisters or brothers. It makes them siblings, gives them mutuality of parentage. Sisterhood and brotherhood is a condition people have to work at.

that said, i am blessed with a bevy of sisters - miraculously, some of my sisters are sisters through the 'accident' of birth (my blood sister/sibling and some my sisters-in-law) but i have other sisters, these sisters are sisters by choice. the connection is there, the love is deep and sweet and lasting. today i celebrate all my sisters - you know who you are - thank you.... i love you!!!!

the song legs (1983) by zz top accompanying a photo montage of beautiful and sexy television & film actresses of the past and present - clever video collage and dude, i love, love, love the opening sequence from the one of my favorite all time films, the big lebowski

stitch by stitch

2012-01-09T23:59:00.005-05:00

Each morning sees some task begun, each evening sees it close; Something attempted, something done, has earned a night's repose.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) poet & educator

merton and i have been very busy in the studio - i recently started a series of memory quilts. i have to confess that i am quite preoccupied by the project. but that said, i am hopeful that it won't be too long before i find a rhythm and balance to my days where i will soon reconnect with my mouse medicine muse and the bloggyhood - until then i wish everyone a happy new year!

this series that is underway is a group of quilts that i'm making primarily from the shirts of a dear friend named jeff who died this fall. i first met jeff in 1979 when donita, one of my closest friends from college, brought him 'home' to texas (where we were living and where donita and i met in 1973) to introduce him to her family and friends. several years later they married. we remained close. in the early 1990s donita and jeff relocated to metro dc and settled into a house just a couple miles away from where my folks live - what a wonderful gift this was as now we had many opportunities for sharing our lives - we met up frequently either in metro dc or where f and i lived - connecticut and then cleveland.

a month before jeff died, i saw him while i was on a trip to metro dc to visit my mom. during that visit jeff was in the hospital, he was in good spirits and was looking forward to getting out of the hospital in a day or two. we were all hopeful that he was going to get stronger and beat the "weird infection" that he was battling - - or at least "an infection" was the prevailing theory about why he was ill from july through september.

there were still tests to come in, but in late september we had no idea that when the tests came back the news would be so grave. jeff was discharged home, however, after only a couple days he showed no improvement and was getting worse, so it was back to the hospital. while in the hospital, the rest of the test results came in - the news was dire - a diagnosis of stage four cancer - unknown primary location. the cancer was widespread and completely invasive - there was nothing that medically could be done. jeff was discharged home with hospice care - and one week after learning the diagnosis jeff died.

too sad. too tragic.

there is no such thing as a good death for a person who is only 58 with still half a life or more ahead to live. but there is comfort in knowing that jeff's suffering was not drawn out and there there is even more comfort in knowing that jeff was surrounded and lovingly tended to by those he loved - his wife and daughter, and some other family and friends who were able to make it to town or lived near.

six weeks after jeff died, there was a beautiful celebration of his life. jeff's send off was moving, absolutely heartfelt, and healing. donita asked if i could make some small memory quilts for his sibs and his mother, his two best friends, and a quilt for her and their daughter out of jeff's shirts. of course i said yes, i am so honored to be so entrusted to such a task. so in november before heading back to cleveland after the celebration of jeff's life, donita, zoe and i went through jeff's closet and filled up two big bags with his shirts - most of jeff's shirts are colorful and bold - like the man he was and the man he will always be in the hearts and minds of those who were privileged to know him. each day i work on the project i feel the healing power of memory and love - i hope that when they are done this power will be extended to those who receive the finished works.

stitch by stitch sung by javier colon

friendship train

2012-01-05T19:39:00.004-05:00

I have come to believe that the whole world is an enigma, a harmless enigma that is made terrible by our own mad attempt to interpret it as though it had an underlying truth.

Umberto Eco (5 january 1932) semiotician, philosopher, and writer

happy new year friends!

we are already nearing the end of the first week of 2012 - how did that happen? i hadn't planned on taking a blogging holiday but that's pretty much what happened since my solstice post.

i can't recall a december that was as packed as december 2011 and we didn't even go off on any wanders but stayed here on the north coast the entire month. i'm happy to report that on the whole it was a pretty wonderful holiday season.

we were blessed with so many special times with family and friends.

a few random snaps of the last couple weeks -

on the solstice, friends host an annual gathering - one of the last parts of the solstice celebration is for each person in attendance to light a candle and share their hopes for the days ahead.

a new member of the household arrived a couple days after solstice.

i should preface this introduction by mentioning that the number of cats at casa mouse dropped to a historic low of two while running errands with my daughter, em noticed that we were very close to the apl and mentioned that maybe we should drop in and look around. it didn't take long for me to completely fall for the gregarious orange (7 month old) kitten baxter (now formerly known as baxter).

on the ride home em and i discussed baxter's name - we already have a cat named baxter in our community of friends, and two baxters, well that is one too many. on the ride home with the sweet, mellow cat on my lap, the name merton arose and it just fit! as t.s. eliot states the naming of cats is a difficult matter - it isn't just one of your holiday games.

i'm happy to report that merton baxter gets along famously with tsuki and relations with the other critters are peaceful. merton wants to play with stella, but she would rather he keep his distance - which he does. merton even tolerates dixie when she comes over to visit and i have high hopes that one day he and dixie will be as good of friends as tsuki and dixie are.

the same day i adopted merton, bingo turned one! that night there was a wee birthday holiday celebration at bingo's house.

bingo receives a little candle blowing help from his mama and big sister ms t!

then it was christmas weekend!

we spent a cozy christmas eve eve with friends in oberlin

christmas day got off to a tasty start with breakfast crepes - courtesy of daughter em who is a master crepe maker! later on christmas we were blessed with the arrival of out of town friends and fictive sisters from metro dc.

the day after christmas we headed over to the cleveland museum of art where we met up with other friends. as everyone is an art lover, we checked out the special fu baoshi exhibit, looked at the progress of the new atrium, and wandered about the galleries of the permanent collection.

friendship, peace, love, and health to all!

2012 is off to a good start! all i have to do is get aboard the blogging train! i confess, along with not posting on the mouse, i'm totally out of the loop in terms of visiting friends in the bloggyhood! but i'm not worried after all, tomorrow is another day.

gladys knight and the pips performing friendship train in 1972. friendship train (1969) is one of many classics written (or co-written) by norman whitfield. whitfield is credited as one of the creators of the motown sound and he was also instrumental in the development of the sub-genre of psychedelic soul. by the way, other whitfield hits include: papa was a rolling stone, i heard it through the grapevine, ball of confusion, and just my imagination (running away with me)!

Calling out to everyone across the nation
Said the world is in a desperate situation
Stealing, burning, fighting, killing
Nothing but corruption
It looks like mankind in on the eve of destruction
Oh yes it is now people let me tell you now
We've got to learn to live with each other
No matter what the race, creed or color
I just got to tell you what the world needs now
Is love and understanding get aboard the friendship train
Everybody shake a hand make a friend now
Listen to us now, we're doing our thing
On the friendship train

We've got to start today to make tomorrow
A brighter day for our children
Oh calm down people now we can do it
I can prove it but only if our hearts are willing
[ From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/g/gladys-knight-lyrics/friendship-train-lyrics.html ]
Now get aboard the friendship train
Everybody, shake a hand, shake a hand
Yes I'm talking about the friendship train
It don't matter what you look like
People or who you are
If your heart is in the right place
In the right place
Talking about the right palce
You're welcome aboard now

This train stands for justice,
This train stands for freedom
This train stands for harmony and peace
This train stands for love
Come on get on the friendship train
People listen to me now
Harmony is the key my sisters and brothers
Oh yes it is I say
Harmony is the key my sisters and brothers
People can't wait cause another day might be too late
Come on get on the friendship train

top photo: cleveland, 3 january 2012

lord of the dance

2011-12-21T11:30:00.006-05:00

In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy.

William Blake (1757–1827) poet and artist

happy winter solstice! the shortest day and longest night of the year - at least in the northern hemisphere. depending on where you live solstice officially happens either today or tomorrow - here in on the north coast solstice occurs at 12:30 a.m. on the 22nd; on the west coast solstice occurs at 9:30 p.m. on the 21st.

today in cleveland the sun rose at 7:50 a.m. and is to set at 5:00 p.m - this gives us 9 hours and 10 minutes of daylight; in washington dc the sunrise was at 7:23 and sunset 4:49 - 9 hours and 26 minutes of daylight. i have a friend who lives in ambler, alaska (when i mail her a package the zip code pops up as 'north pole' - which never fails to tickle me, especially this time of year!) curious mouse that i am wondered how much daylight jo will have today, so i checked with accuweather - geez today ambler gets a whooping 1 hour and 33 minutes of daylight - sunrise is 12:54 p.m. and sunset 2:27 p.m!

latitude and longitude sure make a difference. curious about sunrise and sunset around the world - one of my favorite to go places is timeanddate.com

we had our first real snow this weekend. the snow's gone now and there's little chance it will be a white christmas. today is downright balmy - the forecast calls for rain and temperatures in the high 50s! oh well - it does what it does!

the dubliners performing the song lord of the dance - the song was written in the 1960s by english poet and songwriter sydney carter. the song may seem like a traditional carol, and this is not at all surprising as it is an adaptation of joseph brackett's 1848 shaker dancing song simple gifts. carter states that the song is a tribute to shaker music and that the words were inspired by jesus and a statue of shiva of nataraja.

I see Christ as the incarnation of the piper who is calling us. He dances that shape and pattern which is at the heart of our reality. By Christ I mean not only Jesus; in other times and places, other planets, there may be other Lords of the Dance. But Jesus is the one I know of first and best. I sing of the dancing pattern in the life and words of Jesus.

...Their hymns were odd, but sometimes of great beauty: from one of these (Simple Gifts) I adapted this melody. I could have written another for the words of 'Lord of the Dance' (some people have), but this was so appropriate that it seemed a waste of time to do so. Also, I wanted to salute the Shakers.
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Sometimes, for a change I sing the whole song in the present tense. 'I dance in the morning when the world is begun...'. It's worth a try". (green print for song, 1974)

today is wall wednesday

photos: wall on the side of a nightclub in cleveland; george the gargoyle, casa mouse, 17 december 2011

the christmas song

2011-12-18T13:13:00.001-05:00

Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity.

Charles Mingus (1922 -1979) musician and composer

there's nothing sweeter live music, especially when it is unexpected and delivered by talented street musicians - this fine fellow was creating a festive holiday atmosphere amidst the construction and bustle on a street corner near cleveland's busy west side market. what a joy to hang out, listen and chat between songs - his repertoire was filled with several of my favorite holiday songs.

friday turned out to be a jazzy sort of day. hours later f and i topped off our evening at one of our favorite local restaurants - which now is hosting live jazz every friday and saturday night -- the best part, is the restaurant is walking distance from our house!

today's mingus quote - it is wise advice and good mouse medicine for everyday life - wouldn't you say?

jason kendall on sax with his version of the christmas song (aka chestnuts roasting on an open fire).

the song, which has become a christmas classic was written in 1944 by mel tormé and bob wells. the song was first recorded and released in 1946 by nat king cole. according to the portal bmi reports that is the most preformed christmas song - and to think it was written on a blistering hot summer day!

night in the city

2011-12-16T10:45:00.000-05:00

A city is a place where there is no need to wait for next week to get the answer to a question, to taste the food of any country, to find new voices to listen to and familiar ones to listen to again.

Margaret Mead (16 december 1901 - 1978) anthropologist

today is the birthday of one of my heroes - cultural anthropologist margaret mead. it is strange, but i'll never forget the day she died. when i was in graduate school (for the first time) in november of 1978 i was attending the american anthropological association meeting in los angeles. maraget mead was on the program - i'll never forget, i was looking through the program with my advisor andy, i turned to him and excitedly said i couldn't believe my luck, margaret mead was listed as giving a talk, hey maybe i'll get a chance to meet her in person - wouldn't that be incredible! he looked at me and said, "didn't you hear? they just announced that margaret mead died yesterday in a hospital in new york." my first reaction was that andy was playing a horrible prank - she couldn't be in a hospital in new york she was on the program! then i looked at him - his eyes didn't lie - there a day before i was going to meet her and a month before her 77th birthday she died. just goes to show we never know.

but what i do know is december 16th will always be a happy day - along with the date being the birthday of wise woman magaret mead, it is also the anniversary of when my honey and i publicly proclaimed our love and commitment to each other and to the world!

about today's photos i snapped these pics last night - the top photo shows the new fun lights around cleveland's west side market - i don't know if they were put up for the holidays or if they are just part of the on-going improvement plan for the market square neighborhood. regardless, i like the lights!!

speaking of lights the city of cleveland periodically plays with colored lights on terminal tower - last night the tower was red! most often this time of year it is both red and green. i wonder if someone forgot to flip the switch for the green lights!

inevitably when i'm wandering around looking at city lights, joni's classic song night in the city pops into my head.... always a nice earworm! the song first appeared on joni's debut 1968 album song to a seagull.

sharing the fun!

2011-12-14T12:00:00.005-05:00

A sense of humor is a major defense against minor troubles.

Mignon McLaughlin (1913 - 1983)journalist & writer

sorry about the poor quality of today's wall wednesday photo, given that i snapped it looking out the window of a moving car on the rta the photo probably isn't all that bad. when i saw there was a rodent on the wall i had to capture it - and quickly -- even if that meant taking the photo from a moving train. in cleveland one can never tell how long - or short - wall art will be up. some pieces last for a long time while other pieces are covered up quickly by the graffiti eradication squads. now i just made that up about graffiti eradication squads - but based on what i see, there may very well be official groups wandering about covering up street art with gray or white paint.

as is the case in many cities, some of the best street art in the area is seen from the train. one day i would like to do a photo safari along cleveland's rail corridors, i have a feeling that the authorities would frown on this, but i'm game none-the-less. the authorities certainly frown on the street artists who use the concrete walls and buildings that abut the tracks as their canvas.

this last month of the year is flying by - yikes, can you believe we are almost halfway through december? no complaints here as december has been chocked full -- and time does fly when one is having fun - lots of activity in terms of both work and play. only thing that suffers with a full dance card is keeping up with the blogosphere - but, setting a new low for number of posts on the mouse is truly a minor trouble.

i think f and i are setting a personal record high this month for getting out for live entertainment in terms of both music and theater. just this weekend we attended an absolutely fabulous theatrical event at cleveland public theater - entitled conni's avant-garde restaurant. the reviewer for the pd was spot on when she referred to it as a "deliciously demented" holiday feast. this is not your daddy's dinner theater - i'll throw out a few more d adjectives conni's is also delightfully deliriously deranged! the theater troupe performing the extravaganza is a touring group - this year was the second year the group stopped in cleveland. i'm crossing my fingers that conni's will be a annual holiday tradition and we'll be having a holiday meal at conni's for many years ahead! as for me i'll be making my reservations at conni's each year!

we went from the superbly ridiculous to the spiritually sublime -- we wrapped up the weekend's live events by attending sacrum mysterium - sacred mystery: a celtic christmas a collaborative performance of appolo's fire and the ensemble la nef of montréal.

the fun continues (as does the celtic theme) tonight as we're heading to the cleveland museum of art to see and listen to the amazing natalie macmaster.

today is the centennial of the birth of musician and bandleader spike jones (14 december 1911 - 1965) . jones was widely popular in the '40s and '50s - and best known for his satirical songs. spike and his band, spike jones and the city slickers toured north america under the title the musical depreciation revue.

along with the 1942 hit der fuehrer's face, one of jones most well known songs is the christmas classic all i want for christmas is my two front teeth. below is a vid of jones singing the song - alas no info as to when this was filmed.

photo: cleveland, december 2011

all you need is love

2011-12-07T19:25:00.001-05:00

All major religious traditions carry basically the same message, that is love, compassion and forgiveness the important thing is they should be part of our daily lives.

Dalai Lama (b. 1935)

wall wednesday continues.

i guess it is debatable whether the officials in the vatican got the memo about what his holiness the dalai lama suggests is the universal message of 'all major religious traditions.'

the vatican really got its panties in a bunch recently over benetton's 'unhate' campaign - the campaign was quite the buzz a couple weeks ago. i'm sure everyone is familiar the benetton ads, they feature various world leaders kissing. the vatican threatened legal action against the clothing company. the company withdrew the ads featuring a photoshopped pope benedict kissing an egyptian imam, the sheik ahmed el-tayeb.

geez some people just don't have any imagination or sense of humor!

benetton is known for its provocative advertising campaigns; according to the company -

Its aim was to “contrast the culture of hatred and promote closeness between peoples, faiths, cultures and the peaceful understanding of each other’s motivations. The central theme is the kiss, the most universal symbol of love.” (source)

the beatles all you need is love. the song was first preformed for the public on 25 june, 1967 for our world, the first live global television link. the bbc commissioned the beatles to write a song for the uk's contribution. the project was conceived by a bbc producer named aubrey singer.

nineteen countries were asked to participate in this 2-1/2 hour show. part of the ground rules for the program was that no politicians or heads of state participate. however, although politicians were prohibited from participating they still wielded power over the production, according to an article in the cbc archives 4 days before the broadcast 5 of the countries dropped out because of political reasons (for all you curious cats and mice the countries that dropped out were: the ussr and the then eastern bloc countries of poland, czechoslovakia, hungary and east germany. the leaders of these countries dropped out to protest the west's reaction to the six-day war in the middle east)

by the way, the original program was transmitted in black and white. later segments were colorized as we see in the vid below.

Love, Love, Love.
Love, Love, Love.
Love, Love, Love.

There's nothing you can do that can't be done.
Nothing you can sing that can't be sung.
Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game.
It's easy.

Nothing you can make that can't be made.
No one you can save that can't be saved.
Nothing you can do but you can learn how to be you in time.
It's easy.

All you need is love.
All you need is love.
All you need is love, love.
Love is all you need.

All you need is love.
All you need is love.
All you need is love, love.
Love is all you need.

Nothing you can know that isn't known.
Nothing you can see that isn't shown.
Nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be.
It's easy.

All you need is love.
All you need is love.
All you need is love, love.
Love is all you need.

All you need is love (All together, now!)
All you need is love. (Everybody!)
All you need is love, love.
Love is all you need (love is all you need)
(love is all you need) (love is all you need)
(love is all you need) Yesterday (love is all you need)
(love is all you need) (love is all you need)

Yee-hai!
Oh yeah!
love is all you need, love is all you need,love is all you need, love is all you need, oh yeah oh hell yea! love is all you need love is all you need love is all you need

photo: cleveland november 2011

nick of time

2011-12-06T17:50:00.002-05:00

A hug is a great gift - one size fits all, and it's easy to exchange.

anonymouse

tattoo tuesday celebrates the feast day of saint nicholas the 4th century saint reputed to be the model for santa claus - the modern name comes from the dutch sinterklaas which is derived from a series of elisions and corruptions of the transliteration of saint nikolaos.

the historical st nick (nikolaos of myra aka nikolaos the wonderworker) had a reputation for secret gift giving - supposedly one of his favorite practices was to put coins in the shoes of those who left their shoes outside their doors at night. the practice of putting shoes out for gifts is still a custom in some of the countries which celebrate saint nicholas day.

i love to learn what or who saints are patron saints for - according to the saint nicholas center, saint nicholas is reputedly the patron saint of more causes than any other saint! the list includes more than 100 groups, including: children, sailors, thieves, pawnbrokers, bankers, archers, merchants, poor people, poets, and prostitutes (here's the skinny behind saint nicholas and prostitutes!)

one of today's photos may look familiar as i posted the top photo last year - months before starting tattoo tuesday - given that today is saint nicholas day, i thought it only fitting to repost the photo! the incredibly sexy santa is the beautiful delilah von dagger. delilah, which may or may not be her "real name" is part of the cleveland burlesque company. i also really like the second photo where the hello kitty tat is more visible.

bonnie raitt singing her classic song nick of time from an appearance she made in 1990 on the arsenio hall show

memory

2011-12-05T11:50:00.003-05:00

Grief turns out to be a place none of us know until we reach it. We anticipate (we know) that someone close to us could die, but we do not look beyond the few days or weeks that immediately follow such an imagined death. We misconstrue the nature of even those few days or weeks. We might expect if the death is sudden to feel shock. We do not expect this shock to be obliterative, dislocating to both body and mind. We might expect that we will be prostrate, inconsolable, crazy with loss. We do not expect to be literally crazy, cool customers who believe their husband is about to return and need his shoes.

Joan Didion (b. 5 december 1934) writer
from the year of magical thinking

as i mentioned in my last post some of the aids memorial quilt panels are visiting cleveland - 128 panels to be exact - 64 panels are displayed at the cleveland institute of art and an equal number are displayed at metrohealth medical center.

on friday i headed over to cia - as expected i was touched and of course so, so saddened. i was so moved on friday that i decided to see the rest of the panels on sunday - i didn't want to wait until the closing reception on wednesday when the space would most likely be filled with people. there is something profoundly sacred about viewing the panels when there are few, if any others around.

below is a slideshow of my photos of the visiting panels:

for those who love factoids a few facts about the aids memorial quilt from a handout that i picked up. the handout was produced by the names project foundation. the quilt has been a ongoing visual tribute to those who died from aids since 1987. over 18 million people have visited the quilt and there are approximately 91,000 names on the quilt. the quilt weighs 54 tons and is 1,293,00 square feet. if one were to spend one minute with each panel, it would take 33 days to view the entire quilt.

a panel is 3 feet by 6 feet and there are eight panels that make up each block to form a 12 foot by 12 foot section. the quilt still receives, on a average, a new panel each day.

for more information on the aids memorial quilt including how to host a display in your community, visit the names project at aidsquilt.org

i'm thinking a good deal these days about loss and grief - which is not that unusual for this time of years. ironically the holiday season is one of those times when we are reminded, often painfully, of those who are no longer with us.

a few years ago i read birthday girl joan didion's memoir the year of magical thinking - the book is a poetic and moving account of the year following the sudden and unexpected death of her husband, fellow writer john gregory dunn. this year didion released another memoir, blue nights - two years after dunn's death, their only child died from the complications of the condition we read about in the year of magical thinking. although didion is an amazingly gifted and poetic writer, i don't know if i will read blue nights .....

grizabella singing memory from andrew lloyd webber's musical cats. the song never fails to bring this mouse to tears.....

what's going on

2011-12-01T23:59:00.000-05:00

We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men.

Herman Melville (1819-1891) writer, teacher, sailor

today is world aids day - hopefully, a day of both reflection and action. although the situation has improved in some countries - in many parts of the world and among many marginalized groups, aids is still a death sentence and is still out of control. as a world community we have the knowledge to make great strides toward making hiv infection no longer be a death sentence, but the gap between knowledge and action is great. the gap can be reduced with vision, will and the proper and equitable distribution of resources. the situation can improve if everyone joins together to do something - and there is no action that is too small. even becoming to an educated and informed citizen is a form of action; so no need to feel helpless even if you are unable to contribute funds or your time to the cause, you can always contribute your mind!

if you are looking for connecting with others to help in the fight against aids, contact your local aids network or visit one of the world aids day websites - some include: the federal (us) aids site, the cdc world aids day site, and the uk world aids day home. the fight against aids needs to be waged each day - as i've been known to say about earth day, the same sentiment goes for world aids day - let's make every day world aids day.

tomorrow i plan to visit the panels of the aids memorial quilt which are visiting cleveland at the cleveland institute of art. next week i hope to check out the panels that are currently being assembled to honor and memorialize local individuals who have died of aids when they are to be shared at the closing reception for the visiting panels. visiting the quilt or seeing panels is always a very powerful experience. the first time i saw the quilt was in 1988 in washington d.c; i visited dc again in 1996 to see the entire quilt, which most likely was the last time the quilt was displayed in its entirety.

it is staggering to think of the number of aids deaths in the last 30 years according to avert, an international organization working to on behalf averting hiv/aids, nearly 30 million people have died worldwide due to aids related causes.

an all star tribute recording of the what's going on provides the soundtrack to an educational slide show on the world aids crisis.

the idea of world aids day reaches back to 1987 and who's global programme on aids based out of geneva switzerland. since 1995, the us government has issued an official proclamation. below is the text of president obama's proclamation for 2011:

A PROCLAMATION

On World AIDS Day, 30 years after the first cases of HIV/AIDS were reported, we stand with the individuals and communities affected by HIV and recommit to progress toward an AIDS free generation.

My Administration is taking action to turn the corner on the HIV/AIDS pandemic by investing in research that promises new and proven methods to prevent infection and better therapies for people living with HIV. In the past year, the National Institutes of Health has reported important progress. We now know that treatment of HIV not only improves clinical outcomes, but can also dramatically reduce the risk of transmission. Studies on the use of antiretroviral medications to prevent infection of HIV negative individuals show promising results. And research is ongoing to devise new prevention methods that may one day offer innovative ways to prevent the spread of HIV, like microbicides that can curb the risk of infection in women. By pursuing the next breakthrough treatment in the fight against HIV, continuing research to develop a vaccine, and incorporating new scientific tools into our programs, we are taking important steps toward an AIDS free generation.

To combat the HIV epidemic in the United States, we are implementing the first comprehensive National HIV/AIDS Strategy in our country's history, which calls for strong, coordinated policy initiatives, enhanced HIV/AIDS education, collaboration across the Federal Government, and robust engagement with individuals, communities, and businesses across America. As part of these efforts, we are embracing the best science available to prevent new HIV infections, and we are testing new approaches to integrating housing, prevention, care, and substance abuse and mental health services related to HIV/AIDS. We are implementing the Affordable Care Act, which mandates new consumer protections and new options for purchasing health insurance for all Americans by 2014, including those with HIV. We are also striving to secure employment opportunities for people living with HIV by working to end discrimination based on HIV status.

To address the global HIV pandemic, we are working with nations around the world to advance comprehensive prevention efforts and provide lifesaving medicine to millions of people living with HIV. We are integrating cutting edge science into the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) that will do even more to prevent new HIV infections, including more effective drug regimens to prevent mother to child HIV transmission and low cost approaches like voluntary medical male circumcision. When combined with other proven approaches, such as condoms, HIV testing and counseling, and programs to support behavior change, these advances can dramatically reduce HIV incidence and save lives. As we move forward, we will maintain our commitment to rigorously measuring the impact of these approaches, revising them appropriately, and incorporating new ideas and technologies as they become available.

Recognizing that a coordinated strategy is essential to our success, we are partnering with a wide variety of stakeholders to promote HIV/AIDS awareness, prevention, and treatment. Here at home, States, tribes, territories, and local governments are vital partners in implementing the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, and we are joined by a host of public and private supporters and collaborators in PEPFAR. Partnerships with corporations, foundations, faith-based institutions, academic institutions, and other organizations are critically important to the fight against HIV, and we will work to strengthen these ties in the years ahead.

At this pivotal time in the worldwide response to HIV, the United States is preparing to welcome the global community to Washington, D.C., for the 19th International AIDS Conference in July 2012. We look forward to working with and learning from people living with HIV, clinicians, researchers, practitioners, and advocates from across the globe. On this World AIDS Day, let us reflect on the people we have lost and those we hold dear who are living with or affected by HIV/AIDS. And as we pay tribute to the past and current heroes in the struggle against this disease, let us recommit to bringing an end to this tragic pandemic and pursuing an AIDS-free generation.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States do hereby proclaim December 1, 2011, as World AIDS Day. I urge the Governors of the States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, officials of the other territories subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, and the American people to join me in appropriate activities to remember those who have lost their lives to AIDS and to provide support and comfort to those living with this disease.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-sixth.

BARACK OBAMA

long may you run

2011-11-30T21:20:00.002-05:00

All things share the same breath - the beast, the tree, the man... the air shares its spirit with all the life it supports.

Si'ahl, aka Chief Seattle (c. 1780 - 1866) leader of the Dkhw’Duw’Absh (Duwamish)

we are wrapping up the mouse's recognition of native american heritage month with a bit of wall art from the pacific northwest. this mural is found in bellingham, washington .

the mural depicts both the native people of the area and the non-native settlers and the close association humans have with the animals and of living with and off of the natural world.

when i visited bellingham this last year i learned that its nickname is the city of subdued excitement. i've made quite a few visits to b'ham over the years and i can attest to the fact that the town lives up to this moniker. i first visited in 1995 with my daughter when she was checking out potential schools- incidentally took a photo of this same mural during that visit. it seems as if the city is proud of the mural as it is well maintained.

gazing at this wall reminds me of annie dillard's remarkable 1992 novel the living. although i read the book fifteen years ago the book has stuck with me and remains one of my favorite novels. it is a powerful book about the people who settled in whatcom country (which includes bellingham) in the 19th century. the book primarily focuses on the white settlers but it also discussed life of the area's indigenous lummi indians. for those who enjoy a compelling read and being transported to a different time and place, i highly recommend the living.

neil young's 1974 song long may you run. the song appeared in 1976 on an collaborative album with the same title that was released by young and stills. the song was written by neil as an ode to a beloved car, i choose to redirect the message and say - long may the salmon run!!

photo: bellingham, washington, april 2010

the word

2011-11-29T23:59:00.000-05:00

In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on.

Robert Frost (1874 - 1963) poet

tattoo tuesday continues.

no time for me to put down many words but i didn't want to miss another tuesday without sharing some snaps of tats.

today's tats all feature words written on three women's arms . in the top pic the words are actually the sioux name that a friend of mine was given - i was told that the translation for kangi winyan is raven woman.

the second snap is aubrey's left arm - we saw the intricate and beautiful body art on aubrey's other arm a couple weeks ago - i also took a snap of this more simply adorned arm - the saying(s) are a tribute her dad - "you play" and "don't pre-worry" are a couple of his favorite expressions.

the third snap is of deb, another friend, no explanation needed!
toodles, my guests for movie night have arrived -- gotta run!!

beatles the word

the way it will be

2011-11-27T13:30:00.005-05:00

If every day is an awakening, you will never grow old. You will just keep growing.

Gail Sheehy (b. 27 november 1937) author & lecturer

who else is in shock that in just a few days it will be DECEMBER!

this november definitely broke some sort of time-speed record - however, it seems as if i've been saying that about most months these last few years - i've heard this is a sign of getting old - nothing wrong with getting old - especially as my grandpap used to say "when one considers the alternative!" in my book getting old is not the same as growing old, wouldn't you agree?

okay that's it for today, gotta run - today's big excitement is soon to come. ms t and i are heading out to see the muppets!

the way it will be by gillian welch and david rawlings - the song is on gillian's 2011 album the harrow and the harvest

photo: d's backyard buddha, virginia. november 2011

thank you

2011-11-23T23:59:00.000-05:00

Sometimes dreams are wiser than waking.

Black Elk (1863- 1950) medicine man

wall wednesday continues.....

i thought it would be nice to use wall wednesday as an opportunity to get my happy thanksgiving message out to all the friends who drop by the mouse!

ah, i've been a lax blogger of late - sorry! no doubt my absence is more a sign of the current tempo of my life than anything else. but the tempo of my life reflects all that i have to be thankful for:

i am thankful for having a full life.
i am thankful for my family and friends.
i am thankful that i can make friends "family"

i am thankful for good health and a strong body.
i am thankful that every experience - happy, sad, joy, disappointment, pain, tranquility - has a lesson and a message that - if i pay attention - will enrich.

i am thankful for knowing that what is important in life is not riches but knowing that every experience can be enriching.

i am thankful that i am who i am
i am thankful that you are who you are.

i am thankful for every species on our beautiful blue marble.

i am thankful for all of the seasons.
i am thankful for cold, heat, rain, and snow.

i am thankful for the sun and the light.
i am thankful for the moon and the night.

i am thankful for all who came before who have made the world a better place.

i am thankful for all who struggle who are making the world a better place.

i am thankful for hope.
i am thankful for charity.
i am thankful for faith.
i am thankful for love.

dido performing her sweetly infectious song thank you - the song first appeared in the film sliding doors (a wonderful romantic dramedy with leads by gwyneth paltrow and john hannah - i was smitten with the film as it ran two stories in alternative realities - i just love musing about what ifs and alternative realities, don't you?) the song was released as a single in 2000 and then later it appeared on dido's debut album no angel.

photo: wall in albuquerque, october 2011

cherokee nation

2011-11-16T15:00:00.002-05:00

May the warm winds of Heaven blow softly on your home,
And the Great Spirit bless all who enter there.
May your moccasins make happy tracks in many snows,
And may the rainbow always touch your shoulder.

Cherokee Blessing

nahm and wall wednesday return.

lament for a cherokee nation was written in the late 1950s by john d. loudermilk, and it is loudermilk's voice and version in the vid below.

although written by loudermilk the song was first released in 1959 by marvin rainwater under the title pale-faced indian, rainwater's version went virtually unnoticed. however, in 1968 don fardon covered the song under the title (the lament of the cherokee) indian reservation, and it became a hit. the popularity of fardon's cover is fairly ironic, given that marvin rainwater is actually part cherokee (25%), whereas, fardon is british born and breed. the version of the song that i remember best is the 1971 cover by paul revere and the raiders - the raiders version made it to the top of the pop charts peaking in july for a week as the number 1 song - according to the portal: "Indian Reservation" became Columbia's biggest-selling single for almost a decade, clearing over six million units.

photo: mural part of the 516 arts alley art mural project, albuquerque, new mexico. october 2011

light as a feather

2011-11-15T13:15:00.006-05:00

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Robert Frost (1874-1964) poet
The Road Not Taken

feathers are the common denominator for today's tattoo tuesday.

saturday's errands included a stop at visible voice books - a wonderful independent bookshop in cleveland. while checking out i was taken by the artful sleeve of aubrey who was working the shop that day. of course, i asked permission to take a snap and when she graciously gave permission to snap and share, i asked her the story behind the work.

aubrey says that the piece reflects her worldview and the inspiration for the artwork are the poems of robert frost. the feather on aubrey's arm is a feather pen - if you look closely and perhaps enlarge the photo on the right you may see the nib) i didn't probe her on the specific poems as we began discussing where she had the work done, how long it took and who did it. she had the work done while living and studying in san francisco, because it is so intricate the work took quite a few sessions and was done by a tattoo artist named barnaby.

below is another feather - mallory supplies the canvas for this colorful feather.

oh by the way, while at visible voice i picked up two woody guthrie books - a replacement copy for my lost 30 year old edition of woody's autobiography bound for glory and a gently used copy of pastures of plenty: the unpublished writings of woody guthrie (edited by dave marsh and harold leventhal). if you haven't noticed, there's a new addition on the mouse's sidebar - to celebrate the upcoming centennial of woody's birth in 2012, i have added a link to the guthrie foundation site which features a woody song a day!

norah jones performing light as a feather - norah and singer-songwriter ryan adams wrote the song together. the song appears on jones 4th studio album, the fall (2009).

murmuration

2011-11-13T17:30:00.001-05:00

Normal fear protects us; abnormal fear paralyses us. Normal fear motivates us to improve our individual and collective welfare; abnormal fear constantly poisons and distorts our inner lives. Our problem is not to be rid of fear but, rather to harness and master it.

Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968)minister & civil-rights leader

murmuration is a term for a flock of starlings. i never knew this until the other day when a friend posted an amazing video on facebook - i can't count how many times i've watched it - it is fascinating. the on-line magazine (or would that be an ezine?) wired has an interesting piece about the video and the phenomenon that liberty smith and sophie windsor clive found themselves witnessing.

i find the names for groups of birds most curious and wonderful - most of us know a group of crows is called a murder - but did you know that a group of cranes is called a sedge? so i guess the sculpture above is of a small sedge of cranes.

if you see geese on the ground they are called a gaggle of geese; but when they are flying overhead they are a skein of geese. owls must be the most political of bird species as group of owls is called a parliament of owls. ....like i said fascinating stuff!

do you think the photo below is a sedge of cranes, a siege of herons, or a skein of geese....or something else?

james lipton's book an exaltation of larks (1993) is a delightful anthology of collective nouns for birds and other species - and a virtual goldmine for all us scrabble players and word lovers out here.

photo: top -sculpture entitled cloud chasers by o.k. harris, bottom - birds in flight. rio grande valley state park, albuquerque, new mexico, october 2011

universal soldier

2011-11-11T23:59:00.001-05:00

The crucified planet Earth,
should it find a voice
and a sense of irony,
might now well say
of our abuse of it,
"Forgive them, Father,
They know not what they do."

The irony would be
that we know what
we are doing.

When the last living thing
has died on account of us,
how poetical it would be
if Earth could say
in a voice floating up
perhaps
from the floor
of the Grand Canyon,
"It is done."
People did not like it here.

Kurt Vonnegut (11 november 1922 - 2007)
above from A Man Without a Country

today is veterans day - just one more of the 365 days of the year to pray for peace.

buffy sainte-marie singing her classic anti-war anthem universal soldier. the song was released in 1964 on her debut album it's my way!

of the song buffy remarked:

"I wrote 'Universal Soldier' in the basement of The Purple Onion coffee house in Toronto in the early sixties. It's about individual responsibility for war and how the old feudal thinking kills us all."

amen sister!

photo: roadside memorial, somewhere between durango colorado and santa fe, new mexico, 22 october 2011

grey street

2011-11-09T22:45:00.001-05:00

Put your ear down close to your soul and listen hard.

Anne Sexton (9 november 1928 - 1974)

this month the mouse will be celebrating native american heritage month on wednesdays with photos from our recent wander. all of the walls will in some way express native american culture or themes.

i was pleasantly surprised by the abundance of murals and vibrant and interesting street art we encountered in many of the communities we visited. some of the murals and street art were commissioned or 'authorized' - but there were also plenty of random acts of beauty, such as the interesting and intriguing piece shown above that we encountered in an alley in albuqerque.

in addition to contemporary wall art, we made a point to check out some really old wall art while visiting the ancient pubelo community at chaco cultural historical park. as we learned that the peñasco blanco trail was home to a relatively large concentration of chacoan and navajo petroglyphs, we made a point to hike it. there were some instances when the petroglyphs were easy to find, however, not always. below is a detail photo of what the sign shown above was pointing to - it was way up and i can only imagine the route taken to create it.

not all the rock engravings at chaco were ancient - we saw some instances of people making their mark in more recent times. 1905 can be considered recent when one realizes that the original petroglyphs were made a thousand years ago! fortunately, the number of modern additions aren't abundant and the park service which oversees this land has launched a concentrated effort to curtail additions by encouraging people to report signs of vandalism and leveling hefty fines.

dave matthews and tim reynolds performing grey street - according to the portal, matthews inspiration for the song was the life of poet anne sexton. although brilliant, sadly sexton had a long history of depression and mental illness - sexton killed herself a month before she was to turn 46. i am currently reading sexton's daughter linda's memoir searching for mercy street: my journey back to my mother, anne sexton (1994/2011). linda was twenty-one when her mother killed herself in 1974; linda's memoir is riveting and it was a very courageous book to write.

full circle

2011-11-08T19:00:00.001-05:00

Mankind is not a circle with a single center but an ellipse with two focal points of which facts are one and ideas the other.

Victor Hugo (1802 - 1885) author & human rights activist

today's tattoo tuesday body art feature two fellows (and i'm happy to say new friends) from my 'hood - nick (top) and dave. nick i met because of a cat and dave i met because of the beautiful portrait of mary that graces his arm.

story one - meeting nick. one day a few weeks ago i crossed the street purposely to meet nick; he was walking down the street holding the handsome orange cat you see in the snap. i was curious, one doesn't often see people taking cats for a walk. lately i've been thinking about training a new future cat and i've been fantasizing about how to go about training a young cat to be a therapy cat. i think it would be great to have a cat i could take around to nursing homes or special centers - but that's another story and no time to get into that here.

well it turns out that the cat wasn't nick's - he said he saw the cat as he was going down the street and noticed that it looked a bit forlorn and lost. he called to the cat, the cat came over, he picked the cat up and that's about when i wandered over to meet nick and the cat. he was trying to figure out what he should do - the cat was very friendly and obviously not a stray. we talked a while about nick's options and when i left nick and the cat, nick settled on a plan to walk down the street and go up to each house and ask if the cat lived there. if he couldn't find the house where the cat lived he was going to take the cat home and then move on to plan b. well, about five minutes later i was in front of my house and a car stopped in front of the house - it was nick. he told me that a couple minutes after i left him, he went up to a house and before he had a chance to talk, a man barked at him, "hey, what are you doing with my cat?" nick explained why he was holding the cat and that was that.

well this story has absolutely nothing to do with nick's tattoo - seeing nick's tattoo was an added bonus to meeting nick and the orange cat. when i was talking to nick i couldn't help but notice his wonderful, cheerful tattoo - of course, i asked if i could take a photo and share it and also asked if he designed it. nick was very gracious and told me yes, i could take a photo and share it, but, no he didn't design the tattoo. the design comes from the artist yann black - i can't recall now the back story to the piece, but recall something about the circle of life and nature and so on and so forth. nick, if you see this help me out!

turns out yann black is a name in the world of body art - from googling yann black i learned yann is a montreal-based artist who specializes in whimsical, fanciful, scribbly tattoos (see here and here )

story two - meeting library dave. the other day while walking by the library, i happened to see dave with a couple other fellows who work at the library. i shouted out a hi to one of the guys who is a friend and gave a nod to dave and the other guy. i was instantly struck by dave's amazing tattoo of the virgin mary and asked him about it. he said when he lived out west he was impressed with many of the religious tattoos he saw there and decided that he really would like one - hence mary. there is name under the image, the name is of his young daughter who is the apple of his eye and delight of his life - so library dave's tat is a celebration of life tat! i like that!

full circle by dan fogelberg (just a song that's been running through my head today)

living in the past

2011-11-07T17:00:00.002-05:00

Let us not look back in anger, nor forward in fear, but around in awareness.

James Thurber (1894-1961) author & cartoonist

i seem to be having a difficult time getting into the groove of regular posting on the mouse and have fallen dreadfully behind keeping up with the goings-on in the bloggyhood. no doubt this is a combination of post-vacation syndrome, playing catch-up, and enjoying a spell of some mighty fine autumn weather.

i'm happy to report that i've gone through my vacation snaps and created several sets of albums on flickr. this may be the first time i've ever created more than a single set of photos from a wander! i linked the first two of these sets (monument valley and zion national park) the first week i was back....

here on the mouse, i've have to move on from my vacation mind and start being in the present - ha ha! however, if anyone is interested in photos from chaco culture national historical park, hovenweep national monument, or looking at random (and hopefully interesting) snaps from albuquerque or santa fe the pics are up but you are on your own. i just hope you enjoy the armchair travel should you click and go.

jethro tull's living in the past (1969)

gracias a la vida

2011-11-01T12:10:00.004-04:00

Someday I'll be a weather-beaten skull resting on a grass pillow,
Serenaded by a stray bird or two.
Kings and commoners end up the same,
No more enduring than last night's dream.

Ryōkan Taigu (1758–1831) buddhist monk & poet

tattoo tuesday continues. today is november 1st which is celebrated in many places as all saints day. in mexico november 1st is also the first day of the dia de los murertos (the day of the dead) festival.

today's tattoos are among some i captured from a few of the folks i met on my recent wander and coincidentally feature a couple tattoos of skeletons in mexican costume - images often associated with the dia de los murertos. day of the dead traditions include constructing altars at the graves of deceased loved ones and leaving offerings of favorite foods, gifts, flowers - primarily marigolds, and fanciful decorated sugar skulls.

the first photo is of a fellow i met at monument valley - he was taking a photo of his wife in front one of the incredible rock formations which make up the park. i wandered over to ask if they'd like me to use their camera to take a photo of the two of them - of course they did. (i confess, one of my guilty pleasures is to ask strangers if i can use their camera to take a snap of them with whoever they are with)

as i took their photo i couldn't help but notice the wonderful tattoo and most graciously the fellow's whose name i forgot (sorry) allowed me to take a snap of and share it here on the mouse. after leaving monument valley they were heading to mexican hat - in honor of his tattoo, no doubt. coincidentally, after leaving monument valley, f and i also headed to mexican hat on our way to our next destination on our sw wander, cortez, colorado - but alas we didn't see the couple when we stopped at mexican hat an hour of so later.

the photo above and below show some of the body art which adorns the body of nikki - one of the wonderful staff from epazote, an incredible restaurant in santa fe we dined at near the end of our vacation. although the third photo doesn't offer a day of the dead image, it does capture the vivaciousness and beauty of nikki - along with a bit of the restaurant's gorgeous decor. the decor, wonderful as it was, was drab in comparison to the dishes that chef fernando olea dreamed up. when food is really good there's an expression that it is to die for, well, in my book chef olea's food is food to live for!!

mouse readers know how fond i am of festivals. in cleveland one of my favorite is our dia de los murertos celebration. this is the seventh year cleveland has held this community celebration. below is a slide show of some of the action from this year (52 photos - remember
if you wish you can enlarge the slide show, after hitting play click on arrow icon in the lower right corner of the screen)

joan baez and mercedes sosa performing gracias a la vida in 1988- the song was written by artist and ethnomusicologist violeta parra, who helped launch the nueva canción (new song) movement in chile.

runnin' down a dream

2011-10-27T19:15:00.004-04:00

Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.

John Muir (1838 -1914) naturalist, author, and wilderness activist

for anyone interested in a bit of armchair travel to the beautiful american southwest, today are the first two slide shows from my recent wander.

the first set of photos (31 snaps) are from zion national park - we visited zion exactly a week ago. at zion we drove to the park from kanab, utah (which was our 'home' for a couple days after leaving albuquerque). once we got to zion, we parked our car and utilized the park's shuttle system. during busy months the majority of the park is only accessible via the park's shuttle system. apparently these shuttles run in a few other of the country's popular national parks during tourist season - i think they are great - the manifest goal, of course, is to reduce traffic congestion and pollution; but i noticed the shuttle had a latent benefit by bringing people together the shuttle created a little temporary quasi-community. at zion shuttles ran every 15 minutes and go between many of the trailheads and other points of interest, visitors can jump on and off as many times as their little hearts desire.

zion was great - we hiked for several hours on a few of the parks many trails. even though it was a weekday and getting on in october there were plenty of people about - some groups, both school kids and adult tours, but also plenty of folks just on vacation like f and i. there were also along the narrows trail lots of very gregarious rock squirrels!

if you wish you can enlarge the slide shows, after hitting play and getting show to start click on arrow icon in the lower right corner of the screen.

the day after visiting zion we hit the road and traveled out of utah, into arizona and then back into utah.

after a couple stops and 225 miles east we ended up at monument valley tribal park.

the second show (18 photos) is from a drive we took through monument valley. the photo on the right is of me before we started off on the drive - you can see the park's famous two 'mittens' in the background. this photo isn't included in the slide show as it was taken with my cellphone! i can't believe how good it turned out - geez, who needs a big ol' camera when one can snap a photo as good as this with an itty bitty smart phone!

monument valley lies within the navajo nation reservation, the navajo name for the area is tsé biiʼ ndzisgaii, which means valley of the rocks. the area is designated as a navajo tribal park which is the navajo nation equivalent of a national park. one can either view monument valley from the highway (rt. 163) for free or pay a small fee (i'm pretty sure it was $10 for the two of us) in order to drive through the area. we elected to do the latter - and it was good thing i planned ahead and rented a high clearance vehicle, the dirt road through the park was very rough; if one wasn't careful one could do significant damage driving a regular car on the dirt road (it would be criminal to put a paved road through the park, so dirt road it ought to be!) there were other options to get up close and personal to the huge sandstone masterpieces - one could opt for a vehicular guided tour (we saw plenty of these going through - basically they were conducted with those safari type vehicles) or one could take a horse-riding tour - that could be fun if i wasn't terrified of getting thrown off a horse (despite my fondness for animals, i don't seem to have an affinity for horseback riding). i understand there are aerial tours (plane or hot-air balloon) but we didn't see any of those the afternoon we visited. for information on the park, visit the park's website.

after visiting monument valley we traveled north and east to cortez, colorado. on the way to cortez we passed through the small town of mexican hat, utah - named undoubtedly after the unique sombrero shaped rock nearby.

large photos not in slide show: top - maple leaves at zion national park, 20 october; middle photo- roadside view a few miles south of the entrance to monument valley tribal park; bottom photo - the curious mexican hat rock, 21 october, 2011

tom petty's perfect road trip song runnin' down a dream - the song was released in 1989 on petty's first solo album full moon fever. runnin' down a dream is also the title of a 2007 documentary that peter bogdanovich did on tom petty and the heartbreakers.

yah ta hey!

2011-10-26T20:00:00.001-04:00

With Beauty before me, may I walk.
With Beauty behind me, may I walk.
With Beauty above me, may I walk.
Wish beauty below me, may I walk.
With Beauty all around me, may I walk.
It is finished in beauty.
It is finished in Beauty.

Navaho prayer

mouse medicine returns and wall wednesday resumes...

reentry is underway -- who knows how long it will take before i get back into any kind of groove! it is astounding how things pile up when one is away. oh well, each thing in its own time.

f and i had a wonderful vacation to the american southwest. we started in albuquerque, after getting our vacation legs we hit the road in our rented jeep on a most spectacular wander. we spent time in new mexico, arizona, utah, and colorado - essentially making a big circle - as we ended up the night before we flew home back in albuqerque. i can't believe how much we packed in in just nine day: we hiked national and tribal parks and monuments, explored museums, visited friends, ate some incredible food, and met and spoke with all sorts of interesting folks.

and yes, i was a snapping fool - given that i use a digital camera, it's difficult to say exactly how many photos i took since i delete the obvious rejects at the end of each day. even with that practice i downloaded nearly 850 photos yesterday. now i need to take some time to organize them - my goal is to put together a flickr set for each place we visited. when i get the albums together, i'll give a shout out, just in case anyone is interested in a bit of armchair travel to chaco canyon, zion national park, monument valley, hovenweep national monument , and the interesting miscellany in-between. hopefully, my photos will stimulate a little wanderlust and maybe others will wish to make a pilgrimage to some of these these incredible places.

both of today's walls are from the same building which was close to the hotel we stayed at in albuquerque. this building is located on the corner of 8th street and central avenue. by the way, if you do get to albuquerque and need a place to stay, i heartily recommend the hotel blue - it is located in downtown albuquerque; it is reasonably priced, is clean with comfy beds, offers a nice complementary breakfast with decent coffee (decent hotel/motel coffee is very hard to come across in my experience!) and has a friendly and helpful staff.

yah ta hey is a navajo greeting - similar to aloha it can mean hello or goodbye. on our way to window rock, arizona, which incidently is the government seat for the the navajo nation, we drove through a small community named yah-ta-hey - the photo below is of a smoke shop along rt. 264 which shares its name with the community.

r. carlos nakai and his song kokopeli wind from his 1989 album canyon trilogy. nakai is a native american flautist of navajo-ute heritage. nakai does tour, click on the link above to his website if interested in experiencing his music live - for instance, this coming weekend he will be performing in philadelphia!

z is for zinnia

2011-10-14T21:00:00.003-04:00

A bee is never as busy as it seems; it's just that it can't buzz any slower.

Kin Hubbard (1868-1930) cartoonist & humorist

zinnias are such a happy flower!

i'm not the only one smitten with zinnias, vincent painted quite a few still lives featuring zinnias back in the day. below is just one of van gogh's zinnia paintings this still life: vase with zinnias was painted in 1888 in arles and is now in switzerland.

more zinnias and more zinnias by vincent

my goal was to put the alphabet to rest before i zoom off. it's nice to make a goal - especially considering that this week has been absolutely crazy

i look forward to visiting a few z places - the zion national park and the pueblo of zuni to name a couple.

z is also for zzzzzz

a snoozing bingo and a new (snoozing) pup in the hood!

see you later alligator!

zz top new song flying high (2011)

y is for yin & yang

2011-10-11T09:15:00.000-04:00

Heaven is born of activity and Earth is born of tranquility. The interaction of activity and tranquility gives full development to the Way of Heaven and Earth. At the first appearance of activity, yang is produced. As activity reaches its limit, yin is produced. The interaction of yin and yang gives full development to the functions of Heaven. At the first appearance of tranquility, the element of weakness is produced. When weakness reaches its limit, the element of strength is produced. The interaction of these two elements gives full development to the functions of Earth. Greater activity is called major yang, while greater tranquility is called major yin. Lesser activity is called minor yang, while lesser tranquility is called minor yin. Major yang constitutes the sun; major yin, the moon; lesser yang, the stars; and lesser yin, the zodiacal spaces. The interaction of the sun, moon, stars, and zodiacal spaces gives full development to the substance of Heaven. Greater tranquility is called major weakness, while lesser tranquility is called minor weakness. Greater activity is called major strength, while lesser activity is called minor strength. Lesser weakness constitutes water; major strength, fire; lesser weakness, earth; and lesser strength, stone. The interaction of water, fire, soil, and stone gives full development to substance of Earth.

Shao Yong (1011-1077) philosopher, cosmologist, poet

tattoo tuesday continues.

the human canvas for today's body art is a fellow named paul - i met paul at this year's hessler street fair. in addition to the yin and yang, paul's arm include is a buddha figure in a yoga position, a band with the message "we are all connected" spelled out in a double helix pattern, and what appears to be an interpretation of the hamsa hand.

love and rockets performing yin and yang and the flowerpot man from their 1986 studio album express

photo: may 2011, cleveland

x is for xim

2011-10-10T13:00:00.002-04:00

Beware the ends of the earth and the exotic: the drama is on your doorstep wherever the slums; are, wherever there is malnutrition, wherever there is exploitation and cruelty.

John Grierson (1898-1972) pioneering documentary filmmaker

last week i went out to dinner with some friends to sergio's sarava, a local brazilian restaurant which serves up the most excellent fare.

when i was deciding what to get i immediately went to the section of the menu titled flavors of brasil, when i read the description for xim xim, i knew exactly what i wanted!

XIM-XIM
a slow-braised stew with morsels of free-range chicken and gulf shrimp, peppers, tomato, carrots, palm oil, coconut milk, and malaguetta pepper. Served over
Brazilian rice, and topped with roasted peanuts.

the combination of flavors was amazing, i have since done a little research on the word xim xim and have learned that brazilian dish has its roots in west africa.

star war geeks may recall that a single xim is the name of the tyrannical ruler, xim the despot, who before the rise of the galactic republic,reigned over an interstellar empire in the tion cluster. ximology is a branch of scholarship devoted to the empire of xim.

then there is the xim xaus, which in case you didn't know is a hmong violin

w is for wish

2011-10-09T22:00:00.004-04:00

I believe in God, but not as one thing, not as an old man in the sky. I believe that what people call God is something in all of us. I believe that what Jesus and Mohammed and Buddha and all the rest said was right. It's just that the translations have gone wrong.

John Lennon (9 october 1940 - 8 december 1980) musician, artist, activist

the photo above is a detail from the wish tree for washington dc, a wonderful art installation which was a gift from the artist yoko ono. the entire tree is seen on the right.

the tree lives in the hirshhorn museum sculpture garden. the tree was installed in 2007 - at the time it was one of ten wish trees yoko planted around washington. it is the only tree of the ten which remains in washington.

the washington tree is one of many trees that yoko has installed around the world as part of her peace project which is called imagine peace, a tribute to john and a reference to his album and song.

from june through september, the hirshhorn provides pencils and small tags where visitors can write their wishes and hang them on the tree. on a regular basis exhibit staff or volunteers harvest the tags -- the tags are sent to the imagine peace tower in iceland where they become part of a large collection of wishes from all over the world.

it was wondrous to read the wishes that people wrote. there are many wishes for world peace, good health, success, and finding love; but, there were wee wishes too....

in the cold weather months, visitors are encouraged to whisper wishes to the tree -- hanging tags on the trees during cold months would injure the tree.

whispering wishes makes me think of another sculpture in the hirshhorn garden, last conversation piece, by spanish artist juan muñoz which is shown below

john's song watching the wheels was one of the last songs john wrote. it was released just three weeks before his murder on john and yoko's double fantasy album.

part 2: v is for voice

2011-10-08T23:59:00.003-04:00

Let us heed the voice of the people and recognize their common sense. If we do not, we not only blaspheme our political heritage, we ignore the common ties that bind all Americans.

Barbara Jordan (1936-1996) politician, civil rights activist

inspired by the letter v, i offer a few snaps from today's visit to the occupy cleveland encampment (remember you can enlarge the slideshow by running your cursor over the image and clicking on the arrow icon in lower right corner of slide show).

on wednesday 281 cities were registered as having occupy together meetups, this evening the website for the occupy together movement reports that there are now 1,040 cities. these actions are springing up throughout the u.s. of a. (and the world) in solidarity with occupy wall street! our voices are raised and we have gone viral!!

i just finished watching the first part of marty's george harrison documentary (IT'S GREAT) to wit i offer come together, a classic beatles song - i know the song wasn't written by george, but tomorrow is john's birthday!

v is for vanity

2011-10-08T20:30:00.002-04:00

Always first draw fresh breath after outbursts of vanity and complacency.

Franz Kafka (1883 - 1924) writer

in my vanders i view virginia as a vanity plate vortex - i swear there are more vanity plates in virginia than any place else. however, i have yet to verify my impression.

we can thank my niece nina for this very vunderbar find - VO1DMRT! even though he who must not be named, i guess it is viable to plaster the name on a vehicle. i wonder if this guy drives the vehicle with the voldemort - maybe, he does live in virginia! i'm not alone in giving he who should not be named this name of endearment; however, according to this article others compare him to darth vadar along with a few other villains.

looking for vanity plates, aka personalized license tags, is one of my simple pleasures - on my other blog, the lakewood daily snap, i celebrate vanity plates each week -- this little obsession started in january 2010, however, all the plates on the snap are local, alas none are from virginny!

carly simon's best known song you're so vain - this vid comes from a 1987 concert on martha's vineyard.

addendum saturday evening: i checked out the action at the occupy cleveland encampment this afternoon. i'm very encouraged by the diversity of the crowd (especially the young people!) and the visions expressed.

i've been praying for a gentle, peaceful revolution against business as usual for the last 40 years -maybe good things come to those that wait - and act!

there were some really terrific signs, the sign below fits perfectly with today's letter - v is also for vampire don't forget voldermort/vader's sidekick!

u is for undone

2011-10-06T19:50:00.000-04:00

We are spinning our own fates, good or evil, and never to be undone. Every smallest stroke of virtue or of vice leaves its never-so-little scar.

William James (1842 - 1910) philosopher and psychologist

i'm feeling a bit undone lately (even missed my usual wall wednesday photo!) - all is well just busy & having some unbelievably gorgeous weather - so, it's near up to impossible to find time for blogging. i feel i must get through the alphabet before i head off on my mid october wander - it would be unfortunate to return home and face unblogged letters!

according to the portal wally lamb chose the title for his 1992 novel from the guess who song undun. i've read three wally lamb novels - she's come undone (1992), i know this much is true (1999), and the hour i first believed (2008) -- each book was better than the one before it - which is saying a lot since the first book was utterly amazing!

i just discovered that lamb has a fourth novel which i haven't read -- only because i didn't know about it! the book is titled wishin' and hopin' and it sounds wonderful. unlike his usual tomes, this book is considered a novella - which is a bit unbelievable since it measures in at 288 pages - but, compared to 480, 928, and 752 pages for his early books, i can understand how a 288 page book may be considered a novella! don't let the length of wally's previous books unnerve you - in fact, the two longer books were so good i didn't want them to end.

she's come undone (also known as undun) written by randy bachman of the guess who, released on their 1969 album canned wheat.

photo: self portrait, september 2010

t is for touch

2011-10-04T18:30:00.001-04:00

We must combine the toughness of the serpent with the softness of the dove, a tough mind and a tender heart.

Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968) minister, civil rights activist

tattoo tuesday continues.

today's tats are tertiary to the hands touching the new martin luther king jr. memorial and how i believe we as a people have a new touchstone for human rights and peace in the nation's capital.

i visited the memorial with my mother a couple weeks ago - let me tell you, the new monument is a powerful, touching tribute to a truly great human being.

s is for storm

2011-10-03T11:00:00.002-04:00

Be thou the rainbow in the storms of life. The evening beam that smiles the clouds away, and tints tomorrow with prophetic ray.

Lord Byron (1788-1824) poet

been stormy the entire time my cousin suzi has been here on the northcoast - but wind and rain hasn't dampened our spirits, we're having a wonderful time in spite of the weather!

yesterday after a sisterly brunch, suzi, em and i spent the rest of the day at the cleveland museum of art - other than a stimulating photo exhibit on shopping and stores (click to see), the museum had no other special exhibits. since suzi's never been to cleveland before that was cool, she enjoyed the museum's permanent collection.

still rainy today, but we're settled in at casa mouse and will spend the day making apple butter, sharing stories, and knowing us being silly.

riders on the storm from the doors 1971 album l.a. woman

photo: saturday, 1 october 2011 - cleveland skyline with storm clouds

r is for reflect

2011-10-01T19:00:00.001-04:00

My role in society, or any artist's or poet's role, is to try and express what we all feel. Not to tell people how to feel. Not as a preacher, not as a leader, but as a reflection of us all.

John Lennon (9 october 1940 - 8 december 1980) musician, artist, activist

rainy weekend on the northcoast, despite the ever-present wetness and chilly temps (which I really love) it promises to be a great weekend. a cousin from pennsylvania is visiting us for the first time, getting in yesterday. our dancecards are full. yesterday we explored the area around the west side market in the afternoon, then hit the art museum for their friday evening film, and wrapped up the night at the happy dog - rocking out to the radical, revolutionary sounds of tunabunny.

today's highlights include a trip to the rock and roll hall of fame and museum to check out the women who rock exhibition! later a group cook at home - dinner will revolve around roasted veggies.

don't forget all you music and/or film lovers - this week is the debut on hbo of martin scorsese's documentary on george harrison!

photo: jefferson monument and reflection, 25 september 2011, washington dc

q is for quixote

2011-09-29T12:10:00.000-04:00

Every autobiography is concerned with two characters, a Don Quixote, the Ego, and a Sancho Panza, the Self.

W. H. Auden (1907-1973) poet

today's wall may appear a bit queer compared to the usual - but q is a quirky letter and one doesn't find many quality q-inspired images or words incorporated in street art!

today's wall is a detail of a high quality mural by reed thomason at my local library. along with quixote and rocinante, quixote's equestrian companion, todays snap includes images from other books or poems.

a quiz - who can name the other works represented?

below is a clip which includes the song i, don quixote from the man of la mancha a 1972 film adaptation of miguel de cervantes literary masterpiece don quixote -the full title is: the ingenious gentleman don quixote of la mancha or (in spanish - el ingenioso hidalgo don quijote de la mancha). the book was published in two volumes - volume one came out in 1605 and volume two a decade later - 1615.

so, i have a question - has any friend of the mouse read the book? the book is still on my bucket list (ah, so many books, so little time) - i hear it is quite an undertaking and can be quite challenging. is this true? as for now, all my knowledge of quixote and his quest comes from the large quantity of film and stage adaptations that have been made.

i really ought to read the book, especially since i have been accused of acquiring a quixotic worldview.

another quiz: who can name the actor/tress who plays dulcinea del toboso, in the 1972 film. i understand the character dulcinea never appears in the book, but is only referred to, in stage and film adaptations however, she is a key figure and is portrayed as someone who is first skeptical than an ardent believer of quixote's quest!

photo: lakewood public library, september 2011

addendum, from the writer's almanac for thursday september 29th:

Because today is the feast of Saint Michael, it is the day deemed to have been the birthday of Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (books by this author), author of Don Quixote and Spain's greatest literary figure. Cervantes's exact date of birth is unknown, although it was the custom in Spain to name a baby for the feast day on which he was born, and given that Cervantes was baptized just 10 days later, on October 9th, it is probable that today was his birthday.

Cervantes was born in a small university town near Madrid, the fourth of seven children. Miguel's father was an itinerant surgeon — a profession with no exact analogue in modern medicine — who struggled to maintain his practice and family as they traveled the length and breadth of Spain. The boy received some formal education, and he made his first literary efforts in the form of four poems written in 1568 on the death of the Queen of Spain, but little more than this is known of his early life.

A soldier by his early 20s, Cervantes sustained three gunshot wounds during a major naval battle and his left hand was rendered useless — an injury he would bear with pride. After six months in a hospital in Messina, Cervantes returned to active duty until, in 1575, the galley on which he was sailing was captured by corsairs and he was carried off to Algiers as their prisoner. Despite numerous escape attempts fueled by his belief that "one should risk one's life for honor and liberty," Cervantes was held prisoner for five years until his ransom was paid and he was finally liberated in September 1580.

Back in Spain, with little or no prospects and deeply in debt for the ransom that was paid for him, Cervantes was obliged to earn a living as a tax collector. It was an indigent and wandering lifestyle, a vocation for which he had little aptitude and a situation that led to various misadventures, including excommunication for excessive zeal in collecting wheat, and at least three imprisonments for charges as varied as accounting irregularities and suspicion of murder.

Although all of Cervantes's important works belong to his later years, he began his literary career almost upon returning to Spain, beginning as a dramatist with 20 to 30 relatively successful plays in a six-year span, and his first novel, La Galatea, in 1585. It seems that Cervantes's greatest unrealized dream was to be a poet, although one of his contemporaries once stated that among the new poets there was none so bad as Cervantes, and even Cervantes himself recognized that he did not seem to possess the gift.

But Cervantes's gift for prose was another matter. When in 1605 he published his magnum opus, Don Quixote — the tale of an elderly but absurd knight-errant and his squire, it was an immediate success and went through six editions that year alone. Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky explained something of the workings of the book in an 1868 letter to his niece, saying: "All writers, not just ours, but European writers, too, have always failed whenever they attempted a portrait of the positively beautiful ... There is only one positively beautiful person in the world, Christ, and the phenomenon of this limitlessly, infinitely beautiful person in an infinite miracle in itself ... But I am going too far. I'd only mention that of all the beautiful individuals in Christian literature, one stands out as the most perfect, Don Quixote ... Whenever compassion toward ridiculed and ingenious beauty is presented, the reader's sympathy is aroused. The mystery of humor lies in this excitation of compassion." William Shakespeare most certainly read the most perfect Don Quixote (and wrote the now-lost play Cardenio based on a scene from the book), but it is doubtful that Cervantes ever heard of Shakespeare.

Don Quixote has come to be considered the first modern novel, and is considered to be among the best works of fiction ever written. It is a lush and satirical invective against its contemporary chivalrous novels, but it is the book's immense panorama of individuals and adventure, and the humor, understanding of and compassion for the human condition that have made Don Quixote so profoundly influential over to so many over so great a span. If, in Cervantes's words from Don Quixote, "the proof of the pudding is in the eating," then the proof of his book is in the countless readers that have devoured it with pleasure for more than 400 years.

Of Cervantes's burial place, nothing is known except that he requested in his will to be laid to rest at a neighboring convent. A few years after Cervantes died, the convent moved and, in their tradition, carried their dead along. Whether or not the remains of the author were among these is unknown, and any clue to their final resting place has been lost.

p is for posies

2011-09-27T10:13:00.000-04:00

He is happiest who hath power to gather wisdom from a flower.

Mary Howitt (1799-1888) poet

tattoo tuesday continues

posing is leanne - she's pumped with cleveland pride (as a 411, 216 is cleveland's area code)

on leanne's forearm are some lovely posies, part of a memory tat to honor of her grandmother lucy.

pooka performing bluebell from their 1994 debut album pooka - according to the portal sharon lewis and natasha jones named their band after a celtic phairy phigure; the band disbanded in 2002.

photos: cleveland garlic festival, september 2011

o is for oscar

2011-09-24T09:30:00.002-04:00

My hope still is to leave the world a bit better than when I got here.

Jim Henson (24 september 1936 - 1990)

although i'm currently out of pocket, i couldn't let the day pass without observing the birthday of jim henson. i'm not alone, google is observing with an outrageously fun muppet google doodle (click link to see vid on origin of today's doodle)

had jim lived he would have been 75 years old today. although it has been over twenty years since jim died, his spirit remains and he is still making the world a better place!

on the google blog is remembrance by jim's son brian, it includes this passage:

Although he loved family, his work was almost never about “traditional” families. The Muppets were a family—a very diverse one. One of his life philosophies was that we should love people not for their similarities, but for their differences.

Jim often had a little lesson about the important things in life: How to be a good person. How to believe in yourself and follow your dreams. And above all, how to forgive. If anything was stolen from one of us—like when the car was broken into—he would always say, “Oh well, they probably needed that stuff more than we did.”

oscar the grouch is just one many wonderful creations jim gave the world. long before oscar and sesame street, jim gave the world kermit the frog. friends of the mouse know of my affinity for all things kermit!

currently i'm in metro dc visiting family and friends - obviously i don't have access to my photos (so i'm recycling snaps from old posts) - bummer, i know i do have a nice snap of oscar somewhere in my cache of photos, oh well, a mouse can only do what a mouse can do....

the world of jim henson - part one (out of nine) of a 1994 documentary

photos: top - an exhibit from the brooklyn public library celebrating the 40th birthday of sesame street, december 2009; middle - photo courtesy of google images: bottom - me & kermie, date uknown.

n is for not much

2011-09-21T20:30:00.000-04:00

The reduction of a head in movement to a bare line seemed to me defensible.

Marcel Duchamp (1887- 1968) artist

not much today other than needing to feel that i'm not falling too far behind on the alphabet

wall wednesday continues.

erik satie gymnopedie no. 1 - such beautiful notes

photo: detroit, february 2011

m is for muse

2011-09-20T20:00:00.001-04:00

Without music life would be a mistake.

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844-1900) philosopher, poet, composer

tattoo tuesday continues.

this past weekend we went to hear a marvelous modern string band with a most intriguing name - joy kills sorrow. the name is a living memorial of sorts to the group's musical roots - and is derived from the radio call letters wjks, in the 1930s the station was the home to bluegrass greats the monroe brothers.

for me, there's nothing like live music, and live music performed outside on an absolutely gorgeous late summer afternoon in a nearby nature preserve - well, i have to jump ahead one letter and say this is pure nirvana!

while the group was up on stage i couldn't help but notice a few tattoos on the arms of lead singer, emma beaton and also on the group's guitarist -matthew arcara. at times i can be a bold mouse, so after the show i went up to emma and matthew and asked if i could take pictures of them. i told them about my project on mouse medicine - they most graciously agreed to both my snapping and my sharing!

i was most intrigued with the portrait of a very young george jones on emma's arm. during some stage chat, george was introduced as the 'sixth member of the band.' jones, aka the possum is considered by some to be the world's greatest living country singer. the story of the george tat, who i assume is one of her musical muses, is amusing. emma made a bet with a friend as to which of them would be the first to get a george jones tattoo - emma won the bet! however, as of yet, emma hasn't seen her friend so she still has to collect! this story was the only one gathered - maybe next time i see the band in concert i'll gather more.... the creature on matthew's forearm looks magical, and i can't help but wonder what's with that.....

by the way, the group's music is pure joy. i heard about them only this summer; in july a friend gave an update of her trip to the vancouver folk festival. alice said one group stood out as her festival favorite - boston-based joy kills sorrow. she recommended checking out to see if they would be playing nearby - i did - lo and behold turns out they were scheduled to be the headlining band for this year's cedar valley settlers celebration and music festival - such kismet!

joy kill sorrow performing eli in january 2011 at halkaer kro in denmark

photos: rocky river reservation, 18 september 2011

addendum: 8:00 - whoops -- i just looked at my master list and discovered that last year's blogabet had m is for music, the m word has been changed to muse - which fits in magnificently with today's lead tattoo of the possum.....who is the muse to m of jks

l is for list

2011-09-14T23:59:00.001-04:00

I've been making a list of the things they don't teach you at school. They don't teach you how to love somebody. They don't teach you how to be famous. They don't teach you how to be rich or how to be poor. They don't teach you how to walk away from someone you don't love any longer. They don't teach you how to know what's going on in someone else's mind. They don't teach you what to say to someone who's dying. They don't teach you anything worth knowing.

Neil Gaiman (b. 1960) novelist, screenwriter, children's & comics writer

wall wednesday continues.....

late monday afternoon i was lumbering about, or maybe i was louping or maybe even leaping, looking for the latest in cleveland wall art and i lit upon a couple well littered bridge supports. list-making is a common human activity - however, it's not a labor usually associated with street artists!

doesn't the list in the top photo look like someone is pondering the meaning of life? the lower list looks like that someone might have thought 'enough with these lofty musings, now i'm going to list my favorite lovely, lusty ladies.'

all this talk about lists reminds me of a ludicrous book that i totally fell in love with a little while back. milk eggs vodka: grocery lists lost and found by bill keaggy - the book is based on keaggy's website www.grocerylists.org

“True, lists are trash,” said Keaggy, who found his first list ten years ago. “But they also reveal clues about who we really are. Plus, it's fun to ridicule the weird things people buy and the fact no one can spell bananas."...“Milk Eggs Vodka” includes lists of the unhealthy, the elderly, the doodler, the health nut and the poor speller. The book also features the world's oldest grocery list, a list of the most commonly misspelled staples, recipes based on found lists and a shoplifting list. (source)

liebstraum (love dream) by franz liszt

k is for karloff

2011-09-13T11:30:00.003-04:00

The monster was the best friend I ever had.

Boris Karloff (1887-1969) actor

the other day i met this kool kat who has been krazy about monsters since he was a kid! he most kongenially let me take a few snaps.

meeting doug reinforced the knowledge that one should never judge a book by its kover. it may be easy for some to jump to the konclusion konsidering the tats that this guy is a komplete hard-ass. au kontraire mon kheri, he's a komplete kitty-kat. a gentle, kristian 61-year soul who lives with and takes kare of his kharming 97-year old mom - this is one kool kompassionate kompadre!

below my first try at using a new kollage tool (perhaps one kan klick on kollage to enlarge)

okay - koming up with a k word that fit today's tattoo tuesday was a khallenge but when i stumbled on this karloff quote i konquered it!

photos: kleveland, september 2011

the kranberries performing zombie - live in london. i'm krazy about the kranberries especially this powerful anti-konflict song from their 1994 album no need to argue

in kase you haven't figured it out i was really kidding with you today - khanging every word beginning with c to k!!!

j is for jammin'

2011-09-12T11:00:00.001-04:00

Genius is a promontory jutting out into the future.

Victor Hugo (1802-1885)writer & human rights activist

what a jammin' and jampacked weekend!

one of the highlights of the weekend was a jaunt i took to akron yesterday with my buddy jane. we've been trying to jog down since june when paula nadelstern's kaleidoscope art quilt exhibit opened at the akron art museum. jeepers! what a show - paula's quilts are breathtaking she is a quilting genius!

the art museum is quite the jewel for the city of akron. i just adore the new addition with its wildly futuristic jutting wings of steel and glass. what a juxtaposition of styles to compare the new john and james l. knight building with the 1899 brick and limestone building designed by james knox taylor. by the way, the original building served as the akron post office for years, in 1981 the art museum moved into the building after a major renovation was done to re-purpose the space by the cleveland architectural firm of dalton, van dijk, johnson & partners.

j is also for jelly - as in garlic jelly!

saturday f and i attended the 2nd annual cleveland garlic festival. jeez, cleveland is jumping when it comes to festivals! next weekend is the chalk festival - i'm juiced!

yep, i did take lots of snaps at the festival - if you'd like an armchair journey to the festival, just sit back and enjoy the flickr show below:

i is for introspection

2011-09-11T09:45:00.001-04:00

The philosophy of the wisest man that ever existed, is mainly derived from the act of introspection.

William Godwin (1756-1836) philosopher & novelist

in addition to describing where i was in 2001 when the planes hit the towers in 2007, i wrote the following:

the anniversary of 9-11 is a time to reflect on and honor the lives of those who died. their deaths were a result of acts of violence visited on this country - these acts grew out of seeds of hatred and intolerance that were 'nurtured' and took hold inside the people who were responsible for carrying them out. we must make sure we don't 'plant' those same seeds - the only way to get rid of the malicious plants that result from planting those kind of 'seeds' are to sow seeds of love, compassion, and acceptance. for these are the kind of seeds that give fruit which nourishes us and the earth.

i feel the same today as then.

incidently, today is the last day of ganesh chaturthi - an annual 11-day festival which celebrates the birth of the elephant headed hindu god lord ganesh. mooshika, pictured above is the mouse deity companion to ganesh.often in images or representations of ganesh he can be found riding on the back of mooshika. in hindu cosmology, the mouse is symbolic of our indriyas (ten senses) -- ganesh sitting on the back of mooshika represents control over the indriyas.

photo: nyc (rubin museum) june 2010

h is for help

2011-09-09T11:30:00.006-04:00

I have found the paradox that if I love until it hurts, then there is no hurt, but only more love.

Mother Teresa (1910-1997) activist and humble hero

hardly an hour passes without an opportunity to lend a hand to help someone or something. how we respond to these opportunities is the question - do we turn a blind eye or open our hearts?

all week we have been hearing about people helping people - whether it is in response to natural disasters like the fires in texas or the after effects from hurricane irene or looking back to the 9-11 terrorist attacks. with respect to the latter, this morning on npr there was a beautiful heart-rending story about father mychal judge, one of the hundreds of heroes, who hurried to the wtc when the first plane hit - in case you missed it, take heart you can hear (or read) it by going here. the story of father mychal is part of storycorps' current oral history project to collect stories about each person who died on that heartbreaking day.

the photo today is of a donation meter - although it is a clever way to expand help to the homeless, the history of how these meters came to appear on cleveland's streets, in my humble opinion a bit heartless. like many cities cleveland has been trying to eliminate or reduce panhandling on city streets. a few years ago cleveland even passed an ordinance which prohibits panhandling within 20 feet of an atm, bus stop, or sidewalk café and expanded its law on “aggressive solicitation” to prohibit panhandling within 10 feet of an entrance to a restaurant or parking lot.

to be honest, i really, really don't like to hear about these laws - they seem so heartless. that said, that's not to say i like to be subjected to "aggressive solicitation" - i don't; but, if someone is homeless or experiencing hard times, they should be free to ask for help - and if i can lend a hand, i am happy to do so - i was raised to believe than when we give we really receive.... just another of those paradoxes of life!

al jolson's version of brother can you spare a dime

g is for green

2011-09-07T23:59:00.001-04:00

Movement is life. Moving pictures will satisfy something deep inside all the people in the world.

William Friese-Greene (7 september 1855 -1921)
photographer & pioneer in motion pictures

wall wednesday continues.

green is my favorite color - although i love all the glorious hues of green, i'm really drawn to kermit green - i wonder what the official color code and name is for kermit green? anyone know? one of my projects this fall is to paint couple of the walls in my studio kermit green.

according to the person who posted this vid on youtube, this is the first version of kermit the frog singing jim henson and joe raposo's great song bein' green on sesame street in 1969.

in the years since kermit first croaked out the refrain it's not easy being green the song has become an anthem of sorts for the environmental or green movement. despite one of the song's stanzas, we know that it is in fact is easy being green!

When green is all there is to be
It could make you wonder why, but why wonder why
Wonder, I am green and it'll do fine, it's beautiful
And I think it's what I want to be

the list of artists who have covered bein' green is incredible - in addition to kermie, the list includes such musical notables as frank sinatra, van morrison, don henley, urbie green, della reese, and oscar the grouch - well maybe oscar isn't a musical notable, but he is a green muppet!

photo: williamsburgh neighborhood of brooklyn, june 2010

f is for fly

2011-09-06T14:00:00.001-04:00

first, a few flies...

followed by a few flying birds

finally, tempus fugit....

time flies, and this is all i have time for today - gotta fly!

this was a tattoo tuesday feature

yes performing tempus fugit from their 1980 album drama

Sed fugit interea fugit irreparabile tempus, singula dum capti circumvectamur amore.

But meanwhile it flees: time flees irretrievably, while we wander around, prisoners of our love of detail.

Virgil (70 bce - 19 bce) poet

photos: top - oregon, april 2010; middle - lakewood, august 2011; bottom - c's tempus fugit tat, photo courtesy of g, august 2010

e is for employment

2011-09-05T10:00:00.006-04:00

employment is essential for a healthy economy. unfortunately the employment scene is dismal these days.

if one was cynical one might believe that there are conscious efforts taking place to undermine the economy and employment opportunities in order to ensure that obama is a one-term president.

evidence of this hypothesis?

exhibit one - some thoughts by economic pundit paul krugman in a recent editiorial:

.....May 2009 The Wall Street Journal declared that the “bond vigilantes” were “returning with a vengeance,” telling readers that the Obama administration’s “epic spending spree” would send interest rates soaring.

The interest rate when that editorial was published was 3.7 percent. As of Friday, as I’ve already mentioned, it was only 2 percent.

I don’t mean to dismiss concerns about the long-run U.S. budget picture. If you look at fiscal prospects over, say, the next 20 years, they are indeed deeply worrying, largely because of rising health-care costs. But the experience of the past two years has overwhelmingly confirmed what some of us tried to argue from the beginning: The deficits we’re running right now — deficits we should be running, because deficit spending helps support a depressed economy — are no threat at all.

And by obsessing over a nonexistent threat, Washington has been making the real problem — mass unemployment, which is eating away at the foundations of our nation — much worse.

exhibit 2: the enmity of conservative and republican lawmakers towards the unemployed and under-employed, just check out this article which appeared in yesterday's miami herald.

exhibit 3: most recent employment figures

exhibit 4: the excellent graphic overview entitled 'the state of working amercia' by the economic policy institute's robert reich, appearing in the 4 september 2011 new york times

woody guthrie singing his song union burying ground - woody wrote the song to commemorate all the workers killed in the labor struggles of the early 20th century. the song pays tribute to those who died trying to secure better pay, safe working conditions, and reasonable hours.

woody's song was originally released by moses asch, in 1941 on asch records as struggle documentary no. 1. the album was re-released in 1976:

... to commemorate the bicentennial of the American Revolution with a special series of liner notes by Asch explaining the importance of Woody Guthrie's history of the working class through song. Both Guthrie's songs and the liner notes are stuff of supreme cultural importance. In the notes, Asch lays out a theory that the American Revolution has not yet been completed and there is a need for a "continuing struggle for human rights and equality." As a collection of songs, this is surely one of the best Guthrie collections, especially once it's known how important it was to him personally. In many ways, it seems as if this album was the fulfillment of a very personal vision, which starts with the songs but is only realized in their collectivity. Included here are such excellent songs as the unsettling "Hang Knot," the elliptic "Union Burying Ground," and the finely spun "Pretty Boy Floyd." These songs define Guthrie at his best, never didactic in tone but supreme in import. The album also features the Cisco Houston (Guthrie's sometime tramping companion) number "Get Along Little Doggies," as well as his vocal accompaniment on several tracks. Sonny Terry guests on "Lost John," lending his harmonica to Guthrie's tale of a chain gang escapee. Both as a historical artifact and as an amazing Guthrie album, this is required listening. (brian whitener)

the album is still available through the woodie guthrie foundation's store among other places.

photo: cleveland, 2011

d is for daimoku

2011-09-04T11:00:00.002-04:00

daimoku is form of active chant based meditation practiced in nichiren buddhism

vid posted by robbiebobbyboy

photo: lakewood, oh august 2011

c is for corn

2011-09-03T11:00:00.000-04:00

A light wind swept over the corn, and all nature laughed in the sunshine.

Anne Brontë (1820-1849) novelist & poet

happy labor day weekend!

this weekend is conventionally considered the last weekend of the summer - but the autumn equinox isn't until september 23rd, so to be correct we have 2 more summer weekends!

isn't that comforting news!

except checking out the 10th annual cleveland peace show on monday not much is on the calendar --just chillin' at casa mouse, catching up with friends, and of course, cooking out in the backyard and enjoying some fresh picked corn!

blues legend big bill broonzy's version of the traditional folk song blue tail fly, also known as jimmy crack corn.

photo: cornfield at cousin carla's farm, new ringgold, pa, july 2011

b is for bingo

2011-09-02T12:00:00.003-04:00

As I lay me down to slumber,
All I need is one more number.
When to the next game I go,
I pray the Lord I yell….BINGO !

- anonymouse from a bingo player's prayer

each year at the yanoshik summer picnic we play bingo - it may seem a bit banal, but there's no better bridge to span the generations than playing bingo!

traditionally, one of the uncles would be the caller, but this generation has shrunk, those remaining just can't bellow like they used to. one must be able to bellow to be a bingo caller.

anyone who has ever been a bingo caller knows how easy to get carried away with the role, before you know it you are channeling some bizarre burlesque act. this year cousin chuck picked up the baton and he did a beautiful job.

did you know that bingo used to be called beano because beans were used to mark cards? the roots of the game go back to 1530 to the italian lottery game lo giuoco del lotto d'italia - which amazingly is still played every saturday in italy. over the centuries the game spread to other countries and continents. a version of the game arrived in north america in the early 1900s; in 1929 a bloke named edwin lowe was attending a carnival in georgia where beano was being played. someone accidentally called out bingo instead of beano. lowe was a businessman and saw the promise of beaucoup bucks with this new game. he hired carl leffler a columbia university math professor to expand the number combinations in cards; the game was renamed to bingo and well the rest is history! oh, by the way, apparently after helping lowe with bingo, leffler went bonkers! (to learn more about the history of bingo go here)

there's bingo and then there's bingo!

below is a recent snap of ms. t's giving her little brother bingo a bear-hug. its been a while since i posted a snap of the little boy - isn't he getting big! in bingo banter bingo is now b-8 (months) - he'll b-9 later this month.

b is for bee. i have bees on the brain - tonight we're checking out a documentary on beekeeping, which will be showing at the cleveland museum of art. i'm besides myself, last week i saw the preview and it looks absolutely beautiful!

the first year i began the blogabet (2007) b was for bee. between 2007 and now, not much has changed for the bee -bees are still on the brink of extinction. but i'm buoyed into believing that maybe, just maybe, things are turning around for brother bee -- not only are more people are becoming beekeepers but people are also realizing that monoculture and over-reliance bug killing pesticides are threatening not only bees but our very existence. i believe this interest in beekeeping and sustainable agriculture will be just the type of behaviors needed to bring back the bees!

below trailer for queen of the sun: what are the bees telling us? (2010)

photos: top two - pennsylvania, july 2011; bottom two - bingo & ms t @ a local (coffee) bean house, 25 august; beehive on property of a local business on w. 65th street (note lake erie in the background) august 2011

a is for apple

2011-09-01T17:45:00.005-04:00

Why not upset the apple cart? If you don't, the apples will rot anyway.

Frank Howard Clark (1888 - 1962) screenwriter

it is that time of year again - students and teachers are arriving back at school and the mouse is back at amusing herself and her acquaintances by playing around with the alphabet .

i can always count on the alphabet to act as a blogging muse.

a is for apple - almost all alphabet books seem to start with apple - although i haven't used apple to start any of the mouse's previous five alphabet adventures!

it is amazing how many apples are around these days at local farmers markets - i can't resist trying out some new (to me) varieties. above is a pie i made sunday, it is actually a concoction of 3 varieties of apples along with a couple peaches which were sitting around threatening to go bad. it was sooooo good - time to get back into the pie making habit now that summer is abandoning us. we adore pie!

according to the washington apple commission website there are more than 7,500 varieties of apples in the world. the orange pippin website has an awesome archive of apple varieties. the archive is amazingly comprehensive and provides access to information on characteristics, reviews, tasting notes, and where to purchase trees and apples on all the apple varieties registered with the site - from the firm aceymac apple to the eclectic and exotic zuccalmagilo reinette apple!

everyone has heard of applehead dolls - but did you know there are also applehead animals, such as chihuahua dogs and siamese cats. below is a snap of lulu, an adorable applehead chihuahua here on avenue c -by the way 4 of lulu's humans are named - alli, annie, audra, and abby - i kid you not!

glen campbell and daughter debbie performing little green apples - next to wichita lineman, i always associate little green apples with campbell. i feel awfully sad thinking of glen these days; in june he announced he was diagnosed with alzheimer’s - although he was aware of the affliction since 2009, campbell delayed making the announcement (completely understandable!). this week glen released a new album, ghost on the canvas. in a recent abc interview, campbell stated that he hopes that the album and associated tour will help increase awareness of alzheimer's.

light and love to glen and all those whose lives are touched by alzheimer's.

photos: august, 2011

aw it is thursday and i just remembered it is the day to play share the joy - apples and applehead chihuahua dogs bring me joy - what brings you joy? although it's an advanced hour it is never too late to play or visit associates harvesting joy this week - click here!

school days

2011-08-31T18:30:00.001-04:00

Establishing lasting peace is the work of education; all politics can do is keep us out of war.

Maria Montessori (31 august 1870-1952), educator & philosopher

here on the north coast school days have started for most children. i'm all for education, but really i think it is just plain wrong for kids to go back to school in august! but no need to go off on a rant - it is what it is, however, i hear there is some movement in the state to try to push (require?) communities to wait until after labor day.

rock icon chuck berry performing his classic song school days - school days was first released in 1957 as a single on the chess record label.

those who enjoy folk music - and who are always looking for something suitable for listeners of all ages - there is a marvelous version school days on elizabeth mitchell's latest album sunny day (2010, smithsonian folkways). some of song is sung by mitchell's young daughter storey which brings a sweet flavor to berry's rocking rock anthem. youtube has a vid of elizabeth and her family and band performing at the 2010 austin city limits festival (unfortunately there's a lot of interference from a competing stage partway into the song - but the vid gives the listener a taste of the mitchell treatment).

the last verse of the song, hail! hail! rock and roll is the title of a 1987 documentary on chuck berry - the film was made in part as a celebration of berry's 60th birthday and to pay tribute to berry's tremendous influence on rock music. berry was among the first group of musicians inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame when it opened in 1986. by the way, berry is still alive and well and at 84 years old young is still rocking and maintains an active concert schedule.

wall wednesday continues....

photo: today's wall wednesday wall is courtesy of my daughter em. when i first saw it i thought it was some type of veggie (with a face) - which is WRONG - so who knows what (or would that be who) this street artist was really portraying ? mairetta, ohio june 2011

hands

2011-08-30T10:00:00.002-04:00

When I come up against the real world, I just vacillate.

Robert Crumb (30 august 1943) artist, illustrator & musician

tattoo tuesday continues.

today i'm going to hit you with a few snaps of knuckle tattoos. i'm fascinated by all body art, however, i'm really captivated with knuckle tattoos - i love running across messages people want to express to the world. folks can cover up most tattoos, but when it comes to the hands unless gloves are worn those tat messages are there for all to see....or would that be read!

my fascination with knuckle tats is not unique. a blogger named nathan set up a special blog just on knuckle tats - knuckletattoos.com. hands down nathan's site is a knuckle tat paradise....i had fun scrolling through the posts and reading the tats and the stories behind the messages. my main complaint about the nathan's little corner of cyberspace is that i wish he had a traditional archive on his sidebar. it would be nice to go back and pick up where i left off. it doesn't seem very easy to do that. nathan if you see this post, please add the the archive feature or state somewhere on the home page when the knuckle project began.

the vanishing tattoo discusses how hand tattoos are probably the demarcation line which separates the tattoo enthusiast from the truly hard core and define hard core as someone "not giving a damn about whether or not the world knew you were tattooed and to caring even less about what said world thought about it." if you read vt's linked discussion on hand tats you will also come across a list of their top ten knuckle tats which is quite interesting.

oh back to nathan's blog, if you check it out, make sure you don't miss the knuckle gun - where you can put in your eight letter message.

i bet patches and daisy* would like it if someone sported this -- surprisingly i didn't see this on vanishing tattoo's top ten list:

Get your own knuckles at the knuckle tattoo gun.

* patches and daisy

jewel performing hands (1998) - i just love this song.... in the end only kindness matters.......

photos: all taken in august 2011. thanks t (top); josh (middle); and the guy whose name i forgot to get for letting me share your hands.

goodnight irene

2011-08-29T11:45:00.001-04:00

We are like chameleons, we take our hue and the color of our moral character, from those who are around us.

John Locke (29 august 1632 - 1704) philosopher

here on the north coast we had an absolutely gorgeous weekend. however i was preoccupied by thoughts of hurricane irene which was bearing down on the east coast, this resulted in way too much time glued to the weather channel. is it just me or do others find the weather channel oddly addictive? geez, it's like television crack!

irene was a powerful storm, fortunately it didn't turn out to be as fierce and ferocious as initially predicted (early on there was talk of irene being a category 3 or 4 hurricane, in the end it was a category 1 storm) - there was plenty of damage done in the storms wake but fortunately it wasn't as bad as it might have been.

for irene preparedness was the watchword!

we are in the eye of the sixth anniversary one of deadliest and most devastating hurricanes in u.s. history - hurricane katrina. when it comes to katrina, we know that much of the death and devastation could have been avoided if before the storm 'the powers that be' would have heeded the advice of scientists who long warned about the vulnerability of the levee system and if after the storm, the agents of social control acted with in interest of the health and well-being of all people in mind.

goodnight irene was first recorded by lead belly in 1932, the following vid comes from a 1943 recording of this folk standard.

like most folk classics the origins of the song are fuzzy - lead belly was singing a version of the song as early as 1908 - he claimed he learned the song from his uncle. however, by the 1930s, lead belly made the song his own by modifying the melody and rewriting most of the lyrics.

the list of artists who have covered goodnight irene is staggering and includes folks as diverse as: the weavers, frank sinatra, johnny cash, kingston trio, raffi, and even the pogues!

photo: sky over casa mouse 28 august 2011

the 3 r's

2011-08-24T12:00:00.002-04:00

You can become blind by seeing each day as a similar one. Each day is a different one, each day brings a miracle of its own. It's just a matter of paying attention to this miracle.

Paulo Coelho (24 august 1947) writer

wall wednesday continues...

another different sort of wall post. thanks to the quote i used last week by lefebyre i started thinking about repurposed buildings around me. today's photo is one of the many re-purposed buildings around cleveland.

today the former live poultry market which operated next to cleveland's historic west side market now houses the city's newest microbrewery and gathering spot, the market garden brewery. what i really love about this re-used building is how the building's former life is still visible on the walls!

folksinger jack johnson & friends performing the catching and the completely ecologically correct song the 3 r's at the 2008 kokua music festival - by the way this was the year featured in the documentary kokua 2008: 5 years of change.

i will remember you

2011-08-23T15:30:00.001-04:00

this week marks the one year anniversary of my beloved father's passing.

as a tribute to dad, tattoo tuesday celebrates memorial tattoos.
all of the tattoos featured today are on people i met saturday at the lakewood car kulture show. i few weeks ago i stated that next to a tattoo convention, the cleveland irish festival may be the best place to see inked flesh. i was wrong! if it was a race, i think some groups of car enthusiasts definitely win the inked flesh competition!

the first two photos are of the left arm of a fellow named dale - there is a lot of stuff represented on dale's arms (and probably the rest of his body too, but i didn't go there) - in addition to glimpses of some of dale's passions (cars & women), there are a few powerful expressions of family love- the top photo shows an anchor - the anchor is one of two memorial tattoos dale has included on this arm paying tribute to his late grandfather (1914-1987); the second is found below - the image of the madonna is a reproduction of a work of his grandfather from when he was an artist at cleveland based american greetings.

dale was one three guys i met saturday who belong to a cleveland car club known as the vagabond kings - all three fellows had some really outstanding body art.

below is a memorial tattoo that tim, another vagabond kings, has on his arm in memory of his mother (1925 -1996) this tattoo includes an image of a swallow or a bluebird (which was discussed last week)

later i met and talked with a woman who graciously shared two memorial tattoos which were not as visible as some of her other tattoos. alas, i was so smitten by her artful body, i forgot to ask her name.

on the right side of her torso is a beautiful memorial tattoo in honor of a beloved grandmother - again we find the bluebird.

on the left side is a tribute to her father - her father was a marine who served in world war two. below the marine insignia is moving version of the rose of no man's land tattoo. in tattoo culture, the rose (or angel) of no man's land has historically memorialized the women who took care of the men injured or killed in the war - with the rose symbolizing red cross nurses.

one final memorial tattoo - below is another in honor of a beloved grandmother - i just love the incorporation of a the kitchen aid mixer - her nana must have been as good of a cook as was my nana!

sarah mclachlan singing i will remember you (1995) the song was used in the 1995 film the brothers mcmullen. the song also earned sarah her third grammy.

photos: lakewood, ohio; august 2011

where did you sleep last night?

2011-08-22T10:15:00.002-04:00

The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.

Dorothy Parker (22 august 1893 - 1967)

it is curious how humans get into routines and patterns. as the scribe for my bookgroup i just finished updating the master list for our years of reading in preparation for september's annual book selection meeting. while making the list i noticed that for the last eight years we have had our august meeting at jane's home. perhaps it isn't really that curious why our group has developed this annual routine, jane is a master gardener and in august her yard is a riot of color and bounty.

last year i shared an image of one of jane's bottle trees - above is a snap of this year's curious crop. the practice of bottle trees in gardens is an old one - it is believed that the bottles will capture the evil spirits that are lurking about and thus only good spirits will remain.

kurt cobain and nirvana (unplugged) performing the traditional folk song where did you sleep last night? also known as in the pines - a bit different rendition that leadbelly's version. don't know about you, but i like them both! the history of the song is crazy - according to the portal, its roots go back to the 1870s and it has been covered by an amazingly eclectic collection of artists - curious? click on link above to read more!

photos: top - tsuki, august 2011; bottom - oberlin, august 2011

name game

2011-08-19T11:00:00.002-04:00

If you obey all the rules you miss all the fun.

Katharine Hepburn (1907 -2003)

how about a little fun for friday! don't worry i'm not going to start a new daily theme, but then again, fun fridays might be, well fun!

i just had to pass along this amusing riddle that my sil paula shared. the riddle is:

what nine letter word in the english language is still a word when eight letters are removed one by one?

can't come up with a nine letter word, don't feel bad, i couldn't either.

i expect puzzlemaster will shortz could come up with the word - knowing will, i bet he could come up with a few words that fit the bill! i wonder if he used this riddle on his weekend edition puzzle segment?

now here's the fun part, the answer is found in the following vid.

gotta have a song -- how about this fun song from childhood!

shirley ellis singing the name game - shirley wrote the song with lincoln chase; when it was released in 1964 it became an instant hit reaching #3 on the billboard hot 100 and #5 on the r&b charts.

according to the portal, here is the formula should you wish to play the name game:

Using the name Katie as an example, the song follows this pattern:

Katie, Katie, bo-batie,
Banana-fana fo-fatie
Fee-fi-mo-matie
Katie!

A verse can be created for any name, with X as the name and Y as the name without the first consonant sound (if it begins with a consonant), as follows:

(X), (X), bo-b (Y)
Banana-fana fo-f (Y)
Fee-fi-mo-m (Y)
X!

If the name starts with a vowel or vowel sound, the "b" "f" or "m" is inserted in front of the name.

And if the name starts with a b, f, or m, that sound simply is not repeated. (For example: Billy becomes "Billy Billy bo-illy"; Fred becomes "banana fana fo-ana"; Marsha becomes "fee fi mo-arsha".)

Playing the game with names such as Alice, Dallas, Tucker, Chuck, Buck, Huck, Bart, Art, Marty, Mitch, Rich, Richie, Maggie, Ruby, or, in British English, Danny or Annie, results in profanity or rude language.

photo: the front porch chipmunk at casa mouse - not to be confused with the backyard chipmunks. all the chipmunks at casa mouse are terribly spoiled. i think this chippy was trying to get my attention letting me know that i haven't put out the day's treats! the photo's not bad considering it was snapped through the glass of the front door and the screen of the screened door! 19 august 2011

living for the city

2011-08-17T15:30:00.002-04:00

An existing space may outlive its original purpose and the raison d’etre which determines its forms, functions, and structures; it may thus in a sense become vacant, and susceptible of being diverted, reappropriated and put to a use quite different from its initial one.

Henri Lefebvre (1901 -1991) sociologist, philosopher, urbanist

wall wednesday continues.....

today's wall is found on a building being re-purposed in the detroit-shoreway neighborhood of cleveland. although i'm curious as to the future use of the space, i'm even more curious about learning who is behind the selection of the wonderful quote from iconoclastic french philoshopher lefebyre's groundbreaking work the the production of space.

i wonder if the pink rhino is a nod toward ionesco's absurdist play rhinocéros? the building after all is just a few blocks west of cleveland public theatre - and this whole area of cleveland is charged with creative energy! then again sometimes a rhino is just a rhino.

stevie wonder first released his song living for the city in 1973 on his album innervisions. it quickly became a hit reaching #8 on the pop charts and #1 on the r&b chart. rolling stone ranks the song #104 on their list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.

in 1975 ray charles recorded living for the city for his album renaissance - charles substituted a different spoken interlude which addresses the extremes of living in abject poverty. wonder was so moved by charles' commentary that the two of them performed the version for a 1991 television tribute to ray charles entitled 50 years of music making: a tribute to ray charles - somebod uploaded this performance on youtube a few years back (i'm glad he did! thanks somebod!!)

voices in the sky

2011-08-16T11:15:00.002-04:00

THE human heart has hidden treasures,
In secret kept, in silence sealed;
The thoughts, the hopes, the dreams, the pleasures,
Whose charms were broken if revealed.
And days may pass in gay confusion,
And nights in rosy riot fly,
While, lost in Fame's or Wealth's illusion,
The memory of the Past may die.

Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855)novelist & poet
excerpt from Evening Solace found in Poems by Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell (1846)

tattoo tuesday continues....

for me one of the most charming tattoos is the bluebird. like many designs, bluebird tattoos have nautical roots - rumor has it that when a sailor traveled 5,000 miles at sea he would get a bluebird tattoo on his chest and when he completed 10,000 miles he would get a second bluebird on the other side. like many nautical designs bluebird tattoos easily transferred to the general public -- i have found that bluebirds are very popular among both women and men.

bluebirds have long been regarded as a sign of happiness, prosperity and good health in many different cultural traditions - and it is a bit staggering to consider all the attention, poems, songs and myths that surround this endearing little bird.

in today's tattoo cosmology a bluebird is regarded as a symbol of luck.

Bluebird flying high,
Tell me what you sing.
If you could talk to me,
What news would you bring
Of voices in the sky?

-from moody blues voices in the sky

the moody blues classic song voices in the sky (1968) - gosh does this song bring back some wonderful memories days of my (misspent) youth -- hmmm, now that i think of it is probably a good thing that tattoos weren't the rage in the late 60's early 70s as they are today..... otherwise who knows how inked up this mouse might be.....

dream baby

2011-08-13T17:30:00.002-04:00

Then followed that beautiful season called...Summer...
Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape
Lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) poet & educator

from Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie

wishing everyone a dreamy weekend!

dream baby performed by rob orbison & friends (including: bruce springsteen, jennifer warnes, bonnie raitt, k.d. lang, tom waits, elvis costello, t-bone burnette, jackson brown and j.d. souther - probably one of the dreamiest back-up bands ever assembled!) for the television special a black and white night - first broadcast 3 january 1988

photo: casa mouse, august 2011

last night i had the strangest dream

2011-08-10T12:00:00.001-04:00

...the future depends on each of us taking nonviolence into our hearts and minds and developing new and imaginative structures which are nonviolent and life-giving for all. Some people will argue that this is too idealistic. I believe it is very realistic. I am convinced that humanity is fast evolving to this higher consciousness. For those who say it cannot be done, let us remember that humanity learned to abolish slavery. Our task now is no less than the abolition of violence and war .... We can rejoice and celebrate today because we are living in a miraculous time. Everything is changing and everything is possible.

Mairead Corrigan Maguire (b.1944) peace activist, nobel laureate (1976)*

wall wednesday continues.

10 august is the anniversary of the founding of the peace people in 1976.

*the 1976 nobel prize for peace was awarded in 1977 to mairead macguire and betty williams, cofounders of the community of peace people, an organization dedicated to promoting a peaceful resolution to the troubles in northern ireland. a third co-founder of the organization, ciara mckeown, was not included in receiving the nobel peace prize.

today's wall is located in herman park in the detroit-shoreway neighborhood of cleveland. the second photo depicts the four peoples of the earth stories. the stories which are explained on the detail of the wall below:

pete seeger singing his friend ed mccurdy's 1950 anti-war classic last night i had the strangest dream. this video was done by someone named spadecaller - thank spadecaller!

photos: herman park cleveland august 2011

o superman

2011-08-09T10:30:00.005-04:00

tattoo tuesday continues.

today's we are glimpsing at some body art that i caught at cleveland's carol and john's comic book shop - in this humble mouse's opinion the best comic shop in the known universe. okay, if it's not the best comic shop in the universe, i can say without exaggeration that carol and john's repeatedly is recognized as the best comic shop in cleveland and northern ohio.

this past weekend friends from out of town were visiting, one of them asked if there was a comic shop nearby. he had recently heard a story on npr about a new spiderman. the recent death of peter parker (aka spiderman) at the hands of the evil green goblin wasn't necessarily the death of our much loved spidey.

this month marvel revealed the identity of the new spiderman - miles morales. even though my visiting friend isn't a comic book collector, he was keen to try to find a copy of the newest issue. as fate would have it carol and john's had two copies; so m picked up a copy (along with the six issues leading up to the death of peter parker and the introduction of miles morales, i might add). i snagged the remaining issue, i figured after reading it i'd send it to my 30-year old nephew adrian who once had a serious spiderman fixation (i seem to remember he liked to wear his spiderman costume 24/7 when he was a wee lad).

but enough with spiderman, let's get to the tats! the top two photos are of store owners, john and carol - who incidentally are mother and son - how cool is that!

prior to going into the comic biz full time, john worked for 17 years as a firefighter with the cleveland fire department. the dragon that we see on his left arm reflects his firefighting days. john explained that hundreds of years ago japanese firefighters would wear protective coats embroidered with elaborate images of dragons, over time the embroidery of dragons gave way to tattoos for japanese firefighters. today firefighters everywhere have embraced the iconography of the dragon as a symbol of protection, courage and strength.

like son, like mother - carol is also adorned with several tattoos. the one visible on her right forearm shows, a peacock feather, a wisp of smoke, and carol written in kanji.

as i was leaving the store i noticed one more tat, this one on the knuckles of a customer petting winston zeddemore, the store cat and mascot.

cleveland boasts a long and fine comic book history. did you know that cleveland is the home to superman? yep, back in the dark days of the great depression, cleveland teens jerry siegel and joe shuster, dreamed up superman - who is perhaps the first real comic superhero. more recently, cleveland is home to the late harvey pekar, best known as the author of american splendor.

we had some time to kill after before meeting some other friends for dinner, so after visiting carol and john's comic shop, we headed over the cleveland's glenville neighborhood and checked out the birthplace of superman.

o superman (1981) - often considered laurie anderson's break-out song. did you know that in addition to being a brilliant sculptor, musician, composer and performance artist, in 1970 laurie was the illustrator for the underground comix baloney moccasins!?

tell me a story

2011-08-08T10:00:00.001-04:00

The universe is made of stories, not atoms.

Muriel Rukeyser (1913-1980) poet & activist

great timing that we hosted a gathering at casa mouse on saturday - with so many kids in attendance, i had the perfect excuse to pull out the two books by james warhola that i mentioned earlier that day on the mouse. the stories were a perfect end to a perfect day! if any of the kids didn't know about andy warhol before the party, they did when they left!

(much thanks to alix who saw my camera unattended and snapped the pic!)

the indomitable iggy pop singing tell me a story (1979). iggy's given name isn't ignatius as one might think but rather james - he adopted iggy as an homage to the first band he played in as a high school student in ann arbor, michigan - the iguanas. oh and by the way iggy's last name isn't really pop either!

sepia saturday: the landscape is changing

2011-08-06T10:55:00.008-04:00

Isn't life a series of images that change as they repeat themselves?

Andy Warhol (6 august 1928 - 1987) painter, printmaker & filmaker

i knew it's been a bit since i put up a sepia saturday photo - but really january! we aren't kidding when we say time flies!

today's photo was taken at some unknown gathering in the front yard of my maternal grandparents' home in harwood mines, pennsylvania. i'm not sure when it was taken, based on aunt rose, the woman on the hammock, i expect it was taken during the early 1950s or maybe even the late 1940s. i'm pretty certain the man sitting with his legs crossed is uncle andy, rose's husband - they married in 1951. whether they were married when the photo was snapped, who knows. my grandmother (nana) is the woman seated at the table next to the man with glass raised.

i don't know the identity of the others in the photo - relatives? neighbors? other than location, and these three people i can only speculate the story of the photo. perhaps this picture was taken when rose and andy announced their engagement, surely it must have been some special occasion for someone to have gone through the trouble of finding a camera to document this moment in time. today cameras are ubiquitous and some of us document everything (that would be me), but 50-60 years ago this wasn't the case -especially from what i know of my mother's family, unless there is an closeted shutterbug that i don't know about!

in addition to seeing a youthful nana, aunt rose and uncle andy, what is amazing for me about this photo is the background. i know the exact spot where the unknown photographer stood. if one stood in that spot in the 1960s - 1990s and glanced out at the hills, it would not be trees one would see but raw and wounded earth that was strip mined starting in the late 50s. today the landscape is slowly coming back with the help of hard-fought for reclamation programs, but the wounds are still there.

(click on image to enlarge)

to visit other time travelers, visit the sepia saturday blog.

addendum made at 4:15 pm: i just spoke with my mother and she was a font of knowledge about the old photo. turns out the gentleman i thought was my uncle andy isn't uncle andy, but a visiting relative from indiana. the man seated next to nana is my great-grandfather's brother who coincidentally is named andy - so there is an uncle andy in the photo, just not the uncle andy i thought! if he's my great-grandfather's brother i guess he'd be my great-great-uncle andy. the two women with scarves are among the indiana contingent - my mom didn't know the names of any other indiana people other than andy. we did narrow it down to the late 1940s and speculate that the bottles may be wine or soda pop. they definitely aren't the shape of beer or whiskey bottles. mom also said the photographer must be someone from indiana and confirmed my impression that there weren't really any shutterbugs among her immediate family.

the landscape is changing by depeche mode (1983)

photos: top, unknown date, unknown photographer, harwood mines, pa; bottom - land about 1-1/2 miles west of location in top photo, pennsylvania july 2011

addendum 5:15: speaking of uncle andy - i was just thinking of my conversation with my mom and about uncle andy and started thinking about a couple wonderful books i have on hand for visiting children at casa mouse. a head's up's to all those aficionados of kiddie lit and/or (uncle) andy warhol. the books are by james warhola. james warhola is andy warhol's nephew and an artist in his own right. the first book is called uncle andy's: a faabbbulous visit with andy warhol (2003). james followed this book up a few years later with an equally delightful and fabulous book entitled uncle andy's cats, the cover of which is seen to your right.

ancestors' breaths

2011-08-03T14:00:00.008-04:00

Pray for the dead, and fight like hell for the living.

Mary Harris Jones, aka Mother Jones (1 august 1837 - 1930)
labor & community organizer

wall wednesday continues, but today's wall is a bit different than the mouse's usual offerings. today's wall comes from the miners memorial park in coaldale, pennsylvania. despite the saying on the wall, please do not think i am advocating mining more coal - remember this is a memorial. perhaps i will discuss coal's role in global climate change at a later date; but today's post is all about remembrance.

on the day we headed home last month from the family reunion in northeastern pennsylvania, f and i first meandered about conducting a bit of ancestor road tour. it was a perfect compliment to the weekend which was all about family. after paying our respects to the family members buried in st. mary's cemetery in mcadoo pennsylvania (great-grands, grands, aunts, uncles, and a couple cousins) we headed to tamaqua.

we had heard that some of the family had purchased bricks at the recently renovated train depot to commemorate the years of service of grandpap and two uncles. we did find all three bricks - and grandpap and uncle stef's bricks are located in what i call areas of real honor - to the left and right of the main front entry door! to the left is grandpap's brick - and those years 1906 to 1955 are his years of employment. grandpap was born in 1888. wow, it's a shame he didn't make it to 1956 to make an even 50; but yowser, 49 years working for the same company. not many can claim that - especially today!

after wandering about the town of tamaqua on foot, we jumped in the car. i noticed on the map that we were close to coaldale, the birthplace of my mother's mother, so we decided to make coaldale our next stop. my grandmother didn't live long in coaldale, but she was born there and i thought it would be interesting to see what the town looks like. coaldale is one of the many coal patch towns that are peppered in the mountains of this part of pennsylvania, there is still active mining going on in coaldale unlike many of the other towns in the area. what a surprise to discover that one one of my historical heroes also visited the town - mother jones! the historical marker above was erected in 2002 and provides information about a march in october 1900 that mother jones led of 2,000 women. the women marched from mcadoo to coaldale to support striking mine workers.

the march was a bit before that grandmother's time - she was born in coaldale in 1907, but my grandpap was twelve years old in 1900 and living with his family in nearby lofty (a very small town adjacent to mcadoo). how i wish i had known about this march when grandpap was alive i would have asked him to tell me about it. he was a wonderful storyteller and was blessed with a memory like an elephant.

it seems natural to close today's post with mention of one more family member. today is the birthday of my beloved father. had he lived he would have turned 89 years old - although he didn't make it to 89 he did make it to the wonderful age of 88 - which coincidentally was the same age his father made it to.

below is a the only photo i know of my dad when he was a baby. it was taken in the family home in lofty.

sweet honey and the rock singing their musical rendition of senegalese poet birago diop phenomenal poem ancestors breath.

in case you would enjoy singing along, here are the words:

Listen more often to things than to beings
Listen more often to things than to beings
‘Tis the ancestor’s breath when the fire’s voice is heard
‘Tis the ancestor’s breath in the voice of the waters.

Those who have died have never, never left
The dead are not under the earth
They are in the rustling trees
They are in the groaning woods
They are in the crying grass,
they are in the moaning rocks
The dead are not under the earth.

here comes the sun

2011-08-02T11:00:00.002-04:00

Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.

attributed to Buddha

tattoo tuesday continues - the human adorned by today's body art is arabelle the founder of acenda yoga in lakewood. i can't believe i didn't capture arabelle's beautiful face in this snap - i was so focused on the art and listening to the story of the tats i flaked! the hand and forearm tats are inspired by arabelle's fondness for mehndi designs. in the past she would get traditional henna mehndi tattoos, but she was always sad when they would fade away, so she found a way around that problem and got inked!

the ankle tat represents aspects of arabelle's life. as i was reflecting on this design, i thought of this image - kinda of funny since arabelle is a yoga teacher!

Om Hram Mitraaya Namah Salutations to Mitra, the bestower of universal friendship
Om Hrim Ravaye Namah Salutations to Ravi, the bestower of radiance
Om Hrum Suryaaya Namah Salutations to Surya, the dispeller of darkness
Om Hraim Bhaanave Namah Salutations to Bhaanu, the shining principle
Om Hraum Khagaaya Namah Salutations to Khaga, the all-pervading
Om Hraha Pushne Namah Salutations to Pushan, the mystic fire
Om Hram Hiranyagarbhaaya Namah Salutations to Hiranyagarbha, the golden colored one (who brings healing)
Om Hrim Marichaye Namah Salutations to Marichi, the light
Om Hrum Aadityaya Namah Salutations to Aaditya (an aspect of Vishnu)
Om Hraim Savitre Namah Salutations to Savita (Savitri) the impeller
Om Hraum Arkaaya Namah Salutations to Arka, the remover of afflictions
Om Hraha Bhaaskaraaya Namah Salutations to Bhaskara, the cosmic brilliance

surya namaskar (sun salutation) chant courtesy of yiy

george harrison singing his wonderful song here comes the sun, accompanying george is a slew of other notable musicians - how many can you identify and name?

according to the caption this vid came from the second annual prince and trust concert - the prince's trust is a uk charity, which isn't without controversy according to the portal.

the first all star concert was held in 1986, so this vid was made in 1987 which is confirmed on george's wiki page.

this november will mark the 10th anniversary of george's death, ah george we miss you! a few years ago i fessed up that george is my favorite beatle - even tho' i respect and appreciate all the beatles, particularly john's work for peace, george still rules for me, guess there's just something in the way he moves me.....

photos: lakewood, july 2011