« February 2010 | Main | April 2010 »
You have all seen the Belgian natural gas commercial, right? In case there is one of you out there who hasn't, here it is (again):
Now for the good part. Helen friended me on Ravelry. When I checked out her blog I found this:
But what is this, I ask you? (about 20 seconds into the video)? That is NOT knitting. Harumph.
But it IS a source of warmth and involves yarn, so I guess we will allow it.
Once again, the first loon of the season arrives less than 24 hours after ice-out. (Official ice-out was yesterday.)
This was the lake on Wednesday evening:
* * * * *
A little something to confound your Tea Party, Libertarian, and anti-health-care-reform friends:
This morning I was awoken by my alarm clock powered by electricity generated by the public power monopoly regulated by the US Department of Energy. I then took a shower in the clean water provided by the municipal water utility. After that I turned on the TV to one of the regulated channels to see what the National Weather Service of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration determined the weather was going to be like by using satellites designed, built, and launched by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. I watched this while eating my breakfast of US Department of Agriculture-inspected food and taking the drugs which have been determined as safe by the Food and Drug Administration.
At the appropriate time as regulated by the US Congress and kept accurate by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the US Naval Observatory, I get into my National Highway Traffic Safety Administration-approved automobile and drive to work on the roads built by the local state, and federal Departments of Transportation, possibly stopping to purchase additional fuel of a quality level determined by the Environmental Protections Agency, using legal render issued by the Federal Reserve Bank. On the way out the door I deposit any mail I have to be sent out via the US Postal Service and drop the kids off at the public school.
After work, I drive my NHTSA car on the DOT roads to my house, which has not burned down in my absence because of the state and local building codes and fire marshal’s inspection, and which has not been plundered of all its valuables thanks to the local police department.
I then log onto the internet which was developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Administration and post on freerepublic.com and fox news forums about how SOCIALISM in medicine is BAD because the government can’t do anything right.
Sorry, I don't remember where I found that (and it was only yesterday!) but googling led me to a bunch of sites/blog posts dated August 9, 2009 or thereabouts. That must be when it went viral.
* * * * *
(Cleaning out my "saved for the blog" folder)
Lolcats (this one caught my eye because the door and threshold are exactly the same style and color as our Minneapolis house; we lack a white kitteh, however):
I sent this one to #1 Son, a PowerPoint hater from way back:
From the Detroit airport:
Redundant clock:
Good Earth tea bags have nifty sayings on the tags.
Those with children will recognize this:
Art comes in many media:
And lest we forget this is nominally a knitting blog:
Tuesday morning I got up early (for me, 8 a.m. is waayyy early) to attend a county committee meeting. On my way there I saw a l-o-n-g V of geese heading north. Spring comes to the Great Frozen Tundra!
It turned out that I could not sit in -- something about certain rules or statutes that I was not aware of -- so I returned home. On my way I saw something else, something that warranted turning the car around and taking some pictures.
I am pretty sure that is a bald eagle and not a turkey vulture, but Jeff? If you are reading this? Please feel free to set me straight (again).
The eagle stayed put for a minute or two, then decided it had had enough of that big red thing sitting at the side of the road.
Let's play "find the eagle", shall we? As always, click to embiggify.
* * * * *
Lest you think living in the woods is all joy, Smokey reminded me to put up this photo.
The first wood tick of the season, this one plucked from Hannibal the Fluffball of Doom.
Another blogger, not a knitblogger although I think she does knit occasionally, linked to Sock Dreams. I saved a bunch of pictures of their socks for future sock inspiration.
That last pair in the larger screen shot look remarkably like my multicolored striped raglan sweater. Hmmmmm...
One last screen shot for a certain knitblogger who likes cats and purple and is dressed almost always in black...
The unseasonably warm weather we had last week is gone, but it is still well above freezing every day. The opening that the aerator kept clear all winter has grown so big I can see it from my deck.
Hey, what's that on the ice? (Smokey and I have said that to each other several times in the past couple days.)
It's an otter, and I do believe it is snacking on a fish!
Buh-bye, Mr(s). Otter!
How did I get such ::coughcough:: spectacularly professional photos of the otter, you ask?
(Don't believe the thermometer on the wall -- it lies. The temperature was in the 40s today.)
This was my first chance to put my new GorillaPod to use.
The camera I was using, shown above, has a 10x optical zoom, great for snapping the otter, but just a bit too old to have image stabilization -- GorillaPod to the rescue! My small Canon that goes everywhere with me has IS but only a 6x zoom. But since there is a handy pocket in my purse/tote bag the flexible mini-tripod will go everywhere, too.
More photographic phun on the lake. Fish kill:
There is a small bay that is connected to the lake by a narrow channel. We are in the eighth year (I heard today) of a drought cycle, and all the area lakes are very low. Our water level is so low that the channel was impassable last summer, and these fish were trapped in the bay where the aerator was no help to them over the winter. Our lake association has been petitioning the state Department of Natural Resources for permission to dredge the channel, but the Powers That Be have so far said no. Maybe this will change their minds.
Remember my Autumn Leaves scarf? I lost it late last fall; I remember having it when we had our first cool weather, but when it turned really cold I couldn't find it. Grrr.
On Friday our insurance company sent a truck to collect the conversion van that Smokey totaled last fall when he hit a bear. By the time all the paperwork and negotiations were finished, we were knee-deep in snow and the van could not be moved until spring. Which is now. Before the truck got here on Friday Smokey went out to empty the van -- remove the special radio/CD player he had installed and restore the original radio, collect all the maps, ice scrapers, lint brushes, etc., that were stowed here and there. He also found a couple things that somehow hadn't made it back into the house after our anniversary trip to the North Shore in October.
One of them was my Autumn Leaves scarf.
Great, I said. I wondered what had happened to that -- thought I had lost it forever.
Then I took a good look at it. Apparently a mouse had found a way into the van and also thought my scarf was really, really nice.
The damage is not so terrible that I will not wear the scarf -- that missing area is exactly halfway along the length, right where it will be covered by my hair -- but it is sad. Now to wash the thing and tuck it away safely until next winter...
It was sunny and warm here all week. The temperature even climbed into the 60s (15˚C+) a couple times. Given that the average daily high at this time of year is in the 40s (5˚C+), that is AWESOME.
[digression] Definition of awesome: "Something Americans use to describe everything" [/digression]
Friday was cold, windy, and rainy, but today the sun returned and the usual sunny day activities resumed.
There is a tiny bit of open water on our side of the lake.
And Matthew's new hat is almost done. Just in time for warm weather...
Note: He said the one I gave him for Christmas was a tiny bit short -- didn't completely cover his ears. I think I may have overcompensated on this one.
When Matthew was here a few weeks ago he decided to see how high he could get Lucy to jump for a treat. He went up into the small loft over my office, peanut butter-flavored dog treat in hand.
"Hey, Mom, get your camera ready!"
"Lucy! C'mere, Lucy!"
"Good dog, Lucy!"
1. Explain what ended your last relationship. I’ve been married for 35 years. Next question.
2. When was the last time you shaved? What is this "shave" you speak of?
3. What were you doing this morning at 8 a.m. Same thing as every morning at 8 a.m; sleeping.
4. What were you doing 15 minutes ago? Reading blogs.
5. Some things you are excited about? Spring! #1 son coming home for spring break in a few weeks. Spring! My multicolored striped raglan. Spring! Our 4-week camping vacation this summer. Did I mention spring?!
6. What is your favorite flavor of JELL-O? Sorry, don't have one.
7. Your prom night, what do you remember about it? I remember my date, John; my dress, kelly green bodice, white skirt; and the dinner we had before, steak. My date and I and two other couples were treated to the steak dinner at one parents' house before prom; after prom we all went back there to stay up all night, play games, and walk on the beach. Thinking back on it, I realize those parents were being preemptive and very smart.
8. Do you have any famous ancestors? One of my great-grandfather's brothers, Preacher Joe, was a well-known traveling preacher in southern MN in the late 1800s. I seem to remember reading a very old book about him at my uncle's house. Paraphrasing what I remember, "When Preacher Joe was preaching, nobody could fall asleep." Not exactly an ancestor, since he is from a branch of the family, but this guy was famous.
9. Last thing received in the mail? Junk mail, bank statement.
10. How many different beverages have you had today? Orange juice, a latte.
11. Do you ever leave messages on people’s answering machine? Doesn't everyone ?
12. Do you draw your name in the sand when you go to the beach? Nope. Haven't been to a sandy beach in nearly ten years. See #14, below, re: Wisconsin.
13. Any plans for Friday night? Nope.
14. Do you like what the ocean does to your hair? What is this "ocean" you speak of? I live in Wisconsin.
15. Have you ever received one of those big tins of 3 different popcorns? Sure, every year, and I eat some of it, too.
16. Do you re-use towels after you shower? Duh. Of course.
17. Describe your keychain(s)? It is a ring with house and car keys, a large brass replica of a Japanese/Okinawan coin, and the remote for my car locks.
18. Where do you keep your change? In the zipper compartment of my wallet. Whenever I find change around the house I put it into a jar on my dresser; every five or ten years I cash that in -- last time I had $17 of change.
19. When was the last time you spoke in front of a large group of people? Probably at the January county board meeting. I am typical in that I dislike speaking in front of groups.
20. What kind of winter coat do you own? A boring navy blue jacket and a boring but very warm dark brown down jacket. My mid-length red winter coat that I loved died earlier this winter -- both pockets ripped, lining shredded, and zipper broken.Claire asked where exactly that mysterious noise was coming from in my office. Here is the suspected area of origin:
There is nothing electronic or alive or capable of making a sound in that pile. Believe me, I have checked. The little black space heater, lower center, is unplugged.
Wait.
::light bulb over The Kat™'s head!!!::I have an oil-filled heater under my desk.
Perhaps that is what makes the noise? I'd swear the sound is coming from elsewhere in the room, but perhaps... From where I sit the oil-filled heater is at twelve o'clock high; the apparent origin of the sound is at four or five o'clock.
I shall perform some experiments and report back.
* * * * *
Sun! The sun is shining today! Clear blue skies! Hallelujah!
After a week of fog and rain, the sun is very welcome.
At left, above, is our bathroom with its solar tube (no window). I know as soon as I open my eyes in the morning whether the sun is shining by how bright it is in the bathroom. This morning it was BLINDING! At right, the view out the solarium window toward the driveway and the woods.
It feels so mild outside one does not need a coat. (The thermometer above is in the shade; it is much warmer in the sun.)
The snow is nearly gone from our front yard.
The lake is still iced over, but not for long. No vehicles on it since last Sunday. Behold: rotten ice.
Spring fever hit Lucy today. She got away from Smokey and went for a runaround. You may not be able to tell, but her paws are wet and muddy.
...and there is a big doggy smile on her face.
* * * * *
When I set my watch forward today I set it to the second using www.time.gov.
I used to put this site up on my monitor every morning when the boys were getting ready for school. (At that time the page had a cleaner appearance, without all that text in the lower half, and the numerals were larger. The text is all about the change to Daylight Savings Time today, so tomorrow the page may go back to looking like I remember it.) The monitor was in the dining/living room and the boys could see it. I found it helped them remember to keep moving and lessened the need for motherly reminders to Hurry up! It's almost time to leave for school!
And that is my parenting tip for the year.
* * * * *
When Matthew was here a few weeks back I asked him if he had lost the hat I knit him for Christmas (STR Raven Clan, "Corbie") yet, knowing that he probably had. I was right. He was sad about the loss and told me of his efforts to find the hat. I know my boy; he has many good qualities, but keeping track of things -- even important possessions -- is often beyond his ability, so I didn't berate him for losing it.
We picked out more STR for a replacement, and it arrived on Friday.
Given the current weather situation he may not need this until next winter, but I am taking time off from the multicolored striped raglan to knit the hat. In my own experience, it is easier to lose a black thing than an almost-white thing; he may be able to hold onto this one longer.
It's time for my annual what-fools-these-mortals-be post.
It's been rather foggy this week, due to above average temperatures and lots and lots and lots of melting. Last weekend we had pretty much 100% snow cover; today there is almost none left. That is really fast. Pity the poor folks in the Red River valley. That river flows north to Hudson's Bay, so the southern reaches of the river overflow their banks regularly in the spring because the northern reaches are still frozen.
No big flooding issues around here, thank goodness.
Just fog.
We do, however, have more than a few folks who seem to consider themselves immortal. Or at least lighter than water.
See that shoreline? Completely bare of snow, with plenty of melt water and rain on top of the ice.
Could it be that some of that ignorance/bravado/stupidity comes from this?
ETA: While I was out and about today (and took these photos) I saw two people in shorts and t-shirts. Look, either it is winter and you can drive on the ice, or it is spring and you can wear shorts and t-shirts. Make up your minds, people!
I tried on the multicolor striped raglan to check out the sleeve.
Oops.
Note: this sweater is planned to be a standard raglan pullover. It is NOT intended to have kimono-style sleeves. No matter how appealing that alternative might seem mid-sweater.
Sleeve has been frogged back to the underarm, arm has been remeasured (it is 16", not the 20" I got when I measured it myself; note to self: do not rely on self-measurements that were extremely awkward to obtain), rate of decrease has been recalculated, and four inches have been reknit.
Sigh.
* * * *
ETA: Hurrah for 4-1/2 hours of Oscar TV! The sleeve is nearly reknit and looking much more like a sleeve should look:
I thought that today I would show you what I am looking at whenever I am at the computer.
Exciting, huh?
1. A self-portrait screen print Matthew did in high school art class.
2. An self-portrait sketch from a Leonardo calendar Andrew brought me from Florence (he spent spring break there during his freshman year, courtesy of the NYU honors program).
3. Some favorite quotations:"First they came for Communists,
And I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
And I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics,
And I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me,
And by that time there was no one left to speak up for me."- Rev. Martin Niemoller, 1945"Anyone who is not shocked by quantum theory has not understood it."- Niels Bohr
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men* to do nothing."- Edmund Burke
4. Galatea of the Spheres by Salvador Dali, another Andrew gift from Italy.
5. More favorite quotations:
"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you. Then you win."- Gandhi
"The right to be let alone is indeed the beginning of all freedom."- Justice William O. Douglas"In mathematics you don't understand things. You just get used to them." **
- John von Neumann
6. The Second Coming by William Butler Yeats. I don't know exactly what he was writing about, but the words have always resonated deeply within me, giving me the same deep feeling of despair and impending doom that Stephen King is so good at creating. But King requires hundreds of pages to achieve that effect; Yeats does it in twenty-two lines.
"Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer.
Things fall apart; the center cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
Surely some revelation is at hand;
Surely the Second Coming is at hand.
The Second Coming! Hardly are those words out
When a vast image out of Spiritus Mundi
Troubles my sight: somewhere in the sands of the desert
A shape with lion body and the head of a man,
A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun.
Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it
Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds.
The darkness drops again; but now I know
That twenty centuries of stony sleep
Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle,
And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?"
7. Important phone numbers.
8. My most favoritest email ever received:
"Bear in mind the object of life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, and shouting, "Holy shit, what a ride!"
* Burke was writing 250 years ago, so I will forgive him using only the masculine term. In my own head I read "men" as "people".
** I used to think this exact thing back when I was a math major during my first few quarters in college, but I am not a famous mathematician like John von Neumann.
