Stephanie says

Full disclosure:   I’m a (recent) fan of Will Forte.   The first time I saw him was an interview on Sam Jones.   They talked about “Nebraska” which had just finished filming.   I’d heard some buzz on that and I’ve always like Bruce Dern – so that stuck in my brain.   There was a reference to another project but it didn’t click.   Will Forte was so likeable, although seemingly unremarkable.   I was way wrong in that impression.   “Nebraska” (which I’ve seen twice to-date and somehow have not blogged about-soon to be remedied,) is a late-life family drama, skillfully acted by a talented cast who achieved the ultimate portrayal in this genre:   believability.   Wonderful movie.   See it if you can. I happened across the secondly mentioned project, a post apocalyptic tale set in Tucson, Az.   Our hero, Phil Miller, somehow survived a pandemic that eradicated the human race, leaving him the “Last Man on Earth.”   ...

I've been pondering having my hair cut.  A determining factor in style of the cut is recognition that I don't have any talent fixing hair. It must be carefree as I'm inept in the styling department. The result of which is that I've worn it long, long, and longer for much of my life; a sleek ponytail or a sophisticated up-do, (I am laughing at this description, as much as I'd like to believe it.)  On occasion though I've had it hacked off - usually after a bout of flipping through the photo albums (that's just a term, like "album".  I'm a computer savvy woman with a vast digital collection of photos,) and noticing that I always look the same in my photo albums, (aside from older...) Appointment booked so now necessary to find some basic style that I can achieve.  This photo fit the criteria.  I like the dress too.  And those over-sized sun glasses.  In the modern tradition, I pinned the photo to my phone.  My hair person shot a photo on ...

Oh but I've got the shakes.  My forearm trembles so badly it takes both hands to steady my water glass for that little journey from table to lip.  No, it's not old age.  Thanks.  Just symptomatic of a weekend (gardening) warrior who overdid.  Thankfully I ran out of weed whacker string or it'd be far worse. I may be whining tomorrow.  Nah, there's no maybe about it. I saw the biggest earthworm ever sighted in Oregon, (by me anyway, and I have some knowledge of worms being a vermiculartist.)  This one had the diameter of a pencil and was a full ten inches, now and then, as worms wiggle and stretch those segments.  It moved at a rapid pace around and around a large planter.  It would have been the full-meal deal for any lucky bird. I observed it circling and circling and circling the planter until I threw soil over the creature.  Sunlight kills worms - and they're on the extreme bottom of the food chain, thus not overly bright.  ...

by Claire North Published 2014 I am totally intrigued with books about time travel; this book takes a refreshingly different slant and chronicles the first fifteen lives of Harry August.  The circumstance of his birth is identical each and every life.  It takes a couple lives for Harry to figure out that his life isn't limited to one time as recollection of past lives flood into his consciousness during early childhood.  The tedious down side is having to die, be born, then relive the age from birth to adulthood.  Knowing the outcome of sporting events from prior lives provides easy income from wagering bets so Harry has the resources to follow whatever interests him. He learns there are others such as he, known as "kalachakras," and just goes about learning and living his lives until one day he notices scientific advancements seem to be speeding up.  The chase is on to determine what's happening and how to stop it.  Tension heightens as he realized...

I got chilled this afternoon - so hurried home to luxuriate in a hot shower.  My heart was warmed at the sight of my newly mown lawn,  courtesy of my neighbor, before a single drop of water touched my cold skin.  Once warm and toasty, comfort food seemed in order for dinner.  Out came the mandoline, (a gift from my bestie,) along with a sack of potatoes for hash browns.  This old griddle came from a set Mom bought in 1950 - it's a work horse. Add some diced ham Some surprisingly flavorful diced tomatoes and two perfectly poached eggs And a bunny.  Molto Bene.

King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.   Ah, such a romantic tale of Medieval England; it’s right up there with Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men.   And the maid Marion, of course.   Folk lore that Arthur Pendragon successfully led Britain’s ousting of the Saxon invaders harkens back to the 6 th century, (as does my language, do you harken?)   Somewhere in the 12 th century Sir Lancelot and the Holy Grail make their appearance, just to get that Crusade connection into Arthurian lore.    Some many centuries later, author T.H. White, in the year of our Lord 1958 published “The Sword in the Stone,” a fanciful spin on the legend that caught America’s attention.      “Whoso Pulleth Out This Sword of this Stone and Anvil, is Rightwise King Born of all England.”   Masterful indeed.   Just to repeat myself.    The Wizard Merlin, is a magical and masterful character, among a cast of magical and ma...

Teresa's bulk tulip bulb purchases last fall are sending up spiky green shoots; flowers soon to appear.  To much laughter I quoted her a tulip poem written by Melissa and me in high school.  We were intrigued by a humungous variety growing at our school, to the point of surreptitiously snipping a few here and there for art projects.  We tried to capture the creamy beauty of those massive petals by dipping them in wax.  That didn't work so we picked more and coated them in plaster.  That technique held more promise but the tulip season was over for another year.  So we wrote a poem.    Raindrops fall within the hall And echo in the thunderous din Passion sweet As our lips meet While tulips bloom beneath the moon And cast a silver glow Nature's flower, with every hour Slowly drifts in its own power To the silent place where flowers tower Ah, so deep!  So we liked to think.  This was a also a bow to the imagery of Amy Lowell in...