I swear I'm not watching it...WHY WON'T IT BOIL????
Friday, November 27, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Nature's bounty
The last of this summer's tomatoes
One of my co-workers has a friend who keeps honeybees. She asked me if I would like some honey...sure!
Isn't that pretty? And so, so delicious!
One of my co-workers has a friend who keeps honeybees. She asked me if I would like some honey...sure!
Isn't that pretty? And so, so delicious!
Friday, November 20, 2009
Ladies who lunch
When having lunch out with the girls, it's important to carefully look the menu over to find out what sounds appetizing. Waiter, how is the macaroni & cheese today? Excellent! I'll have that, and bring me a carton of your finest milk.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Does iTunes need an MLS?
If you sort my iTunes library by genre, these are some of the songs classified in the "World" music category:
"In Da Club" by 50 Cent
" Chaiyya Chaiyya" from the Bombay Dreams cast recording
"Keep Me In Your Heart" by Warren Zevon
"Seann Triubhais Uilleachain" from The Legacy of the Scottish Fiddler
"Cry Me a River" by Justin Timberlake
Yeah, okay. I guess they were all produced on this world, but otherwise...
In other news, I downloaded the first volume of the Glee soundtrack. It belongs in the "Awesome" music category.
"In Da Club" by 50 Cent
" Chaiyya Chaiyya" from the Bombay Dreams cast recording
"Keep Me In Your Heart" by Warren Zevon
"Seann Triubhais Uilleachain" from The Legacy of the Scottish Fiddler
"Cry Me a River" by Justin Timberlake
Yeah, okay. I guess they were all produced on this world, but otherwise...
In other news, I downloaded the first volume of the Glee soundtrack. It belongs in the "Awesome" music category.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Put down the duckie!
Sesame Street is 40 years old! Why does it seem lately that everything and everyone is YOUNGER than I am?
Anyway, one of my favorite songs from Sesame Street is "Put Down the Duckie", and for your enjoyment, here is a video of that song. I love the total randomness of the celebrity cameos--Peewee Herman! Celia Cruz! Jeremy Irons!
Anyway, one of my favorite songs from Sesame Street is "Put Down the Duckie", and for your enjoyment, here is a video of that song. I love the total randomness of the celebrity cameos--Peewee Herman! Celia Cruz! Jeremy Irons!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Catching Up
Okay, finally finished the whole Italian trip thing. Time to move on, or perhaps back, to more mundane things. For example, this is what I did last Sunday:
That's right; I raked every single one of those eleventy billion leaves. Stupid maple trees that surround my yard that don't even belong to me so I can't cut them down. Yeah, those maple trees.
I did have a little bit of drama on Sunday. While raking leaves in the backyard, I happened to glance at the wren house and noticed that there was a sparrow half hanging out of it. It was obviously stuck, and the poor little fellow was panting for breath. I climbed up on a ladder and took the house down. I tried to get the bird out, but he was stuck good. So I took off the back of the house and emptied out all the nest material for a better look. And with access to fresh air, the poor wee birdie was able to breathe a little easier.
Unfortunately, I could see that the bird's bottom bill was stuck in the wood of the house, and I didn't want to yank it out, too afraid I might hurt him.
I called our local wildlife sanctuary and asked if they had any suggestions. Not really, they said, not without seeing him. Could I bring him in? You bet. So bird, birdhouse, and I got into the car and headed for the sanctuary. Two nice rehab volunteers took over and literally sawed the birdie out of the wood. Once freed, he was still fiesty enough to try to bite the volunteer holding him, so we figured he was none the worse for wear. She let him go outside and that was my good deed for the day done.
It seemed cruel to take a photo of him while he was stuck, so here's a photo of the inside of the birdhouse, with my fingers playing the part of the bird's head:
And finally, I bring you...Frankendog:
Yes, poor Alice Faye had to have some surgery a couple of weeks ago to remove a lump. Turns out it was a mast cell tumor, but the surgery removed all of the cells, and we are hoping she will remain cancer-free. She's recovered from the surgery but still has to wear her little doggy coat to protect the incision until it fully heals. Other than being itchy, she feels great.
That's right; I raked every single one of those eleventy billion leaves. Stupid maple trees that surround my yard that don't even belong to me so I can't cut them down. Yeah, those maple trees.
I did have a little bit of drama on Sunday. While raking leaves in the backyard, I happened to glance at the wren house and noticed that there was a sparrow half hanging out of it. It was obviously stuck, and the poor little fellow was panting for breath. I climbed up on a ladder and took the house down. I tried to get the bird out, but he was stuck good. So I took off the back of the house and emptied out all the nest material for a better look. And with access to fresh air, the poor wee birdie was able to breathe a little easier.
Unfortunately, I could see that the bird's bottom bill was stuck in the wood of the house, and I didn't want to yank it out, too afraid I might hurt him.
I called our local wildlife sanctuary and asked if they had any suggestions. Not really, they said, not without seeing him. Could I bring him in? You bet. So bird, birdhouse, and I got into the car and headed for the sanctuary. Two nice rehab volunteers took over and literally sawed the birdie out of the wood. Once freed, he was still fiesty enough to try to bite the volunteer holding him, so we figured he was none the worse for wear. She let him go outside and that was my good deed for the day done.
It seemed cruel to take a photo of him while he was stuck, so here's a photo of the inside of the birdhouse, with my fingers playing the part of the bird's head:
And finally, I bring you...Frankendog:
Yes, poor Alice Faye had to have some surgery a couple of weeks ago to remove a lump. Turns out it was a mast cell tumor, but the surgery removed all of the cells, and we are hoping she will remain cancer-free. She's recovered from the surgery but still has to wear her little doggy coat to protect the incision until it fully heals. Other than being itchy, she feels great.
Monday, November 2, 2009
il mio viaggio in Italia, giorno sei
Day Six
Our last day in Florence, and we are on our own for the day. Ann and Florence decide that they want to visit the Boboli Gardens, but there are a few more museums I want to see, so we split up and agree to meet up later.
I head out early, determined to beat the worst of the crowds. My first stop is the Bargello Museum, known for its collection of sculpture. The Bargello was once a prison, and its interior courtyard was the site of many executions.
The sculptures are beautiful, and the collection includes several by Michelangelo and Donatello. I recognize Donatello’s David from my one-and-only art history course in college. He is so unbelievably beautiful in real life; I’m awe-struck by the artistry and skill it took to create the wonderful pieces.
From there, it’s a short walk over to the Palazzo Vecchio; I’ve walked past it almost every day this week but haven’t yet had the chance to go inside. There’s a long line at the entrance because the security is being especially thorough. All the museums have x-ray machines and metal detectors, but here it looks like actual police, rather than just museum guards, are also hand searching people’s bags. It seems that there must be some special event going on, because there are many people dressed up in party clothes—obviously not the tourist crowd.
As I’m standing in line, I hear a couple behind me asking someone about entrance fees. I start chatting with them, and it turns out that they are from Seattle (this brings on a very short discussion about Mike Holmgren); they are on a cruise ship and have a shore excursion to Florence for several hours. They ask me about some good places to see, and I mark some things on their map, like the Duomo. Ultimately, I say, they’d probably enjoy just walking around and seeing the streets and buildings. They suggest that I’d make an excellent tour guide (darn the luck that my Italian isn’t fluent; I would LOVE that!).
The Palazzo Vecchio isn’t a complete disappointment, but after the lavish museums I’ve been in, it’s a little more minimalist. The rooms are gorgeous and the frescos (more frescos!) are outstanding, but there isn’t much else to see. As I’m walking down a staircase, I round the corner and find a group of men, sitting in a window seat, all dressed in Renaissance costume. They are obviously part of the event that’s going on, and they look fantastic. I wish I had been brave enough to take their photograph!
After that, it’s a quick walk over to the Mercato Nuovo for some last-minute souvenir shopping. I make the mistake of stopping to look at a leather backpack (love those backpacks for some reason) and the stall vendor starts her spiel on me. For me, a special price, it’s her last one. Just for me? Really? Well, it is beautiful and beautifully made and the price isn’t outrageous. Why not? I decide to splurge.
I do a little more shopping, stopping in at a local department store and a fancy grocery store to pick up some chocolate and panforte. Outside the store, I stop to reorganize my bags; I take a little too long and I can see some gypsies headed my way to panhandle. Whoops! Time to move on.
I head back to the hotel to drop off my purchases and eat a panino I purchase on the way back. Then it’s over to Santa Maria Novella to see inside the church that was closed yesterday. I walk around the church, pausing to look in the chapels and see various artworks here and there. In front of one, Masaccio’s Holy Trinity, there are two American women standing. The one woman, obviously an art lover, is explaining to her friend how this fresco is so important because it pioneered the use of perspective. “This painting is the whole reason I came to Florence,” she says. Wow!
I sit in the piazza in front of the church, enjoying the sunshine and the people watching. Suddenly, there’s a lot of clamor in the street, growing louder. It’s some kind of political parade, with banners and drums and police escorts. People are hanging out of their apartment windows to watch, but I can only understand about every 10th word. It’s still fun to see.
From there, I make my way back to the San Lorenzo area. On the way, I run into another parade. This one seems to be celebrating wine and grapes. There are marchers dressed up in peasant costumes, and big white oxen pulling farm wagons full of bottles of wine in straw baskets. Best of all, they seem to be selling the wine right out of the wagons! People run up with money and they hand over bottles. Now this is my kind of parade!
I go into the church of San Lorenzo and look again at another beautiful Renaissance church. It’s interesting to me that some of the churches, Santa Croce, for example, and especially the Duomo, are all clad in marble like fancy wedding cakes. And others, like Santo Spirito and San Lorenzo have the plainest of facades that mask beautiful interiors. I walk through the cloister garden and visit the crypt, but the Laurentian library isn’t open today. Rats! My one chance to visit a library…ah well.
Back to the hotel to meet up with Ann and Florence; we go out for our last dinner together in Florence. We choose the Trattoria da Garibardi, where I have bruschetta and taglieri con tartufe (pasta with truffles). And one more glass of Chianti.
What a fabulous trip this has been. Florence is beautiful, the people are friendly, and the food was delicious. The best trips I go on always leave me wanting to move to that place, and I can definitely imagine living in a little hill town in Tuscany--walking through the fields in the sunshine, selling gelato to tourists--who's with me?
Our last day in Florence, and we are on our own for the day. Ann and Florence decide that they want to visit the Boboli Gardens, but there are a few more museums I want to see, so we split up and agree to meet up later.
I head out early, determined to beat the worst of the crowds. My first stop is the Bargello Museum, known for its collection of sculpture. The Bargello was once a prison, and its interior courtyard was the site of many executions.
The sculptures are beautiful, and the collection includes several by Michelangelo and Donatello. I recognize Donatello’s David from my one-and-only art history course in college. He is so unbelievably beautiful in real life; I’m awe-struck by the artistry and skill it took to create the wonderful pieces.
From there, it’s a short walk over to the Palazzo Vecchio; I’ve walked past it almost every day this week but haven’t yet had the chance to go inside. There’s a long line at the entrance because the security is being especially thorough. All the museums have x-ray machines and metal detectors, but here it looks like actual police, rather than just museum guards, are also hand searching people’s bags. It seems that there must be some special event going on, because there are many people dressed up in party clothes—obviously not the tourist crowd.
As I’m standing in line, I hear a couple behind me asking someone about entrance fees. I start chatting with them, and it turns out that they are from Seattle (this brings on a very short discussion about Mike Holmgren); they are on a cruise ship and have a shore excursion to Florence for several hours. They ask me about some good places to see, and I mark some things on their map, like the Duomo. Ultimately, I say, they’d probably enjoy just walking around and seeing the streets and buildings. They suggest that I’d make an excellent tour guide (darn the luck that my Italian isn’t fluent; I would LOVE that!).
The Palazzo Vecchio isn’t a complete disappointment, but after the lavish museums I’ve been in, it’s a little more minimalist. The rooms are gorgeous and the frescos (more frescos!) are outstanding, but there isn’t much else to see. As I’m walking down a staircase, I round the corner and find a group of men, sitting in a window seat, all dressed in Renaissance costume. They are obviously part of the event that’s going on, and they look fantastic. I wish I had been brave enough to take their photograph!
After that, it’s a quick walk over to the Mercato Nuovo for some last-minute souvenir shopping. I make the mistake of stopping to look at a leather backpack (love those backpacks for some reason) and the stall vendor starts her spiel on me. For me, a special price, it’s her last one. Just for me? Really? Well, it is beautiful and beautifully made and the price isn’t outrageous. Why not? I decide to splurge.
I do a little more shopping, stopping in at a local department store and a fancy grocery store to pick up some chocolate and panforte. Outside the store, I stop to reorganize my bags; I take a little too long and I can see some gypsies headed my way to panhandle. Whoops! Time to move on.
I head back to the hotel to drop off my purchases and eat a panino I purchase on the way back. Then it’s over to Santa Maria Novella to see inside the church that was closed yesterday. I walk around the church, pausing to look in the chapels and see various artworks here and there. In front of one, Masaccio’s Holy Trinity, there are two American women standing. The one woman, obviously an art lover, is explaining to her friend how this fresco is so important because it pioneered the use of perspective. “This painting is the whole reason I came to Florence,” she says. Wow!
I sit in the piazza in front of the church, enjoying the sunshine and the people watching. Suddenly, there’s a lot of clamor in the street, growing louder. It’s some kind of political parade, with banners and drums and police escorts. People are hanging out of their apartment windows to watch, but I can only understand about every 10th word. It’s still fun to see.
From there, I make my way back to the San Lorenzo area. On the way, I run into another parade. This one seems to be celebrating wine and grapes. There are marchers dressed up in peasant costumes, and big white oxen pulling farm wagons full of bottles of wine in straw baskets. Best of all, they seem to be selling the wine right out of the wagons! People run up with money and they hand over bottles. Now this is my kind of parade!
I go into the church of San Lorenzo and look again at another beautiful Renaissance church. It’s interesting to me that some of the churches, Santa Croce, for example, and especially the Duomo, are all clad in marble like fancy wedding cakes. And others, like Santo Spirito and San Lorenzo have the plainest of facades that mask beautiful interiors. I walk through the cloister garden and visit the crypt, but the Laurentian library isn’t open today. Rats! My one chance to visit a library…ah well.
Back to the hotel to meet up with Ann and Florence; we go out for our last dinner together in Florence. We choose the Trattoria da Garibardi, where I have bruschetta and taglieri con tartufe (pasta with truffles). And one more glass of Chianti.
What a fabulous trip this has been. Florence is beautiful, the people are friendly, and the food was delicious. The best trips I go on always leave me wanting to move to that place, and I can definitely imagine living in a little hill town in Tuscany--walking through the fields in the sunshine, selling gelato to tourists--who's with me?
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