This is for Word and Question 17 (Playing Poetry.) Those of you who come here regularly know the drill... ;-D I'm later than usual this month because we didn't actually start until mid-month, since the host, Enbrethiliel, has a crazy busy life right now. Enjoy!
Harmony
My friend Marie can sing quite well. She has
A deep and rich contralto voice that fills
A room with sound. You'd think that she,
With such a voice, would sing the deeper stuff
Like arias -- those songs from operas where
The girl tells off the hero just before
She kills herself. But no. Marie prefers
The stuff I like: the silly parodies
That Allan Sherman wrote, or nursery rhymes,
Or things we learned at campfires long ago.
When she lived here, she tried out for a choir.
When the director heard her sing, he said
"A luscious voice; like chocolate!" (Once or twice
Marie and I have sung together for
A "talent show" or something of that ilk.
I like to think that my -- much weaker -- voice
Sounded a little bit like caramel
Or soft vanilla, or something like that,
That didn't make the chocolate "seize.") And now
Marie lives far away. We stay in touch.
I see her pictures, and she reads my blog.
But oh, I'd like to sing with her again!
Word: Hero
Question: What color is a voice?
I had fun with this, although I wasted some time trying to make a pun of coloratura. But I wound up, as is usual for me, writing more-or-less about something from my life. I really did enjoy the pairing of colors and flavors to make this work. And Marie (although that is not her name) is a real person who really reads this blog. My favorite thing we ever sang together is this, (although the video part of the link LONG postdates our performance..)
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
100 Things I'm Thankful For -- Give or Take
1) Roger -- the best husband in the world for me. I'm extremely thankful daily!
Obviously the other top things on this list are my family. The order I've listed them in is simply the one I use when I'm trying to count heads for Easter baskets, or buy Christmas presents. They are all equally wonderful.
2) Arwen
3) Bryan
4) Camilla
5) Blaise
6) Linus
7) Ambrose
8) Branwen
9) Larry
10) Daniel
11) Matthew
12)Lauren
13) Miriel
14) Brandon
15)Tirienne
16) Kelson
17) My brother P and his wife A. I am regularly thankful that he brought her into the family.
18) The good parents I had. They had their less-wonderful points, but then so do I
19) Roger's extended family. They welcomed me, the first in-law, most warmly, and I love 'em all.
20) Bryan's and Larry's parents/siblings/etc. The two families are as different as chalk and cheese, but good people all. My daughters have been blessed.
21) My own extended family of origin. I have no blood aunts or uncles left, but what a lovely mess of cousins.
22) The town in Pennsylvania where I grew up. I still enjoy going "home".
23) The mountains of Pennsylvania and Maryland
24) The Michigan town where I live now
25) The Great Lake you can practically see from here. It almost makes up for no mountains
26) The Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I want to go back!
27) My car. It's been "on its last legs" for years, but it still gets me around town.
28) My house. Having to move for the "public works project" has been such a blessing. This house is roomier, prettier, more functional.
29) All the work my family has put into this house to make it beautiful.
30) Sunshine through my beautiful big picture windows.
31) Books
32) Free lending libraries
33) Online library access. This has save me SO much time, and some money in overdue fines. I renew online.
34) MelCat -- the Michigan elibrary access. If my library doesn't have a book, it's probably available from somewhere else in the state.
35) The computer that lets me do all this
36) All the technology -- cell phones, iPhones, computers, the internet -- that makes it so easy to keep in touch with my family
37) My knitting group
38) The member of the knitting group who moved across the state in August, but who still "attends" via Skype
39) All the people who developed all this technology
40) My "new" (Brandon's old) Kindle.
41) My friend Julia who has always lent me books, just now in eformat.
42) Brandon's old iPhone, no longer attached to a call plan, on which I play Hanging with Friends and Angry Birds.
43) Twitter
44) Blogger Because I couldn't be doing this if it wasn't free.
45) Turkey
46) Gravy
47) Filling. Which is almost like stuffing, but not in my kids' opinions. But it's what I grew up with, and I love it.
48) Sauerkraut with turkey. What can I say, I grew up in Pennsylvania Dutch country?
49) The fact that Arwen bought sauerkraut for me -- my favorite brand, too -- even though the rest of my family could have a happy Thanksgiving without it.
50) Pumpkin pie
51) Pecan pie
52) Whipped cream for both of the above
53) Wine
54) Chocolate, especially DARK chocolate (70 % and higher)
55) Caramel covered with chocolate
56) Good tea. It only costs a little more than "OK" tea, but it makes my days brighter.
57) Almonds. I eat lots of them.
58) Homemade bread
59) The fact that Roger makes almost all of the bread we eat. (12 to 18 loaves at a time, and freezes it.)
60) Roger's spaghetti sauce in the freezer
61) Ditto his chili
62) The awesome meat bundle we bought last January, which has lasted us most of a year.
63) The enormous chest freezer I keep all of this in
64) Electricity! My life "runs" on electricity.
65) My washer and dryer. We didn't have a dryer when I was a kid, and I used to help my grandmother with her tubs and wringer washer.
66) The proximity of excellent food shopping options. Everything from the locally-owned specialty shop where I buy meat bundles to Wal-Mart. And a lot of things in between.
67) And clothing shopping. I have to drive, because there's no road as the crow flies, but there's a whole mall within technical "walking distance."
68) Shawls! I am in the "hot flash" stage of life, and a shawl is SO much more adaptable than a sweater or jacket. I have at least 10 of them.
69) Inexpensive cute shoes. My everyday shoes are utilitarian and expensive, because I have really strange feet (inherited.) But I found comfortable ballet flats that fit. I bought three colors.
70) Automobiles. Because I can be with my grandchildren, who live 100 miles away, in under two hours.
71) Interstate highways for driving the cars on. A trip of 100 miles on the kind of roads that cover most of our area would take much longer.
72) Good mechanics, who keep my rustbucket of a van rolling. Thank you, Doug, Glen, and the other guys!
73) Music, and the church choir I sing in.
74) Sunrises and sunsets
75) I am also thankful that I have the freedom to change the goals I set for myself -- I'm here with my grandchildren, and this is enough time with my laptop. If 25 people read this, I'm done, since I'm thankful for every one of you!
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Obviously the other top things on this list are my family. The order I've listed them in is simply the one I use when I'm trying to count heads for Easter baskets, or buy Christmas presents. They are all equally wonderful.
2) Arwen
3) Bryan
4) Camilla
5) Blaise
6) Linus
7) Ambrose
8) Branwen
9) Larry
10) Daniel
11) Matthew
12)Lauren
13) Miriel
14) Brandon
15)Tirienne
16) Kelson
17) My brother P and his wife A. I am regularly thankful that he brought her into the family.
18) The good parents I had. They had their less-wonderful points, but then so do I
19) Roger's extended family. They welcomed me, the first in-law, most warmly, and I love 'em all.
20) Bryan's and Larry's parents/siblings/etc. The two families are as different as chalk and cheese, but good people all. My daughters have been blessed.
21) My own extended family of origin. I have no blood aunts or uncles left, but what a lovely mess of cousins.
22) The town in Pennsylvania where I grew up. I still enjoy going "home".
23) The mountains of Pennsylvania and Maryland
24) The Michigan town where I live now
25) The Great Lake you can practically see from here. It almost makes up for no mountains
26) The Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I want to go back!
27) My car. It's been "on its last legs" for years, but it still gets me around town.
28) My house. Having to move for the "public works project" has been such a blessing. This house is roomier, prettier, more functional.
29) All the work my family has put into this house to make it beautiful.
30) Sunshine through my beautiful big picture windows.
31) Books
32) Free lending libraries
33) Online library access. This has save me SO much time, and some money in overdue fines. I renew online.
34) MelCat -- the Michigan elibrary access. If my library doesn't have a book, it's probably available from somewhere else in the state.
35) The computer that lets me do all this
36) All the technology -- cell phones, iPhones, computers, the internet -- that makes it so easy to keep in touch with my family
37) My knitting group
38) The member of the knitting group who moved across the state in August, but who still "attends" via Skype
39) All the people who developed all this technology
40) My "new" (Brandon's old) Kindle.
41) My friend Julia who has always lent me books, just now in eformat.
42) Brandon's old iPhone, no longer attached to a call plan, on which I play Hanging with Friends and Angry Birds.
43) Twitter
44) Blogger Because I couldn't be doing this if it wasn't free.
45) Turkey
46) Gravy
47) Filling. Which is almost like stuffing, but not in my kids' opinions. But it's what I grew up with, and I love it.
48) Sauerkraut with turkey. What can I say, I grew up in Pennsylvania Dutch country?
49) The fact that Arwen bought sauerkraut for me -- my favorite brand, too -- even though the rest of my family could have a happy Thanksgiving without it.
50) Pumpkin pie
51) Pecan pie
52) Whipped cream for both of the above
53) Wine
54) Chocolate, especially DARK chocolate (70 % and higher)
55) Caramel covered with chocolate
56) Good tea. It only costs a little more than "OK" tea, but it makes my days brighter.
57) Almonds. I eat lots of them.
58) Homemade bread
59) The fact that Roger makes almost all of the bread we eat. (12 to 18 loaves at a time, and freezes it.)
60) Roger's spaghetti sauce in the freezer
61) Ditto his chili
62) The awesome meat bundle we bought last January, which has lasted us most of a year.
63) The enormous chest freezer I keep all of this in
64) Electricity! My life "runs" on electricity.
65) My washer and dryer. We didn't have a dryer when I was a kid, and I used to help my grandmother with her tubs and wringer washer.
66) The proximity of excellent food shopping options. Everything from the locally-owned specialty shop where I buy meat bundles to Wal-Mart. And a lot of things in between.
67) And clothing shopping. I have to drive, because there's no road as the crow flies, but there's a whole mall within technical "walking distance."
68) Shawls! I am in the "hot flash" stage of life, and a shawl is SO much more adaptable than a sweater or jacket. I have at least 10 of them.
69) Inexpensive cute shoes. My everyday shoes are utilitarian and expensive, because I have really strange feet (inherited.) But I found comfortable ballet flats that fit. I bought three colors.
70) Automobiles. Because I can be with my grandchildren, who live 100 miles away, in under two hours.
71) Interstate highways for driving the cars on. A trip of 100 miles on the kind of roads that cover most of our area would take much longer.
72) Good mechanics, who keep my rustbucket of a van rolling. Thank you, Doug, Glen, and the other guys!
73) Music, and the church choir I sing in.
74) Sunrises and sunsets
75) I am also thankful that I have the freedom to change the goals I set for myself -- I'm here with my grandchildren, and this is enough time with my laptop. If 25 people read this, I'm done, since I'm thankful for every one of you!
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Friday, November 11, 2011
Seven Quick Takes -- All About Veterans
Since this is Veterans' Day (or Remembrance Day a few miles away in Canada) I first thought that I'd spotlight one veteran for each take. But I realized that I couldn't pick just seven, so some of them are in groups...
Let's start with my dad. He was the oldest of five children, and my grandfather died when he was only 13, so by the time WWII came along, he'd been "man of the house" for quite a while. I've never known what my grandmother thought, but I do know that my dad felt a strong need to enlist. Even though he'd broken his right upper arm very badly when he was a preschooler, and the doctors had said he'd never be able to use the arm. But my grandfather, ignoring the doctors, had worked with my dad until he could do most things with it, including write -- since he was right-handed -- and support things he was lifting with his other arm. My dad argued with the Army until they let him in, with the restriction that he could only serve stateside. He did jobs that freed a more-ablebodied soldier to serve and perhaps die in combat. And he's my hero just the same. Because he didn't HAVE to serve at all. But he did.
My uncles are next. Uncle Joe (Dad's brother) hit the beach on D-day. Uncle Dick (Mom's brother) was in the Army Air Corps. My other Uncle Dick (Dad's brother) wangled an enlistment even though he was underage. (He lied, OK?) He was in on the mop-up in Europe. My youngest uncle, Mom's brother Raymond, served in Korea. My father-in-law also served in the Army in WWII. He did some foot-slogging, but wound up as the aide to the aide of a general. I wish I'd recorded some of his stories when I had a chance.
Roger served in the Coast Guard from 1976 to 1979. He was a Quartermaster -- navigation and other things -- on a couple of cutters, ending up here in our current hometown. He served during the "window" years -- there was a brief period where no official conflicts were happening -- which means that he, and every soldier, sailor, airman, and marine who served only during the same period, aren't qualified for the American Legion or the VFW. Something should be done about that!
Brandon, obviously, is currently serving in the Coast Guard. He loves his work, and will probably make a career of it.
LOTS of relatives and friends. My cousin Rob, a former Air Force pilot. Roger's sister Nancy, and her husband Doug, both former Air Force. Our nephew John, Navy. Our friend Ernesto, his daughter Rosa and her husband Nic, all Army/National Guard. Our best man's son Ryan, a Marine with two tours in Iraq. Trevor, who we watched grow up from a tiny altar boy, just back from a stint in Afghanistan -- Air Force. Kids I chaperoned at Band Camp, now in just about every service. And no doubt a bunch I can't actively call to mind...
Oh, and he certainly isn't a veteran yet, but Kelson was sworn into the Coast Guard last Thursday. He leaves for boot camp in early March.
A BIG Thank You to all these people and their comrades, no matter what service, whether or not they ever saw combat, and no matter whether they enlisted to protect the country or to earn money for college. The United States would be a much-less-wonderful place without you!
For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!
Friday, November 04, 2011
Seven Very Quick Takes -- NOBloPoMo
For the last several years, I have participated in National Blog Posting Month, briefly known as NaBloPoMo. This year, I simply don't have what it takes to even attempt a post every day for a month. I'm just going to shoot for once a week.
In the comments to my last post I asked whether my readers pronounced "Laura" and "Lora" the same way. This is a full confession: my children are soooo tired of this discussion. They and their friends hear them the same; I grew up pronouncing them lahr-uh* and lore-uh. Now I'll try not to ever mention it again.
*Like Bert Lahr, who played the Cowardly Lion.
I need to hustle with my typing, because Branwen and her family will be here soon for the weekend. I love having grandchildren in the house, and it's even better when their parents are here too. ;-D
I'm making Slow-Cooker Green Chili Pork (Tacos) for dinner tomorrow. Last time we decided we like the meat better in buns than in corn tortillas.
This time we're trying the pork with half Mrs. Renfro's salsa. The last time it was tasty but a little bland for our taste. I'd use all Mrs. Renrfo's, but the grandchildren will be here.
For those of you for whom that last take made no sense: ordinary green salsa is made mostly with tomatillos. Mrs. Renfro's is made of jalapenos. Nuff said.
My blog post is ready, my chores are done, and my grandchildren are here. See you!
For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
