21 July 2007
11 July 2007
Order of the Phoenix
At midnight last night, I found myself breathless with anticipation in a darkening theater with family and friends. Many people were dressed in wizard gear (myself included), and some in full character costumes. We had a fantastic Mad-Eye Moody and Draco Malfoy in our row. Luckily we had arrived two hours early and gotten our preferred seats. The theater we attended sold out all 18 screens (!), so every seat in the house was filled.
I was pleasantly surprised, right from the start, with how much was taken verbatim from the book. This installment actually did the least twiddling with the plot out of all the movies, in my opinion. There were a couple of notable changes and omissions that disappointed me. However, seeing as Ms. Rowling signs off on the scripts before production, I can only assume that they are unimportant in the long run. It seems that she did insist that one character be put back into the film who was not previously included. Apparently this character will play an important role in Deathly Hallows. My immediate guess when I read about this was that it was Kreacher who must be left in. I then found an article at The Leaky Cauldron quoting the director that confirms my guess, but I can't get it to load properly, so I don't know if this link to it will work.
In short, we all enjoyed the movie a great deal, but we all agree that a second viewing will be in order very shortly. It seems everyone missed quite a bit of the dialogue because of our own laughter and gasps along with those of the rest of the audience. Hopefully our next theater trip will be this Saturday morning.
25 June 2007
Solstice Reflections
The Solstice has passed and the Sun is again waning. It seems that it might be a nice time to check in with myself and see how I'm doing on my resolutions.
1. Blog once or twice a week.
Not going so well... But at least it's more often than before...
2. Exercise more.
This I'm actually doing, if only to fit into my white capris for July 4th.
3. Finish painting and unpacking.
Ummm... I unpacked a few boxes...
4. Meditate.
Maybe if I'd finished unpacking and arranging my meditation area, this might be going better. What am I saying? That's no excuse.
5. Business.
No change really, other than a couple of ideas. Anybody have any recommendations for a good webhost and/or programmer?
6. Complete homeschool by June.
Well, almost - it seems we took an extended Winter Break and are running a little late. Almost done, though. I've told him we're on the Hogwarts schedule.
7. No caffeine.
This I've done, with minimal chocolate even.
8. Buy books.
No problem!
We had a nice theme dinner for Solstice (this seems the simplest way to celebrate, especially if it involves company.) Lots of Sun shapes and colors. My son, of course, helped with all the cooking while we discussed the relevance of the ingredients. He even pointed out that he was remembering to stir clockwise while he mixed the icing for the Sun Cake.
We ate alfresco and enjoyed ourselves until the sun fell below the horizon. Hope everyone else had a pleasant time as the Holly King takes charge once more.
1. Blog once or twice a week.
Not going so well... But at least it's more often than before...
2. Exercise more.
This I'm actually doing, if only to fit into my white capris for July 4th.
3. Finish painting and unpacking.
Ummm... I unpacked a few boxes...
4. Meditate.
Maybe if I'd finished unpacking and arranging my meditation area, this might be going better. What am I saying? That's no excuse.
5. Business.
No change really, other than a couple of ideas. Anybody have any recommendations for a good webhost and/or programmer?
6. Complete homeschool by June.
Well, almost - it seems we took an extended Winter Break and are running a little late. Almost done, though. I've told him we're on the Hogwarts schedule.
7. No caffeine.
This I've done, with minimal chocolate even.
8. Buy books.
No problem!
We had a nice theme dinner for Solstice (this seems the simplest way to celebrate, especially if it involves company.) Lots of Sun shapes and colors. My son, of course, helped with all the cooking while we discussed the relevance of the ingredients. He even pointed out that he was remembering to stir clockwise while he mixed the icing for the Sun Cake.
We ate alfresco and enjoyed ourselves until the sun fell below the horizon. Hope everyone else had a pleasant time as the Holly King takes charge once more.
06 June 2007
Jericho Lives
So, I just got home from work and found this article waiting for me when I got online. I am so happy that they decided to save this series. My family has definitely enjoyed watching Jericho this past year, and it has sparked a lot of discussion about how realistic the premise might be and what really causes people to go to war. We were very upset when we heard that it was to be canceled. I even joined in the ensuing fray myself by e-mailing our displeasure to CBS and by signing an online petition. I stopped short of mailing a bag of nuts to CBS headquarters. I say Nuts! to my friends who told me to give it up.
So now it seems that it is up to the fans to enlist more viewers. I guess that means me. So if you didn't watch this post-apocalyptic drama over the past year, please give it a shot and join in for the second season. The article says that they will rerun the series over the summer and then release season one on DVD in September so you will have a chance to get caught up. I hope you enjoy it as much as we have.
So now it seems that it is up to the fans to enlist more viewers. I guess that means me. So if you didn't watch this post-apocalyptic drama over the past year, please give it a shot and join in for the second season. The article says that they will rerun the series over the summer and then release season one on DVD in September so you will have a chance to get caught up. I hope you enjoy it as much as we have.
19 May 2007
Butterflies
We've just gotten back from our (mostly) annual visit to Scarborough Faire. I'm munching on some lovely cinnamon sugar encrusted pecans from said Faire and thinking about butterflies.
I have always been enamored with butterflies. I practiced catch and release as a child with my trusty butterfly net, and I also used the symbol of a blue butterfly to represent myself in numerous (OK, just three) 'Secret Clubs.' I have butterfly jewelry, butterfly hair pieces, and I'm still looking for copies of particular prints of various butterfly species that I saw once in a model home. And we're currently planning our butterfly garden.
This Spring has been rather good for wildflowers and therefore butterflies. They are everywhere in droves. I have to remind myself while driving that I shouldn't swerve to avoid hitting them. It's been really cool to have them hovering around and landing on us whenever we're outside. I've had three nice experiences with butterflies over the past couple of weeks, and since three of the same type of thing equals a blog post, it's time to share.
#1 - Three weeks ago, we had a family reunion at Lake Whitney. There were, of course, just as many butterflies flying around there as there are around where we live. On the last day, we were all down at the dock after a final boat ride. My son noticed a butterfly that had landed in the lake and couldn't pull itself out because its wings were wet. It struggled for a while and then eventually stopped as it drifted closer and closer to the dock. We thought that it had drowned. When it got close enough, I leaned over the edge and scooped it out of the water and found it was still alive. It rested in my hand for a bit while its wings dried and then took off. Very cool.
#2 - I spotted a butterfly hanging out in the grass in our front yard one day. For some reason I thought I'd try and see if it would climb onto my finger (despite many hundreds of failures attempting the same as a child.) To mine and my son's surprise, it climbed right on. We then noticed that it was having trouble flying as it would go a very short distance and then climb right back onto my hand. We fed it some leftover fruit smoothie and then took it to some nearby flowers. Hopefully it has recuperated.
#3 - Today at Scarborough Faire, there were again lots and lots of butterflies flying around and landing on people. One butterfly took a particular liking to me. It apparently liked root beer. It landed on me, flew around me and then landed in my cup to sip some of the drink clinging to the side. We watched it until it curled its proboscis back up and flew out of the cup. As we were walking from the area, it followed us and continually landed on my hat and my shoulder for quite a bit. It was really grateful for the root beer. Very amusing.
Just call me the butterfly whisperer. :)
I have always been enamored with butterflies. I practiced catch and release as a child with my trusty butterfly net, and I also used the symbol of a blue butterfly to represent myself in numerous (OK, just three) 'Secret Clubs.' I have butterfly jewelry, butterfly hair pieces, and I'm still looking for copies of particular prints of various butterfly species that I saw once in a model home. And we're currently planning our butterfly garden.
This Spring has been rather good for wildflowers and therefore butterflies. They are everywhere in droves. I have to remind myself while driving that I shouldn't swerve to avoid hitting them. It's been really cool to have them hovering around and landing on us whenever we're outside. I've had three nice experiences with butterflies over the past couple of weeks, and since three of the same type of thing equals a blog post, it's time to share.
#1 - Three weeks ago, we had a family reunion at Lake Whitney. There were, of course, just as many butterflies flying around there as there are around where we live. On the last day, we were all down at the dock after a final boat ride. My son noticed a butterfly that had landed in the lake and couldn't pull itself out because its wings were wet. It struggled for a while and then eventually stopped as it drifted closer and closer to the dock. We thought that it had drowned. When it got close enough, I leaned over the edge and scooped it out of the water and found it was still alive. It rested in my hand for a bit while its wings dried and then took off. Very cool.
#2 - I spotted a butterfly hanging out in the grass in our front yard one day. For some reason I thought I'd try and see if it would climb onto my finger (despite many hundreds of failures attempting the same as a child.) To mine and my son's surprise, it climbed right on. We then noticed that it was having trouble flying as it would go a very short distance and then climb right back onto my hand. We fed it some leftover fruit smoothie and then took it to some nearby flowers. Hopefully it has recuperated.
#3 - Today at Scarborough Faire, there were again lots and lots of butterflies flying around and landing on people. One butterfly took a particular liking to me. It apparently liked root beer. It landed on me, flew around me and then landed in my cup to sip some of the drink clinging to the side. We watched it until it curled its proboscis back up and flew out of the cup. As we were walking from the area, it followed us and continually landed on my hat and my shoulder for quite a bit. It was really grateful for the root beer. Very amusing.
Just call me the butterfly whisperer. :)
23 April 2007
A Poem
A friend passed this poem to me today as she thought I would enjoy it. She wrote it a while back after being inspired by a dance she was performing. I did enjoy it and thought it would be nice to share. (Yes I got her permission first...)
Dark Moon Witchery
I'm a witch
With fingers gnarled
Purple walks in my shadows
There's eternal Spring in my stepping
In my mouth the taste of June
In your ears my haunting tune
Airs my cavernous throat hums hallowed
Catch if you can a fatal glimpse
Of all that's forgotten, of all that is lost
I tread darkly nightly through thickening verdure
Claiming my soul as a mytsic sojourner
Come if you will to watch my descent
But do not turn back, do not repent
You too can be lost
If you feel dark arms surround you
Fear not, for that is me
If you feel a kiss like fog
Cringe not, for that is me
And if you wish to know the night
Cry not, come with me
We will swallow the night together
Or failing, swallowed be
by Stephanie WIlling
October 19, 2005
Dark Moon Witchery
I'm a witch
With fingers gnarled
Purple walks in my shadows
There's eternal Spring in my stepping
In my mouth the taste of June
In your ears my haunting tune
Airs my cavernous throat hums hallowed
Catch if you can a fatal glimpse
Of all that's forgotten, of all that is lost
I tread darkly nightly through thickening verdure
Claiming my soul as a mytsic sojourner
Come if you will to watch my descent
But do not turn back, do not repent
You too can be lost
If you feel dark arms surround you
Fear not, for that is me
If you feel a kiss like fog
Cringe not, for that is me
And if you wish to know the night
Cry not, come with me
We will swallow the night together
Or failing, swallowed be
by Stephanie WIlling
October 19, 2005
09 April 2007
Crazy Spring Storms
I know that the weather may not be the most interesting topic for a blog post, but it's the best I've got for now. I promise that there are much better things percolating in my head that will be posted soon.
So hail and tornadoes, in the Spring, in Texas, is not really that unusual. But I wanted to at least share a couple of pictures from a recent storm that had us scurrying for cover in the downstairs bathroom while the storm sirens were blaring. The first three were taken from our house by our friend Zach Durland. He got some really cool shots.
Downpour
Lightning
And more lightning
He took more, but alas, I can't seem to uplaod an unlimited number of pictures.
This shot is of the ping-pong ball sized hail that fell at my parent's house a few miles away. You can see it falling as well as the pile collecting on the ground.
And here is a pic of snow falling this past Saturday. Snow. In April. In Texas. I'm not thinking so much anymore about Global Warming, I'm thinking more along the lines of next Ice Age...
And, no, I didn't have anything to do with this storm.
So hail and tornadoes, in the Spring, in Texas, is not really that unusual. But I wanted to at least share a couple of pictures from a recent storm that had us scurrying for cover in the downstairs bathroom while the storm sirens were blaring. The first three were taken from our house by our friend Zach Durland. He got some really cool shots.
Downpour
Lightning
And more lightning
He took more, but alas, I can't seem to uplaod an unlimited number of pictures.
This shot is of the ping-pong ball sized hail that fell at my parent's house a few miles away. You can see it falling as well as the pile collecting on the ground.
And here is a pic of snow falling this past Saturday. Snow. In April. In Texas. I'm not thinking so much anymore about Global Warming, I'm thinking more along the lines of next Ice Age...
And, no, I didn't have anything to do with this storm.
21 March 2007
Welcome Spring
Happy Ostara to everyone! Spring is here and everything is blooming *sniffle* - I'm having bad allergy problems this year. This spring seems to be extra strong! I'm seeing things blooming that I didn't know even bloomed. The bluebonnets are awake today, and I'm so glad to see them. Last year there were very few because of the drought.
March came in like a lion with the wind. On the 1st, we had a very nice strong breeze that was perfect for kite flying. Since then we've had some really strong winds. Our porch swing was blown over! Here's some pics of the kite flying fun.
Here's our son with Mr. Dragon:
And here's both of us:
And a close-up of his cool dragon kite:
This was the dragon kite's first outing as well as our son's first kite-flying experience. He did really well, and we both had a blast! We're hoping to take Mr. Dragon out again really soon.
March came in like a lion with the wind. On the 1st, we had a very nice strong breeze that was perfect for kite flying. Since then we've had some really strong winds. Our porch swing was blown over! Here's some pics of the kite flying fun.
Here's our son with Mr. Dragon:
And here's both of us:
And a close-up of his cool dragon kite:
This was the dragon kite's first outing as well as our son's first kite-flying experience. He did really well, and we both had a blast! We're hoping to take Mr. Dragon out again really soon.
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