Pub mat # 1

SliceofLife

from the archives (some things never change)

As you can see we took the Christ deco down today. As a kid I remember being really down removing the trim.It seemed so long until It rolled around again. Endless dreary days at School seemed to stretch out for an eternity. As an adult it seems to have changed to an uplifting time of simplification and reorganization .
It is much better this way.

Corporate Madness

When will all of this corporate madness end? It has permeated everything! I suppose it has been worsening over many years but now has gotten to a point that it is not even thought about. In sports(not to mention television or other media) at a professional or collegiate level, logos are everywhere . It doesn't matter which sports, either .Football, Baseball ,or Basketball, they are all infected. On facilities , uniforms , around the playing fields ,between the goal posts , even on blimps . Not only are there images, but there is audio too.You know, when the opening lineup is brought to you by someone , the security company presents a stolen base report or the phone company makes its call to the bullpen for a relief pitcher. We are drowning in Ads! While at Indiana University I loved going to Basketball games. Since that time I watch the Hoosiers periodically and a year ago was appalled when I found that they had installed a new immense hideous scoreboard suspended from the roof over center court. But that was not the worst . There are new brilliantly lighted logo scroller machines on the sidelines .To me, all of this seems pervert a basic principal that information should be presented for the benefit of the public rather than to line someones pocket. It should be presented honestly, not taken by a second party and then dispensed only after being used for their benefit. Some time soon I hope the public wakes up and sees what a detriment all of this is.

Mystic Tree

This Is Interesting

An email I received from a friend the other day made me think about math. It had a list of 10
names that could be a role model to you.The 9th name was my friends name . In order to get your role model's name (number) you had to go through several steps of calculations. Of course it was set up for my friends name which was # 9 on the list. Ordinarily I shy away from stuff like this because math makes my head hurt. I have always struggled with it being easily distracted. Oddly enough during my time working at Sears the personnel manager called me to his office one day and said my aptitude scores indicated I was good with math(go figure ) and asked me if I would be interested in working in the pay roll office. I still can not figure out where he got that crazy idea but I decided to do it. Well, I lasted about 8 months (mainly because no one else wanted to replace me) but I digress.

Selecting your role model worked like this.
(1)select a number (from 1to 9)
(2) multiply by 3
(3) add 3
(4) multiply by 3 again
(5) add the 2 digits

I then realized that all of the numbers you might pick (1 through 9) caused the the same result .
1x3=3+3=6x3=18 1+8=9
2x3=6+3=9x3=27 2+7=9
3x3=9+3=12x3=36 3+6=9
4x3=12+3=15x3=45+4+5=9
5x3=15+3=18x3=54+5+4=9
6x3=18+3=21x3=63 6 +3=9
7x3=21+3=24x3=72 7+2=9
8x3=24+3=27x3=81 8+1=9
9x3=27+3=30x3=90 9+0=9
notice how the first and second sums increase by 3 the 3rd by 9 . What is
even more fascinating is that they all produce numbers that add up to 9
I still don't like math but this is interesting

Merry Charistmas from Dian

Precision spin

My love of music goes back a long way. In High School I was of course in the band . We were pretty good (or so I thought at the time) but we were full of ourselves too! We marched in several parades but I remember one when the sousaphone players got the bright idea of doing a 360 degree spin periodically while we were marching but not playing. They timed it very well ,so the spin occurred at the same place, during the cymbal crash of the drum cadence. It was pretty flashy so our the band director (the revered Mr. Calvert) went along with it reluctantly.All went well until we approached the review stand . This is the location of all the events officials, including the ones who judge the best units in the parade. We smartly strutted past the stand and then the disaster struck. As the sousaphone rank got right opposite the stand, they executed their precision spin but a bell (top) of one of the instruments flew off . As if that wasn't bad enough it landed behind us, as they were the last rank, hitting the street at an angle and proceeding to spin for what seemed like an eternity. The player sheepishly retrieved it and rushed to catch up with us. Needless to say they never did their precision spin again.

neighborhood

a new day begins in our neighborhood

another Couples photo 1980s

Holidays continued

Happy Holidays

Jazz Greats Continued

Reading plan

Finishing this



Just Starting this

Main Street

For me finishing a book is always a bitter sweet experience, a mixture of letdown and satisfaction . Having just completed Main Street (Sinclair Lewis) there was more balance between the two this time.Maybe it was the afterwards
analyzing the story that softened the letdown.

The book was written in 1920 . It is a novel that follows an "emancipated woman" through the early 1900's as she tries to socially reform a
small mid western town . After years of frustration and failure she decides to leave . Ending up in Washington DC for two years , she discovers it is too late for her to be a revolutionary and returns to except her husband and the town on their terms .
The book can be read in different ways as it is written as an allegory on exile and return . I found it interesting read as an historical novel. Here is an example of its great evocative detail.



Under the stilly boughs and the black gauze of dusk the street was meshed in silence. There was but a hum of motor tires crunching the road, the creak of a rocker on the Howlands' porch, the slap of a hand attacking a mosquito, a heat - weary conversation starting and dying, the precise rhythm of crickets, the thud of moths against the screen-sounds that were a distilled silence.It was a street beyond the end of the world , beyond the boundaries of hope. Though she should sit here forever ,no brave procession, no one who was interesting , would be coming by. It was tediousness made tangible,a street builded of lassitude and of futility.

Although sorry the story is finished I look forward to absorbing another classic soon.

the voice!

everyone wants in the act

They're Here!

It is hard to believe but Seasonal ales are here again. Cheers!

I will never forget this!

a new day dawns

The gems never dim at youtube!

Guess where!

Man's Best Friend

Impact

Had a interesting moment today while while reading Xenophon's "The Persian Expedition". It occurred as I was reading Xenophon's speech to the remainder of the 10,000 after suffering
a demoralizing setback . In the middle of his impassioned speech I suddenly sneezed. As it was only one time I continued reading . To my amazement the next paragraph said this.


"Just as he was saying this. someone sneezed ,and, when the soldiers heard it they all with one accord fell on their knees and worshiped the god who had given them this sign.
Xenophon went on: I think ,soldiers ,that, since an omen from Zeus the Saviour appeared just when we were speaking about safety ,we ought to make a vow that we will give thank-offerings to the god for our safety in the place where we first reach friendly soil, and we should also vow to offer sacrifices to the other gods to the best of our ability".Never knew a reader could have such impact ".

Progress

Proof that we are making progress! These small Ohia trees (some we transplanted and some volunteers) are really growing. It is most gratifying to see our reforesting efforts actually working.

somehow this relates to President Obama

Man this is beautiful !

From A. Wainwright's "A North Wales Sketchbook"

A Hawaii Moment

Walking this evening it occurred

imperceptible at first

then a sound on the edge of consciousness

relentlessly approaching like Xenophon's 10,000

A trade wind shower

pouring for a few seconds

and departing just as it had arrived

A Hawaii moment

The classics

I have returned to my classic book reading kick. As a student in high school I did not have much interest in reading. I failed to realize how much enjoyment comes from a good book. Of course in college I had to read but not much for pleasure. It was not until I happened to watch a TV series named In search of the Trojan wars that things began to change. In This interesting show, narrated by Michael Woods there were many references to Homer's Iliad. Before the series was finished I just had to get a copy and attempt to read it. Although it was a struggle I finished it and was hooked on penguin classics. Reading the odyssey followed ,and the whole world of these books opened up. Realizing I had not much knowledge of the classics I got a book titled "The life time reading plan" by Clifford Fadiman. It gave me direction and coupled with" How to read a book "written by Mortimer J Adler and Charles Van Doren I was rolling . Since then I have read more than a few of the classics and currently am reading "Main Street" written by Sinclair Lewis. Reading has become one of my interests which I do manage to get something accomplished. That and drinking!

Just another day on the 'estate'

Today we worked on our pineapples and bananas . After having either eaten or given away almost 100 pineapples . we are now organizing the remaining plants for next year . This involves weeding the plants that remain and will fruit next year and rooting the tops which are cut off of the fruits.They are processed by removing their bottom "petals" and placed in jars to develop roots . There are also other babies on the plants that can be removed and put through the same process. Today we weeded and fertilized part of the plants in the photo. To locate the area where we were working see August post section b. We also worked on our bananas in the same area. Over the last several weeks we have had 5 bunches develop. After they are cut off of the plant, it is cut down as it will not fruit again. So today we cut one bunch off and 3 plants down. We spent over two hours working on all of this. Just another day on the 'estate'

Created Long Ago

More San Francisco art

Feeling the mystery

My Dads Army Service

Our "estate"

Thought I would try to relate photos of our reforestation work to this plot of our property

1980

One of many photos of us taken over the years at the Peaks in front of our Lodge Honeymoon room .

Success Story

Another moment I have anticipated. We found these Bird of Paradise plants in the weeds at the back of our lot 4 years ago. After moving them to another location which they did not like and were once again buried in weeds we moved them here. Here they get better light and more weeding and are coming around and blooming. As hotforwords says "there you go"Another success story!

Nani

Meet Nani. Shortly after we moved here Nani adopted us. Just showed up and worked her way into our hearts. She was then just a kitten all skin and bones. That was over 5 years ago and as you can see now she is no longer that. Here the runt of the litter is named Nani Iki (little pretty one) but she is no longer iki - just Nani

Illusion

Do I really live here or is it all an illusion?

Impressed

Living in Hawaii sometimes presents these spectacular opportunities. Not too many places could you go have a nice dinner out and stop by the local volcanic ocean entry on the way home . Once again you gotta be impressed.

first Christmas together 1971

Important

Why can't this man just go away?

The president during a visit with the women’s volleyball team on Saturday. (Photo: Thomas Coex/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images)

Cover Art

This was taken on our "treck"to the summit of Sharp Top after the ceremony. It actually is only 2,000 feet but does have a really good view of the Virginia countryside . I still feel this photo looks like album cover art.

Sharp Top Summit

This was taken at the summit of Mt. Sharp Top, one of the two mountains surrounding the lodge where we were married. We originally wanted to have the ceremony at this spot but realized it would be difficult for everyone to get there. Eventually we learned that another couple (Park Rangers) had been married at the here so it lost some appeal . Sharon's parents were regular churchgoers but did agree to the ceremony outside of a church and the Lodge is a spot that they felt comfortable with.
I love the fact that we only had 14 at our wedding ,including the minister! The lodge (and their excellent restaurant kitchen) catered it. The total cost was $40!!
Between the setting and the excellent food we could have not asked for more.

The two of us

The photo of Sharon and I posted a few days ago gave me the idea to post others . Here is one of the first, taken after our wedding at the Peaks of Otter Lodge on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia April 10 1971.

I couldn't

I started my first day of Kindergarten with excitement and a new hat.
My mom had been attracted to it by the little horn on the top. When I arrived at the school I proudly hung it in the cloak room. I was early so I found a place in the room , sat down and waited for class to start. As my classmates arrived and discovered my prized possession almost every one of the 20 or so kids could not resist trying it ,causing quite a ruckus. HONK HONK, HONK , HONK, HONK HONK HONK . It continued for what seemed like an eternity. Of course the teacher yelled at me . DON'T YOU EVER BRING THAT HAT TO SCHOOL AGAIN, thus beginning a school career of emotional scars! Thanks Mom!

Happy Birthday Raymond Layton

When I was a kid my family lived in a duplex next door to my dad's parents. We moved there when the opportunity came about to buy the place where they lived . We then moved into the other half of it. During part of the 17 years we lived there my grandmother agreed to take a young boy in.His name was (is) Raymond Layton and he stayed for several years. Living right next door we became like brothers during that time. Eventually he left and I have only seen him once since. I often wonder what he is doing now and every July 31st I think Happy Birthday Raymond!

WAS IT A DREAM?

As I mentioned in a previous reforestation post there was another lava rock outcropping on the lot . Here is a photo of it beginning to emerge from the tangled mass of vines and weed mat. This one is by far much larger than the other . It is fascinating to discover these features. I always wonder what caused this uplifting . maybe an earthquake ?( we have them frequently). Maybe one day I will find the answers . For now I will just enjoy finding, clearing ,and highlighting them.

LOVE IT!

Gotta love it

This reforestation thing is really pleasant . To be sure it is a lot of back breaking sweat laden work and we have been at it for years but it is worth it. Today the temperature was just right and skies were clear which makes working in the forest , with the its sounds really enjoyable. With almost no "city noise" to mask it ,the birds ,wind and even insects create an almost meditative atmosphere. But this photo illustrates one of the best things about doing this. The rock formation in the background (actually old lava rock) was completely hidden in invasive weeds and vines. When I first noticed parts of it in the initial stages of clearing I imagined what an archaeologist must feel like making more important discoveries. Now it is all cleared and is glorius. There is another bigger formation farther back on the lot which we will be getting to soon. This has become my retirement career!
Gotta love it!

Cathedrals &Minsters

Door Hockey

Darjeeling was only one of the energetic intelligent cats we have had(oops that have had us) Her brother Earl Grey was another. They were both feral cats born in our back yard in San Francisco in the late 80s and were the smartest best cats
in our feline family. Earl Grey was the official greeter of the house. He was always at the door no matter who was on the other side.
Just had to see who was coming to visit him ! He also fetched which is unusual for a cat.
At first it was plastic snap can lids but he was overjoyed when we found a little frisbe for him .
But the best was a game we invented. We called it door hockey. Because we had hardwood floors it was possible to slide a plastic lid under the door .
I would go into the bed room and close the door and he would be on the other side . Then we would shove the lid back and forth. We actually did this for for 10 or 15 minutes an a time!
I would try to get it past him but usually did not. Even when I did ,I could hear him( trot trot trot --scuffle-- trot trot--- plop ) and it came flying back under the door at me . Sometimes I would get this interesting feeling that a human was on the other side of that door!
Door Hockey and Earl, Grey miss them both!

Darjeeling and the Trifle Bowl

The last time we visited England was during Christmas 2000. One of the lasting memories was a wonderful Trifle we had for Christmas dinner.
We liked it so much we had to try to fix one after we returned home. So, sometime after returning we made a trip to William Sonoma to get a trifle bowl . At the store we found a really good one and bought it . They placed it in one of their bags with the cord handles and we were on our way. At home we put our purchase in the extra bed room and went about our business.
Enter Darjeeling our curious cat. After a day or so the new object in the room had to be explored . While checking it out (she probably thought is was her prey) she managed to put her
head through one of the bag handles then promptly forgot how to back out of it. She got excited,bolted and both she and her new appendage went flying down the basement steps. At the bottom landing they turned right and in quickly turning that direction the handle broke and the bag (and our new prized Trifle bowl) were sent crashing into the wall to the left .
Just for the heck of it we called the credit card co. to see if this whole humorous episode qualified for an insurance replacement payment. The agent said unfortunately not but He would to print it and place it on their bulletin board for a laugh .

I suppose that is almost as good!

More Reforestation

Our reforestation project is starting to look as if progress is being made. We are steadily removing invasive plants from our one acre "forest lot"(in the background) and thinning the edge of our "house lot" . Our plan of being able to see into the forest lot is starting to shape up. When we bought the house the former owners had screened (with plants) this area because they did not own the adjacent lot. It has taken 4 to 5 years to get this far. When I think about that too much it hits me just how much work it has been! We are getting so much satisfaction from the progress now it all seems worth it.

Blast from the past