Thursday, July 26, 2012

The Guild

I am a HUGE fan the The Guild, Felicia Day, Joss Whedon, Jed Whedon, Firefly, Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog, any and all science fiction, gaming, cosplay et al.

Felicia Day is amazingly talented as well as being geek-dorable.  This is the ultimate geek anthem:




As a non-cool school kid, I totally identify.

I have been doing a lot of video embedding in an online class site that I am creating.. so I thought I would put some of those talents to use over here.

Here is another Guild video... Bollywood style!!


Monday, July 23, 2012

Resting...

I am currently recovering from some minor surgery which wrecks my productivity.  I can't lift anything over 5 pounds which apparently is most of the things I own... or most of the projects I like to undertake.  No wild cleaning happening this week.  I need to photograph some of my sewing projects, but that will have to wait.  In the meantime, here is a poem that my father wrote about the yellow roses on the farm.

YELLOW ROSES

Andy Maxwell took Ada Wahl to be his winsome bride
Just two miles west of Johnson is where they did abide.
Where they lived remain the roses, abundant as can be.
They bloom for weeks in early summer, a delightful thing to see.

Dorothy brought home some roses that fire or spray might kill.
She set them ‘round the windmill tower, also up on the hill.
Sherm’s sister Ada gave the roses for his and Mary’s wedding day.
They were planted at the “Swan Place”, when spring had come to stay.

They live in soil that’s deep and rich, or thin and bare with clay.
They’ve a scent like far-off lemon pie to sweeten up your day.
Pale and delicate yellow blossoms, if cut don’t last an hour,
Replenished and abundant, when left within their bower.

Refuge for the birds and bunnies, a retreat from their play
With tangled stems all rife with thorns, to keep the hawks at bay.
When I see yellow roses blooming, ‘neath the azure summer sky,
I dream of Great Aunt Ada:  I long for lemon-custard pie!

They sway in the breezes and fill the air with sweet perfume.
They prove that loving beauty lasts, when yellow roses bloom.

         D. Wahl                                                                                                                June 14, 2011

All of the names in the poem are family members past and present.  The roses have been in my family for several generations.  And seeing how well they are doing and how abundant they are, there will be around for a long time to come.

PS... I've been playing with my blog layout.   I think it's time to return to a pretty header.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Whew!

I have returned home to Portland!... and a lot has happened since my last post.  I finished mulching the garden.  The yellow roses bloomed... see below

This fat bumble bee was actually taking a nap.


I went to Farm Chicks in Spokane...







 Me trying on a lovely mongolian sheep hat and car coat... I passed on this one.

Finished teaching my two classes, cleaned up the rooms, and posted grades... YAY!

We took the kids to Yellowstone Park for a week while our dog, Irving, vacationed at the farm with Nana.  When we are at the farm, he is Nana's (my mom's) dog.  He follows her around and lays by her feet in the kitchen.  Sometimes food items fall on the floor.

The day after we returned from Yellowstone, I cut down one batch of the yellow roses.  They were creeping out into the yard. 

Then after all that fun, I cleaned out a small barn.  A pack rat had moved in.  A family of pack rats actually.  Possibly two generations of pack rats.  There were 8 total.  I caught 7 on the first day (6 in my leather gloved hands), and one more straggler the next day.  I don't have any pictures of the extravaganza, but I think my spouse does.  I will see what I can dig up.  I know there is video. 



I'm almost caught up with housework.  The weeds grew like crazy while I was gone, but I'm making myself do a little at a time so it is not so overwhelming.  Which leaves more time for sewing!  Elsie and I saw this free blouse pattern on Burdastyle yesterday and whipped it up.