Surprise!

Well, I logged in today just because I haven't in a while and was very surprised to see that I had posted in September. Apparently I had scheduled these earlier...well what do you know. I'm more active on the internet than I think I am. I've got nothin' to say today. There's a lesson plan I need to be working on...sigh. Can't wait to rejoin the human race in December.

A reflection on an autumn day...

One day last fall, Krista came to visit. The sun was bright that morning and I took some pictures from my balcony. I like to pretend my balcony overlooks a sprawling mountain vista.

...in reality, we look out over the next apartment building at the bottom of the hill, but we still get a nice view of all the trees. It's pretty darn good for an apartment view.


We went hiking around Loch Raven Reservoir. I wish I had some pictures, but, alas, Krista has them all. The sky was blue, the trees were flaming, the lake was glittering, leaves fluttered down as we walked through the woods...a perfect fall day.

We came home and made apple pie...
We drank cider...

...and carved pumpkins.


I'm pretty sure we did everything fallish that you could do in a day. Well, except for going through a corn maze, but hey, we'd done that a few weekends ago.

Reflections of an Intermittent Lindy Hopper

Though my partner

is good,

a descriptor of death

would be called for,

could

you speak of his breath.

Moving Blues...

Karen moved out today...Sad day!

It was too much for some

But had its moments of levity

Chloe demonstrates the emptiness of K-ran's room

Our living room ...

Have a seat, or four.

A LOT of cleaning was involved, but overall, it was a pretty smooth move.

Dog Days

Summer. Quintessentially speaking.

The Mediator

"Everlasting Creator-Father,

I have destroyed myself,

my nature is defiled,

the powers of my soul are degraded;

I am vile, miserable, strengthless,

but my hope is in thee.

If ever I am saved it will be by goodness

undeserved and astonishing,

not by mercy alone but by abundant mercy,

not by grace but by exceeding riches of grace;

And such thou hast revealed, promised, exemplified

in thoughts of peace, not of evil."

~ The Valley of Vision

How is this possible? Who am I that you should be so thoughtful of me?

wwWAAAAAAATtterfall!

Muddy Creek Falls! - Deep Creek 2011

More pie please

Sometimes life seems like one long string of things to be anxious about. Just when I think life is going as it should, something else reveals itself. Many of these things don't matter in the long run, but some of them do and I often wish I could have just one week, one day when I would know that there wasn't something really important I forgot to do; that everything was in place on my end.

I don't wish that I would never have problems (well, I do wish that, but who doesn't?), I'd just like to approach situations knowing that, as far as it depended on me, I'd done what I was supposed to do. I'd like to be a victim for once instead of a delinquent. ...But most of the time, problems are my own fault and that's what really gets me down. The ones that aren't my fault...well, they might be tough, but they don't sting.

The difficulty is that there always seems to be something I could have done differently that would have made the situation better...or kept it from snowballing. Sigh. Lately, it seems I have to be constantly admitting some short-coming or other to someone else - my head hung low, plate ready to receive an ample, well-deserved helping of humble pie. I think my pie plate is starting to chip from overuse.

Well, "For what do we live but to make sport for our neighbors and laugh at them in our turn"...except I'm not finding that life is very funny after all. Maybe that's why we're not supposed to waste it on trying to be happy here - there's too much at stake. I may as well give up and surrender to being poured out for God's purpose. My sin might harass and haunt me to my grave, but maybe, by giving up my rights to any self-dignity I ever had, I'll get to hear "well done" when I reach it.

So...bring on the pie, I guess.

Sketchy sketch sketch

I've discovered that I really like to draw - more specifically - to illustrate. So I've decided to try (a big operative word) to do a sketch every day. Here's today's:

If I like the sketch, I'll ink it in and color it and maybe I'll post it!

Here's yesterday's:

The feet kind of bother me, especially the back feet.

I had no idea how hard it is to draw rhinoceros feet.

The last rays of Sunday...

A hazy Sunday evening at Loch Raven Resevoir...

Pumpkins and Plates

I know some of you might be ignorant about what's going on up here on my apartment balcony, but I thought it might be prudent of me to warn you about some plants that just might soon take over the world.

Karen's pumpkin collection has been slowly taking over the balcony since the weather turned warm in the spring. I've added some tomato and pepper plants to the mix. So far, no tomatoes or peppers, but we do have two pumpkins that are coming along nicely:

As it turns out, the pumpkins create a very green sort of privacy screen and, with the addition of a little plate collage on the utility door, our veranda (as we like to refer to it) is looking pretty

festive.It's like a privatish sort of oasis if you pretend that the beltway noise is the ocean and that the truck horns are coming from passing ships.

Big Bun Bun

There

are...

so many

reasons

that

I love

this picture,

not the least

is the man

holding the bunny.

I love the mountains...

...I love the rolling hills, I love the valleys, I love the daffodils. Yes I do...if you love the mountains, you should check out this girl's etsy site because she's captured the feel and color of a mountain forest right down to the twigs...and she did it with a linocut! (She carved these prints out of linoleum and then printed them in layers.) This is my personal favorite, but you should also check out her whole site.

waHOOOOooooo!

School's out for the summer!
School's out for-ever!

If only, haha, but HEY! I've got a summer's worth of fooling around I've been meaning to do so I better get to it!

To give you an idea about what my life has been like:
This is my 3 AM punkin' pie from a few weeks ago; it was for a school project...am I crazy? My life has gotten a little out of hand!

Whew, but it's finally over! On that note, I think I'll go do a bit of research...on my pillow.

Give thanks in ALL circumstances... (or at least give it the old college try)

So, just because it was so ridiculous...

My Day Today:

1. Went to Walter's Art Museum, downtown Baltimore, for school.
2. Car got towed.
3. Got to find out what Enoch Pratt Free Library looks like inside.
4. Called the poor woman from the impound lot maybe 6 times with questions...nice lady, very patient.
5. Dad had to come to the "last place [he] expected to be today...well, maybe Hawaii would be further up on that list" to rescue me.
6. Tense moments in car trying to find the impound lot.
7. Found impound lot, tension resolved.
8. $272 in cash later...bailed car out of jail and drove home.

Cons: Dad had to drive to Baltimore. That was a lot of money. I did a lot of waiting around.
Pros: Nice impound lot lady. Dad ate before he left to come get me (whew!). I realized what a blessing it is to have people I can call to get me out of sticky scrapes. (Some people don't have anyone!)

So anyway, tomorrow's lookin' up for me!

I have to write this poem

(I really did have to write this poem.)

I have to write a poem,
Oh what a difficult task,
Next week, what will I show 'em?
Oh goodness, I dare not ask.

It's 'sposed to be about me,
I'll probly be up all night,
I know I'll get stuck with a 'D'.
I cannot think what to write.

Should I write about sailing,
The sport of my town?
Or Honey Dog wailing,
A siren to drown.

Should I write about dinner?
When I yell down the stair,
"Eating with or without you!"
Delay if you dare.

Should I rhyme about summer?
Hot and sticky to boot,
Wearing no shoes, Oh bummer!
I stepped on a root.

Compose lines about crisp air?
The woodstove smoke curls,
Autumn's leaves everywhere,
Flying up into swirls.

Should I mention the tuna?

That's what we like --
The green kind of tuna,
"And don't call me Mike!"

Should I talk about side-kicks?
We’re “grown-up” and yet,
We still can quote chic flicks,
Whole movies, I bet.

Should I write about meeting,
My Grandmom at three?
A fish sandwich she's eating,
She prays oft’ for me.

Should I write about Sundays,
"Run to finish the race,"
Not by my own ways,
But only God's grace.

Should I speak of the Giver,
Whose mercies unfurled,
Like the long glistening river,
That flows through my world?

Should I write 'bout my folks,
My family tree,
Mom and Dad's jokes,
Ry, Cristina, Dorrie?

Should I write about porch nights,
With coils all lit,
Conversation and no lights,
Mosquitoes and wit?

Sigh,

I think homework's so dumb,
Poems take so much time,

Wait...

Where'd these stanzas come from?
...look at that they all rhyme!

Day of Rest

It's no wonder God planned a Sabbath at the end of the week for rest because all I ever feel like doing on Sunday afternoons is taking a nap. It's like everything you've done all week catches up to you and all you can do is lay like a slug. This week has just been so busYAWNuuuuuzzzzzzzz.........

Smiley People

You know the type. I have resolved this year to smile stupidly at everyone I meet for no good reason at all. The world needs more smiley people.

The worst is when you're swing dancing with someone who sort of looks off into the distance with this concentrated frown for the WHOLE SONG. I mean, give me something to work with here! Am I not doing well? Is it that bad? No one made you ask me to dance, you know. Do you hate dancing? Or are you just really concentrating? I try to assume the latter. I prefer to keep a sort of encouraging smile while dancing because, after all, dancing should be fun.

My smiley resolution was inspired by this girl who is a patient at physical therapy. The other day I was told to keep an eye on her while she was doing exercises. She passed me on the way to her next exercise and when I looked at her she gave me this smile, teeth and all, and I thought, "Wow, I should do that more." So...here I go.

Here's another gem:

"The Elements of Style"

More from the "Sacred Diary."

In this excerpt, Adrian is talking about his son, a teenager in a band called, "Bad News For The Devil." Here 'tis:

"Went to Unity Hall tonight to hear 'Bad News For The Devil' practising. When I got there, stood outside for a moment listening to a noise that sounded like a piano falling down a lift-shaft with someone trapped under the lid.

Turned out to be a number called 'Peace Will Come'.

Privately thought a better name for the group would be 'Rather Encouraging News For The Devil'."

I have an on again/off again enamoration (is this a word?) with a little book called "The Elements of Style" by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White. It's a grammar handbook we were required to have at AACS, but I like to read it for pleasure sometimes when I'm bored. Before you judge me, let me explain that it is sardonically clever and really good entertainment if you like that sort of thing.

Since I am in the middle of a book excerpt phase, here is one from "The Elements of Style":

"Inexperienced writers not only overwork their adverbs, but load their attributives with explanatory verbs: 'he consoled,' 'she congratulated.' They do this, apparently, in the belief that the word said is always in need of support, or because they have been told to do it by experts in the art of bad writing" (p. 75).

Ha!

Found this picture on my camera yesterday:

They're looking at Dorothy.

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.

(You should be getting higher in pitch as you finish awing...)

The Sacred Diary of...

As it turns out, it's quite a good feeling having a clean range.

The other day, Cristina lent me "The Sacred Diary of Adrian Plass" to read. She obviously knows nothing of my addictive reading problem. It's a short book, though, so not too much time has been wasted on my part. I read it rather quickly, which, as anyone who knows me will tell you, is quite unusual. "Fast" describes virtually nothing I do. (Unless you've had the rare opportunity to witness me playing the piano after 2 glasses of Mom and Dad's iced tea.)

I started the book Saturday after my friend was gone and was finished by Sunday evening. Bursts of late-night whooping laughter characterized my experience with this book. (Sorry neighbors......By the way, I have an ongoing love relationship with parenthesis.)

To give you a flavor of the book, here is what I read on the opening page:

"Our church is getting like an auction room. One blink and you get ministered to. Sit still and keep your eyes shining-that's my motto. This morning was Edwin Burlesford's fault. Forty-five minutes on 'sin'! A record nine-fruit-gum talk. Halfway through, I was checking supplies when Edwin suddenly shouted 'LUST!', and made me drop the packet under my chair. Put my head down between my knees to locate it, then couldn't get up because Doreen Cook pressed her hands down on the back of my head. She prayed that 'our despairing brother would move from darkness to light'. I was all for that-I couldn't see a thing. When she let me get up she had one of those roguish Christian smiles on her face. Came very close to really giving her something to forgive me for. Everyone thinks I've got a big lust problem now..."

As predicted by Cristina, I love it.

(In other news...Dorothy took a bottle on Friday!)

Home on the Range

Today on the way home from church I passed what looked like a dead porcupine on the side of the road...except that the spikes were much thicker and sinister looking. I wonder if it is a sign.

I was not feeling very worshipful in church this morning and found myself judging a rather exuberant worship leader. Stupid of me. I was predisposed to grumpiness because of being 5 minutes late. (5 minutes?! Really, Em, you couldn't have gotten yourself together 5 minutes sooner?) Then I made the mistake of following some people into a different parking lot, thinking they knew something I didn't. Turns out, they didn't know anything I didn't and I ended up trudging through snow trying to get to the real parking lot and then having to walk around the back of the building in the freezing wind plus I dropped my pen. (I am always dropping my pen in church. I really must find a better way of securing it...) Anyway, worship seemed a bit...fake for me this morning.

On my way home I decided not to buy gas, which I will most certainly regret tomorrow, but so be it. I wanted to get home before Karen so I could do my devotions without distraction. I got as far as making myself some hot chocolate (I've been putting Cuban coffee in my hot chocolate lately. Hot dog, that's good!) and reading about the details of Solomon's palace. Why is this in the Bible? I know everything is there for a reason...but really, why? After describing the details of the temple, can't they just say, "And Solomon's palace was really great too." I can understand why the temple details are important, but why must we know that Solomon's hall was lined with cedar? How droll. When Karen got home with Andrew, I gladly interrupted my devotions at the prospect of lunch.

During lunch-making, Karen delicately suggested that I might consider cleaning the range (stove-top, that is). This will be a difficult task to complete without singing "Home on the..." Sometimes I think that living with Karen must be a bit like being married, only without all the commitment. She has all the intuition/motivation to do things around the apartment that women normally posses and I seem to be doomed to blindness with regard to apartment upkeep issues. I'm glad to help when I can of course...I'm just not good at realizing what needs to be done. Case in point, I'm not sure I ever would have thought of cleaning the range had Karen not suggested it be cleaned. Today, because of a very dusty episode with my curtains, I asked Karen if she ever washed her curtains. She said no, but she does vacuum them. Hmmm. Unfortunately, I fear mine need washed. This means I've got to disassemble the curtain rod/cardboard wrapping paper tube get up that I've rigged. Hmph.

Last night I had a new friend over. We had dinner and watched "Emma." It was nice. I actually had a friend over in Towson. Wow! I've been finding that, due to my efforts to keep up my friendships in Annapolis, I don't actually have very many friends in Towson. I'm trying to remedy this. Then I won't be so lonely when I'm forced to stay in Towson of a weekend. (What the heck? "Of a weekend?" Am I living in 18th century England?)

I suppose I'll do something useful now. Sigh. I didn't do half the things I meant to do yesterday, but I did spend an inordinate amount of time dancing around my bedroom to swing music. Heck, this entry is crazy long.

I'm glad I wore happy socks today.