River Frost

River frost - "frost" and "frosting"...



A coincidence that they both look the same?
I do not think so.


Frozen Mississippi River, Illinois, December 2007.




(Most) photographs compliments of John -




M

My Favorite Things...

I remember learning this song
for a Christmas Pageant at my tiny grade school;
not really knowing what streudels or schnitzel were,
but they must be pretty good things
to make it onto this list.
Heck, I had never seen "The Sound of Music"
when I was 6 or 7 years old.
Our music teacher/show director
was a Juilliard School graduate,
a pianist, who also happened to
be a concert-level harpist, but who
seemed very happy and proud
to be working with 50-60 school children
ranging in ages from 5-12,
who truly were not very good singers,
but loved to sing loud.
I still remember these lyrics -
Miss Goodwin taught us that well.



Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things






Cream colored ponies and crisp apple streudels
Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
These are a few of my favorite things






Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on your nose and eyelashes
Silver white winters that melt into springs
These are a few of my favorite things






When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad

M

A Boa Named Noah...

Luke's last day at work yesterday
and stories about his boa constrictor
named "Noah"
at the pizza joint last night...
I didn't believe you Luke,
so you called your brother
to verify the story...
He even knew the breed of your snake!
Good luck in Texas
Maybe we'll meet again on the road.



Found some funny lyrics by "Hot Snakes",
not sure what's their music sounds like,
but I liked the sentiment:


Your minutiae Your perks Your perspective
My paperwork Your system Your appeal
Your records
My paperwork
Your labor of love
My paperwork
It's pretty clear to me
Any upside I'll ever see Is gonna have to be
Underwritten by you Your place in history
Supposed to be
An incentive to me?
Your arrangements Your score Your standings
Your impropriety Your tenacity Your philanthropy
Your merits
My paperwork
It's piling up

-by Hot Snakes

M

Black-capped Chickadees

Snow dusting wooden steps
Tiny birds waiting for more seed
tip toeing
through fine snow
footprints.




This is my 101st blog!
M

Fa La La...

Yes, that time of year again...
No not the Ho, Ho, Ho stuff, but the resolution stuff!
Just finished my online college class
that started as a classroom stint in September,
(one week late from France),
and ended as an online course
after finding an out-of-town job.

I love to learn.
I look forward to taking
continuing education courses
for my medical license,
enjoy participating in
foreign language adult education,




even have a good time
at the occasional
round table discussion group.




My resolution is and will always be:
Never stop learning new things.
Stretch to learn about
other people and places.
Try to teach what you have learned.
Share.
Be willing to change your mind.
Never stop learning.
Good luck in 2008.
M